# US 2017/0284447 A1 · Screw-type fastener > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284447 A1 - Document ID: US20170284447A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/454,119 - Filed: 2017-03-09 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-04 - Assignees: The Hillman Group, Inc. - Applicants: The Hillman Group, Inc. - Inventors: Michael K. Falkenstein; Farhad Lajewardi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284447A1 ## CPC - F16B 35/06: Specially-shaped heads (special shape in order to rotate the bolt F16B23/00 {; separate hook adaptors for bolts F16B43/025}) - F16B 23/003: {star-shaped or multi-lobular, e.g. Torx-type, twelve-point star} - F16B 25/0015: {the material being a soft organic material, e.g. wood or plastic (F16B25/0031 takes precedence)} - F16B 25/0047: {the ridge being characterised by its cross-section in the plane of the shaft axis} - F16B 25/0052: {the ridge having indentations, notches or the like in order to improve the cutting behaviour} - F16B 25/0057: {the screw having distinct axial zones, e.g. multiple axial thread sections with different pitch or thread cross-sections} - F16B 25/0084: {characterised by geometric details of the tip} - F16B 25/106: {by means of a self-piercing screw-point, i.e. without removing material} - F16B 33/02: Shape of thread; Special thread-forms ({F16B25/00 takes precedence; used to remove paint or dirt layers F16B35/007, F16B37/002}; used as screw-locking device F16B39/30) - F16B 35/065: {with self-countersink-cutting means} - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A screw includes at least one helical thread with a peripheral edge having notched regions spaced apart by notch-free regions. An underside of a head of the screw includes projecting nibs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A screw, comprising: a head end, a shank and a tapered end, the head end including a tool engaging part, the head end located at one end of the shank and the tapered end located at an opposite end of the shank, wherein at least one thread is formed along the shank including: a primary thread that begins on the tapered end, extends onto the shank and terminates at a set location short of the head end, the primary thread being a right-hand thread and having a peripheral edge, at least a first helical portion of the peripheral edge includes a plurality of notch regions spaced apart from each other by respective notch-free regions, each notch region (i) extending helically through between two-hundred 280 circumferential degrees and three-hundred and twenty circumferential degrees and (ii) including a plurality of spaced notches formed in the peripheral edge, and each notch-free region extending helically through between about forty circumferential degrees and about eighty circumferential degrees and lacking any notches. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1 wherein the notch free regions are distributed along the first helical portion such that a line sequentially intersecting the peripheral edge and traversing a mid-point of each of the notch free regions extends in a left-hand helical path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1 wherein the primary thread includes a second helical portion extending from the first helical portion to the set location, the second helical portion completely free of any notches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1 wherein the first helical portion runs from a location on or near the tapered end and substantially to the set location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1 wherein a set of right-hand spiral flute threads are located on the shank between the primary thread and the head end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1 wherein the head end includes a first frustoconical part tapering in a direction from the tool engaging part toward the shank at a first angle relative to a center axis of the screw, a second frustoconical part tapering from the first frustoconical part to the shank at a second angle relative to the center axis, at least the first frustoconical part including a plurality of outwardly protruding spaced apart nibs, each nib having a first end proximate the tool engaging part, each nib extending toward the shank to a second end, each nib having opposite sides and a joining surface that is a segment of a common frustoconical shape, the frustonical shape defining a third angle relative to the axis, the third angle being less than the first angle but greater than the second angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6 wherein each nib extends onto the second frustoconical part and terminates at an axial location where the second frustoconical part meets the shank, each nib defining a radially outward step at the axial location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The screw of claim 7 wherein a radial dimension of each step is between about fifteen percent and about thirty percent of a diameter of the shank at the axial location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The screw of claim 7 wherein the opposite sides of each nib diverge from each other at a first diverging angle along the second frustoconical part when moving from the shank toward the first frustoconical part, and the opposite sides of each nib diverge from each other at a second diverging angle along the first frustoconical part when moving from the second frustoconical part toward the tool engaging part, wherein the second diverging angle is at least twenty degrees greater than the first diverging angle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The screw of claim 6 wherein between three and six spaced apart nibs are included on the head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The screw of claim 5 wherein each nib terminates at a first axial location where the first frustoconical part meets the second frustoconical part, each nib defining a radially outward step at the first axial location, wherein a radial dimension of each step is between about fifteen percent and about thirty percent of a diameter of the shank at a second axial location where the second frustoconical part meets the shank. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1 wherein the primary thread is asymmetric. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The screw of claim 12 wherein a leading flank angle of the primary thread is in the range of about 25 to about 31 degrees and a trailing flank angle of the primary thread is in the range of about 12 to about 19 degrees. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The screw of claim 1, further comprising a cut that creates multiple discontinuities in the primary thread, wherein the cut is one of (i) an axial cut that begins on the tapered end, (ii) a skewed cut the begins on the tapered end or (iii) a skewed cut away from a tip of the screw. ### Claim 15 A screw, comprising: a head end, a shank and a tapered end, the head end including a tool engaging part, the head end located at one end of the shank and the tapered end located at an opposite end of the shank, wherein at least one thread is formed along the shank including: a primary thread that begins on the tapered end, extends onto the shank and terminates at a set location short of the head end, the primary thread being a right-hand thread and having a peripheral edge, at least a first helical portion of the peripheral edge includes a plurality of notch regions spaced apart from each other by respective notch-free regions, each notch region extending helically and including a plurality of spaced notches formed in the peripheral edge where a center-to-center circumferential spacing between the notches is no more than about thirty-five circumferential degrees, and each notch-free region extends helically through at least about forty circumferential degrees. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The screw of claim 15 wherein each notch region extends helically through between two-hundred 280 circumferential degrees and three-hundred and twenty circumferential degrees and each notch-free region extends helically through between about forty circumferential degrees and about eighty circumferential degrees. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The screw of claim 16 wherein the notch free regions are distributed along the first helical portion such that a line sequentially intersecting the peripheral edge and traversing a mid-point of each of the notch free regions extends in a left-hand helical path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The screw of claim 17 wherein the head end includes a first frustoconical part tapering in a direction from the tool engaging part toward the shank at a first angle relative to a center axis of the screw, a second frustoconical part tapering from the first frustoconical part to the shank at a second angle relative to the center axis, at least the first frustoconical part including a plurality of outwardly protruding spaced apart nibs, each nib having a first end proximate the tool engaging part, each nib extending toward the shank to a second end, each nib having opposite sides and a joining surface that is a segment of a common frustoconical shape, the frustonical shape defining a third angle relative to the center axis, the third angle being less than the first angle but greater than the second angle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The screw of claim 15 wherein the primary thread includes a second helical portion extending from the first helical portion to the set location, the second helical portion completely free of any notches. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The screw of claim 15 wherein the first helical portion runs from a location on or near the tapered end and substantially to the set location. ### Claim 21 A screw, comprising: a head end, a shank and a tapered end, the head end including a tool engaging part, the head end located at one end of the shank and the tapered end located at an opposite end of the shank, at least one helical thread is formed along the shank; wherein the head end includes a first frustoconical part tapering in a direction from the tool engaging part toward the shank at a first angle relative to a center axis of the screw, a second frustoconical part tapering from the first frustoconical part to the shank at a second angle relative to the center axis, at least the first frustoconical part including a plurality of outwardly protruding spaced apart nibs, each nib having a first end toward the tool engaging part and extending toward the shank to a second end, each nib having opposite sides and a joining surface that is a segment of a common frustoconical shape, the frustonical shape defining a third angle relative to the center axis, the third angle being less than the first angle but greater than the second angle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The screw of claim 21 wherein each nib extends onto the second frustoconical part and terminates at an axial location where the second frustoconical part meets the shank, each nib defining a radially outward step at the axial location. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The screw of claim 22 wherein a radial dimension of each step is between about fifteen percent and about thirty percent of a diameter of the shank at the axial location. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The screw of claim 22 wherein the opposite sides of each nib diverge from each other at a first diverging angle along the second frustoconical part when moving from the shank toward the first frustoconical part, and the opposite sides of each nib diverge from each other at a second diverging angle along the first frustoconical part when moving from the second frustoconical part toward the tool engaging part, wherein the second diverging angle is at least twenty degrees greater than the first diverging angle. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The screw of claim 21 wherein each nib terminates at a first axial location where the first frustoconical part meets the second frustoconical part, each nib defining a radially outward step at the first axial location, wherein a radial dimension of each step is between about fifteen percent and about thirty percent of a diameter of the shank at a second axial location where the second frustoconical part meets the shank. ### Claim 26 A screw, comprising: a head at one end, a point at an opposite end and a shank extending between the head and the point, at least one helical thread is formed along the shank; wherein the head includes a frustoconical part tapering in a direction from the face of the head toward the shank at a first angle relative to a center axis of the screw, an underside of the head includes a plurality of outwardly protruding spaced apart nibs along the frustoconical part, each nib having a first end toward the face, each nib extending both axially and radially toward the shank to a second end, each nib having opposite sides and a joining surface that is a segment of a common frustoconical shape, the frustonical shape defining a second angle relative to the center axis, the second angle less than the first angle.