Assembly Improving, Low Mass, Fastener Head
AssigneeMathread Inc.
InventorMichael Garver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly improving, lower mass fastener head that is easier to handle and reduces the amount of material that is required in manufacturing the fastener comprises three lugs at multiples of 60 degrees around an axis of a threaded body. Those portions of a hex head that are not necessary for application and transmission of torque, nor necessary to resist axial loading, nor necessary to axially stabilize the fastener head within current driving tooling may be removed. Compatibility with existing hex head tools is maintained while improving handling of the fastener by an assembler and reducing material used in the fastener head.
Claims20
1-23. (canceled)
A fastener, comprising:
- a threaded shank having a central longitudinal axis and defining a pitch diameter;
- exactly three lugs extending from and positioned on an end of the threaded shank at approximately 0, 120 and 240 degrees around the central longitudinal axis of the threaded shank, wherein each of the lugs comprises:
- a radially-outward end portion comprising:
- a tightening surface;
- and
- a loosening surface;
- wherein the tightening surface and loosening surface are angularly offset from each other and meet at a corner;
- and
- wherein the tightening and loosening surfaces are configured to be driven by a rotation of a hex head tool in a tightening rotational direction and a loosening rotational direction, respectively;
- and
- a first structural rib extending from the tightening surface toward one adjacent lug, and a second structural rib extending from the tightening surface toward the other adjacent lug;
- wherein radially-outwardly-facing surfaces of the first and second structural ribs do not extend closer to the central longitudinal axis than the pitch diameter.
A fastener, comprising:
- a platform;
- a threaded shank extending from a first side of the platform and having a central longitudinal axis;
- and
- a three-lugged head extending from a second, opposite side of the platform and having exactly three lugs positioned at approximately 0, 120 and 240 degrees around the central longitudinal axis of the threaded shank, wherein each of the lugs comprises:
- a tightening surface;
- and
- a loosening surface;
- wherein the tightening surface and loosening surface are angularly offset from each other and meet at a corner;
- and
- wherein the tightening and loosening surfaces are configured to be driven by a rotation of a hex head tool in a tightening rotational direction and a loosening rotational direction, respectively;
- and
- a first structural rib extending from the tightening surface toward one adjacent lug, and a second structural rib extending from the tightening surface toward the other adjacent lug;
- and
- wherein along a direction of the central longitudinal axis of the threaded shank, a total height of the three-lugged head is greater than a total height of the platform.
A method of driving a three-lugged fastener, comprising:
- arranging a driving tool onto the three-lugged fastener;
- wherein the driving tool comprises a driving tool head having an opening defining at least six driving surfaces and at least six corner areas;
- wherein the three-lugged fastener comprises:
- a threaded shank;
- and
- a fastener head having exactly three lugs;
- wherein each of the three lugs includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface that are angularly offset from each other and meet at a radially-outward corner;
- and
- wherein arranging the driving tool onto the three-lugged fastener comprises arranging the fastener head in the opening of the driving tool head such that the radially-outward corners of the three lugs are arranged within exactly three of the at least six corner areas defined by the opening of the driving tool head;
- and
- rotating the driving tool head in a first rotational direction such that three of the at least six driving surfaces of the driving tool head apply force to the first contact surfaces of the three lugs of the three-lugged fastener, thereby rotationally driving the three-lugged fastener in the first rotational direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.