Patents Represented by Attorney Edward D. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6494659
    Abstract: Described herein is a nitrogn strengthened stainless steel fastener insert and nut assembly which is resistant to galling when used in a fastener assembly. In addition to reduced galling, the fastener insert exhibits good corrosion resistance and a yield strength which is almost twice that of fasteners formed from 304 type stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: William J. Lutkus, William Giannakakos, Ronald J. Phillips
  • Patent number: 6484370
    Abstract: A molding fastener assembly 1 to connect a molding to a vehicle body. The molding fastener assembly 1 having a clip 3 including a base 25 and a molding holder 26 integrated with the base, and a blind rivet 2 including a rivet body 11 having a flange 10 at one end thereof and a mandrel 13 extending through the rivet body beyond the flange from the other end thereof opposite to the flange. The rivet body 11 is covered with a tubular resin cap 5 extending from the tip end of the rivet body toward the flange. The resin cap 5 is formed with a first flange 21 at a position spaced apart from the rivet body flange 10 toward the one end of the rivet body by a predetermined distance equal to or more than the thickness of the clip base 25. The mandrel is adapted to be pulled off to secure the rivet body with the resin cap to a vehicle body while keeping the resin cap flange in contact with the vehicle body and keeping the rivet body flange at the predetermined distance from the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: H. Kanie, M. Kato
  • Patent number: 6481943
    Abstract: A holding element 1, for fastening a component 18 to a carrier 4 having an opening 3, includes an insertion piece 2 made of a soft elastic plastics material, and a thrust part 11 made of a rigid plastics material. The insertion piece 2 is formed with a bevelled or cone shaped thrust face 12, which is held in interfacing engagement with a complimentarily bevelled or conically shaped thrust face 7 of the thrust part 11 by elastically deformable ribs 13 and 14. When a screw 15 is inserted through a longitudinal bore 8 of the insertion piece 2 and into an axially aligned bore 10 of the thrust part 11, and is tightened, the insertion piece is compressed to expand radially to anchor the holding element 1 within the opening 3 of the carrier 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: Thierry Coudrais, Reimar Saltenberger
  • Patent number: 6478359
    Abstract: A footrest assembly (15) comprises a footrest (17) and a clip (18). The clip (18) has a shank (27) to be inserted into and fixed to a hollow tubular support (22, 23) extending from a rear surface (21) of a step of the footrest (17), and a resilient engagement pawl (29), which serves as a vehicle body panel fixing portion, formed in a shank portion from protruded from the end of the support. A protrusion (33) for defining the height of the footrest is provided at the intermediate region of the side surface of the shank (27) of the clip (18), and is arranged to engage with an end face of a notch (26) formed at the end of the support so as to prevent the shank from being further inserted. The protrusion (33) is formed at the side surface of the shank of predetermined strength which allows the protrusion to be shorn by the end of the support when a vehicle collision of a predetermined impact force causes the shank to be pressed to the support of the footrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: Masahi Dendo, Kouichi Daigaku
  • Patent number: 6450459
    Abstract: A pipe fastener 1 for fastening a pipe such as a fuel pipe 21 to a body panel 5 comprises a pipe holder 2 of rigid plastic material and an electrical connection member 3 of electrical conducting material. The pipe holder includes a base 9 having a stud receiving hole formed therein and a pipe grip (11-15) integrally molded with the base for holding the pipe (19-23) by pressing the pipe into an opening thereof, and the stud receiving hole of the base 9 has an engagement pawl formed therein for engaging with a received stud to be secured therein. The electrical connection member 3 is adapted to be attached to the pipe holder by an engagement leg 25 formed on said pipe holder 2. The electrical connection member 3 includes a pipe contact portion 29 and a stud contact portion 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventor: H. Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 6433278
    Abstract: An attachment device for the fastening or connecting of electrical conductors to a unit in a higher position. The attachment device has a sleeve-shaped contact piece (1) and a cap (9) connected thereto. The contact piece (1) is connected by positive material locking to the unit in a higher position with the connecting region (2). The contact piece (1) at least near the attachment face (6) has an external contour that corresponds to a polygon in cross-section. The cap (9) at least partially closes the orifice (4) in the vicinity of the connecting region (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: Eckhard Blank, Schrötter Klaus-Dieter, Reimar Saltenberger, Joachim Schneider
  • Patent number: 6428255
    Abstract: A blind rivet having a mandrel with a predetermined breakable stem (4) disposed within a body with a bored (18) shank (14). A radial flange (16) is formed on one end of the shank and the other end (20) of the shank is engaged with the enlarged head (2) up the stem the diameter of which is substantially equal to that of the shank. The mandrel below the enlarged head has a plurality of indentations (8) formed on the stem to define a square of reduced cross-sectional area. The shank has an enlarged internal cross-sectional area (22) to substantially engage the indentations of the stem below and adjacent to the enlarged head of the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventor: Daniel R. Smith
  • Patent number: 6418599
    Abstract: A setting apparatus 30 in which a mandrel of a blind rivet is inserted into a hole 47 of a nose at the front end of the setting apparatus, and wherein a rivet body of the rivet is projected from the nose into a mounting hole of a workpiece. The mandrel is pulled rearward of the nose with a force capable of breaking the mandrel and expanding a shank of the rivet body so that the rivet is set in the workpiece by the expanded shank and a flange of the rivet body, followed by discharging of the broken mandrel from the setting apparatus. The force for pulling the mandrel is obtained from hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic cylinder 34. The hydraulic pressure is produced by a piston 41 which moves in a pneumatic cylinder 39 adjacent to the hydraulic cylinder. The nose 31 is axially aligned with an apparatus body 33 including the hydraulic cylinder and the pneumatic cylinder 39 along the longitudinal direction of the setting apparatus 30 from the front end to the rear end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: Hiromasa Suzuki, Toyoshi Kato, Yoshiaki Koike
  • Patent number: 6419307
    Abstract: A component mounting structure is for temporarily fastening a small component (2) such as an assist grip to a large component (3) such as a large interior or exterior component of an automobile. A fastening hole of the small component is aligned with a fastening hole of the large component and the small component is temporarily fastened to the large component by inserting a clip (1) into the both fastening holes. The clip comprises a first engagement portion (6) to be brought into surface-contact with the large component, a shank (7) extending from the first engagement portion, and a second engagement portion (9) integrally formed with the shank (7) so as to be engaged with the small component, wherein the first engagement portion, the shank, and the second engagement portion of the clip are formed to have a hollow portion so that a screw component can axially be inserted therein. The screw component (13) is inserted and held in the clip under the temporary fastening condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventors: Toshio Maruyama, Masaaki Yamagata
  • Patent number: 6398472
    Abstract: A blind rivet assembly 10 includes a mandrel 2 and a rivet body 4. The mandrel 2 has a head portion 6 and a shank portion 8. The rivet body 4 has a generally cylindrical body portion 12 terminating in a flange 14 at a first end, and a free end 16 at the other end of the body portion 12. The mandrel 2 is assembled into the rivet body 4 so that the free end 16 of the body portion 12 contacts the underside 18 of the head portion 6. The free end 16 of the body portion 12 is attached to the underside 18 of the head portion 6 of the mandrel 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventor: Steven V. Jones
  • Patent number: 6397654
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for carrying out mechanical tasks, in particular pressing, riveting, folding and cutting, on components by means of tool elements (2, 3) arranged on a substantially one-piece, preferably C-shaped tool holder (1) defining an operating region (4). The tool holder (1) is held via a first rotational connection (5) as vertically pivotal in a mount (6). The operating region (4) has a large insertion depth for the components, which is achieved according to the invention in that the first rotational connection (5) is arranged in a position at a significant distance from the centre of gravity (7) of the tool holder (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventor: Joachim Moeser
  • Patent number: 6374474
    Abstract: To set two-part fasteners (8), in particular blind rivets, in which for setting a first part (7) has to be pulled while a second part (6) is held, a device is proposed with a housing (1), a feed appliance (9) on the housing (1) to transfer a fastener (8) into the housing (1) through an orifice (12) in the housing (1), an abutment (3), which holds the second part (6) during the setting process, and a pulling device pulling the first part (7) during the setting process, which has a gripper (5) at an open end of a pulling element (4) which cooperates with a pulling piston (13) which is movable forwards and backwards along an axis of the housing (1) in a first chamber (14) by an actuating unit. To transfer a fastener (8) the pulling element (4) opens the orifice (12). The pulling element (4) extends through the piston (13). The pulling piston (13) and the pulling element (4) are movable relative to one another along the axis. The pulling element (4) has a piston (17) on the end opposed to the gripper (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventor: Andreas Rössler
  • Patent number: 6362448
    Abstract: A fastening element for fastening on or in a component, in particular a T-stud or punch rivet, has a fastening end. The fastening element has, at a guide end remote from the fastening end, a recess for receiving a tool end piece which fits into the recess and by means of which the fastening element can be positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventor: Hermann Röser
  • Patent number: 6338601
    Abstract: A punch rivet (1) has a cutting edge (6) which is arranged on the end face of its rivet shank (2) and is formed in the cutting region by an outer face (5) extending parallel to the axis and a conical inner face (4) of the rivet shank (2). The outer face (5) extends continuously parallel to the axis over the entire rivet shank (2) and the punch rivet (1) is provided with the same cutting edges (6, 7) on either side in an axially symmetrical design in the form of a tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventors: Dieter Mauer, Robert Volnhals, Reinhold Opper
  • Patent number: 6290201
    Abstract: An anti-vibration holding element 1 for holding pipes 46 and 48 includes a securing part 3, which is connected to a pipe holding part 2. An anti-vibration member 5 is located on an outer circumferential surface of the securing part 3, and between the connected securing part and the pipe holding part 2. The securing part 3 is formed separately from the pipe holding part 2, which is formed with a base 12. An accommodating portion of the base 12, including the outer circumferential surface, receives the securing part 3. When the securing part 3 is located in the base 12 of the pipe holding part 2, the anti-vibration member 5 connects the securing part and the holding part by the fitting of the member on to the base. To facilitate attachment of the holding element 1 to a body 49, the securing part 3 is formed with spaced, opposed claws 27 which engage and attach to a grooved stud 50 welded to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventors: H. Kanie, T. Kakehi, O. Uemura
  • Patent number: 6280130
    Abstract: A pin (11) is formed projecting upwardly integrally with a face side holder (10) and a slit (13) is formed at a side thereof. On a rear side of the face side holder (10), a stationary pinching portion (20) is provided substantially in parallel therewith and a movable pinching portion (23) and is provided substantially in parallel therewith through a hinge portion (22). Each pinching portion (20, 23) is arranged to have free ends (20a) and (23a) at each tip side and is possible to change from a state where they are mutually horizontal interposing the hinge portion (22) therebetween to a state where they open outwardly so as to separate the tip thereof. The movable pinching portion (23) is integrated with a pin fitting portion (27) which extends to an opposite direction to the pin (11). The pin fitting portion (27) fits into a slit (13) by bending at the hinge portion (22) and is engaged to be one body with the pin (11) by means of an engaging portion (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Haraguchi, Tomio Shibuya
  • Patent number: 6270044
    Abstract: In a plate-like component holding bracket (1) having a certain thickness, a welding portion (5) to be welded to a base member includes an end surface along one of the sides. The end surface is adapted to come into contact with the surface of the base member. Along the end surface of the side of the elding portion (5), non-welding portions (6) are provided adjacent to the welding portion (5), and discharge arc anti-transferring grooves (7) are formed between the welding portion (5) and the non-welding portions (6) to prevent discharge arc from transferring to the non-welding portions (6). The end surface of each non-welding portion (6) is formed at such a height (H) that is measured from the end surface of the welding portion (5) apart from the surface of the base member. The height (H) is effective to predetermine the height of the welded bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventor: Toshinori Kakehi
  • Patent number: D445012
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Emhart Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Suzuki, Toyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: D456699
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventor: Hideaki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: RE37735
    Abstract: The invention provides a gripper for a tack welding gun wherein the tack gripper is U-shaped in design. The tack gripper has two arms connected by a base. At least one arm of the tack gripper is resilient in design. The arms have a bent back portion at their free end. The portion is arranged between the respective arms. The portions contain holes in which the catch knobs formed on the workpiece to be welded can engage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Emhart LLC
    Inventor: Hermann Roser