Patent ID: 7878745

Claim:
A U-nut fastener connectable within a stacked array of U-nut fasteners, comprising: a first arm; a second arm and a folded edge portion integrally interconnecting said first arm and said second arm such that said first arm, said second arm and said edge portion together provide said fastener with a U-shaped configuration; a retainer ring integrally formed upon said first arm; an upstanding nut member integrally formed upon said second arm; and connecting structure provided upon said U-nut fastener for enabling a first U-nut fastener to be lockingly nested together with a second U-nut fastener in a stacked array, including first structure defined upon said first arm and second structure defined upon said second arm for locked accommodation of a first U-nut fastener to a second U-nut fastener in a stacked array when said first structure of a first U-nut fastener is lockingly engaged with said second structure of a second U-nut fastener, said connecting structure comprising: said first arm defining an opening; and said second arm defining an angled collating tab, said angled collating tab substantially aligned with said opening so that a stacked array of such U-nut fasteners includes said collating tab of one said U-nut fastener extending into said opening of an adjacent said U-nut fastener and being lockingly engaged therewith, wherein said opening is provided in said first arm between said retainer ring and said folded edge portion.