Patents Examined by Gary Estremsky
  • Flush mounted fastener for plasma processing apparatus
    Patent number: 8562266
    Abstract: A fastener assembly for parts of a plasma chamber. The fastener assembly includes a bolt with a tool engaging socket and a spring-loaded pin which fits in a through hole of the bolt. When installed, the spring-loaded pin substantially fills the space in the socket and thus prevents parasitic plasma from forming in spaces between opposed surfaces of the pin and bolt. When a tool such as a hex key is inserted into the socket, the spring-loaded pin retracts and the tool rotates the bolt to attach an upper part to a lower part by engaging threads of the bolt with a threaded hole in the lower part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Sexton
  • Fastener tip coating chemistry
    Patent number: 8562268
    Abstract: An ease of drive coating for a fastener is formulated from a resin having at least two different friction reducing components, such as silicone and graphite. A fastener and fastener strip include a resin formulation with at last two different friction reducing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Geronimo E. Lat, Lawrence S. Shelton, Daniel P. Birr, Arthur C. Wachowski, Daniel V. Chin
  • Quick attaching and detaching nut
    Patent number: 8540471
    Abstract: A nut assembly comprises a capture nut having a smooth bore adapted to fit around the threads of a threaded member such as a bolt or a threaded rod. The capture nut includes a tapered bowl which defines a hexagon in cross section, for example. The nut assembly further includes a split nut having a surface which snugly mates with the tapered bowl of the capture nut. The split nut engages the threads of the threaded member, but only after the split nut is brought into close proximity to the capture nut, thereby avoiding the need to thread the nut assembly the entire length of the threads of the threaded member. The split nut may be formed to two separable pieces, or it may be formed of two integral halves joined together by a thin membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Visenut LLC
    Inventor: Steven G. Dvorak
  • Smart lid for smart bolts and probes
    Patent number: 8540468
    Abstract: The smart lid for smart bolts and probes is an electronic sensor for use with a smart bolt or probe having a color indicator for indicating tension. The smart lid includes a color sensor that provides electrical data corresponding to light received from the color indicator of the smart bolt or probe, a microcontroller that receives electrical data from the color sensor and converts that data to a digital form and compares the data against at least one limit, and provides a digital indication wirelessly to a remote monitor if the at least one limit has been exceeded. In this fashion a warning or emergency condition can be indicated when the tension experienced by the smart bolt is too low or too high. The smart lid may include an electrical power source that scavenges electrical power from ambient electromagnetic fields (EMF) and stores the electrical power in a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
    Inventors: Samir Mekid, Abdelhafid Bouhraoua, Uthman Baroudi
  • Reversible magnetic door stop/latch
    Patent number: 8540292
    Abstract: A magnetic door stop/latch contains a first magnet mounted on or within a door and a second magnet mounted on or within a structure opposing the door, such as a wall, door jamb, door frame or baseboard. When the door is moving towards the opposing structure, the magnetic door stop may used to prevent the door from slamming into the opposing structure by virtue of the repulsive forces of the magnets. The magnetic door stop may be switched from repulsive configuration to an attractive configuration that holds the door in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Inventor: Edward B. Ferguson
  • Method for producing hollow body elements, hollow body element, component, follow-on composite tool for producing hollow body elements
    Patent number: 8534973
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow body elements (200), for example, nut elements which are applied to components which are normally made of steel (280), in particular, for producing hollow body elements having an essentially quadratic or rectangular external profile (202). Said method consists of cutting individual elements of a profile in the form of a profile rod (1) or a winding after holes (204) have previously been stamped in the profile, a threaded cylinder (206) is subsequently, optionally, formed using a follow-on composite tool (10) which consists of several working stations. The invention is characterized in that a penetrating process and a punching process are carried out in the working station. The invention also relates to hollow body elements (200), components, follow-on composite tools (10) and rolling mills (600, 602).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert
  • Method of manufacturing a vehicular traction apparatus and a vehicular traction hook, and method of manufacturing a vehicular connecting member
    Patent number: 8529179
    Abstract: A vehicular traction apparatus is manufactured which includes a connecting member having a female thread portion mountable to a vehicular side and a traction hook. At one end of the traction hook is a male thread portion screwable into the female thread portion and at the other end thereof is a hook portion to which a traction member is mountable. An original position and/or a terminal portion of the male thread portion of the traction hook is arranged in a predetermined position relative to the hook portion. After the male portion is clamped to the connecting member, position of the hook member is settable in a predetermined, allowable angle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Faltec Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeji Takano
  • Integrated pin/sleeve blind fastener
    Patent number: 8529177
    Abstract: A fastener, capable of securing work pieces accessible from only one side, is provided. The blind fastener includes a deformable sleeve and a pin, the pin having a main body section and a tail section. The main body section includes a shear load bearing section integrally connected to a lock collar engagement section on a first end and a pin stalk section on a second end, the pin stalk section integrally connected to a series of pin sleeve integrating grooves. The tail section is integrally connected between the main body, via a break notch, and a series of serrations. The sleeve includes a hollow tubular shank having a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end, where the first sleeve end has a sleeve head having an opening for receiving the main body section. At all times during assembly of the fastener, the series of serrations remain outside the sleeve, never passing through the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Polaris Fastening Consulting, LLC
    Inventors: Rahmatollah F. Toosky, Nicholas A. Elliott
  • Super spike
    Patent number: 8529180
    Abstract: A fastener is provided. The fastener includes an elongated shank extending along a longitudinal axis. The shank has a first end and a second end and a head portion is formed at the first end of the shank. The head portion includes an annular flange extending radially out from the longitudinal axis and has a first diameter. The fastener also includes a first section extending along at least a portion of the shank and disposed adjacent to the head portion. The fastener also includes a knurled section extending along at least a portion of the shank and disposed adjacent to the first cylindrical section where the knurled section includes a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves and peaks disposed around a circumference of the shank and a helical thread portion extending axially along at least a portion of said shank and disposed adjacent to the knurled section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: United Steel and Fasteners
    Inventor: Isaac Sargis
  • Removable blind fastener
    Patent number: 8517650
    Abstract: A removable blind fastener comprising a first member (10) having an elongate body (11) with a head (12) at one end, a second member (20) adapted for axial movement relative to the first member, the second member having a threaded aperture (25) and at least one adjustable finger (22), the adjustable finger having a flange remote from the head of the first member and the finger being within the circumference of the hollow body of the first member in the first position of the adjustable finger and the flange extends beyond the circumference of the hollow body of the first member in the second position of the adjustable finger. Rotation of a threaded member (30) in a first direction causes axial movement of the second member relative to the first member in a clamping direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Kwikbolt Limited
    Inventors: Jan Niklewicz, Dean Ainsley Carran
  • Fastening assembly
    Patent number: 8511954
    Abstract: A fastening assembly using the keyhole principle is provided. For this purpose, a first component having a bolt that has a round and smooth head is guided through the larger opening of the keyhole, in order then with the head to engage behind the smaller opening of the keyhole-like cut-out for fastening. At the end of its shank, the bolt preferably features an external toothing or an external polyhedron as engagement surface for a tool for fastening the first component to the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Fink, Wolfgang Woernle
  • Thread forming screw thread and corresponding thread roll die
    Patent number: 8506227
    Abstract: A thread forming screw thread fastener and a corresponding thread roll die are disclosed for fastening into a hole of a workpiece composed of low ductility material. More specifically, the thread forming screw thread has smooth radius thread flank which has a capability of deforming low ductile material such as magnesium, soft aluminum, thermoset plastics and other low ductility materials to deform the ductile material efficiently minimizing cracks, debris, low friction during installation and a maximum engagement of the screw with mating parts with the ductile material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Unisteel Technology International Limited
    Inventor: Balasingam Karupaya
  • Punch rivet and die
    Patent number: 8506228
    Abstract: A punch rivet and a die for the production of a punch rivet connection are described. The punch rivet is characterized by special rivet foot and underhead geometries. In the region of the rivet foot, the shank outer face and shank inner face are connected by means of a small radially outer radius and a larger radially inner radius, which radii merge into one another tangentially. The angle that the common tangent encloses with a radial plane is in the range of 10°±20°. The die is preferably matched to the described punch rivet, but can also be used in combination with conventional punch rivets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventors: Sumanjit Singh, Wolfgang Wenzl
  • Washer
    Patent number: 8500380
    Abstract: A washer for a fastener system includes a washer body and a through opening in the washer body configured to allow passage of a fastener tip therethrough. A retention feature is operably connected to the washer body and configured to retain the washer to an inner surface of a setting tool barrel. A method for securing a fastener to a workpiece includes retaining a washer to an inner surface of a barrel of a setting tool and discharging a fastener from the setting tool. A tip of the fastener extends through a through opening in the washer into the workpiece. A head of the fastener is urged into contact with the washer thereby releasing the washer from the setting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Rose, Alan J. Armiento
  • Threaded stud with locking pawl
    Patent number: 8496422
    Abstract: A threaded fastener-nut combination for attaching two work pieces together has means for preventing the intrusion of the fastener threads into the bores of each work piece, thus preventing damage to the work piece which may result from such intrusion. The stud member has a pawl member which extends radially outward to engage an aperture in the nut member, which locks the nut member to the stud member. The engagement of the nut member to the threaded portion of the stud member produces both audible and tactile feedback to indicate that the fastener is properly placed and engaged. Tactile feedback is returned through the emergence of the pawl through the aperture in the nut, and by the rotation of the entire fastener assembly upon the provision of further tightening effort. Auditory feedback is provided through a “click” or similar sound produced when the pawls engages the aperture of the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Avibank Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Senaluck, Jamil Snead, Edward Avetisian
  • Blind rivet
    Patent number: 8496419
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blind rivet and a rivet pin that is connected or can be connected to the tool and is used to apply the blind rivet. Said rivet pin can be connected, by means of a rivet positioning tool, to a part of the blind rivet designed for said tool. When the blind rivet is inserted into a hole up to the abutment of an abutment shoulder formed on a flange, said contact place can be lengthened by means of the rivet pin acting as a traction element, in order to deform the rivet pin such that it fixes in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Wuerth International AG
    Inventor: Uwe Frank
  • Hydraulic nut with alarm systems and variable arrangement of advancement and unit total advancement screws through head rotation with flange sensors
    Patent number: 8480340
    Abstract: Different embodiments of hydraulic nut are described comprising a pressure system with screws that may be displaced to an end detent, and once the travel of the screw has finished, there is no possibility of a further forward movement thereof, so there cannot be a hydraulic fluid leakage. The hydraulic wrench of the present invention may be used in a preventive way, since the nut may indicate a decrease or increase in the preset stress to which it must operate, or it may indicate that the stress at which it must be installed has been reached. For example, the nut may comprise a visual alarm device, an acoustic alarm device or it may issue a warning signal through phototransistors or radiofrequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: Antonio Cami Riestra
  • Exit device and method of operating the same
    Patent number: 8480136
    Abstract: An exit device that includes a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking a door, the locking mechanism having a latch bolt, and a link connected to the latch bolt, movement of the link between locked and unlocked positions causes movement of the latch bolt between an extended state and a retracted state to lock and unlock the door, and a motor operably connected to the link. A method of operating the exit device includes operating the motor to move the link in a first direction toward the unlocked position, the motor being operated until the link reaches a hard stop position; thereafter determining a soft stop position based on the hard stop position; and thereafter selectively using the motor to move the link in the first direction toward the unlocked position, the motor being operated only until the link reaches the soft stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Von Duprin LLC
    Inventors: William P. Dye, Raymond F. Rettig, William W. Myntti
  • Self-clinching blind floating fastener
    Patent number: 8475099
    Abstract: A fastener device includes a self-clinching retainer and a blind fastener. The self-clinching retainer is mounted to a hole in a sheet. The blind fastener is at least partially floating within the self-clinching retainer. The blind fastener has blind thread so that any debris from engaging another fastener is captured within the blind fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Bandis, Russell J. Maxfield
  • Sealing washer assembly for large diameter holes on flat surfaces
    Patent number: 8475103
    Abstract: A sealing washer assembly includes a main washer with a bottom annular groove for a removable O-ring and a top recess for a sealing washer. A fastener such as a screw or bolt passes through the sealing washer and the main washer, into a hole in a mounting surface. When the fastener is tightened, the main washer is clamped to the mounting surface to create a metal-to-metal seal, the O-ring is deformed to create a seal between the main washer and the mounting surface, and the sealing washer is deformed to create a seal between the fastener and the main washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstand Corporation
    Inventors: Jessica Lyn Michalski, Charles V. DeSantis