In-situ molded fastener
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsNorman Bruce Desrosiers, Dean Fredrick Herring
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method forming a fastener in-situ for fastening two parts at abutting surfaces. A through hole may be formed on each of the first and second parts such that the diameters of the through holes at the abutting surfaces are smaller than the diameters at opposing surfaces. The first and second parts are abutted with the through hole on the first part in fluid communication with the through hole on the second part. A flowable and hardenable material is injected into the first through hole while closing flow out of the second through hole. The flowable and hardenable material contained within the through holes is allowed to harden, thus forming a unitary fastener that fastens the parts.
Claims10
A method, comprising:
- selecting two parts to be fastened;
- forming a through hole on each part between a first surface and an opposing second surface such that a dimension of each through hole at the first surface is larger than a dimension of the through hole at the opposing second surface;
- abutting the two parts at the respective second surfaces with the through holes in fluid communication with each other;
- injecting a flowable and hardenable material into the through holes of the two parts while preventing flow of the material out of the through holes;
- and
- allowing the flowable and hardenable material to harden within the through holes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.