Debris protected twist attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10189605-B2
Application number	US-201615097434-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2016
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A detachable attachment assembly has a receptacle unit and a carrier unit. The receptacle unit includes a housing defining a receptacle slot and a piston having a profile substantially matching the receptacle slot. The piston is movable between an engaged position, proximal the receptacle slot, and a retracted position, distal to the receptacle slot. A biasing member biases the piston toward the engaged position. A flange of the carrier unit has a width greater than the length of the receptacle slot. A lock tab is offset from the flange and is configured to pass through the receptacle slot. A first angle of the carrier unit lets the lock tab move the piston from the engaged position to the retracted position. A second angle prevents passage of the lock tab through the receptacle slot. An accessory is attached to the carrier unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detachable attachment assembly, comprising:
a receptacle unit, including:
a housing defining a receptacle slot having a slot length and a slot width that is smaller than the slot length;
a piston having a profile having a width that is smaller than its length and an area less than the receptacle slot, and movable between an engaged position, in which the piston at least partially blocks the receptacle slot, and a retracted position, in which the piston is recessed away from the receptacle slot; and
a biasing member configured to bias the piston toward the engaged position;

a carrier unit, including:
a flange having a width greater than the slot length of the receptacle slot; and
a lock tab offset from the flange and having a tab length and tab width sufficient to pass through the receptacle slot of the receptacle unit,
wherein a first angle of the carrier unit, relative to the receptacle unit, allows the lock tab to move the piston between the engaged position and the retracted position, and
wherein a second angle of the carrier unit, relative to the receptacle unit, prevents passage of the lock tab through the receptacle slot; and

an accessory attached to the carrier unit.

2. The attachment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a post spacing the lock tab from the flange.

3. The attachment assembly of claim 2 , wherein the accessory is one of a fastener point and a light.

4. The attachment assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first angle and the second angle are substantially ninety degrees apart.

5. The attachment assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a retention notch defined in the housing, wherein the receptacle slot has a first depth from a face of the housing, the retention notch has a second depth from the face of the housing, and the second depth is smaller than the first depth.

6. The attachment assembly of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the post is substantially equal to the tab width of the lock tab.

7. The attachment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a retention notch defined in the housing, wherein the receptacle slot has a first depth from a face of the housing, the retention notch has a second depth from the face of the housing, and the second depth is smaller than the first depth.

8. The attachment assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a post spacing the lock tab from the flange, wherein a diameter of the post is substantially equal to the tab width of the lock tab.

9. A detachable attachment assembly, comprising:
a receptacle unit, including:
a housing defining a receptacle slot having a slot length and a slot width that is smaller than the slot length;
a piston having a profile having a width that is smaller than its length and an area less than the receptacle slot, and movable between an engaged position, in which a portion of the piston is disposed within the receptacle slot such that the piston blocks the receptacle slot, and a retracted position, in which the piston is recessed from the receptacle slot; and
a biasing member configured to bias the piston toward the engaged position;

a carrier unit, including:
a flange having a width greater than the slot length of the receptacle slot; and
a lock tab offset from the flange and having a tab length and tab width to pass through the receptacle slot of the receptacle unit,
wherein a first angle of the carrier unit, relative to the receptacle unit, allows the lock tab to move the piston between the engaged position and the retracted position, and
wherein a second angle of the carrier unit, relative to the receptacle unit, prevents passage of the lock tab through the receptacle slot; and

a fastener point attached to the carrier unit.

10. The attachment assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a retention notch defined in the housing, wherein the receptacle slot has a first depth from a face of the housing, the retention notch has a second depth from the face of the housing, and the second depth is smaller than the first depth.

11. The attachment assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a post spacing the lock tab from the flange.

12. The attachment assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first angle and the second angle are substantially ninety degrees apart.

13. A detachable attachment assembly, comprising:
a receptacle unit, including:
a housing defining a receptacle slot having a slot length and a slot width that is smaller than the slot length;
a piston having a profile having a width that is smaller than its length and an area less than the receptacle slot, and movable between an engaged position, in which the piston substantially blocks the receptacle slot and prevents passage of moisture and debris through the receptacle slot, and a retracted position, in which the piston is recessed from the receptacle slot; and
a biasing member configured to bias the piston toward the engaged position;

a carrier unit, including:
a flange having a width greater than the slot length of the receptacle slot; and
a lock tab offset from the flange and having a tab length and tab width to pass through the receptacle slot of the receptacle unit,
wherein a first angle of the carrier unit, relative to the receptacle unit, allows the lock tab to move the piston between the engaged position and the retracted position, and
wherein a second angle of the carrier unit, relative to the receptacle unit, prevents passage of the lock tab through the receptacle slot; and

a fastener point attached to the carrier unit.

14. The attachment assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first angle and the second angle are substantially ninety degrees apart.

15. The attachment assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a retention notch defined in the housing, wherein the receptacle slot has a first depth from a face of the housing, the retention notch has a second depth from the face of the housing, and the second depth is smaller than the first depth.

16. The attachment assembly of claim 15 , further comprising:
a post spacing the lock tab from the flange, wherein a diameter of the post is substantially equal to the tab width of the lock tab.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Houck Thomas E

Classifications

• B66C1/663

  for containers (fastening of containers on vehicles B60P7/13, B60P7/132) · CPC title

• B60R5/04 Primary

  arranged at rear of vehicle {(B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065)} · CPC title

• B66C1/66

  for engaging holes, recesses, or abutments on articles specially provided for facilitating handling thereof · CPC title

• B65D25/2802 Primary

  fixed, i.e. non-swingable, handles (B65D25/2867, B65D25/2882 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16B21/02

  Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation (with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08) · CPC title