Rivet nut
OwnerJeffrey T. Roose, Harry Lee Hastings, IIIinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus providing mating alignment between internal threading of a rivet nut and the external threading of the mandrel of an unclaimed installation tool before anchoring the rivet nut in a hole in a substrate, or the external threading of an unclaimed threaded fastener after anchoring in the substrate hole. The improvements include a bushing sleeve seated in a counterbore in the rivet nut, for guiding the external threading of the mandrel or fastener to the internal threading of the rivet nut. The sleeve also enables play during upset of the rivet nut, and provides visual confirmation whether the rivet nut has been properly anchored in the hole of substrate.
Claims30
An apparatus providing mating alignment between internal threading of a rivet nut and the external threading of the mandrel of an unclaimed rivet nut installation tool before anchoring the rivet nut in a hole in a substrate having a thickness, or the external threading of an unclaimed threaded fastener after anchoring in the substrate hole (collectively the “mating member”), the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a rivet nut comprising an insertion portion having an external diameter sized for close insertion into the substrate hole and having an internal diameter having internal threading defining an essentially cylindrical mating chamber, and a trailing portion comprising a trailing end having an essentially circular opening having a circumference defined by an internal wall defining an essentially cylindrical cavity spanning at least the substrate thickness and leading to said mating chamber, the mating chamber having an internal diameter smaller than that of said opening and cavity;
- and
- (b) a bushing sleeve having a maximum outer diameter sized for snug insertion and retention within said cavity and having an inner diameter sized to guide the external threading of the mating member into optimally aligned rotational mating with said internal threading of the mating chamber.
An apparatus providing mating alignment between internal threading of a rivet nut and the external threading of the mandrel of an unclaimed rivet nut installation tool before anchoring the rivet nut in a hole in a substrate, or the external threading of an unclaimed threaded fastener after anchoring in the substrate hole (collectively the “mating member”), the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a rivet nut comprising an insertion portion having an external diameter sized for close insertion into the substrate hole and having an internal diameter having internal threading defining an essentially cylindrical mating chamber, and a trailing portion comprising a trailing end having an essentially circular opening having a circumference defined by an internal wall defining an essentially cylindrical counterbore cavity having an internal diameter converging from the counterbore cavity opening to an annular seating ledge terminating the counterbore cavity and leading to said mating chamber, the mating chamber having an internal diameter smaller than that of said opening and counterbore cavity;
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- (b) a hollow cylindrical bushing sleeve comprising a trailing end having a trailing edge, and a seating end for snug seating within the counterbore cavity with the seating end adjacent the annular seating ledge, said sleeve having a maximum outer diameter sized for snug retention in the counterbore cavity and having an inner diameter slightly larger than the internal diameter of the threading defining the mating chamber to guide the external threading of the installation tool's mandrel or the external threading of the fastener into optimally aligned rotational mating with said internal threading of the mating chamber, the sleeve also having a length enabling its trailing edge to be substantially flush with the counterbore cavity opening for providing visual confirmation that the rivet nut has been properly installed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.