Patents by Inventor Mark D. Latz

Mark D. Latz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230340984
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a fastener including a head, a shank connected to the head and having a tip, one or more helical thread formations extending outwardly from the shank, and wherein a bottom portion of the head includes a plurality of ribs that extend towards the tip of the shank and that are shaped to abruptly frictionally engage a surface of a first object being attached to a second object to create an immediate frictional torsional resistance of a desired force level to the tightening of the fastener. This frictional resistance is provided back to the tightening tool to inform the operator of the tightening tool that the head of the fastener has sufficiently engaged the first object and that further tightening or clockwise rotation of the fastener is unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Victor Truong, Michael C. Dill, Yongping Gong, Mark D. Latz
  • Patent number: 11719272
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a fastener including a head, a shank connected to the head and having a tip, one or more helical thread formations extending outwardly from the shank, and wherein a bottom portion of the head includes a plurality of ribs that extend towards the tip of the shank and that are shaped to abruptly frictionally engage a surface of a first object being attached to a second object to create an immediate frictional torsional resistance of a desired force level to the tightening of the fastener. This frictional resistance is provided back to the tightening tool to inform the operator of the tightening tool that the head of the fastener has sufficiently engaged the first object and that further tightening or clockwise rotation of the fastener is unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Truong, Michael C. Dill, Yongping Gong, Mark D. Latz
  • Patent number: 11578747
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a fastener driveable into a substrate are provided. The fastener includes a head, a shank, and a helical thread formation. Portions of the shank and helical thread formations may be tapered. The outer diameter of the shank may decrease in a direction away from the head. An outer diameter of the thread formation may increase in a direction away from the head. The head may include a plurality of extending ribs. The helical thread formation may be formed with a plurality of grooves that are respectively each partially defined by a straight cutting edge. These improvements reduce torsional failure of the fastener from over tightening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Yongping Gong, Victor Truong, Stanley J. Cabaj, Mark D. Latz, Michael C. Dill
  • Publication number: 20210270306
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a fastener including a head, a shank connected to the head and having a tip, one or more helical thread formations extending outwardly from the shank, and wherein a bottom portion of the head includes a plurality of ribs that extend towards the tip of the shank and that are shaped to abruptly frictionally engage a surface of a first object being attached to a second object to create an immediate frictional torsional resistance of a desired force level to the tightening of the fastener. This frictional resistance is provided back to the tightening tool to inform the operator of the tightening tool that the head of the fastener has sufficiently engaged the first object and that further tightening or clockwise rotation of the fastener is unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Victor Truong, Michael C. Dill, Yongping Gong, Mark D. Latz
  • Patent number: 11035399
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a fastener including a head, a shank connected to the head and having a tip, one or more helical thread formations extending outwardly from the shank, and wherein a bottom portion of the head includes a plurality of ribs that extend towards the tip of the shank and that are shaped to abruptly frictionally engage a surface of a first object being attached to a second object to create an immediate frictional torsional resistance of a desired force level to the tightening of the fastener. This frictional resistance is provided back to the tightening tool to inform the operator of the tightening tool that the head of the fastener has sufficiently engaged the first object and that further tightening or clockwise rotation of the fastener is unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Truong, Michael C. Dill, Yongping Gong, Mark D. Latz
  • Publication number: 20200182280
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a fastener driveable into a substrate are provided. The fastener includes a head, a shank, and a helical thread formation. Portions of the shank and helical thread formations may be tapered. The outer diameter of the shank may decrease in a direction away from the head. An outer diameter of the thread formation may increase in a direction away from the head. The head may include a plurality of extending ribs. The helical thread formation may be formed with a plurality of grooves that are respectively each partially defined by a straight cutting edge. These improvements reduce torsional failure of the fastener from over tightening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Yongping Gong, Victor Truong, Stanley J. Cabaj, Mark D. Latz, Michael C. Dill
  • Patent number: 10570943
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a fastener driveable into a substrate are provided. The fastener includes a head, a shank, and a helical thread formation. Portions of the shank and helical thread formations may be tapered. The outer diameter of the shank may decrease in a direction away from the head. An outer diameter of the thread formation may increase in a direction away from the head. The head may include a plurality of extending ribs. The helical thread formation may be formed with a plurality of grooves that are respectively each partially defined by a straight cutting edge. These improvements reduce torsional failure of the fastener from over tightening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Yongping Gong, Victor Truong, Stanley J. Cabaj, Mark D. Latz, Michael C. Dill
  • Publication number: 20190078603
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a fastener including a head, a shank connected to the head and having a tip, one or more helical thread formations extending outwardly from the shank, and wherein a bottom portion of the head includes a plurality of ribs that extend towards the tip of the shank and that are shaped to abruptly frictionally engage a surface of a first object being attached to a second object to create an immediate frictional torsional resistance of a desired force level to the tightening of the fastener. This frictional resistance is provided back to the tightening tool to inform the operator of the tightening tool that the head of the fastener has sufficiently engaged the first object and that further tightening or clockwise rotation of the fastener is unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Victor Truong, Michael C. Dill, Yongping Gong, Mark D. Latz
  • Publication number: 20180135682
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a fastener driveable into a substrate are provided. The fastener includes a head, a shank, and a helical thread formation. Portions of the shank and helical thread formations may be tapered. The outer diameter of the shank may decrease in a direction away from the head. An outer diameter of the thread formation may increase in a direction away from the head. The head may include a plurality of extending ribs. The helical thread formation may be formed with a plurality of grooves that are respectively each partially defined by a straight cutting edge. These improvements reduce torsional failure of the fastener from over tightening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Yongping Gong, Victor Truong, Stanley J. Cabaj, Mark D. Latz, Michael C. Dill
  • Patent number: 8511957
    Abstract: A self-tapping fastener, which has been especially constructed for use in connection with the insertion and installation thereof into stucco, gypsum, wallboard, or other hard board substrates, wherein the forward end portion of the shank portion of the self-tapping fastener is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed flat sections which effectively form at least one pair of diametrically opposed tapping threads so as to effectively perform the thread tapping process despite exhibiting some abrasion of the forwardmost threads. In addition, the flat sections also effectively define recessed pockets for accommodating any dust, particles, debris, or the like, which will be generated during the thread tapping process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Illinoks Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Edward Gonciarz, Mark D. Latz, Donald J. Broomfield
  • Patent number: 7682118
    Abstract: A fastener with multiple thread characteristics includes a shank and head. The shank has a penetrating tip distal most from the head. The shank includes a first, conventional thread formation formed therein adjacent the penetrating tip and a second, anti-back-out thread formation adjacent the conventional thread formation, between the conventional thread formation and the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Yongping Gong, Cheryl L. Panasik, Mark D. Latz
  • Publication number: 20090269164
    Abstract: A self-tapping fastener, which has been especially constructed for use in connection with the insertion and installation thereof into stucco, gypsum, wallboard, or other hard board substrates, wherein the forward end portion of the shank portion of the self-tapping fastener is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed flat sections which effectively form at least one pair of diametrically opposed tapping threads so as to effectively perform the thread tapping process despite exhibiting some abrasion of the forwardmost threads. In addition, the flat sections also effectively define recessed pockets for accommodating any dust, particles, debris, or the like, which will be generated during the thread tapping process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Mark Edward Gonciarz, Mark D. Latz, Donald J. Broomfield
  • Publication number: 20080260495
    Abstract: A fastener with multiple thread characteristics includes a shank and head. The shank has a penetrating tip distal most from the head. The shank includes a first, conventional thread formation formed therein adjacent the penetrating tip and a second, anti-back-out thread formation adjacent the conventional thread formation, between the conventional thread formation and the head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Yongping Gong, Cheryl L. Panasik, Mark D. Latz