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US 7,921,538 B2Granted
Aligner for use with a staked fastener
OwnerClark A. Denslowinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aligner and a method for its use in staking a fastener. More specifically, the aligner guides a tip of a staking tool in some portion of a staking operation properly into alignment with a clinch portion of a staked fastener. As a result, the clinch portion is shaped into a head of a generally higher quality than would otherwise occur.
Claims16
A method of staking a fastener comprising the steps of:
- providing a clinch portion of a staked fastener, placing the clinch portion in an aligner wherein the aligner has a housing defining a channel and a base defining a through bore, the clinch portion being placed in the channel through the through bore, the housing and base cooperating and dimensioned to accept, align and maintain alignment of a tip of a staking tool with the clinch portion as the tip travels within the channel during a staking operation, and staking the clinch portion by having the tip travel within the channel and contact the clinch portion and the base such that the base is disassociated from the aligner and retained by the staked fastener.
A staking kit comprising:
- a staked fastener having a clinch portion, and an aligner for use with the staked fastener, the aligner having a housing defining a channel and a base defining a through bore, the clinch portion being placed in the channel through the through bore, the housing and base cooperating and dimensioned to accept, align and maintain alignment of a tip of a staking tool with the clinch portion as the tip travels within the channel during a staking operation, wherein the base is disassociated from the aligner and retained by the staked fastener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.