No tool locking key-hole plug

Abstract

The invention is a locking mechanism for securing two solid wood, particle wood and fibreboard panels. It requires “no tools” to secure the panels, and the panels are secured by inserting a headed shank into a slotted plug receiver member. The purpose of the invention is to provide a fast and convenient way for securing two home or office furnishing panels together without the use of tools. The advantage of the invention is to present the end consumer with a truly “no tools” assembly of furnishing systems. The headed screw and slotted plug combination will initially be presented in a “no tools” line of furniture. Other possible applications include: store display fixtures, installation of blinds and drapery, and shelving.

1 . A plug receiver member and screw assembly for affixing two sections of panel members together comprising: 
 an elongate shank having a head with a convex portion having a substantially hemisphere or half elliptic sphere shaped which is integrally molded with an annular body having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a reduced diameter in relation to the head portion, said bottom portion having a greater diameter in relation to the head portion, and the centroid region of a flange intersects said top and bottom portions of said body;    an elongate shank having a proximal end and a distal end;    and along a portion of shank between the proximal end and the distal end having a thread thereon;    the said thread further comprising a helical pitch having a substantially constant value between proximal and the distal end;    the plug receiver member further comprising a body having an aperture therethrough for receiving the shank;    the plug receiver member further comprising a top portion and a bottom portion;    the plug receiver member further comprising the outer walls having a plurality of axially spaced ribs which each presents a chambered underside for preventing inadvertent withdrawal from the insertion holes of panel members;    the plug receiver member further comprising a channel therethrough opposite the aperture, the channel receiving the elongate shank; and wherein said shank extending axially longitudinal through said longitudinal channel and frictionally slidable therewithin to the terminal end of the channel opposite said entry position of aperture to hold said shank in a single position relative to said plug receiver member; and    head portion of the shank as being received with the chamber of the plug receiver member under the condition that the protrusion is receive within the cavity wherein successive sideway pressure projects the said head portion into an inner cavity of a narrower slit of said channel which cooperates with the outer wall of said channel to sandwich the said head portion therebetween.    
     
     
         2 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plug receiver member having a plurality of grooves disposed on the outer walls and transversely positioned to formed rings of the chambered underside elements.  
     
     
         3 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the plug receiver member is formed of plastic or other materials capable of providing sufficient friction to hold said head of the shank in a fixed position.  
     
     
         4 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the shank is formed of metallic material, plastic material, and other materials capable of providing sufficient rigidity to affix the plurality of panels without breakage of any portion of the shank.  
     
     
         5 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein key hole shaped aperture is aligned along an axis in the longitudinal direction and disposed in a substantially shallow depression fixed by two perpendicular edges of the said depression above the top portion of said plug receiver member.  
     
     
         6 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plug receiver member having a U-shaped channel in the bottom portion of the plug receiver member.  
     
     
         7 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said depression is a longitudinal slot having a width greater than said U-shaped channel and is aligned along the longitudinal axis of said channel.  
     
     
         8 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein top portion of said annular body is substantially shorter in the longitudinally axial direction than said bottom portion of said annular body.  
     
     
         9 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said plug receiver members fastens to a plurality of holes dispose in said panel members axially aligned.  
     
     
         10 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said shanks fasten to a plurality of holes disposed in said complementary panel members axially aligned.  
     
     
         11 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said plug receiver member having opposite axial ends.  
     
     
         12 . A plug receiver member and screw assembly for affixing two sections of panel members together comprising: 
 an elongate shank having a head with a convex portion having a substantially hemisphere or half elliptic sphere shaped which is integrally molded with an annular body having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a reduced diameter in relation to the head portion, said bottom portion having a greater diameter in relation to the head portion, and the centroid region of a flange intersects said top and bottom portions of said body; an elongate shank having a proximal end and a distal end;    and along a portion of shank between the proximal end and the distal end having a thread thereon;    the thread having a helical pitch having a helical pitch having a substantially constant value between proximal and the distal end;    the plug receiver member further comprising a body having an aperture therethrough for receiving the shank;    the plug receiver member further comprising the outer walls having a plurality of axially spaced ribs which each presents a chambered underside for preventing inadvertent withdrawal from the insertion holes of panel members;    the plug receiver member further comprising an outer and inner bores therethrough, the said bores receiving the elongate shank; and wherein said shank extending through said outer and inner bores and frictionally slidable therewithin to the terminal end of the inner bore opposite said entry position of aperture to hold said shank in a single position relative to said plug receiver member;    head portion of the shank as being received with the chamber of the plug receiver member under the condition that the protrusion is receive within the cavity wherein successive downward pressure projects the head portion into an inner cavity of a narrower waist which cooperates with the outer wall to sandwich the head portion therebetween; and    the inner bore having a radius of circumference which is less than a radius of curvature of the convex portion of said head portion of shank whereby to create an interference fit between the convex portion of the head and the walls of said inner bore of the receiver.    
     
     
         13 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said outer bore is integrally coupled to said inner bore; said outer bore extending from the lip of the plug receiver member to the integrally coupled intersection of the outer and inner bores in a series of decreasing circumferences whereby the walls of said outer bore is sloped.  
     
     
         14 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said inner bore further comprising of a plurality of grooves disposed on the walls of said inner bore.  
     
     
         15 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said plug receiver member having a plurality of grooves disposed on the outer walls transverse to formed rings of the chambered underside elements thereon.  
     
     
         16 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the plug receiver member is formed of plastic or other materials capable of providing sufficient friction to hold said head of the shank in a fixed position.  
     
     
         17 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the shank is formed of metallic material, plastic material, and other materials capable of providing sufficient rigidity to affix the plurality of panels without breakage of any portion of the shank.  
     
     
         18 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein circular aperture is situated in the centroid region of said sloped depression in the top portion of said plug receiver member.  
     
     
         19 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said inner bore having a circular shape in the bottom portion and said outer bore having an inverted cone shape with sloping walls in the top portion of the plug receiver member.  
     
     
         20 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 17 , wherein top portion of said annular body of shank is substantially shorter in the longitudinally axial direction than said bottom portion of said annular body.  
     
     
         21 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said plug receiver members fastens to a plurality of holes dispose in said panel members axially aligned.  
     
     
         22 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said shanks fasten to a plurality of holes disposed in said complementary panel members axially aligned.  
     
     
         23 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said plug receiver member having opposite axial ends.  
     
     
         24 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said circular aperture further comprises a tapering of the centroid region to its narrowest diameter of 6.4 millimeter thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The plug receiver member and screw assembly as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said circular aperture further comprises the centroid collar region permitting the head portion of said shank to extend to a depth of 2 millimeter beyond said collar region.  
     
     
         26 . For a plug receiver member and screw system for affixing two sections of panel members together, a method for providing a fast and convenient system for securing a plurality of home or office furnishing panels together without the use of tools, said method comprising the steps: 
 providing an elongate shank having a head with a convex portion having a substantially hemisphere or half elliptic sphere shaped which is integrally molded with an annular body having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a reduced diameter in relation to the head portion, said bottom portion having a greater diameter in relation to the head portion, and the centroid region of a flange intersects said top and bottom portions of said body;    providing an elongate shank having a proximal end and a distal end; and along a portion of shank between the proximal end and the distal end having a thread thereon;    providing a thread having a helical pitch having a helical pitch having a substantially constant value between proximal and the distal end;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising a body having an aperture therethrough for receiving the shank;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising a top portion and a bottom portion;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising the outer walls having a plurality of axially spaced ribs which each presents a chambered underside for preventing inadvertent withdrawal from the insertion holes of panel members;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising a channel therethrough opposite the aperture, the channel receiving the elongate shank; and wherein said shank extending axially longitudinal through said longitudinal channel and frictionally slidable therewithin to the terminal end of the channel opposite said entry position of aperture to hold said shank in a single position relative to said plug receiver member;    providing a head portion of the shank as being received within the chamber of the plug receiver member under the condition that the protrusion is receive within the cavity wherein successive downward pressure projects the said head portion into an inner cavity of a narrower waist of said channel which cooperates with the outer wall of said channel to sandwich the said head portion therebetween;    providing a plug receiver member having a plurality of grooves disposed on the outer walls transverse to the formed rings of the chambered underside elements;    providing a plug receiver member which is formed of plastic or other materials capable of providing sufficient friction to hold said head of the shank in a fixed position;    providing a shank which is formed of metallic material, plastic material, and other materials capable of providing sufficient rigidity to affix the plurality of panels without breakage of any portion of the shank;    providing a key hole shaped aperture in the top portion of said plug receiver member element which is aligned along an axis in the longitudinal direction and disposed in a substantially shallow depression fixed by two perpendicular edges of the said depression above the top portion of said plug receiver member;    providing a plug receiver member having a U-shaped channel in the bottom portion of the plug receiver member;    providing a depression in the top portion of plug receiver member which is a longitudinal slot having a width greater than said U-shaped channel and is aligned along the longitudinal axis of said channel;    providing a top portion of said annular body which is substantially shorter in the longitudinally axial direction than said bottom portion of said annular body;    means for fastening plug receiver members to a plurality of holes dispose in said panel members axially aligned; and    means for fastening shanks to a plurality of holes disposed in said complementary panel members axially aligned.    
     
     
         27 . For a plug receiver member and screw system for affixing two sections of panel members together, a method for providing a fast and convenient system for securing a plurality of home or office furnishing panels together without the use of tools, said method comprising the steps: 
 providing an elongate shank having a head with a convex portion having a substantially hemisphere or half elliptic sphere shaped which is integrally molded with an annular body having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a reduced diameter in relation to the head portion, said bottom portion having a greater diameter in relation to the head portion, and the centroid region of a flange intersects said top and bottom portions of said body;    providing an elongate shank having a proximal end and a distal end; and along a portion of shank between the proximal end and the distal end having a thread thereon;    providing a thread having a helical pitch having a helical pitch having a substantially constant value between proximal and the distal end;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising a body having an aperture therethrough for receiving the shank;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising the outer walls having a plurality of axially spaced ribs which each presents a chambered underside for preventing inadvertent withdrawal from the insertion holes of panel members;    providing a plug receiver member further comprising an outer and inner bores therethrough, the said bores receiving the elongate shank; and wherein said shank extending through said outer and inner bores and frictionally slidable therewithin to the terminal end of the inner bore opposite said entry position of aperture to hold said shank in a single position relative to said plug receiver member;    providing a head portion of the shank as being received with the chamber of the plug receiver member under the condition that the protrusion is receive within the cavity wherein successive downward pressure projects the head portion into an inner cavity of a narrower waist which cooperates with the outer wall to sandwich the head portion therebetween;    providing a plug receiver member with the inner bore having a radius of circumference which is less than a radius of curvature of the convex portion of said head portion of shank whereby to create an interference fit between the convex portion of the head and the walls of said inner bore of the receiver;    providing a plug receiver member wherein said outer bore is coupled to said inner bore; said outer bore extending from the lip of the plug receiver member to the coupled intersection of the outer and inner bores in a series of decreasing circumferences whereby the walls of said outer bore is sloped;    providing a plug receiver member wherein said inner bore further comprising of a plurality of grooves disposed on the walls of said inner bore;    providing a plug receiver member having a plurality of grooves disposed on the outer walls transverse to formed rings of the chambered underside elements thereon;    providing a plug receiver member which is formed of plastic or other materials capable of providing sufficient friction to hold said head of the shank in a fixed position;    providing a screw in the plug receiver member and screw assembly wherein the shank is formed of metallic material, plastic material, and other materials capable of providing sufficient rigidity to affix the plurality of panels without breakage of any portion of the shank;    providing a plug receiver member comprising said inner bore having a circular shape in the bottom portion and said outer bore having an inverted cone shape with sloping walls in the top portion of the plug receiver member;    providing a plug receiver member wherein the top portion of said annular body of shank is substantially shorter in the longitudinally axial direction than said bottom portion of said annular body;    providing a plug receiver member which fastens to a plurality of holes dispose in said panel members axially aligned; and    providing a shank in the plug receiver member and screw assembly which fastens to a plurality of holes disposed in said complementary panel members axially aligned.