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US 8,136,428 B2Granted
Non-reversible fastener
OwnerBryan Engelbrechtinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Non-reversing fasteners include a bolt having a groove defined along the thread, and a nut having a biased tooth disposed in an internal pocket. When the nut is threaded onto the bolt, the biased tooth does not engage the groove. When the nut is reversed off the bolt, the biased tooth stays in an extended position and engages the groove, preventing it from reversing. A tool positions on the nut and moves the biased tooth from the extended position to a retracted position, allowing the nut to reverse off the bolt. The tool can be another nut having a magnet for moving the tooth from the extended to the retracted position. A reverse arrangement can have a bolt with a biased tooth and a nut having a groove. A tool in the form of a magnetized rod can fit into an axial bore in the bolt to move the tooth.
Claims50
A fastener system for a workpiece, comprising:
- a fastener having a threaded surface with a pocket communicating with the threaded surface and having a tooth disposed in the pocket, the tooth being movable to an extended position at least partially extending to the threaded surface, the tooth being movable to a retracted position away from the threaded surface, the tooth in the extended position at least partially preventing rotation of the fastener in at least one direction when threaded with the workpiece, the tooth in the retracted position permitting rotation of the fastener in the at least one direction when threaded with the workpiece;
- and
- a tool positionable adjacent the fastener and having a magnetic element, the magnetic element disposing relative to the tooth and magnetically moving the tooth from the extended position to the retracted position.
A fastener system, comprising:
- a first component having a first threaded surface and having a groove at least partially transverse thereto;
- a second component having a second threaded surface threadable with the first threaded surface and having a tooth, the tooth being movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the second threaded surface, the tooth in the extended position being engageable with the groove in at least one direction, the tooth in the retracted position being unengageable with the groove in the at least one direction;
- and
- a tool positionable relative to the second component and having a magnetic element, the magnetic element disposing relative to the tooth and magnetically moving the tooth from the extended position to the retracted position.
1 more element
A fastener system for a workpiece, comprising:
- a fastener having a threaded surface and a tooth, the threaded surface having a pocket communicating with the threaded surface, the tooth disposed in the pocket and being movable to an extended position at least partially extending to the threaded surface, the tooth being movable to a retracted position away from the threaded surface, the tooth in the extended position at least partially preventing rotation of the fastener in at least one direction when threaded with the workpiece, the tooth in the retracted position permitting rotation of the fastener in the at least one direction when threaded with the workpiece;
- and
- a rod positionable within an axial bore of the fastener and having a magnetic element moving the tooth from the extended position to the retracted position when positioned relative thereto.
A fastener system, comprising:
- a first component having a first threaded surface and having a groove at least partially transverse thereto;
- a second component having a second threaded surface threadable with the first threaded surface and having a plurality of teeth disposed about the second threaded surface, each tooth being movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the second threaded surface, each tooth in the extended position being engageable with the groove in at least one direction, each tooth in the retracted position being unengageable with the groove in the at least one direction;
- and
- a tool positionable relative to the second component and having a plurality of magnetic elements disposed about the tool, each of the magnetic elements magnetically moving a corresponding one of the teeth from the extended position to the retracted position when positioned relative thereto,
- wherein the teeth and the magnetic elements are arranged for only one orientation relative to one another.
2 more elements
A fastener system, comprising:
- a nut having a threaded opening and having a groove formed at least partially transverse to the thread of the opening;
- a bolt having a threaded shaft and having a tooth, the threaded shaft threadable with the threaded opening and having an axial bore therein, the tooth biased outward to the threaded shaft and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the threaded shaft, the tooth in the extended position being engageable with the groove in at least one direction, the tooth in the retracted position being unengageable with the groove in the at least one direction;
- and
- a tool positionable relative to the bolt, the tool having a magnetic element positionable into the axial bore in the threaded shaft of the bolt and magnetically moving the tooth from the extended position to the retracted position when positioned relative thereto.
1 more element
A fastening method, comprising:
- defining a pocket in a first threaded surface of a first fastener component;
- disposing a tooth in the pocket;
- biasing the tooth to an extended position at least partially extending to the first threaded surface, the tooth in the extended position preventing threading with the first fastener component in at least one direction;
- and
- disposing a magnetic element in a second surface of a tool positionable adjacent a first surface of the first fastener component, the magnetic element magnetically moving the tooth from the extended position to the retracted position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.