Pressure lock retention fastener

A pressure lock retention fastener, comprising:

• an insert sized for insertion into a fastener hole in a first panel, the insert having an inner void space through the insert;
• a threaded collet having an outer diameter sized to slide into the inner void space of the insert, the threaded collet including expandable flanges that extend below the insert and the expandable flanges sized for insertion into an aligned hole in a second panel, the insert including internal tabs that engage slots between the expandable flanges of the threaded collet, the internal tabs of the insert effective to prevent the insert and the threaded collet from spinning independently of each other;
• and
• a screw installable through the inner void space of the insert and into the threaded collet, the screw having screw threads that engage internal threads of the threaded collet and the screw configured to slide against the expandable flanges exerting a force that pushes the expandable flanges outward as screw rotation drives the screw into the threaded collet, the expandable flanges each having a ridge lock that seats up against the second panel effective to fasten the first and second panels together.

A method for a pressure lock retention fastener, the method comprising:

• engaging screw threads of a screw by a threaded collet that slides within an inner void space of an insert, the screw being installable through the inner void space of the insert and into the threaded collet, the insert sized for insertion into a fastener hole in a first panel;
• pushing expandable flanges of the threaded collet outward by the screw as screw rotation drives the screw into the threaded collet, the expandable flanges extending below the insert and sized for insertion through an aligned hole in a second panel;
• seating ridge locks of the expandable flanges up against an exterior surface of the second panel effective to fasten the first and second panels together, the ridge locks being positioned against the exterior surface of the second panel by said pushing the expandable flanges outward and the threaded collet being drawn up within the insert by the screw rotation;
• and
• preventing the pressure lock retention fastener from spinning in the fastener hole of the first panel and in the aligned hole in the second panel by a slotted hole in a plate that is installable between the first and second panels, the slotted hole including anti-rotation tabs that engage slots between the expandable flanges of the threaded collet.

A method for a pressure lock retention fastener, the method comprising:

• engaging screw threads of a screw by a threaded collet that slides within an inner void space of an insert, the screw being installable through the inner void space of the insert and into the threaded collet, the insert sized for insertion into a fastener hole in a first panel;
• pushing expandable flanges of the threaded collet outward by the screw as screw rotation drives the screw into the threaded collet, the expandable flanges extending below the insert and sized for insertion through an aligned hole in a second panel;
• seating ridge locks of the expandable flanges up against an exterior surface of the second panel effective to fasten the first and second panels together, the ridge locks being positioned against the exterior surface of the second panel by said pushing the expandable flanges outward and the threaded collet being drawn up within the insert by the screw rotation;
• and
• venting air pressure by one or more air release vents in the insert that vent the air pressure below the first and second panels that are fastened together.