Attachment Method and Apparatus

Abstract

An attachment apparatus may have a fixed engaging surface, and a movable unit that can be attached to any of a series of holes in the fixed engaging surface. The movable unit has a mating surface and a locking mechanism. The user selects a series of holes, inserts a series of properly spaced tabs on the mating surface into the selected holes, rotates and/or translates the movable unit with respect to the fixed engaging surface so that the tabs on the mating surface engage the fixed engaging surface and prevent the movable unit from being pulled away from the fixed engaging surface, and engages a locking mechanism that secures the movable unit in its rotated and/or translated state so that it may not be counter-rotated/translated and detached from the fixed engaging surface. The locking mechanism may be one or more pins that extend through both the mating surface and the fixed engaging surface. The pattern of holes that matches the tabs from the movable unit is repeated on the fixed engaging surface so that the movable unit may be positioned in various locations as desired by the user.

1 . An attachment system comprising: 
 a first engagement surface;    a second engagement surface; and    a plurality of mutually engageable features distributed among the first and second engagement surfaces;    wherein a greater number of the features are distributed across the first engagement surface than across the second engagement surface, and the features distributed across the first engagement surface are distributed in a repeating pattern for receiving the second engagement surface at any one of a plurality of different positions; and    wherein the features are engageable in an action that is generally parallel to the first and second engagement surface for preventing separation of the first and second engagement surfaces.    
   
   
       2 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a goods holder, wherein: 
 the first engagement surface is a surface of a planar sheet; and    the second engagement surface is a surface of a plate disposed upon the goods holder.    
   
   
       3 . The attachment system of  claim 2 , wherein the planar sheet is a track.  
   
   
       4 . The attachment system of  claim 2 , wherein the planar sheet is a panel.  
   
   
       5 . The attachment system of  claim 2 , wherein the planar sheet is a surface of a cabinet.  
   
   
       6 . The attachment system of  claim 2 , wherein the planar sheet is a shop door.  
   
   
       7 . The attachment system of  claim 2 , wherein the planar sheet is a side of a trailer.  
   
   
       8 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the generally parallel action is a rotational motion.  
   
   
       9 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the generally parallel action is a translational motion.  
   
   
       10 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the generally parallel action is a sliding motion.  
   
   
       11 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the mutually engageable features are apertures and projections.  
   
   
       12 . The attachment system of  claim 11 , wherein the apertures are slots and the projections are tabs.  
   
   
       13 . The attachment system of  claim 12 , wherein the tabs are L-shaped.  
   
   
       14 . The attachment system of  claim 12 , wherein the tabs are capped.  
   
   
       15 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a goods holder, wherein: 
 the first engagement surface is a surface of a planar sheet;    the second engagement surface is a surface of a plate disposed upon the goods holder;    the mutually engageable features are slots and tabs, the slots being distributed across the planar sheet in a repeating pattern and the tabs being distributed across and projecting from the plate, the slots being more numerous than the tabs; and    the generally parallel action is a rotational motion of the plate relative to the planar sheet.    
   
   
       16 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of interlockable features distributed among the first and second engagement surfaces for interlocking the first and second engagement surfaces when the first and second engagement surfaces are in engagement.  
   
   
       17 . The attachment system of  claim 16 , wherein the interlockable features are apertures, further comprising a peg for insertion into selected ones of the apertures when the first and second engagement surfaces are in engagement.  
   
   
       18 . A method of attachment, comprising: 
 providing a movable unit having a mating surface with a plurality of tabs;    providing a fixed engaging surface having a plurality of holes;    selecting a series of holes in the fixed engaging surface;    inserting the tabs on the mating surface into the selected holes; and    rotating the movable unit with respect to the fixed engaging surface so that the tabs on the mating surface engage the fixed engaging surface and prevent the movable unit from being pulled away from the fixed engaging surface.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 engaging a locking mechanism that secures the movable unit in its rotated state so that it may not be counter-rotated and detached from the fixed engaging surface.    
   
   
       20 . A method of attachment, comprising: 
 providing a movable unit having a mating surface with a plurality of tabs;    providing a fixed engaging surface having a plurality of holes;    selecting a series of holes in the fixed engaging surface;    inserting the tabs on the mating surface into the selected holes;    translating the movable unit with respect to the fixed engaging surface so that the tabs on the mating surface engage the fixed engaging surface and prevent the movable unit from being pulled away from the fixed engaging surface; and    engaging a locking mechanism that secures the movable unit in its translated state so that it may not be counter-translated and detached from the fixed engaging surface.    
   
   
       21 . An attachment system, comprising: 
 a goods holder having a plurality of tabs projecting from a planar surface and a locking aperture;    a planar sheet having a plurality of slots and a plurality of locking apertures distributed therein; and    a locking body having a projecting member for insertion into the locking aperture of the goods holder and into at least one of the locking apertures of the planar sheet for interlocking the goods holder and the planar sheet when the goods holder and the planar sheet are in engagement;    wherein the slots and the tabs are mutually engageable;    wherein the slots are more numerous that the tabs and distributed in a repeating pattern for receiving the goods holder at any one of a plurality of different positions upon the planar sheet; and    wherein the slots and tabs are engageable in a translational motion for bringing the planar surface of the goods holder into parallel engagement with a portion of the planar sheet.    
   
   
       22 . The attachment system of  claim 21 , wherein the goods holder is a bike rack.  
   
   
       23 . The attachment system of  claim 21 , wherein the goods holder is a shelf.  
   
   
       24 . The attachment system of  claim 21 , wherein the goods holder is a hook.  
   
   
       25 . The attachment system of  claim 21 , wherein the goods holder is a pouch.  
   
   
       26 . The attachment system of  claim 21 , wherein the goods holder is a basket.  
   
   
       27 . The attachment system of  claim 21 , wherein the goods holder is a ski rack.