Fastener
AssigneeSentient Design, Inc.
InventorDouglas E. Hersh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nut-and-bolt fastener is provided. The nut and bolt are configured with a plurality of interlocking teeth that provide unidirectional travel of the nut with respect to the bolt. In particular, the configuration of the teeth arrest separation of the nut from the bolt while permitting the nut to move toward the head of the bolt into a fastened engagement. The teeth are non-helical and arranged concentrically around the longitudinal axis in evenly-spaced steps or segments along the longitudinal axis and around the shaft of the bolt and bore of the nut. Integral winged washers are provided on the bolt head as well as on the nut. Variations with different rake angles of the teeth as well as an expandable nut are also provided.
Claims20
1-7. (canceled)
A fastener, comprising:
- a bolt having a head at a proximal end and a cylindrical shaft extending from the head to a distal end along a central longitudinal axis;
- the head having a diameter larger than the shaft;
- the bolt including toothed segments;
- each toothed segment having a tooth around the shaft and along the longitudinal axis;
- each toothed segment including individual teeth all having a load-bearing surface facing the proximal end;
- the bolt including a plurality of blank segments without teeth interspersed between toothed segments around the shaft and along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a nut defining a cylindrical bore extending through the nut along the longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end of the nut;
- the bore having a bore surface;
- the bore being sized and configured to receive the shaft of the bolt inside the bore;
- the nut including a plurality of teeth on the bore surface;
- each tooth on the nut having a load-bearing surface facing the distal end and sized and configured to abut against the load-bearing surfaces of the teeth on the shaft to prevent translation of the nut in the distal direction and allow translation of the nut in the proximal direction toward the head.
The fastener of claim 12 wherein the teeth on the bolt and on the nut are non-helical.
The fastener of claim 12 wherein the teeth on the bolt and on the nut are non-annular.
The fastener of claim 12 wherein the toothed segments are arranged in a checkerboard pattern interspersed with the blank segments.
The fastener of claim 12 wherein the toothed segments are arranged in a pattern with toothed segments alternating with the blank segments along the longitudinal axis and circumferentially around the shaft.
A fastener, comprising:
- a bolt having a head at a proximal end and a shaft extending from the head to a distal end along a central longitudinal axis;
- the head having a diameter larger than the shaft;
- the bolt including a plurality of wedge-shaped teeth arranged evenly in rows and columns forming toothed segments around the shaft and along the longitudinal axis and extending outwardly from an inner diameter of the shaft;
- the toothed segments are interspersed with blank segments without teeth wherein in any given circumferential row or longitudinal column, toothed segments alternate with blank segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.