# US 10,371,193 B2 · Low energy screws for wood and similar materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,193 B2 - Document ID: US10371193B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/879,968 - Filed: 2018-01-25 - Published: 2018-05-31 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-22 - Assignees: Phillips Screw Company - Applicants: Phillips Screw Company - Inventors: Barry J. Hughes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371193B2 ## CPC - F16B 35/065: {with self-countersink-cutting means} - F16B 25/00: Screws that cut thread in the body into which they are screwed, e.g. wood screws {(F16B35/065 takes precedence; joining sheets or plates using screws with two separate threads F16B5/0275, using screws with adjustment sleeves F16B5/0283)} - F16B 25/0015: {the material being a soft organic material, e.g. wood or plastic (F16B25/0031 takes precedence)} - F16B 25/0047: {the ridge being characterised by its cross-section in the plane of the shaft axis} - F16B 25/0057: {the screw having distinct axial zones, e.g. multiple axial thread sections with different pitch or thread cross-sections} - F16B 25/0063: {with a non-threaded portion on the shaft of the screw} - F16B 25/106: {by means of a self-piercing screw-point, i.e. without removing material} - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A low energy wood screw that may be inserted quickly and using less energy than conventional screws. In various embodiments, the screw may include a countersunk head having a recess for accommodating a driving tool, a tapered neck, a plurality of crown ribs extending over the head and neck, a lubricating coating, main threads with a large thread lead, and lower threads having an asymmetrical profile and extending onto a gimlet point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A low energy wood screw comprising: a head having a recess for accommodating a driving tool; a shank extending from the head to a point; and main threads arranged between the head and the point, wherein the main threads have a thread form having a thread depth, the thread form including an outer tip having, a thread tip height and, the thread tip height is from about 32% to about 52% the thread depth, wherein the outer tip has a substantially linear profile and the thread form includes a curved section that extends tangent from a lowermost end of the substantially linear profile to a point tangent to the shank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the thread tip height is about 42% the thread depth. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the curved section is a curved profile of a rounded root having a concave profile. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The screw of claim 3, wherein the lower end is a distance from a central axis of the thread, the distance being about ninety percent to about one hundred ten percent of the thread depth. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the main threads have a lead that is from about 60 percent to about 80 percent of an outer diameter of the main threads. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, further comprising lower threads arranged between the main threads and the point, wherein the lower threads have an asymmetrical thread form profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The screw of claim 4, wherein the substantially linear profile is a linear profile. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the shank further includes a tapered neck between the main threads and the head. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The screw of claim 8, further comprising, an unthreaded body portion arranged between the main threads and the neck. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The screw of claim 9, wherein an unthreaded body diameter is greater than a main thread minor diameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6, wherein the lower threads have a leading flank angle greater than a respective following flank angle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6, wherein the lower threads are thread-forming threads. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6, wherein the main threads and the lower threads are right handed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The screw of claim 8, wherein the head is a tapered head and a head taper angle is steeper than a taper of the neck. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The screw of claim 8, wherein the screw further comprises a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from said head and neck and at least one of the plurality of ribs has a tapered profile. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The screw of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs has a linear tapered profile. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The screw of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs includes an outer edge extending from a diameter of the head to a lower extent of the neck and includes two flank surfaces extending from the edge to the head and neck. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The screw of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ribs consists of from six to ten ribs. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The screw of claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs consists of eight ribs. ### Claim 20 (depends on 3) The screw of claim 3, wherein the concave profile forms an arc of a circle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6, wherein the main threads and the lower threads are continuous to form a continuous thread start. ### Claim 22 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6, wherein the lower thread extends away from the point tip towards the head and beyond a transition from the point to a shank minor diameter. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the main threads have a thread angle of from about 20 to about 40 degrees. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the main threads have a thread angle of about 30 degrees. ### Claim 25 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6, wherein crests of the lower threads conform to a curved profile. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the screw includes a lubricating coating. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The screw of claim 26, wherein the coating is a water soluble wax. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the point tip is a gimlet point tip. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, wherein the screw comprises a single thread start. ### Claim 30 A low energy wood screw comprising: a head having a recess for accommodating a driving tool; a shank extending from the head to a point; and main threads arranged between the head and the point, wherein the main threads have a thread form having a thread depth, the thread form including an outer tip having a thread tip height and the thread tip height is from about 32% to about 52% the thread depth, and wherein the thread form includes a rounded root having a concave profile and the thread tip outer tip has a substantially linear profile and the rounded root includes a lower end tangent to the shank and the lower end is a distance from a central axis of the thread, the distance being about ninety percent to about one hundred ten percent of thread depth. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The screw of claim 30, wherein the substantially linear profile is a linear profile. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The screw of claim 30, wherein the screw includes a lubricating coating. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The screw of claim 30, further comprising lower threads arranged between the main threads and the point, wherein the lower threads have an asymmetrical thread form profile and a leading flank angle greater than, a respective following flank angle. ### Claim 34 A low energy wood screw comprising: a head having a recess for accommodating a driving tool; a shank extending from the head to a point; and main threads arranged between the head and the point, wherein the main threads have a thread form having a thread depth, the thread form including an outer tip having a thread tip height and the thread tip height is from about 32% to about 52% the thread depth, and wherein the main threads have a lead that is from about 60 percent to about 80 percent of an outer diameter of the main threads. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The screw of claim 34, wherein the thread form includes a rounded root having a concave profile and the thread tip outer tip has a substantially linear profile. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The screw of claim 35, wherein the substantially linear profile is a linear profile. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The screw of claim 34, wherein the screw includes a lubricating coating. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The screw of claim 34, further comprising lower threads arranged between the main threads and the point, wherein the lower threads have an asymmetrical thread form profile and a leading flank angle greater than a respective following flank angle. ### Claim 39 A low energy wood screw comprising: a head having a recess for accommodating a driving tool; a shank extending from the head to a point; and main threads arranged between the head and the point, wherein the main threads have a thread form having a thread depth, the thread form including an outer tip having a thread tip height and the thread tip height is from about 32% to about 52% the thread depth, wherein the thread form includes a rounded root having a concave profile and the thread tip outer tip has a substantially linear profile, and wherein the concave profile forms the arc of a circle. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The screw of claim 39, wherein the substantially linear profile is a linear profile. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The screw of claim 39, wherein the screw includes a lubricating coating. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The screw of claim 39, further comprising lower threads arranged between the main threads and the point, wherein the lower threads have an asymmetrical thread form profile and a leading flank angle greater than a respective following flank angle. ### Claim 43 A low energy wood screw comprising: a head having a recess for accommodating a driving tool; a shank extending from the head to a point; and main threads arranged between the head and the point, wherein the main threads have a thread form having a thread depth, the thread form including an outer tip having a thread tip height and the thread tip height is from about 32% to about 52% the thread depth, wherein the thread form includes a rounded root having a concave profile and the thread tip outer tip has a substantially linear profile, and wherein crests of the lower threads conform to a curved profile. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The screw of claim 43, wherein the substantially linear profile is a linear profile. ### Claim 45 (depends on 43) The screw of claim 43, wherein the screw includes a lubricating coating. ### Claim 46 (depends on 43) The screw of claim 43, further comprising lower threads arranged between the main threads and the point, wherein the lower threads have an asymmetrical thread form profile and a leading flank angle greater than a respective following flank angle.