Patents Assigned to SPS Technologies, LLC
  • Publication number: 20230069811
    Abstract: A tool for installing a blind fastener including a bolt and a nut includes a base, collet, socket assembly, drive body, and mode clutch. The collet is coupled to the base and disposed about an axis. The collet can selectively engage a portion of the nut. The socket assembly includes a socket housing and a plurality of rollers. The socket housing is rotatable relative to the collet and defines a bore disposed about the axis. The rollers are spaced circumferentially about the axis. A surface of each roller can engage a cylindrical portion of the bolt within the bore to rotate the bolt about the axis. The drive body is coupled to the socket housing and configured to rotate the socket housing about the axis relative to the base. The mode clutch is configured to selectively couple the socket housing with the collet for common rotation about the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Cristinel COBZARU, Brian HOFFARTH
  • Publication number: 20220176438
    Abstract: A blind fastener for connecting workpieces includes a bolt and nut. The bolt includes a shaft, bolt head, and lug. The bolt head is between the shaft and lug and extends radially outward from the shaft. The shaft defines external threads opposite the bolt head. The lug includes a first tool engagement portion and a first frangible portion that frangibly couples the lug to the bolt head. The nut includes a sleeve, nut head, and handling member. The shaft is threadably received in the sleeve. The nut head extends radially outward from the sleeve and defines a recess that receives the bolt head. The handling member surrounds at least a portion of the lug. The handling member includes a second frangible portion and a second tool engagement portion. The second frangible portion frangibly couples the second tool engagement portion to the nut head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Cristinel COBZARU, Brian HOFFARTH, Claude COUILLANDEAU
  • Publication number: 20220105557
    Abstract: A tool for installing a blind fastener including a bolt and a nut includes a base, collet, socket assembly, drive body, and mode clutch. The collet is coupled to the base and disposed about an axis. The collet can selectively engage a portion of the nut. The socket assembly includes a socket housing and a plurality of rollers. The socket housing is rotatable relative to the collet and defines a bore disposed about the axis. The rollers are spaced circumferentially about the axis. A surface of each roller can engage a cylindrical portion of the bolt within the bore to rotate the bolt about the axis. The drive body is coupled to the socket housing and configured to rotate the socket housing about the axis relative to the base. The mode clutch is configured to selectively couple the socket housing with the collet for common rotation about the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Cristinel COBZARU, Brian HOFFARTH
  • Patent number: 11168731
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first member, a threaded shaft, a nut, a set of first teeth, a set of second teeth, and a tab. The threaded shaft is disposed about an axis. The nut is threadably engaged with the threaded shaft. The nut includes a plurality of radially outward extending protrusions. The first teeth face axially and are non-rotatably coupled to the first member. The second teeth are configured to mate with the first teeth. The second teeth are coupled to the threaded shaft for axial movement relative to the threaded shaft and for common rotation with the threaded shaft. The tab is non-rotatable relative to the first member. The tab engages the protrusions to inhibit rotation of the nut relative to the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Nilesh Patel
  • Patent number: 11143226
    Abstract: A blind fastener for connecting panels includes a bolt and nut. The bolt includes a shaft, bolt head, and lug. The bolt head is between the shaft and lug. The shaft defines external threads opposite the bolt head. The lug includes a first tool engagement portion and first frangible portion that connects the lug and bolt head. The nut includes a sleeve, nut head, and handling member. A central bore of the sleeve receives the shaft and defines internal threads mated with the external threads. The nut head is between the handling member and sleeve. The nut head extends radially from the sleeve and defines a recess that receives the bolt head. The handling member surrounds a portion of the lug. The handling member includes a second frangible portion and a second tool engagement portion. The second frangible portion couples the second tool engagement portion to the nut head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Terry Vovan
  • Patent number: 11009055
    Abstract: A method of installing an insert in an aperture of a panel includes inserting a sleeve central portion into the aperture so that a sleeve flange opposes a first side of the panel. The sleeve central portion extends from the sleeve flange. The method further includes inserting a plug central portion into the aperture so that a plug flange opposes a second side of the panel. The plug central portion extends from the plug flange. The method also includes pressing at least one of the plug and sleeve into sliding engagement with the other until the plug and sleeve are installed. When installed, a distal end of the plug is received into a sleeve cavity and resilient beams defined by an extension of the sleeve central portion are elastically deflected by a wall of the plug central portion. The plug flange defines an aperture extending into a plug cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Richardson, Nilesh Patel, Ismael Pacheco
  • Patent number: 10974310
    Abstract: A tool for installing a blind fastener including a core bolt and a core nut is provided. The tool includes a driving member, a collet driven by the driving member for engaging the core bolt, and an external sleeve for holding the core nut and preventing the core nut from rotating during installation of the blind fastener. The external sleeve is movable between a first position in which the external sleeve is driven by the collet to rotate with the collet and a second position in which the external sleeve is stationary despite rotating action of the collet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel Cobzaru
  • Publication number: 20200392979
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first member, a threaded shaft, a nut, a set of first teeth, a set of second teeth, and a tab. The threaded shaft is disposed about an axis. The nut is threadably engaged with the threaded shaft. The nut includes a plurality of radially outward extending protrusions. The first teeth face axially and are non-rotatably coupled to the first member. The second teeth are configured to mate with the first teeth. The second teeth are coupled to the threaded shaft for axial movement relative to the threaded shaft and for common rotation with the threaded shaft. The tab is non-rotatable relative to the first member. The tab engages the protrusions to inhibit rotation of the nut relative to the first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Nilesh PATEL
  • Patent number: 10654095
    Abstract: An adjustment system for a fastener pulling head includes a swivel adapter, an adjustment member, and a retention member. The fastener pulling head includes a frame, a jaw, and a drawbolt body, the adjustment system. The swivel adapter is configured to engage with a proximal end portion of the drawbolt body. The swivel adapter defines an internal bore. The adjustment member is disposed within the internal bore and configured to engage the drawbolt body. The retention member is configured to engage and secure the swivel adapter at a location within the drawbolt body. When the retention member is disengaged from the swivel adapter, the pulling head can be rotated to cause the frame to move relative to the drawbolt body to adjust a gripping force of the jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel Cobzaru
  • Patent number: 10393167
    Abstract: A self-locking plug assembly is provided that includes a plug, a lower clutch disposed around the plug and defining engagement features, an upper clutch disposed around the plug and defining mating engagement features, a resilient member and a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around a proximal end portion of the plug. The mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction. In one form, the engagement features of the lower clutch and upper clutch comprise a plurality of teeth arranged around a central aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh Patel, Ismael Pacheco
  • Publication number: 20190162222
    Abstract: A blind fastener for connecting a plurality of panels includes a core bolt and a core nut. The core nut surrounds the core bolt. The core nut includes a main body, a nut head, and a tool engagement section. The nut head has a larger outside diameter than the main body. The core nut defines a frangible portion between the nut head and the tool engagement section. The frangible portion is configured to allow the tool engagement section to break off from the nut head when a torque applied to the tool engagement section is greater than a threshold torque after the blind fastener is installed in the plurality of panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Terry VOVAN, Brian HOFFARTH, Su HUYNH, Florentin POPESCU
  • Publication number: 20190160520
    Abstract: A tool for installing a blind fastener including a core bolt and a core nut is provided. The tool includes a driving member, a collet driven by the driving member for engaging the core bolt, and an external sleeve for holding the core nut and preventing the core nut from rotating during installation of the blind fastener. The external sleeve is movable between a first position in which the external sleeve is driven by the collet to rotate with the collet and a second position in which the external sleeve is stationary despite rotating action of the collet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel COBZARU
  • Publication number: 20190162217
    Abstract: A blind fastener for connecting panels includes a bolt and nut. The bolt includes a shaft, bolt head, and lug. The bolt head is between the shaft and lug. The shaft defines external threads opposite the bolt head. The lug includes a first tool engagement portion and first frangible portion that connects the lug and bolt head. The nut includes a sleeve, nut head, and handling member. A central bore of the sleeve receives the shaft and defines internal threads mated with the external threads. The nut head is between the handling member and sleeve. The nut head extends radially from the sleeve and defines a recess that receives the bolt head. The handling member surrounds a portion of the lug. The handling member includes a second frangible portion and a second tool engagement portion. The second frangible portion couples the second tool engagement portion to the nut head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Terry VOVAN
  • Publication number: 20190128298
    Abstract: A method of installing an insert in an aperture of a panel includes inserting a sleeve central portion into the aperture so that a sleeve flange opposes a first side of the panel. The sleeve central portion extends from the sleeve flange. The method further includes inserting a plug central portion into the aperture so that a plug flange opposes a second side of the panel. The plug central portion extends from the plug flange. The method also includes pressing at least one of the plug and sleeve into sliding engagement with the other until the plug and sleeve are installed. When installed, a distal end of the plug is received into a sleeve cavity and resilient beams defined by an extension of the sleeve central portion are elastically deflected by a wall of the plug central portion. The plug flange defines an aperture extending into a plug cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James RICHARDSON, Nilesh PATEL, Ismael PACHECO
  • Patent number: D909856
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel Cobzaru
  • Patent number: D909857
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel Cobzaru
  • Patent number: D913782
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Terry Vovan, Brian Hoffarth
  • Patent number: D920774
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel Cobzaru
  • Patent number: D928602
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: SPS Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Terry Vovan, Giuseppe Ferrara, Brian Hoffarth, Rodrigo Barranqueiro Egea
  • Patent number: D935877
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SPS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Cristinel Cobzaru