Contained ceramic fastener
AssigneeVarian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Schrameyer, Jeffrey E. Krampert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ceramic fastener includes a ceramic body portion, and a containment layer disposed around the ceramic body portion. The containment layer retains pieces of the ceramic body portion when the ceramic body portion is subjected to a torque sufficient to fracture the ceramic body portion. The fastener can be a nut, and the containment layer can be disposed around one or more of the top, bottom and side surfaces of the nut. The containment layer can be a metal shroud having a thickness from 0.01 to 0.125 inches. The ceramic body portion can be alumina or zirconia. A thread insert may be disposed within a fastener bore of the ceramic body portion.
Claims20
A ceramic fastener, comprising:
- a ceramic body portion;
- and
- a containment layer disposed around at least a portion of the ceramic body portion, the containment layer having an opening at top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic body portion, the opening at the top and bottom surfaces being at least as large as a corresponding bore of the ceramic body portion;
- wherein the containment layer is configured to retain pieces of the ceramic body portion when the ceramic body portion is subjected to a torque sufficient to fracture the ceramic body portion.
A ceramic nut, comprising:
- a ceramic body portion having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of side surfaces configured for engagement by a driving tool;
- and
- a containment layer disposed around at least the plurality of side surfaces of the ceramic body portion, the containment layer having an opening at top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic body portion, the opening at the top and bottom surfaces being at least as large as a corresponding bore of the ceramic body portion;
- wherein the containment layer is configured to retain pieces of the ceramic body portion when the ceramic body portion is subjected to a torque sufficient to fracture the ceramic body portion.
A ceramic nut, comprising:
- a ceramic body portion having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of side surfaces configured for engagement by a driving tool;
- and
- a metal shroud disposed around the top surface, the bottom surface and the plurality of sides surfaces of the ceramic body portion, the metal shroud having an opening at the top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic body portion, the opening in the top and bottom surfaces being at least as large as a corresponding bore of the ceramic body portion;
- wherein the metal shroud is configured to retain pieces of the ceramic body portion when the ceramic body portion is subjected to a torque sufficient to fracture the ceramic body portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.