Expandable collet anchor system and method

An expandable collet anchor system comprising:

• a collet body, for use with at least one work piece defining a hole, and having a longitudinal axis, the collet body comprising:
• a first end defining a generally circular opening;
• a first wall portion adjacent to the first end, the first wall portion having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a progressing radial profile and defining at least two secondary slots extending longitudinally from the first end to thereby create at least two fingers having a distal end at the first end;
• a second end including a head at or proximate thereto having a maximum external diameter, the second end defining a generally circular opening;
• a second wall portion adjacent to the second end, the second wall portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• an annular protrusion extending from the exterior surface of the first wall portion, and having a leading face and a trailing face;
• an auxiliary structure;
• a collet body anti-rotation means for engaging with the auxiliary structure, the auxiliary structure defining a first opening at a first side extending to a second opening at a second side, and having an internal surface geometry between the two openings adapted to substantially translationally receive the collet body through the first opening, without deformation of the collet body anti-rotation means, and operably function with the collet body anti-rotation means to prevent substantial rotation of the collet body therein, wherein the progressing radial profile is one of converging or becomes converging upon radial constriction of the at least two fingers such that the annular protrusion has a maximum external diameter the same as or less than any work piece hole minimum internal diameter;
• and
• a stud including a stud head and a body, the body sized to fit through the generally circular opening of the collet body second end, wherein the auxiliary structure is a sleeve insert having a cylinder with a rim portion at the first opening and a flange portion at the second opening extending radially outwardly there from, and wherein the internal surface geometry further comprises at least one longitudinal feature complementary to the collet body anti-rotation means and is one of a linear recess, a linear protrusion or a facet.

An expandable collet anchor system comprising:

• a collet body, for use with at least one work piece defining a hole, and having a longitudinal axis, the collet body comprising:
• a first end defining a generally circular opening;
• a first wall portion adjacent to the first end, the first wall portion having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a progressing radial profile and defining at least two secondary slots extending longitudinally from the first end to thereby create at least two fingers having a distal end at the first end;
• a second end including a head at or proximate thereto having a maximum external diameter, the second end defining a generally circular opening;
• a second wall portion adjacent to the second end, the second wall portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• an annular protrusion extending from the exterior surface of the first wall portion, and having a leading face and a trailing face;
• an auxiliary structure;
• a collet body anti-rotation means for engaging with the auxiliary structure, the auxiliary structure defining a first opening at a first side extending to a second opening at a second side, and having an internal surface geometry between the two openings adapted to substantially translationally receive the collet body through the first opening, without deformation of the collet body anti-rotation means, and operably function with the collet body anti-rotation means to prevent substantial rotation of the collet body therein, wherein the progressing radial profile is one of converging or becomes converging upon radial constriction of the at least two fingers such that the annular protrusion has a maximum external diameter the same as or less than any work piece hole minimum internal diameter;
• and
• a stud including a stud head and a body, the body sized to fit through the generally circular opening of the collet body second end, wherein the auxiliary structure is a sleeve insert having a base at the second opening and an orthogonally oriented cylinder extending there from and terminating at a rim portion at the first opening wherein the internal surface geometry further comprises at least one longitudinal feature complementary to the collet body anti-rotation means and is one of a linear recess, a linear protrusion or a facet.

An expandable collet anchor system comprising:

• a collet body, for use with at least one work piece defining a hole, and having a longitudinal axis, the collet body comprising:
• a first end defining a generally circular opening;
• a first wall portion adjacent to the first end, the first wall portion having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a progressing radial profile and defining at least two secondary slots extending longitudinally from the first end to thereby create at least two fingers having a distal end at the first end;
• a second end including a head at or proximate thereto having a maximum external diameter, the second end defining a generally circular opening;
• a second wall portion adjacent to the second end, the second wall portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• an annular protrusion extending from the exterior surface of the first wall portion, and having a leading face and a trailing face;
• an auxiliary structure;
• a collet body anti-rotation means for engaging with the auxiliary structure, the auxiliary structure defining a first opening at a first side extending to a second opening at a second side, and having an internal surface geometry between the two openings adapted to substantially translationally receive the collet body through the first opening, without deformation of the collet body anti-rotation means, and operably function with the collet body anti-rotation means to prevent substantial rotation of the collet body therein, wherein the progressing radial profile is one of converging or becomes converging upon radial constriction of the at least two fingers such that the annular protrusion has a maximum external diameter the same as or less than any work piece hole minimum internal diameter;
• and
• a stud including a stud head and a body, the body sized to fit through the generally circular opening of the collet body second end, wherein the auxiliary structure is a sleeve insert having a base at the second opening and an orthogonally oriented cylinder extending there from and terminating at a rim portion comprising an inwardly extending lip, at the first opening.