Abstract: An inner housing defines a pin retaining receptacle elongated in an X-direction with entry ramps extending parallel to the X-direction. The inner housing is slidably coupled to an outer housing and extends into an interior thereof. A plurality of centering blades extend into the interior and between the inner and outer housings to locate the pin retaining receptacle in a central position within the interior in a Y-direction prior to insertion of the pin into the pin retention receptacle. The centering blades are movable in the Y-direction to permit the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing to move to a non-central position relative to the housing in the Y-direction as a result of the inner housing moving the centering blades in response to the pin engaging the entry ramps during insertion of the pin into the pin receiving receptacle. Associated methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A self-piercing rivet tape path can extend through a clamshell receiver assembly between the upper and lower receiver bodies and can open between the upper and lower bodies along a longitudinal length of the self-piercing rivet tape path that extends through the clamshell receiver assembly. The upper and lower bodies can separate at a lead rivet cavity and above a proximal end of a discharge cavity of the lower body. A tool-free interlock coupling can rigidly couple the upper and lower receiver bodies together in a closed position. This tool-free coupling can unlock the upper and lower receiver bodies so they are hingedly movable into the open position. The clamshell receiver assembly can be rigidly coupled to an end of a self-piercing rivet spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by the tape along the tape path and support a lead self-piercing rivet in alignment with a punch of the spindle.

Abstract: A deformable tapping plate can include a central member including at least two mounting openings and a mounting surface wherein the mounting surface defines a mounting plane. The deformable tapping plate can also include a first attachment pad located adjacent a first end of the central member that is connected to the central member by a first connecting arm. The first attachment pad includes a first attachment surface defining an attachment plane. The first connecting arm can include a first arched portion that projects away from both the mounting plane and the attachment plane and can include a first narrowed apex having a thickness that is less than a thickness of adjacent portions of the first arched portion.

Abstract: A method is presented for operating a power tool during installation of a deformable fastener. The method includes: receiving measures of current supplied to a motor of the power tool during operation of the power tool; determining rate of change of the current during operation of the power tool; determining occurrence of the power tool engaging the fastener based on the magnitude of the current supplied to the motor; determining occurrence of the power tool swaging the fastener based on the rate of change of the current; determining completion of the power tool swaging the fastener based on the magnitude of the current and the rate of change of the current; and verifying quality of the installation of the fastener using the determination of the occurrence of the power tool engaging the fastener and the determination of the completion of the power tool swaging the fastener.

Abstract: A clip includes a base that is elongated in a longitudinal direction, a post connected to the base at a proximal end of the post. The post extends away from the base and terminates at a distal end of the post. The clip further includes a first finger and a second finger both connected on opposite sides of the post and extending away from the post toward the base in the longitudinal direction. The clip also includes an elongated foot connected to the base on a side of the base opposite the post. The clip also includes an umbrella seal connected to the base that has a sealing lip around a periphery of the base that extends away from the base. The base, the elongated foot and the first finger and the second finger of the clip extend along the same longitudinal direction of the clip.

Abstract: Self-piercing rivets deployed in an elongated tape are moved into alignment with a rivet driving spindle using a processor-controlled servomotors. The tape is conveyed between a supply reel and an exhaust reel, the supply reel having a supply motor and the exhaust reel having an exhaust motor. The tape is moved under processor control in an advancing direction until the rivet has traveled past being in alignment with the spindle, by controlling the supply and exhaust motors using a first tension regimen. Thereafter the tape is moved under processor control in a retracting direction until the rivet is in alignment with the spindle by controlling the tape supply and exhaust motors using a second tension regimen.

Abstract: A material forming the self-piercing rivet having an elongation of at least about 10%, and the material forming the self-piercing rivet having a hardness of at least about any of 260 HV (Vickers scale), and the material forming the self-piercing rivet being selected from the group consisting of: an age or precipitation hardening steel alloy, a high alloy steel, a stainless steel, and a super-alloy steel. The material forming the self-piercing rivet enables the self-piercing rivet to be set into advanced high-strength metal components, at least one of which is at 400 degrees C.

Abstract: A clutch apparatus for releasing the transmission of rotation from an electric motor to a spin shaft, is equipped with a rear clutch nut and a front clutch nut in order from the rear end side. The rear clutch nut transmits rotating force from the electric motor to the front clutch nut when engaged with the front clutch nut, but is disengaged from the front clutch nut by a predetermined rotation load. The front clutch nut has a cylindrical shape, so that the spin shaft can be arranged at an axial center portion, and when engaged with the engaging unit of the spin shaft, the rotating force is transmitted to the spin shaft, but the clutch is disengaged by a backward stroke of the front clutch nut and a predetermined stroke toward the tip of the spin shaft.

Abstract: A resilient U-base fastener includes a U-shaped body defining a central cavity between first and second sides. The fastener has an insertion end with the first and second sides extending therefrom to a trailing end. The fastener includes a first barb extension extending outwardly from one of the lateral side edges of the first side. The first barb extension is bent to support a first barb in the central cavity. The fastener also includes a second barb extension extending outwardly from a lateral side edge of the first side opposite the first barb extension. The second barb extension is bent to support a second barb in the central cavity.

Abstract: A u-shaped metal portion and a u-shaped plastic portion can be coupled together to define an interior rib receiving cavity between both the metal sides and the plastic sides. The u-shaped metal portion can include a first metal rib retention barb extending interiorly of the plastic portion in the interior rib receiving cavity and can be designed to engage the rib to couple the dual material U-base fastener to a first component rib with the rib received within the interior rib receiving cavity. The u-shaped plastic portion can include a first plastic aperture retention wing extending exteriorly of the metal portion and designed to engage a second component aperture to couple the dual material U-base fastener to the aperture with the inner plastic and outer metal insertion ends extending through the aperture.

Abstract: A bulk rivet container can include a cover and an adjacent RFID tag, and the cover can be moveable between a closed position and an open position. A cover exterior can have an opening recess. A peripheral side of the container can include an orienting protrusion and a container locking recess. The container can be designed to cooperate with a transfer cabinet having a rivet entry passage closable by a cabinet cover to which an RFID reader is coupled. The cabinet can have a locking protrusion and an opening protrusion oriented about the cabinet entry passage. The orienting protrusion, the container locking recess, and the container opening recess can be designed to be simultaneously couplable with the orienting recess, the container locking protrusion, and the container opening protrusion, respectively, while the RFID tag is simultaneously readable by the RFID reader.

Abstract: A u-shaped outer component includes at least one rib retention barb, and a u-shaped inner component includes at least one aperture retention wing. The outer component and the inner component are separate and are coupled together to create an assembled unit defining an interior rib receiving cavity with the at least one rib retention barb extending into the interior rib receiving cavity and the at least one aperture retention wing of the inner component extending exteriorly from the outer component.

Abstract: A mold and molding process for a first shot body member includes a pair of side walls, a semi-circular sleeve positioned between the pair of side walls to define a portion of a longitudinal pocket, and a pair of deflecting wings. Each deflecting wing is coupled to one of the side walls at a corner. A second shot isolation member of an elastically resilient second material is bonded to portions of an interior surface of the longitudinal pocket defined by each of: the semi-circular sleeve, each of the pair of side walls, each of the pair of corners, and each of the pair of wings. Mold members can include supporting surfaces to support interior and exterior portions of the wing during the second shot molding operation, while leaving an exposed interior bonding surface that defines a portion of the second shot molding cavity.

Abstract: A bulk rivet container can include a cover and an adjacent RFID tag, and the cover can be moveable between a closed position and an open position. A cover exterior can have an opening recess. A peripheral side of the container can include an orienting protrusion and a container locking recess. The container can be designed to cooperate with a transfer cabinet having a rivet entry passage closable by a cabinet cover to which an RFID reader is coupled. The cabinet can have a locking protrusion and an opening protrusion oriented about the cabinet entry passage. The orienting protrusion, the container locking recess, and the container opening recess can be designed to be simultaneously couplable with the orienting recess, the container locking protrusion, and the container opening protrusion, respectively, while the RFID tag is simultaneously readable by the RFID reader.

Abstract: A receiver assembly can be coupled to a spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by a tape along a tape path below a punch. A reverse locking pawl can be designed to permit movement of the tape relative to the reverse locking pawl along the tape path in a forward direction and to engage a positioning aperture of the tape to stop movement of the tape in the reverse direction when a lead rivet is aligned with the punch. A method can include moving the tape forward along the tape path until a lead rivet of the tape is at a position along the tape path that is beyond an alignment position with the punch, and moving the tape in reverse to engage the corresponding positioning aperture.

Abstract: A method is presented for operating a power tool during installation of a deformable fastener. The method includes: receiving measures of current supplied to a motor of the power tool during operation of the power tool; determining rate of change of the current during operation of the power tool; determining occurrence of the power tool engaging the fastener based on the magnitude of the current supplied to the motor; determining occurrence of the power tool swaging the fastener based on the rate of change of the current; determining completion of the power tool swaging the fastener based on the magnitude of the current and the rate of change of the current; and verifying quality of the installation of the fastener using the determination of the occurrence of the power tool engaging the fastener and the determination of the completion of the power tool swaging the fastener.

Abstract: A receiver assembly can be coupled to a spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by a tape along a tape path below a punch. A reverse locking pawl can be designed to permit movement of the tape relative to the reverse locking pawl along the tape path in a forward direction and to engage a positioning aperture of the tape to stop movement of the tape in the reverse direction when a lead rivet is aligned with the punch. A method can include moving the tape forward along the tape path until a lead rivet of the tape is at a position along the tape path that is beyond an alignment position with the punch, and moving the tape in reverse to engage the corresponding positioning aperture.

Abstract: An inner housing defines a pin retaining receptacle elongated in an X-direction with entry ramps extending parallel to the X-direction. The inner housing is slidably coupled to an outer housing for movement in a Y-direction. The outer housing has an enclosed interior defined by outer housing walls extending from an outer housing flange. Resilient retention wings can extend outwardly from the outer housing walls without providing adjacent openings therethrough to facilitate water resistance. A water resistant seal is positionable between an outer housing flange and a first component to seal therebetween when the outer housing is coupled to the first component by the retention wings. Centering blades extend between the inner and outer housings to initially locate the pin retaining receptacle in a central position within the interior in a Y-direction and the centering blades are movable during insertion of the pin into the pin retaining receptacle.

Abstract: A dual component U-base fastener includes a u-shaped outer component comprising at least one rib retention barb and a u-shaped inner component comprising at least one aperture retention wing. The outer component and the inner component are separate and are coupled together to create an assembled unit defining an interior rib receiving cavity with the at least one rib retention barb extending into the interior rib receiving cavity and the at least one aperture retention wing of the inner component extending exteriorly from the outer component.

Abstract: First and second apertures can extend through corresponding first and second walls that define a cavity therebetween. Each aperture can have a stud retention zone and a stud release zone laterally spaced from each other, and the corresponding zones of each aperture can be axially aligned with each other. Spring retention fingers can extend outwardly from the first wall and into the first aperture. The spring retention fingers can deflect to pass over threads of the stud in an axial stud insertion direction and can engage the threads to prevent removal of the stud in an opposite stud removal direction when the stud is in the stud retention zone. The spring retention fingers can be designed to allow removal of the stud from the apertures when the stud is in the release zones. The main body can fully enclose the entire periphery of each of the first and second apertures.