Patents Examined by Roberta Delisle
  • Patent number: 9784301
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a body, a collar, a fastener and a retainer. The body extends between first and second sides. The collar sealingly engages the first side and extends into an aperture in the body. The fastener engages the second side and extends through the collar to a distal end. The retainer is mated with the fastener at the distal end. The collar and the fastener cooperate to limit rotation therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: David E. Gambardella
  • Patent number: 9784299
    Abstract: A fastener assembly is provided. The fastener assembly includes a nut having an internally threaded portion and an annulus extending from the nut and configured for receiving the shank of an elongate fastener. A compression collar is configured for deflecting the annulus into at least one of fixed engagement with the shank or to impart a spring bias of the annulus against the compression collar upon tightening of the nut about a working surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Duraforce Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Pierre A. Dionne
  • Patent number: 9777761
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel lock assembly includes a main body and a first sleeve. The main body has a wheel engaging end, a key portion, a first supporting section and a key receiving end. The key portion has a plurality of surface contours defining a first key pattern configured to couple with a tool for torsional movement of the main body. The first sleeve has an open end and a closed end. The open end is installed to the first supporting section of the main body such that the closed end of the first sleeve covers the key receiving end with the key portion exposed relative to the first sleeve. The first sleeve is retained by the first supporting section for rotation about the central axis of the main body and is non-movably retained relative to an axial direction of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Manuel Alejandro Vite Cadena
  • Patent number: 9777760
    Abstract: A locking fastener includes a thermoplastic fastener body, a locking coil, and a support collar. The fastener body defines a cylindrical cavity and a radially extending slot communicating with the cavity. The support collar has an arcuate portion and first and second tabs extending radially outward from the arcuate portion. The support collar is disposed within the fastener body with the arcuate portion adjacent the cavity wall and the tabs extending into the slot. The locking coil has a helical portion and first and second tangs extending radially outward from the helical portion. The helical portion of the locking coil is positioned within the support collar, and the first and second tangs extend into the slot and between the first and second tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: FLOW-RITE CONTROLS, LTD.
    Inventors: Harrie W. Bonnah, II, Dennis James Anderson
  • Patent number: 9771976
    Abstract: A cap of a linear guide device includes a receiving part configured to receive hitting of a hitting jig, a fitting part extending from the receiving part, having an outer diameter to be an interference with the counterbore part, and being press-fitted into the counterbore part, a foreign material receiving groove arranged at an outer circumference of the fitting part, and configured to receive a foreign material generated from the fitting part when the cap is hit into the counterbore part, and a gas discharge groove extending to reach an inside of the counterbore part from the foreign material receiving groove, with the fitting part being press-fitted into the counterbore part at the outer circumference of the fitting part, and configured to discharge a gas in the inside of the counterbore part to a foreign material receiving groove side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9764854
    Abstract: A joint is disclosed having a structure, a fastener passing through the structure with an end of the fastener protruding from the structure, and a cap installed on the end of the fastener. The end of the fastener includes an axially extending shaft, a fastener head carried by the shaft, and one or more washers located between the fastener head and the structure, the one or more washers spacing the fastener head and the structure apart by a distance. The cap has a cap body with a cavity which encloses the end of the fastener, and the joint further comprises a cured sealing material which seals the cavity. One of the fastener head and the cap body is formed with two or more first locking features which are axially spaced apart by a pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Dobbin, Anthony Dowson
  • Patent number: 9765804
    Abstract: An expansion anchor is disclosed. The expansion anchor has a bolt having a neck region and an expansion region adjoining the neck region in which the bolt tapers down towards the neck region. The bolt has a groove in the neck region which extends along the bolt, and is at least partially surrounded by an expansion sleeve, and which has on its inside a web. The web at least partially engages in the groove in the neck region and the wall thickness of the expansion sleeve is increased locally by the web. The expansion sleeve is displaceable under radial expansion of the expansion sleeve along the bolt from the neck region into the expansion region. The web, on displacement of the expansion sleeve from the neck region, at least by region, passes into the expansion area and is forced radially outward by the expansion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Marc Schaeffer
  • Patent number: 9759000
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hinge including: a first hinge component including: a first external surface for securing to a first structure; and a first magnetic element; and a second hinge component, pivotally coupled to the first hinge component, including: a second external surface for securing to a second structure; and a second magnetic element. A magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements bias the first and second hinge components toward a retained position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Christopher Stuart
  • Patent number: 9759510
    Abstract: A vibration dampening limb bolt preferably includes a hollow bolt and a vibration-dampening member. The hollow bolt includes a countersunk head and a bore. At least a portion of the bore is threaded to form a threaded bore. It is preferably that a tool cavity in the countersunk head has a multiple tooth cavity configuration, which would be shaped to receive a TORX bit. The vibration-dampening member includes a vibration block and a threaded shaft. The threaded shaft extends outward from a bottom of the vibration block. The threaded shaft is threadably engagable with the threaded bore. The vibration dampening material is obtained from a vibration stabilizer manufacturer. A second embodiment of the vibration dampening limb bolt includes the hollow bolt with an unthreaded bore and a vibration-dampening member with a rod projection having at least one o-ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventors: James J. Kempf, Dorge O. Huang
  • Patent number: 9757980
    Abstract: A swivel caster includes a swivel assembly having a swivel plate configured to be mounted to a vehicle and defining a swivel axis. A horn depends downwardly from the swivel assembly and a wheel is wheel coupled to the horn with a wheel axle. A slide mechanism couples the horn to the swivel assembly and enables the wheel to slide in a direction generally perpendicular to the swivel axis between first and second trailing positions. The slide mechanism swivels with the horn, the wheel, and the swivel plate about the swivel axis. A swivel limiter is operatively associated with the swivel assembly and limits a swiveling range of the wheel about the swivel axis so as to activate the slide mechanism to reposition the wheel from the first trailing position to the second trailing position when a direction of travel of the vehicle changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Caster & Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Lester Jones, Patrick L. McCartney, Yefim Spektor, John Yater
  • Patent number: 9752609
    Abstract: A threaded fastener is provided in which a head bearing surface can be in full intimate contact with a counterpart. The threaded fastener is provided with a head (10), and a screw shank (20) extending from the head (10). The screw shank (20) is provided with a parallel thread portion (22) having a complete screw thread formed therein, a neck portion (24) having no screw thread, a transition thread portion (26) having an incomplete screw thread formed to extend from the parallel thread portion (22) toward the neck portion (24) with its root diameter being the same as that of the complete screw thread and with its thread height gradually becoming lower to reach the neck portion, and an underneck rounded portion (28) formed in a corner angle portion between the neck portion (24) and a head bearing surface (11), wherein the neck portion (24) is work hardened with its diameter being narrowed from a root diameter of the parallel thread portion (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOPURA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeto Mori, Hiroshi Nakano, Yosuke Okamura, Seiya Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9752612
    Abstract: A male fastener, female fastener, and a wedge that is adapted to secure the female fastener to the male fastener, and to prevent unwanted loosening of the female fastener from the male fastener. The male fastener includes a shaft that may optionally include a plurality of protruding elements that extend outwardly from an external surface of the shaft. The protruding elements may be radially positioned in rows around a circumference of the shaft, to create a channel between the rows of protruding elements. The channel is adapted to receive a corresponding thread located within an aperture of the female fastener. The wedge is adapted to be inserted into a space located between a set of protruding elements (or into multiple spaces located between multiple protruding elements). The wedge prevents the female fastener from rotating around the shaft in a direction towards the bottom portion of the male fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Albert Tamer
  • Patent number: 9746015
    Abstract: A floating fastener mounting structure includes a mounting socket having a locating groove extending around the periphery and defined between a relatively smaller annular step and a relatively larger stop flange thereof, a metal panel member having a mounting through hole attached to the mounting socket and stopped above the stop flange and stamped by a stamping press to provide a riveting portion and to force the riveting portion to engage into the locating groove and to wrap about the stop flange of the mounting socket, a spring-loaded locking member axially slidably mounted in the mounting socket for detachably locking the metal panel member to an external metal panel member, and a cap member capped on a mounting head of the locking member and affixed to the mounting head during the operation of the stamping press to stamp the metal panel member. Affixing the mounting socket to the metal panel member by riveting greatly enhances the shearing strength of the floating fastener mounting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: HANWIT PRECISION INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Ying-Chih Tseng
  • Patent number: 9746018
    Abstract: A speed nut for fastening a work piece to a stud includes a fastener plate defining an opening on a surface. The speed nut further includes a prong extending inwardly from an edge of the opening, the prong includes a root portion connecting with the fastener plate and a terminal end defining a single-threaded hole within the opening and configured to ratchet over threads of the stud. The root portion and the terminal portion are arranged offset from each other such that the prong plastically deforms in response to the work piece being removed from the stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Williams, Blaise Didonato
  • Patent number: 9746019
    Abstract: A securement device includes a pair of plungers movable within a housing. The plungers act as quick lock mechanism to engage and secure a threaded rod (or other object) that passes into a hole that runs through the housing. The plungers are spring-biased to position themselves toward so as to provide a radially inward force, for example to engage a threaded rod or device in the through hole in the housing. A spring within the housing presses the plunger pieces toward a portion of the housing where the outer surfaces engage other surfaces to push the plungers inward. The device includes a disengagement feature or mechanism that is used to push the plunger pieces out of engagement with the threaded rod. The disengagement feature may include a disengagement tool, and may include wings, such as on the plungers or on carriers for the plungers, that protrude out of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ERICO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael H.-S Oh, Peter B. Korte, Raymond S. Laughlin, Raymond M. Olle, David Lyons, Ronald A. Jones, Nicholas J. Ambrogio
  • Patent number: 9746020
    Abstract: Lock mechanism for preventing unwanted rotation of a jam nut on a threaded connection between a rod end and a connecting rod. The mechanism includes a lock collar which can be moved axially of the rod end and the connecting rod between a retracted position out of contact with the jam nut and a locking position in which the collar engages the jam nut and prevents the jam nut from turning, and a retainer for keeping the lock collar in the locking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Bruce A. Bennett
  • Patent number: 9746021
    Abstract: A sealing rubber is integrally molded to an outer peripheral face and a lower face of a flange portion of a collar, and a protruding portion is continuously formed along the circumferential direction around a through-hole in an upper face of a resin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mutsumi Kawashima, Miho Mizukoshi, Hidetoshi Hayashi, Shinya Kamimura, Koki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9738792
    Abstract: A method to prevent corrosion of a susceptible article of a two-article system, in which first and second articles of the two-article system have surfaces facing one another and in which the two articles have different anodic indices includes applying a coating material to the surface of the first article and curing the coating material on the surface of the first article. The method further includes contacting and securing the surface of the first article with the surface of the second article. The two articles exhibit substantially no corrosion following exposure to a corrosive environment under standard GMW17026 for a 15 year simulated test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: NYLOK LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Stupar, Franco A. Cisternino, Eugene D. Sessa, Robin F. Monahan
  • Patent number: 9738317
    Abstract: An upper plate portion of a suspension member and a bottom plate portion of a bracket that is placed on an upper side thereof, and the like, as objects to be fastened, are sandwiched between a weld nut and an end surface on a vehicle upper side of a collar. A protruding portion that protrudes toward a bolt through-hole side of the bottom plate portion of the bracket is formed on an end portion on the vehicle upper side of the collar. The protruding portion is formed along an entire periphery around an axis of the collar. Also, a drainage groove that leads from the end surface on the vehicle upper side to an outer peripheral surface of the collar is formed in the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasunori Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9719551
    Abstract: An injection-molded plastic roofing membrane plate includes a body and multiple cleats. The cleats extend from a bottom surface of the body. Each of the cleats has a rounded terminal end with a rounded terminal surface. The rounded terminal surfaces make surface-to-surface abutment with an underlying membrane in installation. The rounded terminal surfaces reduce wear on the underlying membrane that may otherwise occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Duro-Last, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Allan Gere