Faceted lobular threads
AssigneeRobert E. Stewart
InventorRobert E. Stewart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A faceted lobular threaded component and methods for making and/or installing the same. A faceted lobular threaded component may include a head, and a shank extending along a longitudinal axis away from the head. The component may also include an external faceted lobular thread in the shank extending around the longitudinal axis. The external faceted lobular thread may include at least four facets per thread revolution, and at least four lobes per thread revolution circumferentially interspersed between the at least four facets and established by the at least four facets.
Claims20
A faceted lobular threaded component, comprising:
- a head;
- a shank extending along a longitudinal axis away from the head;
- and
- an external faceted lobular thread in the shank extending around the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the external faceted lobular thread includes:
- at least four facets per thread revolution, and
- at least four lobes per thread revolution circumferentially interspersed between the at least four facets and established by the at least four facets.
A faceted lobular threaded component, comprising:
- a head;
- and
- a shank extending from the head and including:
- a generally closed end having a vent hole;
- an internal threaded bore extending through the head to proximate the closed end and in communication with the vent hole;
- an external faceted lobular threaded portion defining an external thread, the external faceted lobular threaded portion defining at least four facets per thread revolution;
- an external unthreaded cylindrical portion between the threaded portion and the head;
- an anti-galvanic coating on the head and the external unthreaded cylindrical portion;
- and
- an adhesive coating covering an intermediate section of the threaded portion.
A method of making a faceted lobular threaded component, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a blank that includes a shank extending along a longitudinal axis, having an external surface circumferentially extending around the longitudinal axis, and terminating in a shank end surface;
- b) rotating the blank about the longitudinal axis, coaxial with a blank grinding axis;
- and
- c) producing a circumferentially continuous thread in the shank around the longitudinal axis of the shank, wherein the thread includes lobes having lobe radii and arcs between at least four lobes, each of the at least four lobes having arc radii smaller than the lobe radii, and wherein step c) includes:
- c1) orienting a grinding wheel with respect to the longitudinal axis at a thread helix angle,
- c2) rotating the grinding wheel about a grinding wheel axis, and
- c3) moving the grinding wheel in a radial direction to remove material from the shank, including moving the grinding wheel to a lobe depth of cut to establish lobe dimensions, and moving the grinding wheel to an arc depth of cut to establish arc dimensions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.