Abstract: The components of a push button comprise a plunger, a retainer, a spring and an end cap. The plunger has a button at the top, a middle section with an enlarged square cross-section, and a pin of reduced diameter at the bottom end. The plunger slidably strokes up and down within a retainer which has an upper portion that closely holds the button on the top of the plunger and also includes a rectilinear recess sized to receive the square midsection of the plunger. A middle portion of the retainer comprises an enlarged cylindrical cavity bounded above and below by opposing roof and floor surfaces. The roof and the floor have cams that engage the corners of the plunger midsection which cause it to rotate during plunger strokes. A spring within the retainer biases the plunger upward. The assembly of parts is captivated by a retainer end cap.

Abstract: An insert for the attachment of objects to composite or plastic panels consists of two parts, a retainer and an insert. The retainer has a through-hole and knurls on its perimeter for gripping the walls of a receiving hole in the composite or plastic panel. The insert has multiple self-clinching features at increasing diameters which when inserted into the retainer rigidly attach it to the retainer. The panel is rigidly clamped between opposite sides of the panel by an enlarged head of the retainer and an opposing flange on the insert. The self-clinching features of different diameter permit the device to be used with panels of different thickness and allow a large tolerance range. A plain or threaded stud can be substituted for the threaded hole of the insert. Both the retainer and the insert can be metallic.

Abstract: A push button consists of component parts including a plunger, a retainer, a spring and an end cap. The plunger reciprocates within the retainer which has three main portions: an upper portion closely holds the button on the top of the plunger and includes a rectilinear recess that can receive a square midsection of the plunger. A middle portion of the retainer comprises an enlarged cavity that provides the side clearance for the plunger pin's enlarged square midsection to rotate. The cavity is bounded above and below by opposing roof and floor camming structures which engage the corners of the plunger midsection that causes it to rotate. A spring within the retainer biases the plunger upward. An end cap affixed to the bottom of the retainer captivates the plunger and spring assembly and provides attachment means to affix the push button assembly to a supporting structure.

Abstract: The components of a push button comprise a plunger, a retainer, a spring and an end cap. The plunger has a button at the top, a middle section with an enlarged square cross-section, and a pin of reduced diameter at the bottom end. The plunger slidably strokes up and down within a retainer which has an upper portion that closely holds the button on the top of the plunger and also includes a rectilinear recess sized to receive the square midsection of the plunger. A middle portion of the retainer comprises an enlarged cylindrical cavity bounded above and below by opposing roof and floor surfaces. The roof and the floor have cams that engage the corners of the plunger midsection which cause it to rotate during plunger strokes. A spring within the retainer biases the plunger upward. The assembly of parts is captivated by a retainer end cap.

Abstract: A fastener is installed by applying an axial pressing force onto a mating component such as a round pin or a square tab. The fastener includes spring arms formed by bent tabs which deflect when pressed onto and grip the pin or other mating component between jaws of the arms making the fastener resistant to being pulled off. Downward facing fingers located around the periphery of the fastener flex when they come into contact with another portion of the mating component. This creates a residual clamp load between the fastener and the component. The fastener can easily be removed using a tool similar to snap ring pliers or needle nose pliers. Two holes on opposite sides of the fastener allow the part to be squeezed and deformed into an oval shape. This action disengages the arms and allows the fastener to slide off the mating component without resistance.

Abstract: A push button consists of component parts including a plunger, a retainer, a spring and an end cap. The plunger reciprocates within the retainer which has three main portions: an upper portion closely holds the button on the top of the plunger and includes a rectilinear recess that can receive a square midsection of the plunger. A middle portion of the retainer comprises an enlarged cavity that provides the side clearance for the plunger pin's enlarged square midsection to rotate. The cavity is bounded above and below by opposing roof and floor camming structures which engage the corners of the plunger midsection that causes it to rotate. A spring within the retainer biases the plunger upward. An end cap affixed to the bottom of the retainer captivates the plunger and spring assembly and provides attachment means to affix the push button assembly to a supporting structure.

Abstract: A floating fastener comprises a retainer and a captive nut held within a cavity of the retainer. The nut is star-shaped with four points spaced equally apart and with four valleys on the periphery of the nut between the points creating the overall star-shape of the nut. Likewise, the cavity in the retainer corresponds to the shape and contour of the nut but sized so that there is a substantial gap between them. Permissible lateral float of the nut can be maximized by employing a particular angularity of the sides of the valleys in relation to other dimensions of the fastener.

Abstract: A self-piercing fastener having a planar base plate with a top, a bottom, and a peripheral edge. A plurality of prongs are fixed to the peripheral edge and extend downward past the bottom of the baseplate. Each of the prongs has a central axis and an arrowhead-shaped barb fixed to a distal end. Each barb has opposed front edges extending from the tip, and opposed back edges oriented at a reverse acute angle relative to the central axis of the prong. Each barb is adapted to fixedly embed in the interior of a panel to which the fastener is affixed.

Abstract: An insert for the attachment of objects to composite or plastic panels consists of two parts, a retainer and an insert. The retainer has a through-hole and knurls on its perimeter for gripping the walls of a receiving hole in the composite or plastic panel. The insert has multiple self-clinching features at increasing diameters which when inserted into the retainer rigidly attach it to the retainer. The panel is rigidly clamped between opposite sides of the panel by an enlarged head of the retainer and an opposing flange on the insert. The self-clinching features of different diameter permit the device to be used with panels of different thickness and allow a large tolerance range. A plain or threaded stud can be substituted for the threaded hole of the insert. Both the retainer and the insert can be metallic.

Abstract: A fastener is installed by applying an axial pressing force onto a mating component such as a round pin or a square tab. The fastener includes spring arms formed by bent tabs which deflect when pressed onto and grip the pin or other mating component between jaws of the arms making the fastener resistant to being pulled off. Downward facing fingers located around the periphery of the fastener flex when they come into contact with another portion of the mating component. This creates a residual clamp load between the fastener and the component. The fastener can easily be removed using a tool similar to snap ring pliers or needle nose pliers. Two holes on opposite sides of the fastener allow the part to be squeezed and deformed into an oval shape. This action disengages the arms and allows the fastener to slide off the mating component without resistance.

Abstract: A floating fastener comprises a retainer and a captive nut held within a cavity of the retainer. The nut is star-shaped with four points spaced equally apart and with four valleys on the periphery of the nut between the points creating the overall star-shape of the nut. Likewise, the cavity in the retainer corresponds to the shape and contour of the nut but sized so that there is a substantial gap between them. Permissible lateral float of the nut can be maximized by employing a particular angularity of the sides of the valleys in relation to other dimensions of the fastener.

Abstract: A self-piercing fastener having a planar base plate with a top, a bottom, and a peripheral edge. A plurality of prongs are fixed to the peripheral edge and extend downward past the bottom of the baseplate. Each of the prongs has a central axis and an arrowhead-shaped barb fixed to a distal end. Each barb has opposed front edges extending from the tip, and opposed back edges oriented at a reverse acute angle relative to the central axis of the prong. Each barb is adapted to fixedly embed in the interior of a panel to which the fastener is affixed.