Prototyping fastener

grabcad

This fastener can be used when you need a fast, non-accurate connection, like when you're building something and not sure how to connect it. Use this fastener for easy positioning, and easy release. The way it works: There are 4 arms on the fastener: Two straight ones on the bottom, and two curved ones on top. The ones on the bottom bend easily when you push the fastener into a hole, but once they come out the other side they return to their original shape. If you try to pull the fastener out, these arms will prevent it. The arms on top are designed to bend when the parts are in place and push the two parts connected together, to prevent separation. To place the fastener hold it by the head and push it into the hole. To remove it, "pinch" the bottom arms so that their edges approach the fastener's axis, and push it into the hole so that the arms' edges are inside the hole. Once you do that, simply pull the fastener out by it's head. The fastener should be printed laying on it's symmetry plane (on the plane that passes through the center of the arms). This design is easy to use, and a great tool for prototyping, where you need to make connections quickly and aren't always sure where everything should go. To my knowledge there aren't any similar solutions (though I know there are other solutions to the same problem). This design can be made in any size to fit any place of connection. And it doesn't have to be used solely as a fastener: it can be made very long and used as a temporary shaft, for example. All you need to do is change a single dimension in the model depending on your application, put it in a printer and use it.