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US 5,340,251 AGranted
Self-attaching fastener and installation die
AssigneeMultifastener Corporation
InventorsTakao Takahashi, Hiroshi Takehara
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMultifastener Corporation
InventorsTakao Takahashi, Hiroshi Takehara
Estimating the term…
A pierce nut having a central pilot, a cylindrical flange portion surrounding the pilot and a groove in the flange portion having at least one inclined side wall and a bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance preferably comprising spaced arcuate protuberances extending around the pilot which deforms panel metal beneath the inclined side wall and providing anti-rotation means when the nut is attached to a metal panel. The outer groove side wall includes radial notches or grooves which receive panel metal to provide anti-torque means. The improved die button includes an annular lip having an inside piercing edge spaced from the end to pierce a smaller slug and an annular convex fillet which deforms more panel metal into the nut groove to form a secure mechanical interlock between the nut and panel.
A self-clinching nut fastener for attachment to a plastically deformable metal panel, said fastener having a central pilot portion, a flange portion surrounding said pilot portion having a generally flat annular panel-supporting end face, and an annular groove defined in said flange end face surrounding said pilot, said groove having opposed side walls and a bottom wall, at least one of said groove side walls inclined toward said opposed side wall defining a restricted opening to said groove adjacent said flange end face, and said groove bottom wall having a plurality of spaced convex annular protuberances extending at least partially around said pilot spaced from said inclined groove side wall, said protuberances directing panel metal beneath said inclined groove side wall as said panel is deformed in said groove against said bottom wall as said nut fastener is attached to said panel.
A self-clinching nut fastener for attachment to a plastically deformable metal panel, said fastener having a projecting central pilot portion having an end face, a central bore extending through said pilot generally perpendicular to said pilot end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot having a generally flat annular panel-supporting end face spaced from the plane of said pilot end face, and an annular groove defined in said flange end face adjacent to and surrounding said pilot, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an inclined outer side wall opposite said inner side wall, said groove side walls converging to define a restricted opening to said groove adjacent said flange end face, said pilot end face having an annular panel piercing edge adjacent said groove, and said groove bottom wall having a plurality of spaced arcuate convex annular protuberances extending at least partially around said pilot spaced from said inclined outer side wall, said protuberances directing panel metal beneath said inclined outer side wall as said panel is deformed in said groove against said bottom wall.
A self-piercing and clinching nut fastener for attachment to a plastically deformable metal panel, said fastener having a central pilot having an end face and a central bore extending through said end face generally perpendicular to said end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot having a generally flat annular panel-supporting end face and an annular groove defined in said flange end face adjacent to and surrounding said pilot, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an outer side wall opposite said groove inner side wall, said pilot end face including an outer piercing edge for piercing a hole in said panel as said nut is attached to said panel, said groove bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance extending at least partially around said pilot spaced from said groove side walls, said protuberance directing panel metal against said side walls as said panel is deformed in said groove against said groove bottom wall, and said groove outer side wall including a plurality of spaced radial grooves.
A nut and panel assembly, including a plastically deformable metal panel and a self-clinching nut fastener, said nut fastener having a projecting central pilot portion including an end face and a central bore extending through said pilot generally perpendicular to said end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot having an annular end face spaced from a plane of said pilot end face supporting an annular portion of said panel, an annular groove defined in said flange end face of said nut fastener adjacent to and surrounding said pilot, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls, said side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an outer side wall opposite said inner side wall, and said nut fastener groove bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance extending at least partially around said pilot spaced from said groove side walls directing panel metal against said side walls as said panel is deformed in said annular groove against said bottom wall, and said panel having an annular portion deformed in said groove against said groove bottom wall protuberance and radially against said groove side walls, forming a secure mechanical interlock between said panel and said nut fastener.
A nut and panel assembly comprising a self-clinching nut fastener and a plastically deformable metal panel, said nut fastener including a central pilot portion having an end face and a bore extending through said pilot generally perpendicular to said end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot portion having a flat annular panel-supporting end face spaced from the plane of said pilot portion end face and an annular groove defined in said flange end face adjacent to and surrounding said pilot portion, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an inclined outer side wall opposite said inner side wall, said side walls converging to define a restricted opening to said groove adjacent said flange portion annular end face, and said groove bottom wall having a plurality of spaced convex annular protuberances extending around said pilot spaced from said inclined groove outer side wall, said panel having an opening receiving said pilot, a first annular panel portion supported on said flange portion end face and a second annular portion adjacent said panel opening deformed in said nut fastener groove against said bottom wall protuberances and radially outwardly against said groove outer side wall forming a secure mechanical interlock between said panel nut fastener.
A nut and panel assembly comprising a self-clinching nut fastener and a plastically deformable metal panel, said nut fastener including a central pilot portion having an end face and a bore extending through said pilot generally perpendicular to said end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot portion having a flat annular panel-supporting end face spaced from the plane of said pilot portion end face and an annular groove defined in said flange end face adjacent to and surrounding said pilot portion, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an inclined outer side wall opposite said inner side wall, said side walls converging to define a restricted opening to said groove adjacent said flange portion annular end face, and said groove bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance extending at least partially around said pilot spaced from said inclined groove outer side wall, said panel having an opening receiving said pilot, a first annular panel portion supported on said flange portion end face and a second annular portion adjacent said panel opening deformed in said nut fastener groove against said bottom wall protuberance and radially outwardly against said groove outer side wall forming a secure mechanical interlock between said panel and said nut fastener.
A method of attaching a self-clinching nut fastener to a plastically deformable metal panel, said nut fastener including a projecting central pilot portion having an end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot having a generally flat annular panel-supporting end face, and an annular groove defined in said flange end face adjacent to and surrounding said pilot, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls, said side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an outer side wall opposite said inner side wall, and said bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance extending at least partially around said pilot, said method comprising the following steps:
A method of attaching a self-piercing and clinching nut fastener to a plastically deformable metal panel, said fastener including a projecting central pilot portion having a generally end face, a central bore extending through said nut fastener, generally perpendicular to said end face, a flange portion surrounding said pilot having a generally flat annular panel-supporting end face, and an annular groove defined in said flange end face adjacent to and surrounding said pilot, said groove having a bottom wall and opposed side walls, said side walls including an inner side wall defining an outer surface of said pilot and an outer side wall opposite said inner side wall, and said groove bottom wall having a convex annular protuberance extending at least partially around said pilot, said method comprising the following steps:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.