Fastener Assembly for Use with One or More Workpieces
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsMark O. Vann, Pei-chung Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fastener assembly for use with one or more workpieces. The fastener assembly can be a single-sided (i.e., blind) fastener assembly in which the fastener assembly is inaccessible from one side of the workpiece(s). In this regard, the workpiece(s) can make-up an enclosed component, for example. The fastener assembly can have a fastening end, such as a threaded stud, for securement with a distinct component that is otherwise detached from the fastener assembly. The workpiece(s) can be composed of a carbon fiber composite material, an aluminum material, or another type of material.
Claims20
A fastener assembly for joining a workpiece stack-up, the fastener assembly comprising:
- a body having a sleeve and a bore spanning through the sleeve;
- a mandrel disposed in the bore, the mandrel having a working end and a fastening end, the working end projecting out of a first open end of the bore and the fastening end projecting out of a second open end of the bore, the fastening end for securement with a distinct component;
- an interconnection between the body and the mandrel, the interconnection uniting rotation of the body with rotation of the mandrel;
- an interference structure residing adjacent the second open end of the bore;
- wherein, during use of the fastener assembly, the working end of the mandrel is used to soften the materials of the workpiece stack-up via friction generation as the fastener assembly is being urged through the workpiece stack-up, and wherein, in installation of the fastener assembly in the workpiece stack-up, a section of the sleeve and of the working end are exposed at an underside of the workpiece stack-up with the working end upset into the sleeve to thereby fix outboard movement of the fastener assembly at the underside of the workpiece stack-up, the fastening end remains exposed at a topside of the workpiece stack-up with the interference structure at least partly exposed at the topside, the interference structure fixing inboard movement of the fastener assembly at the topside of the workpiece stack-up.
A fastener assembly for joining a workpiece stack-up, the fastener assembly comprising:
- a body having a sleeve and a bore spanning through the sleeve;
- a mandrel disposed in the bore and having a working end, the working end projecting out of an open end of the bore and having a cavity therein;
- wherein, during use of the fastener assembly, the working end of the mandrel is used to soften the materials of the workpiece stack-up via friction generation, the cavity is used to capture a slug of material of the workpiece stack-up that is displaced from the workpiece stack-up as the fastener assembly is being urged through the workpiece stack-up, and wherein, in installation of the fastener assembly in the workpiece stack-up, a section of the sleeve and of the working end are exposed at an underside of the workpiece stack-up with the working end upset into the sleeve to thereby fix outboard movement of the fastener assembly at the underside of the workpiece stack-up.
A fastener assembly for mounting to at least one workpiece, the fastener assembly comprising:
- a fastener body having a head and a stud extending longitudinally from the head, the head having at least one lug extending laterally therefrom, the stud having a set of external threads;
- a nut having a set of internal threads for tightening over the set of external threads of the stud;
- and
- an adhesive coating residing on at least one surface of the head, of the at least one lug, or of the nut;
- wherein, during use of the fastener assembly, the fastener body is inserted through a cutout in the at least one workpiece, the cutout resembling a peripheral profile of the head and of the at least one lug, the fastener body is turned about a longitudinal axis of the stud, the nut is tightened over the stud, and the adhesive coating is cured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.