ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 25 -- United States Patent no. 12,716,445, issued on Aug. 25, was assigned to Illinois Tool Works Inc. (Glenview, Ill.).
"Fastening apparatus" was invented by Albert Sbongk (Niederstetten, Germany), Jan Muller (Wurzburg, Germany) and Melanie Sindel (Nuremberg, Germany).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A fastening apparatus for connecting components of different thicknesses includes a base element for insertion into a contoured passage opening of a component, having a first fastening portion in which at least one bayonet-like fastening device is configured for retentive abutment on contour elements of a first component surface of the component, and a rotary element arranged ...