Cage nut fastener and methods for tool-less installation of same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859111-B2
Application number	US-201816172060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A cage nut fastener, capable of installation against a frame member without the aid of tools, includes a spring cage and a nut retained within a space defined by the spring cage and prevented from rotation therein. The spring cage includes a back wall with a wall aperture therethrough, a cage arm extending in a forward direction from a side of the back wall, and a lever arm disposed at a side of the back wall that is opposite the cage arm. The nut includes a nut aperture therethrough that is generally aligned with the wall aperture of the back wall. The lever arm includes an extension portion that extends in a rearward direction behind the back wall of the spring cage. Application of a compression force upon the lever arm, without the aid of tools, manipulates the spring cage to a compressed state that facilitates positioning of a distal end of each of the cage arm and the lever arm through an aperture of a frame member so that, upon release of the compression force, the spring cage and the nut are secured against the frame member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of installing a cage nut fastener against a frame member without the aid of tools, the method comprising:
providing a cage nut fastener having a spring cage and a nut prevented from rotation within the spring cage, the spring cage including a cage arm and a lever arm, the lever arm including at least a portion that extends in a rearward direction behind a back wall of the spring cage;
positioning a distal end of the cage arm through an aperture of a frame member so that the distal end rests against a side of the aperture;
applying a compression force upon the lever arm, without the aid of tools, to manipulate the spring cage to a compressed state;
positioning a distal end of the lever arm through the aperture; and
releasing the compression force so that the spring cage returns to an uncompressed state, with distal ends of each of the cage arm and the lever arm pushing against respective opposite sides of the aperture, thereby securing the spring cage and the nut against the frame member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cage arm and the lever arm are disposed at opposite sides of the spring cage.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the cage arm and the lever arm includes an outwardly-extending tab at a distal end thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the outwardly-extending tab of the lever arm is disposed at a side of the spring cage that is offset from the portion of the lever arm that extends behind the back wall thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lever arm includes outer and inner aligned portions.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the outer aligned portion is arc-shaped so that the outer aligned portion curves away from the inner aligned portion.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein applying a compression force upon the lever arm includes squeezing the outer aligned portion toward the inner aligned portion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the distal end of the lever arm through the aperture includes rotating the spring cage about an axis.

9. A method of installing a cage nut fastener against a frame member without the aid of tools, the method comprising:
providing a cage nut fastener having a spring cage and a nut prevented from rotation within the spring cage, the spring cage including a first cage arm and a lever arm, the lever arm including outer and inner aligned portions that extend in a rearward direction behind a back wall of the spring cage;
positioning a distal end of the first cage arm through an aperture of a frame member so that the distal end rests against a side of the aperture;
applying a compression force upon the lever arm, without the aid of tools, to manipulate the spring cage to a compressed state, wherein the compression force upon the lever arm is applied by a user compressing the outer and inner aligned portions of the lever arm toward one another using a thumb and a forefinger;
positioning a distal end of the lever arm through the aperture; and
releasing the compression force so that the spring cage returns to an uncompressed state, with distal ends of each of the first cage arm and the lever arm pushing against respective opposite sides of the aperture, thereby securing the spring cage and the nut against the frame member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first cage arm and the lever arm are disposed at opposite sides of the spring cage.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the first cage arm and the lever arm includes an outwardly-extending tab at a distal end thereof.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the outer aligned portion is arc-shaped so that the outer aligned portion curves away from the inner aligned portion.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein positioning the distal end of the lever arm through the aperture includes rotating the spring cage about an axis.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cage nut fastener further includes at least a second cage arm, wherein each of the first and second cage arms engages at least a side face and a front face of the nut to prevent the nut from rotation.

15. A method of installing a cage nut fastener against a frame member without the aid of tools, the method comprising:
providing a cage nut fastener having a spring cage and a nut prevented from rotation within the spring cage, the spring cage including a first cage arm and a lever arm, the lever arm including outer and inner aligned portions that extend in a rearward direction behind a back wall of the spring cage;
grasping the cage nut fastener by the outer and inner aligned portions of the lever arm;
positioning a distal end of the first cage arm through an aperture of a frame member so that the distal end rests against a side of the aperture;
squeezing the lever arm by applying an inward compression force against the outer and inner aligned portions, thereby manipulating the spring cage to a compressed state;
positioning a distal end of the lever arm through the aperture; and
releasing the inward compression force so that the spring cage returns to an uncompressed state, with distal ends of each of the first cage arm and the lever arm pushing against respective opposite sides of the aperture, thereby securing the spring cage and the nut against the frame member.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the first cage arm and the lever arm includes an outwardly-extending tab at a distal end thereof.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the inward compression force is applied by squeezing the lever arm between a user's thumb and forefinger.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the outer aligned portion is arc-shaped so that the outer aligned portion curves away from the inner aligned portion.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein squeezing the lever arm maneuvers the outer aligned portion of the lever arm toward the inner aligned portion.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cage nut fastener further includes at least a second cage arm, wherein each of the first and second cage arms engages at least a side face and a front face of the nut to prevent the nut from rotation.

Assignees

• Chatsworth Prod Inc

Inventors

• Davis Jared Keith

Classifications

• F16B37/04

  Devices for fastening nuts to surfaces, e.g. sheets, plates {(nuts fastened behind a wall by a toggle-mechanism F16B13/0808; threaded inserts F16B37/122; measures against loss of bolts, nuts or pins F16B41/002)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/4987

  Elastic joining of parts · CPC title

• F16B37/043

  with snap action · CPC title

• F16B37/044 Primary

  Nut cages · CPC title

• F16B37/046

  with resilient means for urging the nut inside the channel · CPC title