Expanded – threaded – driven – headed – tool-deformed – or locked-thr – Having separate expander means – Including sleeve and distinct tapered expander
Reexamination Certificate
2003-12-05
2004-12-28
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3676)
Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-thr
Having separate expander means
Including sleeve and distinct tapered expander
C411S060100, C411S060200, C024S458000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06835037
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains fasteners, and more particularly fasteners which have expandable legs and which attach one object to another object. It also pertains combinations of one or more objects with said fastener(s), assemblies of fasteners with a part, parts or objects connected with the fastener(s), as well as vehicles comprising parts connected with said fastener(s).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the original conventional technology of fasteners employed to securely attach one object to another, such as for example one part to another in the case of an automobile or an appliance, has utilized a nut on one of the two objects, usually welded or glued to the back of said object, and a bolt passing through a hole on the second object in a manner to be engaged by the nut, thereby securing the two objects together.
This arrangement presents many problems, among which, one of the most important is that in the case that one object is hollow, the nut has to be in place at the back of the hollow object before assembling the two objects together. If for any reason the nut is misplaced, and/or if it becomes desirable to introduce a new fastening connection between the two objects, the task of achieving such connection becomes very difficult, if not impossible, for all practical purposes.
The so-called “quick nuts” have also been used to connect two objects. In addition, vibration during the operation of a device, such as an automobile or appliance for example, containing the two objects results very often in loosening of the bolt or “quick nut” and in either full disassembling of the objects from each other, or in a vibration noise which is most annoying and often of unacceptable levels. Further, such connections are not water-resistant and water may be easily penetrate the connection point and be transferred from one side of one or both objects to the other side.
Fasteners of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,238 (Vassiliou) have been utilized to reduce considerably the potential of bolt or screw loosening and vibration. They have also eliminated the problem of having to place one member of the fastener at the back portion of the hollow object. These fasteners are placed through a slot from the front part of the hollow object. The second part of the fastener, being usually a bolt or a screw, supports the second object by forcing the legs of the fastener (as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,238) to open or expand, thereby securing the two objects together. The fasteners of this type have greatly improved the prevailing torque (torque required to render a screw loose), as well as the pulling force (pulling force applied on a screw to the point of failure) of the system.
The fasteners of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,238 have a funnel portion into which an expanding is driven for expanding the legs of the fastener. This funnel has a bucket-like shape which has been impressed on the legs during the manufacture of the fastener. This impression derived funnel is rather inflexible and in some occasions has a tendency to drive the expanding member in undesired direction.
An example of fasteners having oblong funnels is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,129 B1 (Lowry et al.), which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,443 B1, which is also incorporated herein by reference, discloses a spring fastener having a Y-shaped cut funnel, and which may eliminate, if so desired, barbs which are used to support the fastener in one of the parts to be connected together by said fastener.
The fasteners of the type used in industrial applications, wherein the fastener is first inserted into the slot of a sheet, usually a metal sheet, such as the frame of an automobile for example, have barbs which secure initially the fastener on the sheet. After the fastener has been secured on the sheet, the fastener cannot be extracted from the slot without destruction of either the slot or the fastener, since the barbs are disposed against the lower surface of the sheet without the feasibility of springing back when the fastener is pulled from the region of the upper surface of said sheet.
A large number of advantages are derived from the critical configuration of the barbs of the present invention, which allow the extraction of the fastener without destruction of the slot and/or the fastener, as well as the retention of the fastener in slots of various widths preventing rattling noises, as described in detail hereinbelow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the text presented below, the following comments and definitions are appropriate:
The expanding member is preferably a screw having threads and a root on which the threads are supported.
Engageable hole or region is an at least partial hole or region which can be engaged with a screw, or similar element.
At least partial hole may be a part of a hole, such as an arc for example. However, the hole does not have to be round.
Curved portion is defined as a portion having a non-linear configuration, even if it comprises smaller non-aligned linear sections, such as saw tooth for example.
This invention is related to a fastener comprising:
(a) a substantially flat head portion comprising a first hole, the flat head comprising at least a lower side;
(b) a neck having an opening and two side neck portions, the neck extending from the lower side of the substantially flat head portion at a substantially right angle with respect to the substantially flat head portion;
(c) two substantially flat legs extending from the neck, each leg having an inner surface, the two inner surfaces of the two legs being at an initial proximity with each other, the legs being expandable in opposite directions upon inserting through the first hole an expansion member, thus bringing the expansion member to a contact region of the legs, each leg also having side leg portions;
(d) a funnel configuration in the vicinity of the contact region; and
(e) barbs having an origin at a region selected from the side neck portion, and the side leg portion, the barbs also having a front point which front point substantially reaches or exceeds the lower side, the barbs directed outwardly away from the legs.
This invention also pertains an assembly comprising a first part and a fastener,
the first part having an upper surface and a lower surface, a slot commensurate to the fastener, the slot having a length, a width, lower edges, upper edges, and side edges, along its length;
(a) a substantially flat head portion comprising a first hole, the flat head comprising at least a lower side;
(b) a neck having an opening and two side neck portions, the neck extending from the lower side of the substantially flat head portion at a substantially right angle with respect to the substantially flat head portion;
(c) two substantially flat legs extending from the neck, each leg having an inner surface, the two inner surfaces of the two legs being at an initial proximity with each other, the legs being expandable in opposite directions upon inserting through the first hole an expansion member, thus bringing the expansion member to a contact region of the legs, each leg also having side leg portions;
(d) a funnel configuration in the vicinity of the contact region; and
(e) barbs having an origin at a region selected from the side neck portion, and the side leg portion, the barbs directed outwardly away from the legs, the barbs also having a front point which front point is substantially disposed above the lower surface of the first part and above the lower edges of the slot.
Further, this invention is related to a fastener comprising:
(a) a substantially flat head portion comprising a first hole, the flat head comprising at least a lower side;
(b) a neck having an opening and two side neck portions, the neck extending from the lower side of the substantially flat head portion at a substantially right angle with respect to the substantially flat head portion;
(c) two substantially flat legs extending from the neck, each leg having an inner surface, the two inner sur
Lowry Joseph William
Vassiliou Eustathios
E. Vasiliou Revocable Trust
Lugo Carlos
Stodola Daniel P.
Vassiliou E.
LandOfFree
Spring fastener having multifunctional barbs of various lengths does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Spring fastener having multifunctional barbs of various lengths, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Spring fastener having multifunctional barbs of various lengths will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3300520