HOLDING APPARATUS FOR FASTENERS

Abstract

A holding apparatus for a fastener (40) includes a board (10) and a holding member (30). The board defines at least one hole (12) for receiving the fastener. The holding member is attached to the board. At least one resilient arm (34) is formed on the holding member adjacent to the at least one hole for supporting the fastener.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to holding apparatuses, and more particularly to a holding apparatus for conveniently retaining and detaching fasteners.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

In many devices or apparatuses, such as computers, screws are often uses as convenient mounting means to secure elements to the devices or apparatuses. However, in operation of the devices or apparatuses, vibration often has the screws loosing from the devices of apparatuses. After long-time vibration, the screws would be detached from the devices or apparatuses. If the screws disengage from the devices or apparatuses, the loss of the screws would result in inconvenient reinstallation of element to the device for finding same type of screws.

What is needed, therefore, is a holding apparatus for conveniently retaining and detaching spare fasteners easy to use after the screws on a device are lost.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A holding apparatus for a fastener includes a board and a holding member. The board defines at least one hole for receiving the fastener. The holding member is attached to the board. At least one resilient arm is formed on the holding member adjacent to the at least one hole for supporting the fastener.

Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with attached drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a holding apparatus for spare fasteners of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the holding apparatus including a board, and a holding member;

FIG. 2 is an isometric, view of the holding member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an assembled, isometric view of the holding apparatus of FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a holding apparatus for holding a plurality of fasteners, such as screws 40, includes a board 10 and a holding member 30. Each screw 40 includes a head 42 and a post 44.

A pair of L-shaped hooks 16 is formed down aligning along a vertical direction on the board 10. A resilient tab 18 is formed between the two hooks 16. An extending direction of the resilient tab 18 is opposite to that of the hooks 16. A free distal of the resilient tab 18 is bent out at some angle. The board 10 defines a plurality of holes 12 at both sides of the hooks 16. The holes 12 are aligned along vertical direction.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the holding member 30 includes a body 32 and a deformable mechanism. The mechanism includes a plurality of resilient arms 34. The body 32 includes a front wall 322, and a pair of side walls 324. The front wall 322 defines two rectangular openings 3224 corresponding to the hooks 16 of the board 10, and a securing opening 3226 corresponding to the resilient tab 18 of the board 10. A width of each opening 3224 is generally equal to a width of the corresponding hook 16. The resilient arms 34 are respectively formed on opposite side walls 324 of the body 32. Each resilient arm 34 has an operating portion 344 at a distal end. An arcuate receiving space 342 is defined at a proper portion of each resilient arm 34.

Referring also to FIG. 3, in assembling the holding member 30 to the board 10. The hooks 16 are positioned into the corresponding openings 3224 of the holding member 30. The resilient tab 18 is pressed toward the board 10 by the front wall 322 of the holding member 30. The holding member 30 is pushed up, until a bottom edge of each opening 3224 abuts against a bottom end of the corresponding hook 16 of the board 10. The securing opening 3226 just moves over the resilient tab 18 of the board 10. The resilient tab 18 rebounds to the original form. The free distal of resilient tab 18 abuts against a top edge of the securing opening 3226. The holes 12 of the board 10 are in alignment with the corresponding resilient arms 34 of the holding member 30. Thus, the holding member 30 is secured to the board 10.

In securing one of the screws 40 into the board 10, one of the resilient arms 34 of the holding member 30 is pressed down. Then, the corresponding hole 12 of the board 10 is revealed. The post 44 of the screw 40 is inserted into the corresponding hole 12 of the board 10. The head 42 of the screw 40 abuts on the board 10. When the resilient arm 34 is released, the resilient arm 34 rebounds to the original position. The head 42 of screw 40 is received in the receiving space 342 of the resilient arm 34. Then the screw 42 is retained on the board 10 with the holding member 30. The other screws 40 can be retained on the board 10 in the same way. When the screws 40 are needed, the resilient arms 34 of the holding member 30 are deflected down. The screws 40 then can be removed from the board 10.

In this description of a preferred embodiment, the board 10 can be set in or be one part of a machine for providing spare fasteners. The screws 40 can be assembled in different specs for needed. The securing method of the holding member 30 with the board 10 is not exclusive.

When the holding apparatus is used as in the description of a preferred embodiment, a holding member of the holding apparatus is secured to a side panel of a computer for holding a plurality of spare screws thereon. When an expansion card or any functional drive is added in the computer, an assembler can conveniently get a screw from the holding apparatus to secure the expansion card to the computer.

Furthermore, the screws 40 and the holding member 30 can be utilized as a securing apparatus for securing electronic devices behind the board 10, for example, a securing apparatus for securing disk drives in a bracket of a computer. The bracket has a base and a pair of side boards 10 extending perpendicularly from opposite sides of the base. The disk drives are mounted between the side boards 10. The holding member 30 and the plurality of screws 40 are mounted outside one of the side boards 10. The disk drive defines holes for receiving the posts 44 of the screws 40. Thereby, assemblers can conveniently assemble the screws for securing the screws to the disk drives without orientating the screws by hand.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment, together with details of the structure and function of the preferred embodiment, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A holding apparatus for a fastener, comprising:

a board defining at least one hole for receiving the fastener; and

a holding member attached to the board, and at least one resilient arm formed on the holding member adjacent to the at least one hole for supporting the fastener.

2. The holding apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein a hook is formed on the board, and the holding member defines an opening corresponding to the hook.

3. The holding apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the hook is generally L-shaped.

4. The holding apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein a width of the opening is generally equal to a width of the hook.

5. The holding apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein a resilient tab is formed on the board, an extending direction of the resilient tab is opposite to that of the hook, and a securing opening is defined in the board corresponding to the resilient tab.

6. The holding apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein a free distal end of the resilient tab is bent at some angle.

7. The holding apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the resilient arm is formed on a side of the holding member.

8. The holding apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein an operating portion is formed on the resilient arm.

9. The holding apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein a receiving space is defined in the resilient arm for supporting the fastener.

10. A holding apparatus for fasteners, comprising:

a board defining a plurality of holes for receiving the fasteners; and

a holding member attached to the board, the holding member comprising a deformable mechanism urging the fasteners to be retained in the plurality of holes of the board respectively, wherein when the deformable mechanism is deformed, the fasteners are ready to be taken from the board.

11. The holding apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein a hook is formed on the board, and the holding member defines an opening corresponding to the hook.

12. The holding apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein a width of the opening is generally equal to a width of the hook.

13. The holding apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein a resilient tab is formed on the board, an extending direction of the resilient tab is opposite to that of the hook, and a securing opening is defined in the board corresponding to the resilient tab.

14. The holding apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein a free distal end of the resilient tab is bent at some angle.

15. The holding apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the deformable mechanism comprises a plurality of resilient arm formed on opposite sides thereof.

16. The holding apparatus as described in claim 15, wherein a plurality of receiving space is defined in the resilient arm for receiving the fasteners.

17. An operation system comprising:

a board defining a plurality of holes therein along a side thereof;

a fastener removably receivable in each of said plurality of holes, said fastener defining an operable head to allow user's operation thereon and said head exposable out of said side of said board when said fastener stays in said each of said plurality of holes; and

a holding member removably attachable to said side of said board, said holding member movable along said side of said board between a first position thereof where said holding member engages with said fastener staying in said each of said plurality of holes to block a removable path of said fastener out of said each of said plurality of holes, and a second position thereof where said holding member moves away from said first position thereof to release said fastener for removal thereof.

18. The system as described in claim 17, wherein said head of said fastener staying in said each of said plurality of holes is operably exposable when said holder member is in said first position thereof.

19. The system as described in claim 17, wherein said holder member comprises a deformable mechanism movably extending toward said fastener staying in said each of said plurality of holes so as to retainably urge said fastener to stay in said each of said plurality of holes.