Rivets with Anti-Rotational Features
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAindrea McKelvey Campbell, Michael William Danyo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Semi-tubular self-piercing rivets and solid rivets are provided with surface features such as recesses or lobes. The recesses or lobes engage the panels that are joined by the rivet to prevent rotation of one or both panels after rivet insertion. The recesses or lobes may be provided at the head end or tip end of the rivet or may be provided at both the head end and the tip end of the rivet.
Claims18
1-14. (canceled)
A rivet for joining a plurality of parts including a top part and a bottom part, comprising:
- a body;
- a head provided at a first end of the body;
- a tip provided at a second end of the body;
- and
- a plurality of surface features provided at the first end at a juncture with the head, wherein the surface features extend to a limited extent along the body and engage only the top part;
- wherein the surface features are convex lobes formed at the juncture of the head and the body.
The rivet of claim 1 wherein the convex lobes include a partially spherical surface.
A rivet for joining a plurality of parts including a top part and a bottom part, comprising:
- a body;
- a head provided at a first end of the body;
- a tip provided at a second end of the body;
- and
- a plurality of surface features provided at the first end at a juncture with the head, wherein the surface features extend to a limited extent along the body and engage only the top part, and a plurality of tip surface features provided at the second end, wherein the tip surface features extend to a limited extent along the body and engage only the bottom part;
- wherein the surface features are convex lobes formed at the juncture of the head and the body and the tip surface features are concave dimples formed at the tip.
A rivet for non-rotatably piercing and joining a plurality of parts including a top part and a bottom part, comprising:
- a body;
- a head provided at a first end of the body;
- a tip provided at a second end of the body;
- and
- a plurality of surface features provided at the first end at a juncture with the head, wherein the surface features extend to only a limited extent along the body and engage only the top part when non-rotatably piercing and joining.
The rivet of claim 5 wherein the surface features are concave dimples defined by the head and the body.
The rivet of claim 6 wherein the concave dimples include a partially spherical surface.
The rivet of claim 5 wherein the surface features are convex lobes formed at the juncture of the head and the body.
The rivet of claim 8 wherein the convex lobes include a partially spherical surface.
The rivet of claim 5 wherein the body of the rivet is semi-tubular.
The rivet of claim 5 wherein the body of the rivet is tubular.
The rivet of claim 5 wherein the body of the rivet is solid.
A rivet for non-rotatably piercing and joining a plurality of parts including a top part and a bottom part, comprising:
- a body;
- a head provided at a first end of the body;
- a tip provided at a second end of the body;
- and
- a plurality of surface features provided at the second end, wherein the surface features extend only to a limited extent along the body and engage only the bottom part after non-rotatably piercing and joining.
The rivet of claim 13 wherein the head surface features are concave dimples defined by the head and the body and the tip surface features are concave dimples formed at the tip.
The rivet of claim 13 wherein the head surface features are convex lobes formed at the juncture of the head and the body and the tip surface features are concave dimples formed at the tip.
The rivet of claim 13 wherein the body of the rivet is semi-tubular.
The rivet of claim 13 wherein the body of the rivet is tubular.
The rivet of claim 13 wherein the body of the rivet is solid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.