Fastener and fastening system

Abstract

A fastening system includes a fastener having a bolt with a pull portion having at least one pull groove, and an outer sleeve having a head with an inner face, the bolt being inserted within the sleeve. The fastening system includes a fastener installation tool having a puller with at least one tooth and a front face. The inner face of the head of the sleeve is angled at an included angle measured transverse to a longitudinal axis of the fastener, while the front face of the puller of the fastener installation tool is angled at an included angle measured transverse to a longitudinal axis of the puller. The included angles are chosen to match or be substantially the same. The front face of the puller of the fastener installation tool is adapted to engage the inner face of the outer sleeve of the fastener when the fastener installation tool engages the fastener, and the inner face of the outer sleeve facilitates the receipt of the front face of the puller and the alignment of the at least one tooth of the puller with the at least one pull groove of the bolt by allowing the puller to shift forward or backward to facilitate such alignment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.