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US 2007/0166128 A1Published application
Nut and plate assembly
OwnerMartin J. Nilsen, Michael E. Wardinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nut assembly includes a nut and a plate. The nut includes a portion disposed in the plate, through a hole in the plate. An outer surface of the nut is expanded outwardly to engage surfaces forming the hole. Axial compression is used in a method of the present invention for securing the nut in the washer.
Claims20
A fastener assembly comprising:
- a body of metal including a hole formed therein, said body having a first face and a second face and said hole extending through said body from said first face to said second face;
- said hole being defined by an edge surface extending between said first and second faces, said hole having a peripheral shape of a first size on said first face, and said hole having a similar peripheral shape of a smaller size on said second face;
- at least a portion of said edge surface tapering inwardly from said first face toward said second face;
- and
- a fastener disposed in said hole, said fastener having an outer surface conforming to said peripheral shape at said second face, and a portion of said outer surface being outwardly deformed against said edge surface.
2 more elements
A method of forming a fastener assembly, comprising:
- forming a hole in a metal body between a first face and a second face of the body;
- said forming the hole including forming a side edge of the hole having at least a portion thereof at an angle with respect to the first and second faces such that a size of the hole on the first face is larger than a size of the hole on the second face;
- positioning a fastener in the hole;
- and
- compressing the fastener axially and deforming a portion of the fastener outwardly against the side edge of the hole.
2 more elements
A method of forming a nut and plate assembly, comprising:
- punching a hole through a plate from a first face to a second face of the plate;
- positioning a nut in the punched hole;
- and
- expanding an outer surface of the nut against an edge of the hole by applying compressive force against the nut.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.