The present invention relates to a fastener and a fastenable assembly of members.

Pallets are well known support platforms that are used daily to hold and manoeuvre goods. However, once the goods have been removed from the pallet, the pallet is typically broken up and disposed of, or stacked with other pallets for subsequent reuse. The breaking up of pallets presents an unnecessary waste, whereas it is found that pallets can occupy a significant storage space when not required.

I have now devised an improved fastener and a fastenable assembly of members. In accordance with the present invention as seen from a first aspect, there is provided a fastener for fastening a first and second member together, the fastener comprising a first arm and a second arm which are coupled at a proximal end and which are arranged to diverge from each other in a direction which is from the proximal end toward a distal end, the fastener further comprising an outwardly turned flange disposed at the distal end of at least one of the first and second arms, and coupling means disposed upon at least one of the first and second arms, intermediate the proximal and distal end thereof, wherein

the fastener is reconfigurable between a first configuration which permits the fastener to be positioned for fastening the first and second member and a second configuration in which the fastener is arranged to fasten the first and second member together.

The fastener provides for a secure coupling between the first and second members, whereas the reconfigurability of the fastener between a fastening configuration and a release configuration provides for a simple uncoupling of the members.

Preferably, the fastener is resiliently biased to adopt the second configuration. The proximal end of the fastener is preferably arranged to extend through an aperture disposed within the first member, into a recess formed within the second member, such that the at least one flange extends over a portion of the first member and the coupling means couples with the second member within the recess to couple the first and second members together.

The coupling means preferably comprise at least one protuberance which is arranged to extend outwardly away from the arm on which the protuberance is disposed. Preferably the at least one protuberance is arranged to extend within the recess.

Alternatively, or in addition thereto the coupling means may comprise an aperture which is arranged to receive a projection within the recess.

In accordance with the present invention as seen from a second aspect, there is provided a fastenable assembly of members, the assembly comprising:

a first member, a second member and a fastener which is arranged to fasten the first and second members together,

the first member comprising at least one aperture formed therein,

the second member comprising at least one recess formed therein,

the fastener comprising a first arm and a second arm which are coupled at a proximal end and which are arranged to diverge from each other in a direction which is from the proximal end toward a distal end, the fastener further comprising an outwardly turned flange disposed at the distal end of at least one of the first and second arms, the fastener further comprising coupling means disposed upon at least one of the first and second arms, intermediate the proximal and distal end thereof, wherein

the fastener is reconfigurable between a first configuration which permits the fastener to extend through the aperture disposed within the first member, into the recess formed within the second member, and a second configuration in which the at least one flange extends over a portion of the first member and the coupling means couples with the second member within the recess to couple the first and second members together.

The reconfigurability of the fastener permits a rapid assembly and disassembly of the members. Preferably, the assembly further comprises at least one apertured plate which is arranged to extend over the at least one recess formed in the second member. Preferably, the plate is fastenable upon the second member, or may be formed integrally with the second member.

Preferably, the proximal end of the fastener is arranged to extend through the aperture formed within the plate such that the coupling means can engage under the plate, within the recess, to secure the fastener to the second member. Preferably, the fastener is resiliently biased to adopt the second configuration.

The coupling means preferably comprise at least one protuberance which is arranged to extend outwardly away from the arm on which the protuberance is disposed. Preferably, the at least one protuberance is arranged to extend within the recess.

Alternatively, or in addition thereto the coupling means may comprise an aperture which is arranged to receive a projection within the recess.

Preferably, the assembly comprises an assembly of members for a support platform or pallet. In this embodiment, the assembly preferably comprises a plurality of first members and a plurality of second members. Preferably, the plurality of first members are arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the plurality of second members.

In accordance with the present invention as seen from a third aspect, there is provided a reconfigurable pallet, the pallet comprising a first member, a second member and a fastener which is arranged to fasten the first and second members together,

the first member comprising at least one aperture formed therein,

the second member comprising at least one recess formed therein,

the fastener comprising a first arm and a second arm which are coupled at a proximal end and which are arranged to diverge from each other in a direction which is from the proximal end toward a distal end, the fastener further comprising an outwardly turned flange disposed at the distal end of at least one of the first and second arms, the fastener further comprising coupling means disposed upon at least one of the first and second arms, intermediate the proximal and distal end thereof, wherein the fastener is reconfigurable between a first configuration which permits the fastener to extend through the aperture disposed within the first member, into the recess formed within the second member, and a second configuration in which the at least one flange extends over a portion of the first member and the coupling means couples with the second member within the recess to couple the first and second members together, such that the members can be fastened and unfastened to enable the pallet to reconfigure between an support configuration for supporting items and a storage configuration, respectively. Preferred features of the reconfigurable pallet of the third aspect may comprise one or more of the preferred features of the fastener of the first aspect and/or one or more of the preferred features of the fastenable assembly of members of the second aspect.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially exploded view of a reconfigurable pallet according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2a is a plan view of a first member of the pallet illustrated in figure 1 ;

Figure 2b is a longitudinal section view of the first member illustrated in figure 2a, taken across line A-A; Figure 2c is a magnified sectional view across an aperture disposed within the first member illustrated in figure 2b;

Figure 3a is a plan view of a second member of the pallet illustrated in figure 1 ; Figure 3b is a side view of the second member illustrated in figure 3a;

Figure 3c is a transverse sectional view of the second member illustrated in figure 3b taken across line B-B; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the plate; and,

Figure 5 is a front view of a fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to figure 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a reconfigurable pallet 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated pallet 10 comprises a plurality of elongate support members 1 1 arranged in a substantially common first plane and in a substantially parallel configuration. The support members 1 1 are arranged in spaced relation and are secured at each distal end thereof and at a central region thereof, atop a three spacer members 12, which are arranged to extend substantially transverse the support members 1 1 .

The pallet 10 further comprises a plurality of base members 13 which are similarly secured at each distal end thereof and at a central region thereof to the underside of the spacer members 12 and thus reside in a substantially common second plane, which is substantially parallel to the first plane. The members 13 within the second plane are arranged in a substantially parallel configuration, which is substantially parallel to the support members 1 1 in the first plane, and are separately disposed substantially opposite the support members 1 1 .

Referring to figure 2 of the drawings, the support members 1 1 comprise a plurality of elongate apertures 14. The apertures 14 extend through the respective members between an upper 1 1 a and a lower surface 1 1 b thereof, and are separated along the respective members 1 1 such that one aperture 14 is disposed toward each distal end thereof and one aperture 14 is disposed at a central region thereof.

The apertures are disposed substantially along a central axis of the respective member 1 1 and are separately orientated such that a longitudinal axis of each of the elongate apertures 14 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the respective member 1 1 . The apertures 14 are defined by opposing parallel, longitudinal side walls (not shown) which extend substantially perpendicular to the upper 1 1 a and lower surface 1 1 b of the member and opposing transverse side walls 15 which converge toward each other along the depth of the member 1 1 . Each transverse side wall 15 comprises an upper sloping ridge 15a disposed proximate to the upper surface, which extends into a lower sloping face 15b.

Referring to figure 3 of the drawings, the spacer members 12 comprise an upper planar portion 16 and a lower planar portion 17, which are supported in spaced relation by a plurality of spacer blocks 18. The upper portion 16 of each of the spacer members 12 comprise a plurality of elongate recesses 18 formed in an upper surface 16a thereof, which extend into the respective portion and which are substantially equally spaced along the length of the upper portion 16. The lower portion 17 of each of the spacer members 12 similarly comprises a plurality of elongate recesses 18 formed in a lower surface 17a thereof, which extend into the respective portion 17 and which are similarly substantially equally spaced along the length of the lower portion 17.

The recesses 18 are orientated such that a longitudinal axis of each of the elongate recesses 18 extends substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the respective spacer member 12, and are defined by opposing parallel, longitudinal side walls (not shown) which extend substantially perpendicular to the plane of the respective portion and opposing transverse side walls 19 which converge toward each other along the depth of the recess 18. The transverse side walls 19 of each recess 18 separately comprise an upper sloping portion 19a and a lower sloping portion 19b, the latter of which converge and meet to define a depth of the recess 18.

The spacer members 12 further comprise a plurality of plates 20 or similar which are separately arranged to extend over each recess 18. The plates 20 comprise an elongate aperture 21 formed therein, as illustrated in figure 4 of the drawings, which is orientated such that a longitudinal axis of the plate aperture extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the recess 18. The length of the plate aperture 21 is sized smaller than the opening to the recess 18 however, such that the plate 20 defines a lip (not shown) over the recess 18 at each longitudinal end thereof.

The plates 20 further comprises a plurality of ribbed projections 22 which extend from an underside of the respective plate 20 and which are arranged to locate within locating holes (not shown) formed within a plate rebate 23, which extends around the respective recess 18. The projections 22 and the locating holes (not shown) serve to securely hold the plates 20 upon the respective spacer member 12.

The plate rebates 23 comprises a depth which is less that the thickness of the separate plates 20, such that when the plates 20 are positioned within the respective rebates 23, a portion of each plate 20 extends above the surface 16a, 17a of the respective upper or lower portion 16, 17 within which the plate 20 is positioned . The exposed portion of the plate 20 is arranged to extend within a further rebate (not shown) disposed at the side of the respective support members 1 1 and base members 13 which is arranged to abut the spacer members 12. The plates 20 serve to minimise any relative rotation of the support members 1 1 and base members 13 within the first and second planes respectively, with respect to the spacer members 12.

In order to secure the support members 1 1 to the spacer members 12 and thus form the pallet 10, the plates 20 are positioned within the rebates 23 disposed within the upper and lower portions 16, 17 of the spacer members 12. The apertures 14 formed within support members 1 1 and base members 13 are then separately aligned with a recess 18 disposed in each spacer element 12, such that the rebates (not shown) disposed within the respective members 1 1 , 13 locate over an exposed plate portion so that the support members 1 1 and base members 13 extend substantially perpendicular to each spacer element 12. A fastener 30 is then separately passed through each aperture 14 formed in the support members 1 1 and base members 13, through the respective aperture 21 disposed in the plate 20 and into the recess 18 to secure the support members 1 1 and base members 13 to the spacer members 12.

Referring to figure 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated a fastener 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention for fastening the support members 1 1 to the spacer members 12. The fastener 30 comprises a first and second planar arm 31 , 32 which are coupled at a proximal end and which are arranged to diverge from each other in a direction which is from the proximal end toward a distal end thereof. The fastener 30 further comprises an outwardly turned flange 33, 34 disposed at the distal end of the first and second arms 31 , 32, and an outwardly turned barb 35 disposed upon the first and second arms 31 , 32, intermediate the proximal and distal end thereof. The fastener 30 may be formed of a metal or plastics material and is reconfigurable between a first configuration in which the first and second arms 31 , 32 are urged together to form a substantially compressed configuration, and a second configuration in which the first and second arms 31 , 32 define a substantially V-shape, as illustrated in figure 5 of the drawings.

The fastener 30 is resiliently biased to adopt the second configuration, and is sized to substantially match the combined dimensions of the apertures 14 in the support members 1 1 and the corresponding aligned recesses 18 disposed within the spacer members 12.

In order to secure the support members 1 1 upon the spacer members 12, the fasteners 30 are compressed into the first configuration and separately passed through the aperture 14 formed in the support member 1 1 , through the aperture 21 disposed in the plate 20 and into the aligned recess 18. Once fully inserted, the fastener 30 is then released and the bias causes the first and second arms 31 , 32 to adopt the second configuration.

In the second fastener configuration, the portion of the first and second arms 31 , 32 disposed between the proximal end of the fastener 30 and the barbs 35 is arranged to extend against the lower portion 19b of the transverse walls 19 of the recess 18, while the barbs 35 separately extend over the upper portion 19a of each of the transverse side walls 19. In addition, the outwardly turned flanges 33 are arranged to extend over the upper ridge region 15a of the apertures 14 formed in the support members 1 1 . The lip (not shown) created over the recess 18 by the plate 20 is arranged to engage with the barbs 35 to prevent the fastener 30 from simply lifting from the recess 18, while the flanges 33 prevent the support members 1 1 from lifting from the spacer members 12.

In alternative embodiments which are not illustrated, it is envisaged that the barbs 35 may be replaced with an alternative projection (not shown) or even an aperture (not shown) formed within the respective arm 31 , 32. In the latter embodiment, it is envisaged that the apertures (not shown) disposed in the arms of the fastener 30, when in the second configuration, would locate around a projection (not shown) which extends from the upper portion 19a of each of the transverse side walls 19 of the recesses 18. The reconfigurability of the fastener 30 thus permits a rapid assembly and disassembly of the members of the pallet 10, so that the pallet may be stored in a disassembled configuration to conserve space, yet easily assembled when required.