Fastening device

Abstract

A fastening device is disclosed which consists of a first portion that may be made as an integral part of an object such as small electronic devices, tools or cup holders and other items, or may be separately fastened thereto; and a second portion that may be made as an integral part of some apparel of a user, a supporting structure such as a wall, dash board of a vehicle, a pole, or other surface, or it may fastened thereto. The first portion has a generally keyhole shaped slot having a narrow slot with parallel sides, a flared entrance at one end of the slot, an enlarged hole at the other end of the narrow slot and channel behind the slot and hole. The second portion has a mushroom shape with a stem and a flat, button shaped top. The stem is attached perpendicularly to one side of the top, has a generally circular cross section and has one flat side along the length of the stem. The diameter of the button shaped top is larger than the width of the slot and the diameter of the circular hole and less than the width of the channel. The stem can only pass along the slot into the hole when its flattened side is parallel to a particular side of the slot while the top passes through the channel. When the stem is rotated ninety degrees so that its flat side is oriented perpendicular to the sides of the narrow slot, or parallel to the other side of the slot the stem will not pass back through the slot.

1 . Fastening means for fastening a first member to a second member, the fastening means comprising: 
 a first portion that is an integral part of a first member or is fastened thereto, the first portion having a generally keyhole shaped opening consisting of a narrow slot having a first end and a second end, the slot also having a first side and a second side that are generally parallel and spaced apart a first width, and a hole at a first end of the slot, the hole having a second width that is greater than the first width; and    a second portion that is an integral part of a second member or is fastened thereto, the second portion having a top that has a third width greater than either the first width of the slot or the second width of the hole so that the top cannot pass through either the slot or the hole, and a stem that is attached to the second portion, the stem spacing the top from the second portion, the stem having one flat side and the width of the stem to its flat side is a fourth width that is less than the first width of the slot and permits the stem to pass along the slot between the second end of the slot and the hole at the first end of the slot to either attach or remove the second member from the first member when the flat side is parallel and adjacent to a particular one side of the slot, but prevents the stem from passing along the slot from the hole at the first end and the second end of the slot when the flat side is not parallel and adjacent to the particular one side of the slot to thereby retain the second member to the first member.    
   
   
       2 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the slot has an axis passing along the mid point between the first and second sides of the slot, wherein the hole has a mid point and the mid point of the hole is offset from the axis of the slot.  
   
   
       3 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the offset of the hole to the slot only permits the stem to pass along the slot between the second end of the slot and the hole at the first end of the slot to either attach or remove the second member from the first member when the flat side is parallel and adjacent to a particular one side of the slot.  
   
   
       4 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the first member of which the first portion is an integral part or is fastened thereto is a small electronic device, tool, cup holder or other small item.  
   
   
       5 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the second member of which the second portion is an integral part or is fastened thereto is a part of some apparel of a user, a supporting structure such as a wall, dash board of a vehicle, a pole, or other surface to which the first member is to be fastened.  
   
   
       6 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the slot and hole are through a first wall of a first thickness, the stem has a length that is greater than the first thickness, and the second end of the slot has a tapered opening that guides the stem into the slot.  
   
   
       7 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 6  wherein there is a channel behind the first wall, the channel has a fifth width parallel to the first wall that is slightly greater than the third width of the top of the second portion, and when the second portion is entering the channel and is in a first orientation the flat side of the stem is in a position to be parallel and adjacent to the particular one side of the slot to thereby permit the stem to pass along the slot between the second end and the hole at the first end of the slot to either attach or remove the second member to or from the first member.  
   
   
       8 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 7  wherein when the second portion is in any orientation other than the first orientation the flat side of the stem is not in a position to be parallel and adjacent to the particular one side of the slot and the stem therefore cannot pass along the slot from the hole at the first end and the second end of the slot and the second member is thereby retained to the first member.  
   
   
       9 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the slot has an axis passing along the mid point between the first and second sides of the slot, wherein the hole has a mid point and the mid point of the hole is offset from the axis of the slot.  
   
   
       10 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the offset of the hole to the slot only permits the stem to pass along the slot between the second end of the slot and the hole at the first end of the slot to either attach or remove the second member from the first member when the flat side is parallel and adjacent to a particular one side of the slot.  
   
   
       11 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 1  wherein there is a channel behind the first wall, the channel has a fifth width parallel to the first wall that is slightly greater than the third width of the top of the second portion, and when the second portion is entering the channel and is in a first orientation the flat side of the stem is in a position to be parallel and adjacent to the particular one side of the slot to permit the stem to pass along the slot between the second end and the hole at the first end of the slot to either attach or remove the second member from the first member.  
   
   
       12 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 11  wherein when the second portion is in any orientation other than the first orientation the flat side of the stem is not in a position to be parallel and adjacent to the particular one side of the slot and the stem therefore cannot pass along the slot from the hole at the first end and the second end of the slot and the second member is thereby retained to the first member.  
   
   
       13 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the slot has an axis passing along the mid point between the first and second sides of the slot, wherein the hole has a mid point and the mid point of the hole is offset from the axis of the slot.  
   
   
       14 . The fastening means in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the offset of the hole to the slot only permits the stem to pass along the slot between the second end of the slot and the hole at the first end of the slot to either attach or remove the second member from the first member when the flat side is parallel and adjacent to a particular one side of the slot.