CONTAINER FINISHING CLIP

Abstract

A container holder (10, 10') comprises a housing (12) and a petal assembly (14) configured to be carried in the housing assembly (12). The petal assembly (14) includes a petal support (94, 94') and a plurality of circumferentially spaced hinged petals (96, 96') having upper ends pivotally coupled to the petal support (94, 94') and lower ends configured to be guided by the lower housing (18) of the housing assembly (12). The petal assembly (14) further includes a displacement support (98, 98') configured to limit the displacement of the petal support (94, 94'), and a return spring (100) between the displacement support (98, 98') and the petal support (94, 94').

Description

CONTAINER FINISHING CLIP Technical field This application describes innovations in clamping mechanisms for holding articles and, more particularly, clamping mechanisms for gripping and holding containers, for example, bottles, that have different sizes and types of container finishes. Background A container manufacturing process may include one or more stages in which various markings can be applied to the container. These markings may include, for example and without limitation, one or more codes (e.g., barcodes, QR codes, etc.) that represent information related to, for example, the container's manufacture, its contents, and / or the container itself. One way in which markings can be applied to a container is by using a digital printing process to apply the markings directly to the container's outer surface. To digitally print marks on a container, a container clamp is used to grip, hold, rotate, and / or move the container as necessary to perform the printing operation. One type of conventional clamp that may be used includes a housing, a clamp assembly carried within the housing that may include a plurality of rubber fingers or petals for gripping a container on or below the container finish, a pneumatic valve that, when opened, causes the clamp assembly to lower or move in a downward direction toward a container to be clamped, and a return spring that causes the clamp assembly to raise / retract or move in an upward direction away from the container when the pneumatic valve is closed. When the pneumatic valve opens and the petal assembly is lowered, the rubber petals slide along a cam surface in the housing. This causes the petals to move inward toward the center shaft of the fastener assembly and toward each other, thus closing the petals around the neck of the container. However, if the rubber petals move too far downward, they can be deflected down the neck of the container and, in some cases, become wedged between the container and a fastener housing. When one or more petals become wedged in this way, the fastener may not retract when the pneumatic valve closes, and the container holding the petals cannot be released. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi Furthermore, with conventional fasteners, the size tolerance for the containers is relatively small. For containers outside a predetermined range for a fastener, replacement parts are needed to accommodate them, which is costly and time-consuming. Brief summary of the description This description incorporates several aspects that can be implemented separately from, or in combination with, each other. A container fastener according to one aspect of the description comprises a housing and a petal assembly configured to be carried in the housing assembly. The petal assembly includes a petal support and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, rigid, hinged petals having upper ends pivotally coupled to the petal support and lower ends configured to be guided by the lower housing of the housing assembly. The petal assembly further includes a displacement support configured to limit the displacement of the petal support and a return spring between the displacement support and the petal support. According to another aspect of the description, a container fastener includes a housing and a petal assembly configured to be carried in the housing. The petal assembly includes a petal support, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, hinged petals, each with a pivotable upper end coupled to the petal support, a lower end configured to be guided by the lower housing of the housing assembly, and a magnet; a displacement support configured to limit the displacement of the petal support and including a plurality of magnets; and a return spring between the displacement support and the petal support. When the petal assembly is in a retracted state, each petal is pushed radially outward by a repelling magnetic force generated between the magnet in the petal and a respective magnet in the displacement base. According to yet another aspect of the description, a container holder includes a housing and a petal assembly configured to be carried in the housing. The petal assembly includes a sealing block, a petal holder configured to engage the sealing block, wherein the petal holder and the sealing block are configured to be movably carried in the housing, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, rigid, hinged petals, each having a pivotable upper end engaged with the petal holder, a lower end configured to be guided by the lower housing of the housing assembly, and a magnet.The petal assembly further includes a displacement bracket configured to limit the movement of the sealing block and the petal bracket, and includes a plurality of magnets and a return spring configured to be held between the displacement bracket and the sealing block and / or the petal bracket. When the petal assembly is in a retracted state, each petal is pushed radially outward by a repelling magnetic force generated between the magnet in the petal and a corresponding magnet in the displacement bracket. Brief description of the figures Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative modality of a container fastener; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an illustrative modality of a petal assembly for a container holder such as the one illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative modality of a displacement support of an assembly of znnn / eznz / E / YiAi petals such as that illustrated in Figure 2 of a container holder such as that illustrated in Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of a portion of the container holder illustrated in Figure 1 in a retracted state and an extended state, respectively; Figure 6 is a perspective view of another illustrative modality of a petal support for a container support; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a petal configured to attach to the petal support illustrated in Figure 6; Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of another illustrative modality of a displacement support for a fastener; Figure 10 is a perspective and cross-sectional view of the displacement support illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 taken along line 10-10 in Figure 9; Figures 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views of a fastener comprising the petal support illustrated in Figure 6, a plurality of the petals illustrated in Figure 7, and the displacement support illustrated in Figures 8-10, wherein Figure 11 illustrates the fastener in an initial, upward, or retracted state, and Figure 12 illustrates the fastener in an advanced or downward state. Detailed description The container clamp described herein is configured to accommodate containers of varying sizes and / or finishes. It is also configured to limit the travel distance of various components within its petal assembly and to prevent the petals from deflecting against the neck of a container and becoming wedged between the container and a housing of the clamping mechanism during operation of the container clamp. With specific reference to the figures, Figure 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a container holder 10. The holder 10 generally comprises a housing 12 and a petal assembly 14 configured to be movably transported in the housing 12. Housing 12 may be a one-piece housing or may comprise an assembly of two or more parts. In the latter case, housing 12 may comprise an assembly of any suitable number of parts that are coupled or connected to each other in any suitable manner. In one illustrative embodiment, housing 12 (also referred to as housing assembly 12) comprises an upper housing 16 and a lower housing 18 configured to couple to the upper housing 16. The upper housing 16 includes a body 20 having a first end or upper end 22, a second end or lower end 24, and a longitudinal shaft 26 extending through and between the upper and lower ends 22, 24.The body 20 further includes a base 28 positioned at its upper end 22 with an inner surface 30 and an outer surface 32, a side wall 34 extending from the base 28 and terminating at the lower end 24 of the body 20 having an inner surface 36 and an outer surface 38, and a void or cavity 40 defined by the inner surface 36 of the side wall 34 and the inner surface 30 of the base 28. The upper housing 16 further includes a pneumatic port 42 located at the upper end 22 of the body 20 and extending through the base 28, thereby providing access to the cavity 40 to allow, as will be described in more detail below, the establishment of a pressure chamber within the cavity 40. The pneumatic port 42 is configured to be coupled (e.g., threaded) with a tube or other suitable conduit for supplying pressurized fluid (e.g., air) znnn / eznz / E / YiAi to cavity 40. As will be described in more detail below, in at least some embodiments, an outer surface portion 38 of the side wall 34 at the lower end 24 of the upper housing body 20 may comprise a plurality of threads 44 to facilitate coupling of the upper housing 16 with or to the lower housing 18. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi Similar to the upper housing 16, the lower housing 18 includes a body 46 having a first or upper end 48, a second or lower end 50, and a longitudinal axis 52 extending through and between the upper and lower ends 48, 50. When the upper and lower housings 16, 18 are coupled together as illustrated in Figure 1, this axis is parallel and coincident with the longitudinal axis 26 of the upper housing body 20. The lower housing body 46 has a side wall 54 extending between the upper and lower ends 48, 50 of the latter, having an inner or interior surface 56 and an outer surface 58, and a cavity 60 defined by the inner surface of the side wall 56.In one embodiment, a portion of the inner surface 56 at the upper end 48 of the lower housing body 46 may comprise a plurality of threads 62 that are complementary to the threads 44 at the lower end 24 of the upper housing body 20 to facilitate coupling the lower housing 18 with or to the upper housing 16. As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment, the lower end 50 of the lower housing body 46 is diametrically smaller than the upper end 48. More particularly, in one embodiment, the inside diameter of the lower housing body 46 (i.e., the cavity diameter 60) tapers progressively at its lower end 50 as the side wall 54 extends farther from the upper end 48 of the lower housing body 46 in an axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 52. In other words, in at least some embodiments, a portion of the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54 at the lower end 50 of the lower housing body 46 slopes radially inward such that the diameter of the lower housing body 46 at the lower end 50 tapers progressively as it extends axially away from the upper end 48 of the lower housing body 46.In any case, when the upper and lower housings 16, 18 are coupled together as shown in Figure 1, the upper end 48 of the lower housing body 46 becomes a fixed end of the lower housing 18, and the lower end 50 comprises a free end of the lower housing 18. In addition to the foregoing, the lower housing body 46 includes at least one inner flange or rim 64 formed and / or extending radially inward from the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54. The flange 64 comprises a mating surface 66 oriented axially toward the upper end 48 of the lower housing body 46 and away from the lower end 50. The flange 64 is positioned between the upper and lower ends 48, 50 of the lower housing body 46 and, in one illustrative embodiment, between the upper end 48 and the point at which the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54 begins to move radially inward. In one embodiment, the lower housing 46 includes a single flange 64 that extends continuously around the entire inner circumference of the lower housing body 46.However, in other embodiments, the lower housing 18 may include a plurality of circumferentially extending and circumferentially spaced flanges 64, none of which extends around the entire inner circumference of the lower housing body 46. In any case, and as will be described in more detail below, the flange(s) 64 are configured to engage and support a component of the fastener 10 petal assembly 14 (e.g., a displacement support) during fastener 10 operation. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi In an embodiment such as that shown in Figure 1, the lower housing 18 may also include one or more inwardly extending, radially projecting grooves 68 on the outer surface 58 of the side wall 54 of the lower housing body 46 at its lower end 50, and an axially oriented surface 70 axially separating from the groove(s) 68 and oriented away from the upper end 48 of the lower housing body 46. In one embodiment, the lower housing 18 includes a single groove 68 extending continuously around the entire outer circumference of the lower housing body 46. However, in other embodiments, the lower housing 18 may include a plurality of circumferentially extending, circumferentially spaced grooves 68.In any case, and as will be described in more detail below, the slot(s) 68 are configured to facilitate the coupling of a container guide with or to the lower housing 18. In one embodiment, the upper and lower housings 16, 18 of the housing assembly 12 are formed from steel. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, one or both of the upper and lower housings 16, 18 may be formed from a suitable material other than steel, and that the upper and lower housings 16, 18 may be formed from the same or different materials. As briefly described above, in addition to the upper and lower housings 16, 18, in at least some embodiments, the housing assembly 12 may further include a container guide 72 coupled, for example, to the lower housing 18 at the lower end 50 of the lower housing body 46. While the description herein relates to an embodiment in which the container guide 72 is considered a constituent part of the housing assembly 12, in other embodiments, the container guide 72 may be considered a separate part of the fastener 10 and not part of the housing assembly 12 per se. Such embodiments remain within the spirit and scope of this description. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi In any case, in an embodiment where the fastener 10 includes the container guide 72, the container guide 72 is configured to guide and position the fastener 10 relative to a container to be held by the fastener 10 or vice versa, such that the container and the fastener 10 are appropriately aligned for the operation of the fastener 10. The container guide 72 comprises a body 74 having a first end or upper end 76, a second end or lower end 78, and a longitudinal axis 80 extending through and between the upper and lower ends 76, 78. The body 74 has a side wall 82 extending between the upper and lower ends 76, 78 of the body 74, having an inner surface 84 and an outer surface 86, and a void or cavity 88 defined by the inner surface 84 of the side wall 82. In one embodiment, the upper end 76 of the vessel guide body 74 engages with the lower end 50 of the lower housing body 46. These components can be engaged in any number of suitable ways known in the art. For example, in one embodiment, the vessel guide body 74 includes one or more inwardly extending radial projections 90 configured to engage with the groove(s) 68 in the outer surface 58 of the side wall 54 of the lower housing body 46. In one embodiment, the projection(s) 90 of the vessel guide 72 are located at the upper end 76 of the vessel guide body 74, and the groove(s) 68 of the lower housing 18 are located at the lower end 50 of the lower housing body 46.Depending on the embodiment, the projection(s) 90 and / or groove(s) 68 may comprise a single projection and groove extending continuously around the inner surface of the vessel guide body 74 and the outer surface 58 of the lower housing body 46, respectively, or may comprise a plurality of circumferentially extended and circumferentially spaced projections and / or grooves. In other embodiments, each inner surface 84 of the vessel guide body 74 and the outer surface 58 of the lower housing body 46 may comprise or bear a plurality of threads that are complementary to each other to facilitate coupling the vessel guide 72 with the lower housing 18.Accordingly, any number of suitable techniques or arrangements may be used to couple the vessel guide 72 with the lower housing 18, and the present description is not intended to be limited to any particular technique or arrangement. As shown in Figure 1, in at least some embodiments the internal diameter of the guide body of the vessel 74 (i.e., the cavity diameter 88) narrows progressively at its lower end 78, as the side wall 82 extends further towards the upper end 76 of the guide body of the vessel 74 in an axial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 80. In other words, in at least some embodiments, a portion of the internal surface 84 of the side wall 82 at the lower end 78 of the guide body of the vessel 74 is inclined radially inwards such that the internal diameter of the lower end 78 of the guide body of the vessel 74 narrows progressively as it extends axially towards the upper end 76 of the guide body of the vessel 74.In such embodiments, the inner surface 84 of the side wall 82 in the progressively narrowed portion of the guide body of the vessel 74 can serve as a cam surface to guide, for example, the fastener 10, and the petal assembly 14 i? / znnn / eznz / E / YiAi of this, in particular, over the neck finish and in proper alignment with the neck finish, or vice versa. i? / znnn / eznz / E / YiAi With continued reference to Figure 1, in one illustrative embodiment, the petal assembly 14 includes a sealing block 92, a petal support 94 coupled, for example, secured, to the sealing block 92, a plurality of circumferentially spaced hinged petals 96 coupled to the petal support 94 (also shown in Figure 2), a displacement support 98 (also shown in Figure 3), and a return spring 100. It will be appreciated that while in at least some embodiments the petal assembly 14 includes all the components identified above, in other embodiments the petal assembly 14 may include fewer or more of the components identified above (e.g., the petal assembly may not comprise a separate sealing block), and two or more components may be integrated as a single component (e.g.The seal block and petal support may be integrated as a single component, with a first portion functioning as the seal block and a second portion functioning as the petal support, and / or one or more of the components may be separate from the petal assembly 14 or form part of a different assembly from the fastener 10. Accordingly, while the description of petal assembly 14 below refers to an embodiment in which the petal assembly comprises all of the aforementioned components, embodiments in which the petal assembly comprises fewer than all (or more than) of those components remain within the spirit and scope of the present description. In the embodiment depicted in Figure 1, the sealing block 92 is configured to be movably transported in the upper housing 16 of the housing assembly 12 and in cavity 40 thereof, in particular. That is, the sealing block 92 is configured to move or travel within cavity 40 along the longitudinal axis 26 of the upper housing 16. The sealing block 92 has a body 102 having a first or upper end 104, a second or lower end 106, and a longitudinal axis 108 extending between and through the upper and lower ends 104, 106.The body 102 may further include a first axially oriented surface 110 at the upper end 104, a second axially oriented surface 112 at the second end 106 oriented in the opposite direction to the first axially oriented surface 110, and a radially oriented circumferentially extending surface 114 positioned and extending between the first and second axially oriented surfaces 110, 112. Since the sealing block 92 znnn / eznz / E / YiAi is configured to be movably carried in the upper housing 16 of the housing assembly 12 in an embodiment where the sealing block body 102 has a cylindrical shape and therefore a circular cross-section, the external diameter of the body 102 is equal to or less than the internal diameter of the upper housing 16. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi The sealing block 92 is configured to create a seal between the petal assembly 14 and the interior or cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 such that when fluid is introduced into the cavity 40 during the operation of the fastener 10, a pressure chamber is established within the cavity 40. To facilitate the creation of a seal, in at least some embodiments, such as, for example, the one illustrated in Figure 1, the body 102 of the sealing block 92 includes a groove 116 extending circumferentially and radially on the radial surface 114 of the body 102, which is configured to receive a sealing ring 118 (e.g., a pneumatic seal). The groove 116 can be located anywhere along the longitudinal extent of the surface 114. In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 1, however, the groove 116 is located adjacent to the first axially oriented surface 110 at the upper end 104 of the sealing block body 102.Regardless of the location of slot 116, when the sealing ring 118 is positioned inside the slot. 116, a seal is formed between the inner surface 36 of the upper housing 16 and the sealing block 92. In addition to the above, the sealing block body 102 may further include a second groove 120 spaced axially from the first groove 116, which also extends circumferentially and radially and is configured to receive a guide ring 122. As with the groove 116, the groove 120 may be located anywhere along the longitudinal extent of the surface 114. However, in the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 1, the groove 120 is located adjacent to the second axially oriented surface 112 at the lower end 106 of the sealing block body 102. As briefly discussed above, and as will be described in more detail below, the sealing block 92 is configured to engage the petal support 94 of the petal assembly 14. To facilitate this engagement, the sealing block body 102 may include a threaded hole 124 extending into the body of the sealing block 102 from its second axially oriented surface 112 to its upper end 104 and first axially oriented surface 110. The threaded hole 124 is configured to receive and engage with a complementary threaded bolt or screw 126 to engage the petal support 94 with the sealing block 92. As shown in Figure 1, a washer 128 may also be used in the engagement or adjustment of the sealing block 92 with the petal support 94. Figures 1 and 2 represent an illustrative embodiment of the petal support 94 and petals 96 of the petal assembly 14. With particular reference to Figure 2, the petal support 94 includes a body 130 having a first end or upper end 132, a second end or lower end 134, and a longitudinal axis 136 extending through and between the upper and lower ends 132, 134.As best shown in Figure 1, the body of the petal support 130 may further include a base 138 positioned at its upper end 132 having an axially oriented inner surface 140 and an axially oriented outer surface 142 oriented in a direction opposite to the inner surface 140, a side wall 144 extending from the base 138 and terminating at the lower end 134 of the body 130 having an inwardly oriented radially inner surface 146 and an outwardly oriented radially outer surface 148, and a void or cavity 150 defined by the inner surface 146 of the side wall 144 and / or the inner surface 140 of the base 138. In other embodiments, the petal support 94 may not have a base with inwardly and outwardly oriented surfaces, but rather both the upper and lower ends of the znnn / eznz / E / YiAi body may be open. As best shown in Figure 2, the petal support 94 further includes a plurality of petal notches or slots 152 located at the lower end 134 of the petal support body 130. Each petal notch 152 is configured to receive a portion of a corresponding petal 96. The petal notches 152 are circumferentially spaced around the petal support body 130, and each extends in an axial direction toward the upper end 132 of the petal support body 130 from an open end 154 at the lowest point of the petal support body 130 to a closed end 156 near the lowest point and between the lowest point and the upper end 132 of the body 130. In an illustrative embodiment, the petal support 94 may further include one or more lobe notches or grooves 158 located at the lower end 134 of the petal support body 130. Each lobe notch 158 is configured to receive a lobe from the offset support 98 of the petal assembly 14, as described in more detail below. In this embodiment, the lobe notches 158 may be circumferentially spaced around the petal support body. 130, and each extends in an axial direction toward the upper end 132 of the petal support body 130 from an open end 160 at the lowest point of the petal support body 130 to a closed end 162 near the lowest point and between the lowest point and the upper end 132 of the body 130. In an embodiment where the petal support 94 includes one or more lobe notches 158, each lobe notch 158 can be located between a pair of petal notches 152 and vice versa. As with the sealing block 92 described above, the petal support 94 is also configured to be movably transported in the housing assembly 12 of the fastener 10, and in particular, cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 and / or cavity 60 of the lower housing 18. As such, in an embodiment where the petal support body 130 has a cylindrical shape and therefore a circular cross-section, the external diameter of the body 130 is equal to or less than the internal diameters of the upper and lower housings 16, 18 of the housing assembly 12 (i.e., the diameter of cavity 40 and / or the diameter of cavity 60). As described above, the plurality of circumferentially separated petals 96 of the petal assembly 14 are configured to engage the petal support 94. Each petal 96 has an upper end 164 and a lower end 166. In one embodiment, the upper ends 164 of the petals 96 are configured to pivotally engage the petal support 94. And in at least some embodiments, the petals 96 are formed from a rigid material so that they do not bend or deflect during operation of the fastener 10. In such an embodiment, the rigid petals 96 can be produced in part using additive manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing) to reduce costs and time, although other manufacturing techniques can certainly be used.In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, each petal 96 is configured to be received in a respective petal notch 152 in the petal body 130, and is pivotally coupled to the housing 130 within the petal notch 152 by means of a pivot pin 168 (best shown in Figure 1). The petals 96 are configured to rotate or articulate freely around the pivot pin 168. The lower ends 166 of the petals 96 are configured to be guided by the lower housing 18 of the housing assembly 12 when the petal assembly 14 is assembled with the housing assembly 12. More specifically, and as will be described in further detail below, as the petal assembly 14 is moved in the housing assembly 12, the inner surface 56 of the lower housing 18 acts as a cam surface along which the lower ends 166 of the petals 96 travel.The inclined or angled nature of the inner surface 56 of the lower housing 18 guides or causes the petals to move radially inwards as the petal assembly 14 moves in the direction towards a container to be held, and guides or causes the petals 96 to move radially outwards as the petal assembly 14 moves in a direction away from the container to be held. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi As described above and shown in Figure 1, in an embodiment where the fastener 10 includes both the sealing block 92 and the petal support 94, the petal support 94 is configured to engage or fit the sealing block 92. In such an embodiment, the petal support 94 may include a through-hole 170 in its base 138, configured to receive a portion of the sealing block body 102 having the threaded hole 124 positioned therein. When the portion of the sealing block body 102 having the hole 124 positioned therein is received in the hole 170, the screw or bolt 126 and washer 128 can be used to facilitate the engagement or fit of the petal support 94 with the sealing block 92.Although a particular method of coupling or fitting the sealing block to the petal support has been described, it will be appreciated that the two components can be coupled or fitted in any number of suitable ways and / or using one or more different suitable coupling arrangements, and therefore the present description is not intended to be limited to any specific method or arrangement. i? / znnn / cznz / E / YiAi With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the displacement bracket 98 of the petal assembly 14 is configured to be positioned in the housing assembly 12 (e.g., at least partially in the lower housing 18) and, in one embodiment, in the petal bracket 94. More specifically, in at least some embodiments, the displacement bracket 98 is configured to be positioned at least partially in the cavity 150 of the petal bracket 94, and, in at least some embodiments, one or both of the displacement bracket 98 and the petal bracket 94 may be configured to translate relative to each other. As will be described in more detail below, the displacement bracket 98 is also configured to limit the translation of the petal assembly 14, and the sealing block 92 and / or the petal bracket 94 thereof, particularly when the petal assembly 14 is assembled with the housing assembly 16. In an embodiment such as that shown in Figure 3, the displacement support 98 comprises a body 172 having a first end or upper end 174, a second end or lower end 176, and a longitudinal axis 178 extending between and through the upper and lower ends 174, 176. The body may further include a first axially oriented surface 180 at the upper end 174, a second axis-oriented surface 182 at the lower end 176 oriented in the opposite direction to the first axially oriented surface 180, and a circumferentially extending radially oriented surface 184 positioned and axially extending between the first and second axially oriented surfaces 180, 182.Because in at least some embodiments the displacement support 98 is configured to be positioned in the cavity 150 of the petal support 94, the displacement support body 172 is of sufficient size and shape to fit into the cavity 150. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the displacement support body 172 has a hexagonal shape with six sides and six vertices. It will be appreciated, however, that the body 172 can have any suitable shape (e.g., circular), and as such, the present description is not limited to any particular shape. In one embodiment, the displacement support 98 may further include a recess 186 in the body 172 at its upper end 174. The recess 186 is positioned radially inward from the first axially oriented surface 180 and extends axially into the body 172 from the first axially oriented surface 180 to the lower end 176 and the second axially oriented surface 182 of the displacement support body 172. The recess 186 may be defined by an axially oriented base surface 188 and an inwardly oriented radial side wall 190. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi In one embodiment, the displacement support 98 may further include a centering post 192 for locating the return spring 100 when the petal assembly 14 is assembled with the housing assembly 12. As shown in Figure 3, the centering post 192 may extend or project from the base surface 188 of the recess 186 in an axial direction toward the first axially oriented surface 180 of the displacement support body 174. In one embodiment, the centering post 192 has a conical or frustoconical shape, although the present description is not intended to be limited to any particular shape of the centering post. In an embodiment such as that illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the displacement support 98 further includes one or more lobes 194 extending radially outward from the displacement support body 172, which is configured to engage and rest against the flange / edge 64. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the displacement support 98 includes a plurality of lobes 194 extending from the radially outward-facing surface 184 of the displacement support body 172. In an embodiment where the displacement support 98 includes a plurality of lobes 194, the lobes may be circumferentially or laterally spaced around the displacement support body 172.For example, in the illustrative modality represented in Figure 3, where the displacement support body 172 has a hexagonal shape, the displacement support 98 includes six lobes 194, each located at a respective corner or vertex of the displacement support body 172. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi In any case, in one embodiment, each lobe 194 has an axially oriented lower surface 196 that is oriented in the same direction as the second axially oriented surface 182 of the displacement support body 172 and away from the first axially oriented surface 180. The lower surface 196 is configured to engage and bear against the flange / edge 64, and the engagement surface 66 of this, in particular, of the lower housing 18. Depending on the embodiment, the lower surface 196 of the lobe(s) 194 may or may not be coplanar with the second axially oriented surface 182 of the displacement support body 172.For example, in the mode shown in Figure 3, while the lower surface 196 is positioned in a plane that is parallel to both planes containing the first and second axially oriented surfaces 180, 182 of the displacement support body 172, it is not coplanar with any surface. In contrast, the plane containing the lower surface 196 is located between the planes containing the first and second axially oriented surfaces 180, 182. In one embodiment, the lower surface 196 of the lobe(s) 194 engages the flange / edge 64, and the engagement surface 66 thereof, particularly when the petal assembly 14, the offset support 98, and the spring 100 are assembled together in the housing assembly 12. More specifically, when the housing assembly 12, petal assembly 14, offset support, and spring 100 are assembled together, spring 100 is in a compressed state. As such, spring 100 holds the offset support 98 against the flange / edge 64, and the lobe surfaces 196 bear against surface 66 of the flange / edge 64. In an embodiment where the fastener 10 includes the sealing block 92, the spring also holds the sealing block 92 against surface 30 of the upper housing 16. As described above, the petal support 94 of the petal assembly 14 includes one or more lobe notches 158 each configured to receive a respective displacement support lobe 194. Accordingly, the displacement support lobe(s) 194 has a size and shape such that it can be received and moved in and out of the lobe notches 158 of the petal support 94. In addition to the components described above, and as briefly outlined earlier, the petal assembly 14 also includes the return spring 100. The return spring 100 may comprise any suitable elastic and / or resistant device. For the purposes of this description, however, a coil spring and a compression spring are specifically described and illustrated. It should be appreciated, however, that this description is not intended to be limited to any particular type of elastic device(s) or spring(s). The return spring 100 is configured to retract the petal assembly 14, and the sealing block 92 and / or the petal support 94 of this assembly, from an advanced or extended position to an initial position. More specifically, as pressure is applied to the petal assembly 14 as a result of fluid being introduced into the cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 through the pneumatic port 42, the petal support 94 is moved from an initial position toward a vessel to be clamped. As the petal support 94 moves further toward the vessel, the return spring 100 is compressed. Once the znnn / eznz / E / YiAi fastener is depressurized (i.e., fluid supply ceases), the pressure applied to spring 100 ceases and spring 100 expands or decompresses and applies a deflection force on a component of the petal assembly 14 (e.g.the sealing block 92 and / or the petal support 94) to cause the petal assembly 14 (e.g., the sealing block 92, the petal support 94, and / or the petals 96) to retract from an advanced position back to the initial position. As described above, in one embodiment, the spring 100 is also configured to hold the offset support 98 against the flange / edge 64 of the lower housing portion 18 of the housing assembly 12, regardless of the petal support 94 and the position of the petal support 94 (e.g., advanced, initial, or intermediate). In one embodiment, the return spring 100 is held in compression between the offset support 98 and one or more of the sealing block 92 and the petal support 94. More specifically, a first end 198 of the return spring 100 can be positioned over the top of the spring centering post 192 of the offset support 98 so that it circumscribes the axis 178 of the offset support body 172. A second end 200 of the spring 100 engages a portion of the sealing block 92 or the petal support 94 of the petal assembly 14. As shown in Figure 1, when the petal assembly 14 and the housing assembly znnn / eznz / E / YiAi are assembled together, the return spring 100 circumscribes the longitudinal axes of several components of the housing assembly 12 (e.g., axis 26 of the upper housing 16 and axis 52 of the lower housing 16). 18) and the assembly of petals 14 (e.g., shaft 108 of the sealing block 92, shaft 136 of the petal support 94, and shaft 178 of the displacement support 98). With general reference to Figure 1 and in particular to Figures 4 and 5, the operation of the illustrative embodiment of the fastener 10 shown in Figure 1 will now be described. First, as shown in Figure 4, the fastener 10 is positioned above or over a container 197 for clamping, and a neck 199, and the neck finish 201 of this container, in particular. This may involve, for example, lowering the fastener 10 into the correct position. Next, with reference to Figure 1, the fastener 10 is pressurized by introducing pressurized fluid (e.g., air) into the cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 of the housing assembly 12 through the pneumatic port 42.As cavity 40 is pressurized and a pressure chamber is established in cavity 40 of the upper housing 16, a force is applied to the petal assembly 14, driving it downward into the housing assembly 12, and cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 and cavity 60 of the lower housing 18. As the petal assembly 14, and its petal support 94, particularly znnn / eznz / E / YiAi, move or translate downward, the hinged petals 96 make contact and travel along the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54 of the lower housing 18, thereby guiding the petals 96 radially inward toward the neck of the vessel 199 and closing the petals 96 around the neck 199 until the petals 96 engage and secure the neck finish 201 of the vessel neck 199. However, the downward displacement of petal assembly 14 is limited. More specifically, and as shown in Figure 4, as the petal assembly 14 moves downward into the receptacle 197, the return spring 100 compresses, and the lobe notches 158 in the petal holder 94 advance downward over the lobes 194 of the displacement holder 98, which are received in the notches 158. The petal assembly 14 can continue to move further downward until the closed ends 162 of the lobe notches 158 engage with the lobes 194, as shown, for example, in Figure 5, at which point further downward movement of the petal holder 94 and petals 96 is limited / prevented by the displacement holder 98. In other words, the combinations of the closed ends 162 of the lobe notches 158 and the lobes 194 of the The displacement support serves as displacement stops for the i? / znnn / eznz / E / YiAi petal support 94. Afterwards, the container can be manipulated (e.g., move, rotate, transfer, etc.) to, for example, digitally print one or more desired marks on container 197. When the vessel 197 no longer needs to be handled, the fastener 10 can be disengaged from the vessel 197. This may involve depressurizing the fastener 10 by, for example, stopping the fluid supply to the cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 of the housing assembly 12. As a result, the downward force applied to the petal assembly 14 is reduced, allowing the compressed return spring 100 to decompress or expand and apply a deflecting force against the petal support 94 or the sealing block 92 to retract the petal assembly 14. When the petal assembly 14, and the petal support 94 in particular, are retracted, the petals 96 move upward and slide along the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54 of the lower housing 18, allowing the petals 96 to hinge radially outward from the neck of the vessel. 201. Figures 6-12 represent another illustrative modality of fastener 10 (i.e., fastener 10') and petal assembly 14 (i.e., petal assembly 14') of this particular fastener. This modality is similar in many respects to the modality of Figures i? / znnn / eznz / E / YiAi 1-5 and similar numbers among the categories generally designate similar or corresponding elements across the various views of the figures in the drawing. Consequently, the descriptions of the categories are incorporated into this description, and the description of material common to the categories generally cannot be repeated. With particular reference to Figure 6, as with the modality described above, the petal assembly 14' includes a petal support 94' having a body 130'. The body 130' has a first end or upper end 132', a second end or lower end 134', and a longitudinal axis 136' extending through and between the upper and lower ends 132', 134'.As best shown in Figures 11 and 12, the petal support body 130' may further include a base 138' positioned at the upper end 132' thereof having an axially oriented inner or interior surface 140' and an axially oriented outer or exterior surface 142' oriented in a direction opposite to the inner surface 140', a side wall 144' extending from the base 138' and terminating at the lower end 134' of the body 130' having an inwardly oriented radially inner or interior surface 146' and an outwardly oriented radially outer or exterior surface 148', and a void or cavity 150' defined by the inner surface 146' of the side wall 144' and / or the inner surface 140' of the base 138'.In other forms, the 94' petal support may not have a base with inwardly and outwardly oriented surfaces, but rather both the upper and lower ends of the body may be open. In addition to the above, the body 130' may further include a circumferentially and radially extending groove 202 on the outwardly oriented radial surface 148' of the side wall 144', which is configured to receive a guide ring 204. The groove 202 may be located anywhere along the longitudinal extent of the surface 148'. In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 6, however, the groove 202 is located adjacent to the base 138' of the body 130', and the axially oriented outer surface 142' of the base 138', in particular. The petal assembly 14' includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced petals 96' that engage with the petal support 94'. Each petal 96' has an upper end 164' and a lower end 166'. In one embodiment, the upper ends 164' of the petals 96' are configured to pivotally engage with the petal support 94'. And in at least some embodiments, the petals 96' are formed from a rigid material so that they do not bend or deflect during operation of the fastener 10'. With reference to Figure 6, each petal 96' is configured to be received in a respective petal notch 152' in the petal body 130' and pivotally coupled to the housing 130' within the petal notch 152' by means of a pivot pin 168' (best shown in Figures 6 and 7). The petals 96' are configured to rotate or hinge about the pivot pin 168'.The lower ends 166' of the petals 96' are configured to be guided by the lower housing 18 of the housing assembly 12 when the petal assembly 14' is assembled with the housing assembly 12. More specifically, and as will be described in further detail below, as the petal assembly 14' and its petal support 94', in particular, are moved in the housing assembly 12, the inner surface 56 of the lower housing 18 acts as a cam surface along which the lower ends 166' of the petals 96' travel.The inclined or angled nature of the inner surface 56 of the lower housing 18 guides or causes the petals to move radially inwards as the petal assembly 14' is moved in the direction towards a container to be held, and guides or causes the petals 96' to move radially outwards as the petal assembly 14' is moved in a direction away from the container to be held. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi In addition to the above, and for reasons that will be described below, in at least one modality, each of the petals 96' has a magnet 206 incorporated therein between its upper and lower ends 166', 168'. In such an embodiment, a given petal 96' may include a cavity or reservoir 207 into which the magnet 206 can be inserted and carried. In other embodiments, the petal 96' may be molded over the magnet 206 during the manufacture of the petal 96', or may be fixed or joined to the petal 96' using any suitable technique known in the art (e.g., adhesives, fasteners, etc.). znnn / eznz / E / YiAi Whether or not the petals 96' include magnets 206, in at least some embodiments, some or all of the petals 96' may include a rubber tab 208 at their lower end 168'. As shown, for example, in Figure 6, for a given petal 96', the rubber tab 208 may extend from a surface of the petal 96' in a radially inward direction relative to the longitudinal axis 136' of the petal holder 94' (i.e., toward the container to be held and other petals). The rubber tab 208 is configured to engage with the outer surface of the container to be held and is intended to provide stability in gripping the container. The rubber tab 208 may be attached to the petal 96' using any suitable technique (e.g.(adhesive or fastener), petal 96' can be formed over a portion of the rubber tab 208, or the rubber tab 208 can be otherwise coupled to petal 96' using any other suitable technique. With reference to Figures 8-10, in one embodiment, the petal assembly 14' further comprises a displacement support 98' including a body 172' having a first end or upper end 174', a second end or lower end 176', and a longitudinal axis 178' extending between and through the upper and lower ends 174', 176'. The body 172' may further include a first axially oriented surface 180' at the upper end 174' (best shown in Figures 9 and 10), a second axially oriented surface 182' (best shown in Figure 8) at the lower end 176' oriented in the opposite direction to the first axially oriented surface 180', and a circumferentially extending radially oriented surface 184' positioned and axially extending between the first and second axially oriented surfaces 180', 182'.In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the displacement support body 172' has a substantially circular shape. It will be appreciated, however, that the body 172' can have any suitable shape, and as such, the present description is not limited to any particular shape. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi As with the embodiment described above, in one embodiment, the displacement support 98' may further include a recess 186' in the body 172' at its upper end 174'. The recess 186' is positioned radially inward from the first axially oriented surface 180' and extends axially into the body 172' from the first axially oriented surface 180' to the lower end 176' and the second axially oriented surface 182' of the displacement support body 172'. The recess 186' may be defined by an axially oriented base surface 188' and an inwardly oriented radial side wall 190'. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi In one embodiment, the displacement support 98' may include one or more lobes 194' extending radially outward from the displacement support body 172' that are configured to engage the flange / edge 64 of the lower housing 18 of the housing assembly 12. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the displacement support 98' includes a plurality of lobes 194' extending from the radially outward-facing surface 184' of the displacement support body 172'. In an embodiment where the displacement support 98' includes a plurality of lobes 194', the lobes may be circumferentially or laterally spaced around the displacement support body. 172'. For example, in the illustrative modality represented in Figures 8 and 9, the displacement support 98' includes six lobes 194' circumferentially separated around the displacement support body 172'. In addition to the above, in an embodiment such as that illustrated in Figure 10, the displacement support 98' may further include one or more magnets 210 positioned in the displacement support body 172'. In this embodiment, each magnet 210 is located between a respective pair of adjacent lobes 194' such that the location of each magnet 210 corresponds to the location of one of the petals 96' of the petal assembly 14' when the petal support 94', the displacement support 98', and the spring 100 of the fastener 10' are assembled together. As with the magnets 206 of the petals 96', the displacement support body 172' may have one or more cavities or reservoirs 211, each configured to receive a magnet 210.In other embodiments, the body 172' can be molded onto the magnets 210 during the manufacture of the support body 172', or the magnets 210 can be joined or attached to the displacement support 98' using any other suitable technique (e.g., adhesive, fasteners, etc.). znnn / eznz / E / YiAi The purpose of the magnets 206 in the petals 96' and the magnets 210 in the displacement support body 172' is to hold the petals 96' apart when the petal assembly 14' is in a retracted state. More specifically, when the petal assembly 14' is in a retracted state (best shown in Figure 11), each of the magnets 206 in the petals 96' is axially displaced and at least partially axially overlaps one of the respective magnets 210 in the displacement support body 172'. For each magnet pair, the magnets 206 and 210 are oriented such that the same poles of the magnets 206 and 210 face each other, resulting in the magnets 206 and 210 repelling each other due to the magnetic force generated between them.Because each of the petals 96' rotates freely around its respective pivot pin 168', the repulsion of the magnets causes the petals 96' to rotate away from the offset support 98' and press effectively against the inner surface 56 of the lower housing portion 18 of the housing assembly 12, thereby maximizing the inner diameter of the petal assembly 14'. i? / znnn / cznz / E / YiAi However, as the petal support 94' moves downwards towards a container to be held, the magnets 206, 210 move out of axial alignment and the repelling action between them ceases, allowing the petals 96' to rotate / move radially inwards towards the displacement support 98' and to each other. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi Whereas in the preceding embodiment magnets are used to push the petals 96' radially outward when the petal assembly 14' is in the retracted state, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any suitable deflecting mechanism and arrangement may be used instead. For example, various springs or other strong elements may be used for the same purpose as the magnets 206, 210, and the present description is therefore not intended to be limited solely to the use of magnets, but any suitable deflecting mechanism may be used instead. Whether or not the displacement support 98' includes the magnets 210, in an embodiment such as that illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the displacement support 98' may include a plurality of supports 212 extending from the axially oriented surface 182' and away from the displacement support body 172' in an axial direction. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the displacement support 98' includes a plurality of supports 212 extending from the axially oriented surface 182' of the displacement support body 172'. In an embodiment where the displacement support 98' includes a plurality of lobes 194', each of the supports 212 may be aligned with one of the respective lobes 194'. In either case, the supports 212 may be laterally separated around the displacement support body 172'.Supports 212 are configured to act as initial guides to center a container to be held by the fastener 10' with respect to the petal assembly 14'. With reference to Figures 11 and 12, the operation of the illustrative embodiment of the fastener 10' shown in Figures 6-10 will now be described. First, as shown in Figure 11, the fastener 10' is positioned above or over the vessel 197 to be clamped, and specifically its neck 199 and neck finish 201. This may involve, for example, lowering the fastener 10' into the correct position. Next, the fastener 10' is pressurized by introducing pressurized fluid (e.g., air) into the cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 of the housing assembly 12 through the pneumatic port 42.As shown in Figure 12, as cavity 40 is pressurized and a pressure chamber is established in cavity 40 of the upper housing 16, a force is applied to the petal assembly 14' that drives it downwards into the housing assembly 12, and specifically into cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 and cavity 60 of the lower housing 18. As the petal assembly znnn / eznz / E / YiAi. 14' (e.g., the petal support 94') is moved or displaced downwards, the hinged petals 96' come into contact and are displaced along the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54 of the lower housing 18, thereby guiding the petals 96' radially inwards towards the neck of the vessel 199 and closing the petals 96' around the neck 199 until the petals 96', and the rubber tabs 208 of these in particular, engage and clamp the neck finish 201 of the neck of the vessel 199, as shown in Figure 12. However, as with the modality described above, the downward displacement or displacement of the petal assembly 14' is limited. More specifically, as the petal assembly 14', and its petal support 94', in particular, moves downward into the receptacle 197, the return spring 100 compresses and the lobe notches 158' in the petal support 94' (best shown in Figure 11) advance downward over the lobes 194' of the displacement support 98', and the lobes 194' are received into the notches 158'. The petal assembly 14' can continue to move further downward until the closed ends 162' of the lobe notches 158' engage the lobes 194', at which point further downward movement of the petal support 94' and petals 96' is limited / prevented by the displacement support 98'. Afterwards, container 197 can be manipulated (e.g., moved, rotated, transferred, etc.) to, for example, digitally print one or more desired marks onto container 197. When the vessel 197 no longer needs to be handled, the fastener 10' can be disengaged from the vessel 197. This may involve depressurizing the fastener 10' by, for example, stopping the fluid supply to the cavity 40 of the upper housing 16 of the housing assembly 12. As a result, the downward force applied to the petal assembly 14' is reduced, allowing the compressed return spring 100 to decompress or expand and apply a deflecting force against the petal support 94' or the sealing block 92 to retract the petal assembly 14'. When the petal assembly 14' and the petal support 94', in particular, are retracted, the petals 96' move upwards and shift along the inner surface 56 of the side wall 54 of the lower housing 18, allowing the petals 96' to articulate radially outwards from the neck of the vessel 199.And as each of the petals 96' reaches a position where the magnet 210 in it overlaps at least partially axially with one of the magnets 206 in the offset support 98', the magnets 206, 210 repel each other due to the magnetic force generated between the result of pushing the petal 96' outwards and fixing it against the inner surface 56 of the lower housing 18. znnn / eznz / E / YiAi znnn / eznz / E / YiAi The description has been presented along with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been described. Further modifications and variations will readily be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the discussion in paragraph 5 above. For example, the subject matter of each embodiment is incorporated into the present description by reference in each of the other embodiments, for convenience. The description is intended to encompass all such modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A container holder (10, 10'), comprising: a housing (12); and a petal assembly (14) configured to be carried in the housing (12), and including a petal support (94, 94') configured to be movably carried within the housing (12), a plurality of circumferentially spaced hinged petals (96, 96') having upper ends (164, 164') pivotally coupled to the petal support (94, 94') and lower ends (166, 166') configured to be guided by the housing (12), a displacement support (98, 98') configured to limit the displacement of the petal support (94, 94'), and a return spring (100) configured to be held between the displacement support (98, 98') and the petal support (94, 94').

2. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the housing (12) comprises a housing assembly including: an upper housing (16) including a lower end (24); and a lower housing (18) coupled to the lower end (24) of the upper housing (16).

3. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 2, characterized in that the lower housing (18) has a side wall (54) with an upper end (48) configured to engage with the lower end (24) of the upper housing (16) and a lower end (50) that is diametrically smaller than the upper end (48) to guide the petals (96, 96') radially inwards.

4. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 3, characterized in that the diameter of the lower end (50) of the side wall (54) narrows progressively as it extends away from the upper end (48) of the side wall (54) in an axial direction.

5. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that each of the plurality of petals (96, 96') includes a rubber tab (208) at the lower end thereof extending from one surface of the petal (96, 96') in a znnn / eznz / E / YiAi direction towards the other of the plurality of petals (96, 96').

6. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the displacement support (98, 98') includes one or more radially extending lobes (194, 194'), and the petal support (94, 94') includes a lower end (134, 134') that includes a plurality of petal notches (152, 152') for receiving upper portions of the petals (96, 96'), and one or more lobe notches (158, 158') each configured to receive one or more displacement base lobes (194, 194').

7. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 6, characterized in that the housing (12) has a displacement support flange (64) against which one or more displacement support lobes (194, 194') are configured to rest.

8. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the petal support (94, 94') is configured for translation relative to the displacement support (98, 98') and is configured to move over the top of the displacement support (98, 98').

9. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the petal assembly (14) further includes a sealing block (92) configured to be movably carried in the housing (12), and wherein the return spring (100) is configured to be held between the displacement support (98, 98') and the petal support (94, 94') and / or the sealing block (92).

10. A method for using the container holder (10, 10') of claim 1, comprising: lowering the holder (10, 10') onto a neck of the container; and pressurizing the holder (10, 10') to drive the petal assembly (14) downward into the housing assembly (12) so that the hinged petals (96, 96') move radially inward toward the neck of the container and engage and hold the neck finish of the container.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: depressurizing the fastener (10, 10') to allow the return spring (100) to apply a deflecting force against the petal support (94, 94') to retract the petal support (94, 94') causing the petals (96, 96') to move radially outwards away from the neck of the container.

12. The container holder (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that: each of the plurality of petals (96, 96') includes a magnet znnn / eznz / E / YiAi (206); and the displacement support (98, 98') includes a plurality of magnets (210); and further wherein when the petal assembly (14) is in a retracted state, each petal (96, 96') is pushed radially outwards by a repelling magnetic force generated between the magnet (206) in the petal (96, 96') and a respective magnet (210) of the displacement support (98, 98').

13. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the articulated petals (96, 96') are rigid.

14. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the petal assembly (14) further includes a sealing block (92), and the petal support (94, 94') is configured to engage with the sealing block (92), and the petal support (94, 94') and the sealing block (92) are configured to be movably transported within the housing (12), and further wherein: each of the plurality of petals (96, 96') includes a magnet (206); the displacement support (98, 98') includes a plurality of magnets (210); the return spring (100) is configured to be held between the displacement support (98, 98') and the sealing block (92) and / or the petal support (94, 94');and znnn / eznz / E / YiAi i? / znnn / eznz / E / YiAi when the petal assembly (14) is in a retracted state, each petal (96, 96') is pushed radially outwards by a magnetic force generated between the magnet (206) in the petal (96, 96') and a respective magnet (210) of the displacement support 5 (98, 98').

15. The fastener (10, 10') of claim 1, characterized in that the displacement support (98, 98') includes one or more outwardly extending radial lobes (194, 194'), and the petal support (94, 94') includes a lower end (134, 134') comprising a plurality of petal notches (152, 152') for receiving upper portions (164, 164') of the petals (96, 96') and one or more lobe notches (158, 158') each configured to receive one of the one or more lobes (194, 194') of the displacement support (98, 98'), and further wherein the housing (12) has a displacement support flange (64) against which the lobes are configured. displacement support (194, 194') to lean on.

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