Back to results
US 12,352,378 B2Granted
Expansion plug and system and method employing same
OwnerRobert Plewainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expansion plug includes a first collar configured to advance as it rotates relative to a shaft, a second collar configured to move axially along the shaft without rotating, a first expanding structure, and a second expanding structure disposed in the stated order on the shaft. When the first collar is rotated in an advancement direction, opposite sides of the second expanding structure are moved closer together to expand the second expanding structure, and then opposite sides of the first expanding structure are moved closer together to expand the first expanding structure.
Claims20
An expansion plug, comprising:
- a shaft having a head on a distal end thereof and a shank, the head having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the shank, the shank having a threaded outer surface;
- a first collar having a threaded hole engaged to the threaded outer surface of the shank and configured to move along the shank as the collar is rotated relative to the shank;
- a first expanding structure configured to expand upon opposite sides of the first expanding structure moving closer together, the first expanding structure disposed on the shank distal to the first collar;
- and
- a second expanding structure configured to expand upon opposite sides of the second expanding structure moving closer together, the second expanding structure disposed on the shank distal to the first expanding structure;
- wherein the expansion plug is configured such that, as the first collar is rotated in a direction to advance the first collar toward the head, the opposite sides of the second expanding structure are moved closer together to expand the second expanding structure, and then the opposite sides of the first expanding structure are moved closer together to expand the first expanding structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.