Two-Piece Fastener With Lateral-Release Clip Engagement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing two-piece fasteners for removably attaching articles are not suitable for all applications, necessitating a new design that ensures secure attachment under external forces and easy disengagement.

Innovation Solution

A two-piece fastener comprising a clip with stops and a clip receiver with a raised intermediate section and openings, allowing secure engagement and easy disengagement through a combination of modest separation and lateral forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the engagement between clip and clip receiver is made strong to withstand external forces, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the difficulty of disengagement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoiddifficulty of disengagement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The fastener system transitions from a static engagement to a dynamic disengagement process. The clip is designed to be inserted in a lateral direction and then disengaged by combining lateral movement with separation force, creating a dynamic release mechanism that overcomes the static strong engagement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The disengagement action is segmented into two distinct components: a lateral force component that initiates release and a separation force component that completes the disengagement. This segmentation allows the user to easily release the fastener by applying forces in different directions rather than requiring excessive force in a single direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If the clip is designed to resist large external forces, then the strength of attachment is improved, but the force required for disengagement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of attachmentVSAvoidforce required for disengagement

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The disengagement mechanism utilizes a second dimension of movement (lateral direction) in addition to the separation direction. By allowing the clip to move laterally during disengagement, the system reduces the force required in the separation direction while maintaining strong attachment strength during normal use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS20250237246A1Two-piece fastener for removably attaching two articles

Publication Date: 2025.07.24 GOEBEL GEORGE

AI summary

A two-piece fastener comprising a clip and clip receiver. The clip is designed to slide onto the clip receiver whereby the clip and clip receiver become engaged. The engagement between the clip and clip receiver is sufficient to maintain the attachment of the two despite the introduction of large external forces while allowing a user to disengage the clip from the clip receiver by applying a modest separation force and a lateral force to the clip along a line of insertion of the clip onto the clip receiver. The clip incorporates one or more stops. The clip receiver is a block member defining a clip insertion space. In practice, the clip slides over a raised intermediate section of the clip receiver so that the one or more stops are received by one or more openings on a spine in the block member whereby the clip and clip receiver become engaged.