CA2107770C - Fastener assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener (100, 200, 300) for fastening at least two tandemly-positioned surfaces (106, 206) such as opposing surfaces of a housing assembly, theretogether. The fastener includes first (100) and second (200) hook members which are affixed in a defined relationship with top (106) and bottom (206) surfaces which are to be affixed theretogether. A clip (300) formed of a multi-slotted plate member (306, 312) having slotted openings (318, 330) of dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the hook members, and hence, the top and bottom surfaces theretogether. By affixing the clip (300) to a substrate (344) positioned between the top and bottom surfaces, the single clip (300) may be utilized to fasten the substrate (344) in position between the top (106) and bot-tom (206) surfaces.

Description

Wo 93/17513 Pcr/US93/00634 , 2l~7~7n "Fastener Assembly for Telephone Housing and Substrate"

(~ross-Reference To Related ApplicfltionR
This ap~li~tion is a cQn*nllfltinn-in-part of application serial nllmher 799,818, filed on November 29, 1991, entitled "Apparatus For Accel,l g And Retf ining A S art Card" by Jeffery F. Kurgan.

R~flrk~round of the Invention 0 The present invention relates generally to ff stQnPrS~ and, more particularly, to a fastener which fastens two or more tf n~lamly-positioned s~lrff~ces theretogether, such as, without way of limitation, opposing surfaces of a housing f~ss~mbly for an electronic device.
AdvflncPmantc in the field of radio electronics have permitted the introduction and commerciz~li7f~tion of an ever-increasing array of radio commllnicfltion a~at~s. Advflnce~nents in electronic circuitry design have also permitte~ increased mini~t~lri7f tion of the electronic cilc~itl~ co l~l;sing such radio communication apparatus.
As a result, an ever-increasing array of radio co.. ~... icfltion 20 apparatus col~ ised of ever-Rmflller electronic circuitry has permitted such radio C~!.. ~.. icz tion apparatus to be ll*li7.etl more conveniently in an increased number of applicf~tionR.
A radio transceiver, such as a radiotelephone utilized in a cellular, co~ ..;cation system, is one çYf mrle of radio 25 com~nunication apparatus which has been mini~t.nized to be utilized cohve~ipntly in an increased number of applications. Additional efforts to mini~t~lrize further the electronic CilC- itly of simil~- such radio transceive~s~ as well as other radio commllniç~tion apparatus, are being made. Such further mini~t~ tion of the radio transceivels will 30 fi~ther increase the convenience of lltili7~tion of such apparatus, and will permit such apparatus to be utilized in further increased numbers of applic~ti- T~R.

2 1 0 7 7 7 0 PCI`/US93/00634 Pursuant to such efforts to mini~t~lrize further the electronic c i,cLlLi~- ~/ of such radio transceivels (as well as other radio commllnir~tion apparatus), size minimi~tion of the electronic circuitry is a critical design goal during design of such c;l-,uiLl~.
Con~o.. ;~nt with the increased mini~t~lrization of electronic CilCui~ iS a co~ s~ ing reduction in the physical ~lim~ncionR of the housings in which such electronic circuitry is housed as well as other mPrh~nir~l structure associated therewith.
Initially, size redllrtiorlR in the housing and associated 10 mechslnical structure was ~ccQmrlished by simple, scale reduction of the tlimPncinn~ of already-e~sting structures. How~v~l, beyond certain size re~illct;Q~, such ~imple scale re-lllrtion incre~ingly becom~c impr~c*ç~l Beyond a cel Laill point, structural !imit~tionR of the materials co~ l;sing such structure cannot be retlllre-l further without 5 co ,l.lising the structural integrity thereo For instance, the housings of many such electronic devices are co ~;sed of a thermoplastic material. The walls of such housings must be greater than minim~l thirknesses to ensure the structural integrity of such walls, and the housings formed the~,eLvm,. Other 20 housin,gs and ~Rsori~te-l meçh~nir~l structures cv~ l;sed of other materials suffer from Rimil~r, size-re~lllction limitations.
Many coll,vell,tional, housing constructions are co i~l;sed of a front housing portion and a rear housing portion. Typically, the electronic circuitry co~ .,;sing the electronic device is disposed upon a 25 circuit board (or several circ~it boards) an,d the circuit board is mounted or otherwise PffiYe~ to the rear housing portion of the conv~nhon~l, housing constrllr*on Once aff~ed in position, the front housing portion is then placed over the circuit board an,d a fastçninE~ mçch~niRm f~ctenR the front and rear housing portions theretogether, thereby to 30 enclose in sul,~orli,ve cont~inmrnt the circuit board within the housing construction.

3 PCI`/US93/00634 The fasPning mP~h~ni~m by which the front and rear housing portions of the housing construction are fastened theretogether may be cv ~l~sed of any of many various leEign~. Most simply, threaded shaft mamhers may be lltili7e-l to affi2 the housing portions theretogether. Also, and particularly when the housing construction is formed of a thermopl~ c material, the fastening mech~niam may be formed integral with the abutting edge surfaces of the sidewalls of the respective ho-l~ing portions.
Hc.w~:vel-, due to the aforçman*Qne-l size reduction in the 0 housings of many elecllvllic devices, existing fast~ning mel~h~ni~mc for fastening portions of such housings theretogether cannot be lltili7e~
when the tliman~innc of housings are reduced beyond a certain level.
Also, additional innov~tion~, both electronic and meçh7~nir~1 in nature, are incre~cingly being incorporated into the constrl~rtionc of such elecllollic devices. Such additional innovations provide such elecLL~ ic devices with ~i*nn~l fealules to increase the collve~içnc-a of use of the devices. Incol~ulation of such innovations into such electronic devices m~kes even more challanging the ongoing ~esiEn goal of re~ ing the ~im~nCiQn~ of the housings and other merh~nic~l structure of the electronic devices. Design of f~tsning m~h~ni~m~ which fasten opposing portions of a housing construction theretogether is accordingly also made more ch~llenging as increased amounts of 8tructure is to be housed in incre~in~ly-mini~turized housings.
With particular lefelel~ce to a radio transceiver co~ l;sing a cellular radiotelephone, tli~rlose~ in the aforementioned, cop~ntling patent application is structure, lefelled to as a card reader ~csemhly.
Such structure is housed wit_in the housing of the radiotelephone, and is operative to receive a card, su~sL~ . .l ;~lly simil~r in (lim~n~ion~ to a 30 collvel;on~l, credit card. The card cont~in~ information which, once lec~:ived by the card reader ~csemhly, may be ~ e-1 by the radiotelephone for any of various purposes. For instance, the .

WO 93/17513 Pcr/uss3/oo634 information cQnt~inecl on such card could include an i-lentifi~tion number to be lltili7etl for billing purposes to bill a phone call made t_rough the radiotelephone to a particular billing address. Because the card having the i~1~ntification nllmh~r can be removed from one 5 radiotelephone, and placed in another, calls made from more than one radiotçleFhnne may be billed to a single billing address.
Such a card reader assembly incol~olated to form a portion of a radiot~lephnne must be mounted within the housing ~csçmhly of the radiotelephone in a precise oriçnt~tis~n A180, the housing ~sçmhly o must be adapted to permit the card reader ~sçmhly to receive the card to obtain the desired inform~*r~n theleL(, . That is to say, the card reader ~6sPmhly must be ~cessible from the exterior of the housing assembly.
To position precisely the card reader ~csçmhly within the housing ~sçmhly, the card reader As6Pmhly must be fastened to the housing ~ çmhly to affix the card reader ~sçmhly in position thereby, and in the desired ori~nt~tion so that the card reader may be Accessell from the exterior of the ho~l~ing ~Rs~mhly.
The housing ~csçmhly~ co ~l,l;sed of a front portion and a rear portion, as noted above, must be f~t~n~l theretogether by the 20 fastening merh~ni~m~ at loç~tiQnc along the abutting surfaces which form the interface between the two housing portions to ensure structural integrity of the housing ~csçmhly. Such fastening merh~ni~m~ which fasten the front and rear housing portions theretogether must therefore be positioned at sp~cetl interval6 along the interface between the two 25 housing portions.
With the cQntinll~l reduction in the physical llimen~ion~ Of the housing and other mech~nic~l structure of the radiotelephone, care must be egercised during design of the radiotelephone to ensure that both the f~t~ning me-~h~ni~m~ which fasten the card reader s~s~mhly 30 (or any other substrate) positioned within the housing ~csemhly to such housing ~csemhly~ and the fastening meçh~ni~m~ which fasten the WO 93/17513 PCI'/US93/00634 5 210777~) front and rear housing portions of the housing ARsemhly theretogether may both be a~lo~L;ately positioned in a non-interfering relationship.
As the physical tlimPnRjQna of the housing Assçmbly are reduced, radiotelephone rlesi~n in which such fastening merhAniRm may be positioned in a non-intelrellllg arrangement becomes increARingly lifficlllt~ As the thicknesRes of the housing surfaces and sidewalls are reduced to minimAl t~itknesses, as mçn~ioned previously, cCi~lv~ nn~l f~Ftçners cannot be used as ~hsnn~l~ previously formed in the housing structure to ~ect:ive such fAFtçners of adequate depths can 0 no longer be made. Thele~e, the constraints of the type of fastening mechslni~m whic_ may be l~ i7e~ to fasten the card reader assembly (or, again, any other substrate) in position within a hollRin~ ~88emhly are the same as the previously-m~ntir~ne~l con~lla~s placed on the fastening me~hAniRmR which fasten front and rear housing portions of the housing ARsçmhly theretogether.
What is nee~le~l~ thele~ule, is a fAstener of minimsl ~imçnRion~ which fAFtçns two surfaces theretogether.
What iB additionally nee~le~ is a fAFtqner which, not only fActenR the two surfaces theretogether, but which addi~innAlly fastens a substrate be~weell such two surfaces.

SllmmAry of the Invention The present invçnt;nn~ accordingly, advantageously provides a fastener of ~ Al tlimen~ions for fAFtening two tsn-l~mly-positioned surfaces theretogether.
The present invention further advantageously provides a fARtçn~r for fastening a substrate between two t-sn~lçmly-positioned surfaces.
The present invention yet further advantageously provides a fastener which fastens two t-snrl~mly-positioned surfaces, and a substrate positioned therebetween, theretogether.

W O 93/17513 PC~riUS93/00634 210~77 Q - 6 -The present invention provides further advantages and features, the ~et~ilR of which will become more evident by re~tling the detailed descnption of the l lafelled embo-liment hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, therefore, a 5 f~ct~ner for faste-ning a first surface and a t~n~lamly-positioned second surface theretogether is disclosed. The f~ct~ner co l,l;ses a first hook member positionetl heneAt~ the first surface in a fixed rÇlAtion therewith and a secQn~l hook mPmher poRitione-l above the seCQn~ surface in a fi~ed rçlA*on therewith. A clip cApAble of clasping engagement with 0 both the first hook member and the secon-l hook mPmher is positioned about both the first hook m~mher and the seCQnrl hook m-Pmher to fasten thereby the first surface and the t~n~lP~nly-positioned seCon~l surface theretogether.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be better understood when read in light of the ArcQ~ nying dic-w Igs in which:
FIG. 1 is a cut away, i~...Pl- ;c view of a hook m~mhP~r foll lillg a portion of the fastener of the ~refell ad çmho~lim~nt of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cut away, isometric view similS~r to that of FIG.
1, but illu~lldLhlg Anot~Pr hook mPmher fol~"llg another portion of the f~tç-lPr of the ~larelled çmho~impnt of the l,le~e.lt invçn~iQn;
FIG. 3 is a cut away, ~ mPt"iC view of a clip Affi~e~l to a substrate which forms another portion of the f~st~nsr of the l,lafelled embo~limPnt of the present invqn~ion;
FIG. 4 is a cut away, i~ometriC view of the clip of FIG. 3, here positioned between front and rear housing portions of a housing ~csemhly wherein the hook m~mhers of FIGs. 1 and 2 are formed on sidewalls of the front and rear housing portions, respectively;

WO93/17513 2 1 o 7 7 7 o PCT/US93/00634 FIG.4-Iis a cut away, isometric view, Rimil~r with that of FIG.4, but of an alternate, l.lafe.lad emboAimant of the present invention;
FIG.5is a cut away, iRomet~ic view, simil~r to that of FIG.

4, but illu~Ll~til g the clip after ~tt~rhmPnt to the hook mamher formed on the sidewall of the front housing portion;
FIG.6 i8 a cut away, isometric view, simil~r to those of FIGs.4-5, but illustrating the rel~*nnRhip between the hook members and the clip after At~rhmant, to both the hook mamher formed on the 0 sidewall of the front housing portion and the hook mamher formed on the sidewall of the rear housing portion of the housing ~csçmhly to fasten tLele~, the front and rear housing portions thereat, and to fasten the sul,sLl~te in positir~n within the housing ~Rsçmhly formed thereby;
FIG.7 is cross-sec~Qn~l ~ew of FIG.6;
1 5 FIG.8is an PSploAa~ view of a radiotelephone of the - ~lefelled çmhoAimant of the present invention which includes the fastener shown in the l,laceA;~ figures;
FIG.9 is an isometric view of a portion of the card reader assembly, shown in the eYI~lotlsA view of FIG.8, which forms the substrate to which the clip of FIG.3 is ~ eA in the 1,l afell ad PmhoAimçnt of the present illv~ . L:on; and FIG.lOis an isQm~Pt~c view of the radiotelephone shown in exploded form in FIG.8.

Description of the r~afelled EmboAimPntc Refellh~g first to the cut away, i~ometric view of FIG.l, a hook member, lefellad to generally by lafelellce numeral 100, which forms a portion of the fastener of the ~lefelled emboAimP!nt of the 30 present invention, is shown.
Hook member 100 is formed at a predetermined distance bane~t~l surface 106, here a top, face surface of a top housing portion of a wo 93/17513 Pcr/US93/00634 housing ARsçmhly. As illustrated, hook m~mher 100 is for_ed upon an inner wall of a flange fol.l-illg sidewall 112 of the front housing Acsemhly portion.
Hook mçmher 100, in the preferred embo~lim~nt, is s collllJl;sed of a resiliPnt material and is formed of hook mPmher portions100-1, 100-2, and 100-3. Adjacent ones of the hook m~mher portions 100-1-3 are sp~e~ apart by gaps 100-4 and 100-5 to be biru~ ated thereby. Hook m~mher 100 is thereby of a comb-like appearance. Hook member 100 altern~tely may be formed of a single, Pk~neAte~l hook mPmh~r portion;
0 such bifu. cated construction is desirable, how~vel, when hook member 100, surface 106, and sidewall 112 are forme-l of a thermoplastic material formed during a mol~ing process. Such ~ulcated construction lJleVtllts scAling of thermoplastic material of ~iRsimilz~r depths, and is advantageously ~ li7e-1 when smoot~ness in appearance of the rear surface (not shown in the Figure) of sidewall 112 is of importance.
Each hook m~mher portion 100-1-3 includes an u~waldly-tçntli-~g, rAmpe-l, face surface, here ~lPEign~tetl by lefelèllce llU~ e~c.ls 118-1, 118-2, and 118-3, le~e~l;vely. Face surfaces 118-1-3 are coplanar in nature, and each face surface 118-1-3 PYtçntls to a back-~ngletl, force-receiving surface, here fleRi~n~ted by ,efel~:llce nnmerals 124-1, 124-2, and 124-3. Force receiving surfaces 124-1-3 also form a copl~nAr surface.
Turning next to the cut away, iSQmPt-riC view of FIG. 2, a secQntl hook member, lerelled to generally by lefel~llce numeral 200, which forms A~other portion of the f~tsner of the preferred embo-lim~nt of the present invent;Qn, is shown.
Hook member 200 is formed at a predetermined distance above surface 206, here a bottom, face surface of a rear housing portion of a housing ARsçmhly. As illustrated, hook m~mher 200 is formed to eYtçntl beyond an inner wall of a flange forming sidewall 212 of the rear housing ARs~mhly portion. Hook member 200, surface 206 and sidewall WO 93/17513 ~ 1 ~ 7 7 ~ ~ Pcr/uss3/00634 212 of the rear housing ~semhly portion are ~lafelably integrally formed of a thermoplastic material during a mol~inE process. In contrast to hook mamher 100 of FIG. 1, hook member 200 is not bif~llcated in constr~ nn; ho-wt,vt:l, hook member 200 may alternately 5 be constructed to be in such biru.cated form. Analogous to portions 118-1-3 of hook m~pmhpr 100 of FIG. 1, hook mPmher 200 co~l,. ;ses ramped-face surface 218 which, here, how~ver, is downwardly-extan-linE. Face surface 218 çYtnntl~ to back~ Ele~l~ force-laceivhlg surface 224.
FIG. 3 is a cut away, i~omPtric ~iew of a clip, here 0 ~lesiEn-ste~l generally by lafelallce numeral 300, which forms another portion of the fs-ctaner of the ~.afell~d çmho~limPnt, of the present illvr..-~ ;nn As illustrated, clip 300 is a multi-slotted plate mçmher, here ha~ing a top-slotted portion 306 and bottom-slotted portion 312. Slotted ol,e..;..E 318 PY~ntl~ between front and rear face surfaces (rear face surface 324 is illustrated in the Figure) of top slotted portion 306. Slotted opPninE 330 PYtsnrl~i between front and rear face surfaces (rear face snrfsce 336 is illustrated in the Figure) of bottom filotte l portion 312.
Inner edge surface 326 of top slotted portion 306 (3çfines one of the perimetal sides of slotte-l O~r~ 318. Analogously, inner edge surface 338 of bottom slotted portion 312 ~l~fines one of the perimetal sides of slotted opening 330.
Clip 300 is sffiYe~l to substrate 344 to çYtPntl in a direction sllhst-sntislly ~el~tlldicular to a planar direction defined by a surface of the substrate. In the preferred embo~1imant and as will be noted more fully herPinhalow, substrate 344 co ~ ;ses a portion of a card reader sc~çmhly and is col"~,l;sed of a mPtsllic matenal. Clip 300, in the afellad embotliment is formed integral with substrate 344, and is also cu ,~l;sed of a metsllic material. Clip 300 is permitted elastic deform-stion to allow flexing mo~ement of portions of the clip. While in the ~la~lled embo~limant top slotted portion 306 and bottom slotted portion 312 çYten~l in parallel, but tli~5imil,sr planar directions, top and WO 93/17513 Pcr/US93/00634 bottom slotted portions 306 and 312, respectively, _ay alternately be formed to e~ten-i in coplanar directions.
FIG. 4 is a cut away, isometric view of clip 300 ~ffi~erl to substrate 344 of FIG. 3 in which substrate 344 and the clip affi~ed thereto 5 are together pocitir~netl between top, face surface 106 of the front housing ~gçmhly portion shown in FIG. 1 and bottom, face surface 206 of the rear housing tqssçmhly portion shown in FIG. 2. Hook memher 100 is again shown to be formed to ç~nfl beyond an inner wall of the flange fo~ g sidewall 112. And, hook m.qmher 200 i8 again shown to be 0 formed to P~pnrl beyond an inner wall of a flange fo,~g sidewall 212 of the rear housing ~fiçmhly portion.
When top and bottom face s~ ces 106 and 206, respect;vely, are t~n~l~mly-posi*nne~l, as shown, to permit intelrl~l,illg engagement therebelweell, hook mQmh~rs 100 and 200 are ~ nerl with 5 one another in a vertical arrang~m~nt~ T-ine~r tr~ncl~*Qn of substrate 344 poRitiQn~ clip 300 ~ffi~e-l thereto to be also in an ~ ne~ rçl~tior with both hook memher 100 and hook m~mher 200.
It is noted that the ~imçn~i-n~ of slotted openin~ 318 subr;t~nti~lly col~es~o"~ to the perimetal tlim~n~jonc of hook mqmher 100, and that the tlimPn~inn~ of slotted o~,~.. ;.. ~ 330 sub~t~ntiz~lly correspond to the perim~t~l ~im~ncinnc of hook m~mher 200.
It is to be understood, of course, that hook m~mhers 100 and 200 need not be ~ ne~l with one another. R~tl er, hook members 100 and 200 must be ~liEnefl vwith the slotted openin~R formed to ç~rt~nrl through ~esl~e~l;ve ones oftop and bottom slotted portions 306 and 312 of clip 300. FIG. 4-I illustrates an alternate em~)Q~lim~-nt of the present illv~ ion in which hook m~mhers 100 and 200 are offset from one another. Clip 300 is co ~ ised of top and bottom slotted por1ions which are cG,l. s~Q~ inEly offset from one another to permit ~ nm~nt with reSpective ones of the hook members. The other structure shown in FIG. 4-I is identical with simil~rly-numbered structure described with respect to FIG. 4, and will not again be described in detail.

wo 93/17513 Pcr/uss3/00634 In a first applic~tion of the present invention, the fastener of the ~l afe,, ed embo~iment is operative to fasten the front and rear housing assembly portions theretogether. In such an applic~irn, substrate 344 iB GpeldLive to positi~n clip 300 in an ~ nefl arrangement between hook mpmhers 100 and 200. In such an applir~t;on~ clip 300 could, of course, be alternately positioned in such an P~lignetl rPl~*onchip by other a~pl~,l l;ate me~nR
In a further appli~*on of the present ~vç..l ;on, the fastener of the ~,afel,ad çmhotlimPnt is opeldtive not only to fasten the 0 front and rear housing ~csçmhly portions of the housing assembly theretogether, but, additionally, to fasten a substrate, here a plate member of a card reader ~emhly, in position will~ the housing ?~mbly formed thereby. I~aft:rably, although not by neces~ity, clip 300 i8 first fs~t~ne~l to hook m~mher 100, and, then, clip 300 i6 fastened to hook memhçr 200 to fasten thereby surfaces 106 and 206 of the front and rear housing ~semhly portions, respectively, theretogether.
Accol lh gly, once clip 300 is ~lieT)Ptl between hook memhers 100 and 200, clip 300 is tr~n~ te~l vertically in the direction inrli~t~tl by arrow 348 such that a front, face surface of top slotted portion 306 of clip 300 abuts ~in~t~ and engages with, r~mpe-l-face surface portions 118-1-3 of hook member portions 100-1-3. Such abutting engagement between the face surfaces 124-1-3 of hook memhPr 100 and the front, face surface of top ~lotte~l portion 306 of clip 300 causes hçntlinE
forces to be exerted ~inct clip 300. Exertion of such benfling forces c~ es elastic deformation of the top slotted portion 306, resulting in flÇ~nE movement of the top slotted portion. It is also noted that, when the housing is cG~ul..;sed of 8 thermoplastic material, the housing also bends responsive to tr~ncl~t;on of clip 300 thereupu~l.
Con*nlle-l tr~ncl~ion of clip 300 results in ~ nmçnt of slotted G~ 318 with r~mpetl-face surface portion 118-1-3. Once aligned, the face surfaces 118-1-3 of hook member 100 no longer abut ~inst a face surface of top slotted portion 306; rather, hook member 100 WO 93/17513 o PCr/US93/00634 is positioned to ç~t~nrl through slotted openinF 318. As bçn-ling forces are no longer exerted against top slotted portion 306, top slotted portion 306 returns to an elastically lmrl~formed state, and clip 300 snaps into position about hook mPmher 100 such that inner edge surface 326 seats :~inFt back-slnFletl~ force-receiving surface portions 124-1-3 of the hook member.
The cut away, isometric view of FIG. 5 illustrates positioning of clip 300 after the just-described tr~nRl~tinn of the clip to position to-slotted portion 306 of the clip about hook member 100 to seat 0 the inner edge surface 326 of top slotted portion 306 upon force-receiving surface portions 124-1-3 of the hook mçmbe-. When positioned as such, substrate 344 is affiYerl in a desired rel~tion relative to top, face surface 106 of the front housing ~csçmhly portion of the housing ~csemhly.
Once clip 300 has been suitably ~ffiYe-l to hook mPmher 100 to seat ~inRt force-receivillg surfaces 124-1-3 thereof, clip 300 together with surface 106 may be lowered into posit;on to engage claspingly with hook mPmher 200. (Alternately, surface 206 of the rear housing s~c,cçmhly portion may be tr~nRl~tetl to engage cl~Rpingly with clip 300.) ~litling trsmRls~*Qn of bottom slotted portion 312 along the dowllw~ly-eYtAn~inF, ramped-face surface 218 of hook member 200 (in a m~nner ~n~logous to the ~cli~ling tr~n.cl~tion of a face surface of top slotted portion 306 of clip 300 to cause fl~Ying movement of the top slotted portion) causes ben~ing forces to be exerted upon bottom slotted portion 312 to cause elastic defol ...Ation, and flexing movement, of bottom slotted 25 portion 312.
Continued tr~ncl~1;on of bottom slotted portion 312 of clip 300 results in ~ nmçnt of slotted op~nin~ 330 with ramped-face surface portion 218. Once ~ ne~l~ face surface portion 218 of hook member 200 no longer abuts ~gP~in~t a face ~urface of bottom-slotted portion 312;
30 rather, hook mçmher 200 is positioned to eYte-n~l through slotted opening 330. As ~hentlinF forces are no longer exerted ~g~inct bottom slotted portion 312, bottom-slotted portion 312 returns to an elastically wo 93/17513 Pcr/us93/00634 _13- 2107770 undeformed state, and clip 300 snaps into position about hook member 200 such that inner edge surface 338 seats ~E~inRt back-angled, force-receiving surface 224.
The cut away, isometric view of FIG. 6 illustrates the rçl~*on~hir beLweell clip 300 and hook members 100 and 200 once clip 300 is positioned about both hook mPmbers. Block 350, shown in hatch, s~ linE hook mçmber 100, hook memher 200, and clip 300 represent the fastener formed of the hook mpmhers 100 and 200 and clip 300.
As noted above, in a first applic~*Qn of fastener 360 of the 0 l,lef~.led embo-limant of the present invçntion, the fastener is utilized tofasten two ~n~amly-positioned surfaces, here surfaces 106 and 206 of front and rear housing s~csemhly portion of a housing ~Rsçmbly, theretogether. In a fur~her applic~*on of fastener 350, the f~ctçner is additionally ol,elative to position a substrate, here substrate 344, which forms a portion of a card reader ~s6ambly f~stPne~l in position between top and bottom face surfaces 106 and 206.
Bec~llce no rhsmn,.l iS required to be formed in sidewalls 212 or 312 in order to fasten hook mpmbers 100 and 200 in rk~rinE
engagçmant, the depths of the flanges forming sidewalls 212 and 312 20 may be of ;;-~ manRions. Additionally, a single clip, when ~ffi~etl to a substrate as shown in the prece~ing figures is llt;li~e-l, the single clip may be utilized to m~int~in the three surfaces (i.e., surfaces 106 and 206, and substrate 344) in a desired arrangement therebetween.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sec1ion~l view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG.

6. The ral~tionRhip between hook mamhers 100 and 200 and clip 300 which together form f~staner 350 is again illustrated. Again, hook mPmher 100 is shown to be formed to e~nA within an inner wall of sidewall 112 formed of a flange e~tçn~ing hPnP~t~ top surface 106 of a front housing ~semhly portion. And, hook maml)er 200 is shown to be formed to eYtçn~ within an inner wall of sidewall 212 formed of a flange portion ç~tarlfling above bottom surface 206 of a rear housing ~.csPmhly portion. Sidewalls 112 and 212 abut against each other in interfitting WO 93/17513 ~, 1 0 ~ ~ ~ -14 - Pcr/uss3/00634 engagement therebetween. Clip 300 is formed of a multi-slotted plate member Pyt~nr~ing banaAt~ substrate 344 at an edge portion thereof in a plane subst~ntiAlly perpendicular to the planar surface defined by substrate 344.
A slotted openine formed to çY~ntl through a top slotted portion of clip 300 ~el~ils hook member 100 to eYtenA therethrough.
Analogously, a slotted orening formed to çYt~nrl through a bottom slotted portion of clip 300 pal mite hook mPmhar 200 to çYtsntl therethrough.
Thereby, top and bottom face surfaces 106 and 206 are fAetqne-l 0 theretogether by way of clasping engagement of clip 300 to hook mamherg 100 and 200. No çhAnnPle are ,aquiled to be formed along sidewalls 112 or 212 thereby ~a.~ Atisn of the depth flimPn~ions of such sidewalls.
I~ing next to FIG. 8, a radio transceiver, here a portable, cellular radiotele~hnne"2felled to generally by lafe,~ce numeral 460, is shown in exploded form. Radiotelephone 460 includes a supportive housing ~csçmhly for su~ g various c4...l~4~.ant~ of the radiot~lephnne thel~wilLi~. Top housing ~sçmhly portion 506 of the housing Assçmhly includes flange portions çYt~n~ling about perimetal portions thereof which form sidewalls including sidewall 512. Sidewall 512 col,a~j~onds with sidewall 112 of the prece~inE~ figures, and includes a hook mPmher (not shown in the Figure) formed on an inner wall thereof.
Rear housing A~çmhly portion 606 also forms a portion of the housing A~sçmh1y and includes flange portions formed about perimetal portions thereof which form sidewalls, including sidewall 612. Sidewall 612 corresponds with sidewall 212 of the prece-ling figures, and includes a hook member (not shown in the Figure) formed to e~tend beyond an inner wall thereof.
Positioned directly b.oneAt~ front housing A~s~mhly portion 506 is key pad 618, and directly therebçnçAt~ is key pad circuit board 620.

- 15- 210777~

Component portions of a card reader ~Rs~mhly for receiving card 624 are positioned henP~th key pad circuit board 618.
The card reader ~csPmhly is shown to be comprised of slider plate 630 and cover plate 636. Formed integral with, and qYtPn~ing in a plane sllhst~nti~lly perpendicular to, the planar surface defined by cover plate 636 is clip mPmher 700. Clip 700 col~es~onds to clip 300 shown in the prece-lin~ figures and is operat*e to claspingly engage with hook me_bers formed to çYtçn~ beyond the inner walls of sidewalls 512 and 612. Circuit board 706 is po~itionptl hqnP~t~ cover plate 636 of the card reader ~csçmhly. ~nt~Pnn~ 712 is further shown to eYten~ beyond circuit board 706.
When ~ ,e~ly ~ netl, the cQmrQnant portions of radiotelephone 460 are positioned upon one another, and housed wit~in front and rear housing ~Rsemhly portions 506 and 606 which are, in turn, ~n~l-pmly-positioned and f~ctPnPtl theretogether by the fastener of the present invention by way of clasping engagement with clip 700.
FIG. 9 is an i~ol~tiQn~l view of cover plate 636 which co ~ ises a portion of the card reader ~Rsçmhly which is housed within radiotelephone 460 of FIG. 8. Cover plate 636 is shown to include two clips 700 ~ pose~l to eytsn~l beyond opposite edge portions of the cover plate. Clips 718 are further illustrated in the E`igure to eY~n~l beyond opposing edge surfaces of the cover plate 636. Clips 718 are co~;sed of a single slotted portion, An~logous to top slotted portion 306 of the l.~ece~ g figures, and is op~:~al.ive to a fiYed cover plate 636 to a single hook member rlisposetl upon a single one of the housing ~Rsemhly portions, here front housing ~Rsçmhly portion 506.
FIG. 10 is an isometric view of radiotelephone 460 of FIG. 8.
Radiotelephone 460 includes front and rear housing ARsem~ly portions 506 and 606, key pad 618, and ~ntP!nn~ 712. A housing assembly ~nRinn 730, p*otally coupled to the front housing ~Rsçmhly portion 506 commonly lefe~ed to as a "flip" portion of the radiotelephone is further illustrated in the Figure, as is a~e~ e 736 formed at the interface -WO 93/17513 PCI`/US93/00634 between sidewalls of the housing z~csemhly. Aperture 736 permits a card to be inserted therewithin to be received by the card reader assembly shown in the previous Figure.
While the present invention has been described in 5 connection with the ~lefelled emboAiment shown in the various figures, it is to be understood that other simil~r embo~im~nts may be used and mo~lifir~tionR and additions may be made to the described embodiments for pelroll~ .g the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. The~efo~e, the present invention should not be 0 limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended rl~im~.

Claims (7)

Claims

1. A fastener for fastening a first surface and a tandemly-positioned second surface theretogether, said fastener comprising:

means forming a first hook member positioned beneath the first surface in a fixed relation therewith;

means forming a second hook member positioned above the second surface in a fixed relation therewith;

means forming a clip capable of clasping engagement with both said first hook member and said second hook member;

means for positioning said means forming the clip about both the first hook member and the second hook member to fasten thereby the first surface and the tandemly-positioned second surface theretogether.

2. The fastener of claim 2 wherein the first hook member further comprises an upwardly-extending, ramped-face surface leading to a back-angled, force receiving surface.

3. The fastener of claim 3 wherein the second hook member further comprises a downwardly-extending, ramped-face surface leading to a back-angled, force-receiving.

4. The fastener of claim 3 wherein the means forming the clip comprises a multi-slotted plate member having a top slotted portion and a bottom slotted portion, the top and bottom slotted portions, respectively, each defining slotted openings of dimensions suitable for receiving the first hook member and the second hook member, respectively, therein.

5. The fastener of claim 4 wherein the top slotted portion is comprised of a material capable of flexing movement responsive to bending forces exerted thereupon during during translation of the top slotted portion upon the ramped-face surface of the first hook member to position the top slotted portion about the first hook member whereat the first hook member extends through the slotted opening thereof and an inner edge surface of the top slotted portion seats against the back-angled, force-receiving surface of the first hook member.

6. The fastener of claim 5 wherein the bottom slotted portion is comprised of a material capable of flexing movement responsive to bending forces exerted thereupon during sliding translation of the bottom slotted portion upon the ramped-face surface of the second hook member to position the bottom slotted portion about the second hook member whereat the second hook member extends through the slotted opening thereof and an inner edge surface of the bottom slotted portion seats against the back-angled, force-receiving surface of the second hook member.

7. The fastener of claim 1 wherein the means for positioning comprises a substrate positioned between the first and second surfaces in a known relation therewith with the means forming the clip being maintained in fixed engagement with the substrate such that positioning of the substrate in the known relation with the first and second surfaces positions means forming the clip in position about both the first hook member and the second hook member.