US 5,020,950 AGranted

Riveting fastener with improved torque resistance

AssigneeMultifastener Corporation

InventorHarold A. Ladouceur

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Abstract

A riveting fastener and panel assembly having improved torque resistance. The riveting fastener includes a tubular riveting barrel portion having a free end and a body portion having a diameter greater than the barrel portion. The tubular barrel portion is received through an opening in a panel and preferably deformed radially outwardly, and the body portion is driven into the panel adjacent the panel opening deforming the panel. The improvement comprises a plurality of spaced cavities in the body portion preferably having an arcuate inside surface opening radially outwardly with the opening to the cavities having an area greater than the inside surface area of the cavity. The panel is permanently deformed into the cavities as the body portion is driven into the panel, thereby forming a mechanical interlock between the body portion and the panel preventing relative rotation of the riveting fastener in the panel assembly.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A riveting fastener having improved panel assembly torque resistance, said riveting fastener including a tubular riveting barrel portion having a free end and a body portion having a diameter greater than said barrel portion, said body portion having a side wall and a continuous surface extending radially between said barrel portion and said body portion side wall, said tubular barrel portion adapted to be received through an opening in a panel for riveting said barrel portion of said panel and said body portion adapted to be driven into said panel adjacent said panel opening deforming said panel, the improvement comprising:

torque resistance means on said body portion thereby preventing relative rotation of said riveting fastener in said panel, said torque resistance means comprising a plurality of spaced pockets in said body portion, each one of said pockets defined by pocket walls within said body, said pocket walls extending axially towards and intersecting said radial surface of said body portion and said pocket walls generally diverging radially toward and intersecting said body side walls, said intersection of said pocket walls with said body side walls and radial surface defining a pocket opening which channels panel material into said pockets as said body portion is driven into said panel forming a mechanical interlock between said body portion and said panel resisting rotation of said riveting fastener relative to said panel.

A riveting fastener having improved panel assembly torque resistance, said riveting fastener including a tubular riveting barrel portion having a free end, and a body portion having a diameter greater than said barrel portion, said body portion having a side wall and a first continuous radial surface extending between said barrel portion and said body side wall, said tubular barrel portion adapted to be received through an opening in a panel for riveting to said panel and said body portion adapted to be driven into said panel adjacent said panel opening deforming said panel, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of spaced pockets in said body portion, said pockets defined by pocket walls within said body portion, said pockets each having an arcuate inside surface diverging radially outwardly toward and intersecting said body portion side wall and extending axially toward and intersecting said radial surface of said body portion, said intersection of said pocket walls with said body portion side wall and radial surface defining a pocket opening for receiving said panel which is deformed into said pockets as said body portion is driven into said panel forming a mechanical interlock between said body portion and said panel resisting rotation of said riveting fastener relative to said panel.

A riveting fastener and panel assembly having improved torque resistance, comprising:

a riveting fastener including a tubular riveting barrel portion having a free end and a body portion having a diameter greater than said barrel portion, said body portion having a side wall and a first continuous radial surface extending radially between said barrel portion and said body side wall, said panel having an opening, said tubular barrel portion received through said panel opening and said barrel portion free end permanently deformable radially outwardly to engagement with one surface of said panel, said body portion driven into said panel opposite said barrel portion free end to deform said panel, said riveting fastener body portion having a plurality of spaced pockets, each one of said pockets defined by pocket walls within said body portion, said walls extending axially toward and intersecting said first radial surface of said body portion and said pocket walls generally diverging radially toward and intersecting said body portion side wall, said intersection of said pocket walls with said body portion side wall and radial surface defining a pocket opening for receiving said panel adjacent said pocket opening, whereby said panel is permanently deformed into said body portion pockets substantially filling said pockets, without materially reducing the wall thickness of said panel, forming a mechanical interlock between said body portion and said panel resisting rotation of said riveting fastener relative to said panel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.