Staked installation method
AssigneeRifast Systems LLC
InventorViral Varshney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fastener is staked to a sheet of equal or higher strength material. The fastener can be staked to a substantially circular shaped opening in the sheet material but other shapes of openings can be used. The opening is prepared by forming serrations in at least a part thereof. The serrations can take many forms and depths depending on the requirements for the particular application and materials being used. The serrations are formed by a doming tool and a punch tool aligned on opposite sides of the sheet material coming together to create the serrations. The nut is inserted into the serrated opening in the sheet material and force is applied to the fastener causing at least a portion of material of the fastener to flow at least partially into the serrations and secure the fastener to the sheet material.
Claims10
A method for installing a fastener in a piece of base material, the method comprising
- forming a non-serrated opening within the base material;
- preparing a serrated opening in at least a portion of the non-serrated opening and sized to receive the fastener in the piece of base material, such that an edge of the serrated opening includes a plurality of edge serrations with edge spaces formed between the plurality of edge serrations, wherein the step of preparing the serrated opening is accomplished by aligning a doming surface of a doming tool, the doming surface including a raised portion surrounded by a plurality of doming serrations, with a punching surface of a punch tool on opposing sides of the non-serrated opening and applying coinciding forces to the base material forming the opening using the doming surface of the doming tool and the punching surface of the punch tool;
- inserting the fastener into the serrated opening, the fastener comprised, at least in part, of a material having lesser or equivalent material strength compared to that of the base material;
- and
- staking the fastener to the base material by deforming the fastener with an application of force to the fastener sufficient to cause a portion of the fastener to flow into the edge spaces between the plurality of edge serrations.
A method for installing a nut in a piece of sheet metal having a substantially circular opening sized to receive the nut, the method comprising:
- serrating the substantially circular opening, such that an edge of the sheet metal forming the serrated opening includes a plurality of edge serrations with edge spaces formed between the plurality of edge serrations, the serrating step including
- aligning a doming surface of a doming tool with a complementary punching surface of a punch tool on opposing sides of the substantially circular opening in the piece of sheet metal, the doming surface including a substantially circular raised portion surrounded by a plurality of doming serrations, and the punching surface including a substantially circular indented portion having a circumference sufficient to encircle the raised portion and doming serrations of the doming surface;
- and
- applying coinciding forces to the piece of sheet metal using the doming surface of the doming tool and the punching surface of the punch tool;
- inserting a nut into the serrated opening, the nut having a first collar and a second collar, the second collar aligned adjacent to and having a smaller circumference than the first collar and at least the second collar being comprised of a material having lesser or equivalent material strength compared to the sheet metal;
- and
- applying a staking force to the second collar using a staking surface of a staking tool, the staking surface including a raised circular portion, the staking force sufficient to cause a portion of the material comprising the second collar to flow into and substantially fill the edge serration gaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.