Expanded – threaded – driven – headed – tool-deformed – or locked-thr – Externally threaded fastener element – e.g. – bolt – screw – etc. – Pilot end having means enhancing fastening or installation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-18
2003-08-12
Saether, Flemming (Department: 3627)
Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-thr
Externally threaded fastener element, e.g., bolt, screw, etc.
Pilot end having means enhancing fastening or installation
C411S411000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604901
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a cold-rolled screw which is intended for screwing into plastic, has a self-tapping thread and of which the thread turns are configured approximately in the manner of knife blades in cross section. The invention also relates to such a screw in which the free end of its shank forms a guide for screwing the screw into a bore.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Such screws are widely used. As an example, you are referred to the screw according to German Patent 27 54 870. When such a screw is screwed into plastic, the latter is displaced by the thread turns penetrating into the plastic, for which purpose the thread cross section has to provide a sufficient clearance, to be precise a spacing between a screw-receiving bore and the core diameter of the screws. In the case of the known screw, this is also achieved in that the thread root has a narrowed fraction. This means that the plastic material displaced by the thread has to cover the distance between that region of the thread turn which has penetrated into the plastic and the thread root. In this case, the displaced plastic material loses the direct, intimate contact with the undisplaced plastic material, this reducing its capability of contributing to the drawing-out force. The drawing-out force is to be understood as that force which is necessary for pulling out the screwed-in screw.
Furthermore, EP Patent 133 773 describes a screw which is intended for screwing into plastic, has a self-tapping thread and in the case of which, for the purpose of increasing the release torque, the thread flanks, in axial section are rectilinear on one side and are provided with an outwardly directed inflection on the other side. With this thread configuration, it is not possible, during displacement of the plastic, to counteract the loss of contact between displaced and undisplaced plastic. Furthermore, EP Patent 476 831 likewise presents a non-symmetrical configuration of the thread of a screw which is intended for screwing into plastic and has a self-tapping thread, it being the case that this configuration results in the thread turns, in axial section, being rectilinear on one side and being allowed to run in arculate form into the thread root on the other side, the flank angle of the thread thus increasing constantly in the region of the arc. This is intended to improve the displacement of the plastic material with the effect of increasing the drawing-out force.
You are additionally referred to German Utility Model 79 25 469, which discloses a welding tip which is provided with a thread and in the case of which the thread serves for pressing a workpiece, which is provided with an opening, onto the welding tip and for securing the workpiece in that sharp-edged thread crests press into the material of the workpiece and secure the latter against a drawing-out force. In the case of the known welding tip, the thread is provided with sharp edges in that a peripheral phase [sic] is pressed laterally onto the thread crest, said phase [sic] merging with a sharp-edged formation into one thread flank. This necessarily gives a particularly large flank angle of approximately 75° on the thread crest. This configuration means-that the thread provided on the known welding tip is not suitable for a screw which is intended for screwing into plastic and has a self-tapping thread since screws for screwing into plastic only ensure a sufficient penetration depth of the thread turns when the cross section of the thread turns is designed approximately in the manner of knife blades (see abovementioned German Patent 27 54 870).
European Patent Application 102 605 presents a thread form which is similar to the configuration of German Utility Model 79 25 469, is intended for a wood screw, but does not have a sharp-edged thread crest, and thus does not have any properties which could make it suitable for screwing into plastic.
The object of the invention is for the self-tapping thread of a cold-rolled screw to be configured, in terms of the axial section through the thread turns, such that the plastic material which is displaced when the screw is screwed into plastic can flow away in a particularly favourable manner.
This is achieved according to the invention in that a flank surface of the thread turns has an inwardly directed inflection approximately in the central third and forms an outer flank angle of approximately 30° (between the inflection and the thread crest) and an inner flank angle (between the inflection and the thread root), it being the case that the inner flank angle, on average, is essentially equal to or greater than ⅓ of the outer flank angle.
On account of the inwardly oriented inflection of the flank surface of the thread turns, the plastic material which is displaced by the thread turns is displaced into the region of the inner flank angle, it being the case that this region, on account of the inwardly oriented inflection and the clearance which thus extends relatively far outwards, directly adjoins the displaced plastic material protruding convexly from the bore wall without any material accumulation, with the result that the displaced plastic material, on account of the short displacement distance, is only heated to a minimal extent and remains in direct intimate contact with the undisplaced, and thus unimpaired plastic material. This means that this displaced plastic material, which largely maintains its properties, in the region of the inner flank angle can counteract the drawing-out force and thus makes a significant contribution to the loading capacity of the relevant screw connection.
It is possible for the inflection to be provided in each case just on one flank surface of a thread turn, in which case, over the entire thread, the inflection is arranged on one side throughout. However, it is also possible for the inflection to be provided in each case on both flank halves of a thread turn. The arrangement of the inflection on just one flank surface depends on the plastic material into which the relevant screw is to be screwed. If the plastic material is heat-sensitive, then the inflection is advantageously arranged on that flank surface which is directed away from the screw head (rear flank). In this case, there is a deformation of plastic material essentially on the side of the rear flank where the deformed plastic material flows into the clearance provided by the inflection, with the result that on the flank surface which is directed towards the screw head (load flank) there is largely unheated plastic material for absorbing the forces acting on the screw. If, on the other hand, the plastic material is temperature-resistant (as is the case, in particular, as a result of glass-fibre reinforcement), then the inflection is advantageously arranged on the load flank since, in this case, plastic material which is displaced when the screw is screwed in is accumulated to a considerable extent in front of the load flank, said plastic material, on account of its quantity and, if appropriate, as a result of the reinforcement provided by its filler, then withstands particularly well the loading to which it is subjected by the screw.
The outer flank angle may bound the thread turns symmetrically or non-symmetrically in axial section. A symmetrical boundary is favourable for the production of the rolling jaws necessary for the cold-rolling operation; a non-symmetrical boundary gives increased drawing-out forces in the case of certain plastic materials.
The configuration of the flank surfaces in the region of the inner flank angle may be selected such that the flank surfaces run rectilinearly or in a concavely curved manner from the inflection in axial section. The selection of this configuration depends on the plastic into which the screw is to be screwed.
As far as the configuration of the inner flank angle of the thread turns is concerned, it is also possible for said angle to bound the thread turns symmetrically or non-symmetrically in axial section. The selection of thi
Grossberndt Herman
König Gottfried
EJOT Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co.
Saether Flemming
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