Plastic impact driven fasteners
AssigneeUtility Composites, Inc.
InventorsPamela S. Tucker, Nancy Showers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided in some embodiments is a method that includes coupling portions of one or more members using at least one impact driven fastener. At least one impact driven fastener includes at least one penetrating portion formed of plastic, and at least one head portion having a heat deformation temperature less than about 250° F. Plastic of the penetrating portion provides the penetrating portion with a flexural strength greater than about 9500 psi. The method also includes applying heat to at least partially deform the head portion of at least one fastener.
Claims39
A method of retreading a tire, comprising:
- providing one or more tire tread portions having a first end and a second end configured to be coupled to one another;
- coupling the first end and the second end to one another using at least one impact driven fastener,
- wherein the impact driven fastener comprises a staple having two or more penetrating portions coupled to one another via a head portion,
- wherein a first penetrating portion is disposed in the first end of the one or more tire tread portions and a second penetrating portion is disposed in the second end of the one or more tire tread portions;
- wherein the first and second ends are coupled to one another via at least the head portion of the staple;
- wherein the at least two penetrating members are formed of plastic having a flexural strength greater than about 9500 psi;
- wherein the head portion is formed of a plastic having a heat deformation temperature less than about 250° F.;
- and
- wherein the head portion of the impact driven fastener is configured to at least partially soften when heated to about the heat deformation temperature during a tire retreading process;
- and
- applying heat to at least partially soften at least a portion of the impact driven fastener.
A method, comprising:
- securing a portion of tread to a tire core of a tire using at least one plastic fastener, wherein the plastic fastener comprises a staple having at least two penetrating members coupled to one another via a head portion, wherein at least the head portion of the plastic fastener is configured to soften during heating;
- heating at least the head portion of the plastic fastener to soften at least the head portion;
- and
- leaving at least a portion of the plastic fastener attached to the portion of tread and/or the tire core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.