Utilizing A Resilient Characteristic Of The Key, Or Of A Discrete Element Patents (Class 411/206)
  • Patent number: 9897331
    Abstract: A system and method for installing a ventilation hood to an underside of a wall cabinet includes providing structure for initially establishing mounting or anchoring points for the ventilation hood, securing first mounting structure for the ventilation hood, supporting the ventilation hood on the first mounting structure, and then further securing the ventilation hood with an additional fastening arrangement to complete the installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Zachary J. Bruin-Slot, Andrew James Grose
  • Patent number: 9897330
    Abstract: A ventilation hood is mounted to an underside of a cabinet, including a bottom panel and a lower support frame positioned above a cooking appliance, by first and second brackets secured below the cabinet at spaced positions aligned with outermost edge portions of the lower support frame and at least one fastener assembly secured to a front portion of the ventilation hood. Multiple embodiments are disclosed for the at least one fastener assembly, including tabs bent from a housing of the ventilation hood, feet threadably attached to the hood, mounting blocks including snap connectors, threaded fasteners, and pinned bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Zachary J. Bruin-Slot, Andrew James Grose
  • Patent number: 6789990
    Abstract: A fastener device comprising a nut, a threaded member for receiving the nut, and visual indicator means for visually indicating if the nut has become loose on the threaded member during use of the fastener device. The visual indicator means may comprise an indicator member which is mounted on the nut, biasing means which biases the indicator member to an indicating position in which the indicator member gives a visual indication that the nut has become loose, and at least one recess into which the indicator member is moved by the biasing means consequent upon the nut becoming loose, the indicator member then being in the indicating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Inventor: Paul Anthony Reginald Harris
  • Patent number: 5207543
    Abstract: A nut and a screw bolt form a screw connector, wherein the nut is secured to the bolt by a configured spring locking member. The locking member engages with one end the screw bolt and with the other end the nut, whereby the locking member has such a configuration that one end has a projection to engage a cotter pin hole in the bolt, while the other end engages directly or indirectly the nut. The two locking member ends are interconnected by a spring section which has such a configuration that a nut tightening torque moment is exerted on the nut when the locking member is in place. Further, the locking member is so configured that it exerts an axial compression force when its ends engage the bolt and the nut. This construction minimizes any reduction in the force exerted by the screw connector on the interconnected structural components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Deutsche Aerospace Airbus GmbH
    Inventor: Safa Kirma
  • Patent number: 4810145
    Abstract: A retractable and reusable self-locking fastening device in the form of a commercially available rivet, pin, threaded bolt or stud and the like for insertion into a sized clearance hole in a workpiece includes a shank means having tenon and pilot means which comprises two successive steps of lesser diameter formed on at least one end of the shank means. Mounted on and fixedly connected to the pilot means is a lug means having a generally truncated conical shape with one closed end and the end remote therefrom being opened to define a space in which the tenon means is disposed, and a sized aperture in the closed end to enable the lug means to be fixedly connected to the pilot means. The tapered walls of the lug means have at least four outwardly extending movable sections separated by at least four longitudinal slots defining a truncated cone configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Inventor: Hugo J. Villas
  • Patent number: 4780036
    Abstract: This assembly comprises a collar (3) having splines cooperating with splines on the bolt (1) and lateral tabs (4) in contact with flat sides of the nut (2). This assembly further comprises at least one bent elastically yieldable locking element (5, 5') having a first branch (6, 6') trapped between a tab (4) of the collar (3) and a flat side of the nut, a second branch (8, 8') having an aperture (9, 9') through which extends the bolt and which has an edge engaged between screw threads of the bolt. By exerting a lateral pressure on the locking elements (5, 5'), the screw threads of the bolt are elastically disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
    Inventors: Daniel Mao, Marc Declercq
  • Patent number: 4692077
    Abstract: A self-locking nut has an annular body, an axial threaded bore, and a hexagonal exterior periphery. A small bore is drilled through the body parallel to the threaded bore adjacent to an apex of two peripheral flat surfaces. An L-shaped locking pin has a base leg received in that small bore, and an interference leg projecting into the threaded bore for interference relation with a mating bolt. The distal end of the base leg is provided with an outwardly facing recess, and this distal end is retained within the nut body by cold flowing body material into that small bore and recess. The recess includes two abuttment surfaces which are disposed in planes inclined away from a plane parallel to the base leg and perpendicular to a plane defined by the two pin legs. These abuttment surfaces coact with the nut metal displaced into the recess to allow for rotation of the distal end of the base leg through an arc less than that required for the interference leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Inventors: Jack R. Kerr, Thomas V. Shelton, Jerry L. Dunsmore