Package Fastening Clip with Secure Latching

Abstract

A product package clip has cooperating locking tabs and openings which facilitate secure assembly of the clip and resistance to forces imposed by mishandling during shipment.

1 . Apparatus comprising:
 a socket body having a planar portion, a thin walled protuberance formed integrally with said planar portion and a plurality of leg portions formed integrally with said protuberance and hingedly connected thereto at an end location remote from said planar portion;   a plug body having a planar portion, a thin walled protuberance formed integrally with said planar portion and configured to enter into the socket body, and a latch member formed integrally with and hingedly connected to said planar portion;
 said plug body protuberance engaging said socket body leg portions upon insertion into said socket body and rotating said leg portions to extend outwardly from said socket body protuberance; 
   said latch member portion of said plug body defining a locking opening; and   one of said leg portions of said socket body defining a locking tab;   said one leg portion engaging said latch member portion upon assembly of the apparatus and said locking tab entering said locking opening to secure the apparatus in assembled state.   
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said socket body and said plug body are formed integrally together and hingedly connected along a common side edge thereof. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said plug body planar portion defines an opening opposite said plug body protuberance, said latch member portion defines a plurality of locking openings, and said one leg portion defines a plurality of locking tabs. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said latch member portion has physical characteristics defining the force necessary to disengage said latch member portion and said one leg portion and permitting disassembly of the apparatus. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said latch member portion defines a pair of locking openings, said one leg portion defines a pair of locking tabs and said latch member portion has physical characteristics defining the force necessary to disengage said latch member portion and said one leg portion and permitting disassembly of the apparatus. 
   
   
       6 . Apparatus comprising:
 first and second sheets of planar material forming portions of a product package; and   a fastener penetrating said sheets and holding said sheets together, said fastener comprising:
 a socket body having a planar portion, a thin walled protuberance formed integrally with said planar portion and penetrating said sheets and a plurality of leg portions formed integrallywith said protuberance and hingedly connected thereto at an end location remote from said planar portion;
 said leg portions being rotated to extend outwardly from said socket body protuberance to capture said sheets between said socket body planar portion and said legs; and 
 
 a plug body having a planar portion, a thin walled protuberance formed integrally with said planar portion and configured to enter into the socket body, and a latch member formed integrally with and hingedly connected to said planar portion;
 said plug body protuberance engaging said socket body leg portions; 
 
   said latch member portion of said body defining at least one locking opening; and   one of said leg portions defining at least one locking tab;   said one leg portion engaging said latch member portion upon assembly of the apparatus and said locking tab entering said locking opening to secure the apparatus in assembled state.   
   
   
       7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein said socket body and said plug body are formed integrally together and hingedly connected along a common side edge thereof. 
   
   
       8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein said plug body planar portion defines an opening opposite said plug body protuberance said latch member portion defines a plurality of locking openings, and said one leg portion defines a plurality of locking tabs. 
   
   
       9 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein said latch member portion has physical characteristics defining the force necessary to disengage said latch member portion and said one leg portion and permitting disassembly of the apparatus. 
   
   
       10 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein said latch member portion defines a pair of locking openings, said one leg portion defines a pair of locking tabs and said latch member portion has physical characteristics defining the force necessary to disengage said latch member portion and said one leg portion and permitting disassembly of the apparatus.