Patents Examined by Jeffrey A. Sharp
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Patent number: 7083370Abstract: A device for fastening panels to tubular frames comprises a dowel element (10) and a sleeve element (11). An expander region (15) of the dowel element, comprising a plain cylindrical section (16) and a conically tapering section (17), is designed to react with a complementarily-tapering inner bore section (19) of the sleeve element when the dowel element is moved axially relative to the sleeve element to cause outward movement of an expandable section (20) of the sleeve element. The sleeve element has a flange (21) which acts as a depth stop and an undercut portion (22) so that a shoulder (23) of the expandable section lodges behind the hole in the tubular member when the fastener is set.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2002Date of Patent: August 1, 2006Assignee: Titus International PLCInventor: William Ernest Taylor Vallance
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Patent number: 7070356Abstract: A plug-in connector for hollow sections of spacer frames for insulating glass panes with two connector parts which can be plugged together. The connector parts have one of an essentially U-shaped and box-shaped cross section. The connector parts include side walls which are adjacent to each other in a plugged-together position of the two connector parts. A positive-locking connection is arranged on the connector parts and acts on all sides at the side walls.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2004Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Inventors: Ralf Max Kronenberg, Max Kronenberg
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Patent number: 7070375Abstract: A temporary fastener includes a grip length indicator. By machining a flattened area into a body of the temporary fastener, by engraving an scale into the flattened area, and by attaching an indicator dot visible in the groove to a moving part of an internal assembly of the temporary fastener, the grip length of the installed temporary fastener may be read directly on the scale while the temporary fastener applies a clamp-up force to a structure. By using the temporary fastener of the present invention, it is possible to determine a fastener hole length while a temporary fastener is installed. Using the method for determining a fastener grip length of the present invention enables the effective determination of the correct fastener grip length for each particular fastener hole of a large structure, such as an aircraft airframe.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Leslie A. Hoeckelman
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Patent number: 7052222Abstract: A quick-fastening element (10) is used to anchor loads to profile rails (12a, 12b). It has a mounting part (18), a cage (20), and a movable closing nut (22). To improve the screwing-in motion and to enable more universal use of the quick-fastening element, it is proposed that a first spring element (24) is provided between the closing nut (22) and the mounting part (18), and a second spring element (26) is provided between the end of the cage (20) and the closing nut (22), and the closing nut (22) is in a position of equilibrium.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2004Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: SW Stanzwerk Glarus AGInventors: Franz Muller, Peter Henrich, Ludbert Hagemann
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Patent number: 7025552Abstract: An assembly for automatically compensating variations of the spacing between first and second structural members due to manufacturing and/or mounting tolerances. The assembly comprises a mounting bolt, a base element, and an adjustment sleeve. The adjustment sleeve has a drive portion adapted to be engaged with the nut by frictional drag and rotatable relative to said mounting bolt when said frictional drag has been overcome. The drive portion comprises an internal annular plastic portion which projects from the wall of the adjustment sleeve radially outwards sufficiently so as to frictionally engage the threads of the mounting bolt to provide for said frictional drag.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Bollhoff Verbindungstechnik GmbHInventors: Klaus Friedrich Grubert, Uwe Kirchhecker, Frank Kassing
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Patent number: 7021877Abstract: The invention relates to a self-tapping screw, whose threads, in a rear area (facing the head), have a substantially cylindrical external diameter and, in a front area (facing away from the head), extend with an external diameter which decreases towards the end of the screw. Both in the rear area and in the front area, the threads have an asymmetrical cross section with a bisector of the flank angle, measured at the thread tips, which is located obliquly with respect to the axial course of the core and which reverses from the rear area (first cross section) towards the front area (second cross section), the bisector in the front area being inclined towards the screw head. The reversal point of the thread cross section is placed such that the first cross section is substantially present in the rear area, the second cross section substantially in the front area.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2003Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: EJOT GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ralf Birkelbach, Dirk Runkel, Gerd Weigel
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Patent number: 7018153Abstract: The invention relates to a plastic nut to be fitted to a component having an aperture, which, with a nut piece serving to hold a screw, can be plugged into the aperture and which, in order to bear on one side of the component, is provided with a flange which has a through hole for the screw and, on its side facing the component, has a sealing washer and, in order to bear on the other side of the component, is provided with snap-action hooks which, after insertion, spread out as the screw is tightened in the accommodation hole in the plastic nut and therefore secure the plastic nut to the component. The sealing washer has at its outer rim a shoulder which encloses the flange and projects beyond the thickness of the latter and, from its inner rim, merges into a collar which projects into the through hole.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2003Date of Patent: March 28, 2006Assignee: EJOT GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Jürgen Behle, Gottfried Koenig, Günter Welik
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Patent number: 7014409Abstract: A fastening element which has a core (16) of a relatively hard, carburized steel and a ferritic rim zone (15) of a less hard, low-carbon steel, includes a stem (11), a head (14) provided at one end of the stem (11), a tip (13) provided at an opposite end of the stem (11), and a transition region (12) extending between the stem (11) and the tip (13) and in which a thickness (18, 19, 20) of the ferritic rim zone (15) gradually diminishes from the stem (11) in a direction toward the tip (13) to a nill value (21), so that the tip (13) is free from the ferritic rim zone (15).Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2004Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Hilti AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jan Allaart, Sven Dietze, Thorsten Ebert
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Patent number: 7014407Abstract: A wire nail for use with a powered nail-driving tool has a full-round head with an axis that is offset from an axis of the integrally formed shank. An outer circumferential surface of the shank is at least as offset from the shank axis in one radial direction as a circumferential surface of the head in that radial direction. Accordingly, such nails may be collated shank-to-shank in a strip of wire nails such that adjoining shanks are both parallel and touching. During manufacture of the wire nail, a notch is formed in the shank at the intersection between the shank and the head. The notch and the head axis are disposed on opposite sides of the shank axis from each other. The notch facilitates improved metal flow during the head-forming procedure and results in strong shank to head connections.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2002Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Stanley Fastening Systems, L.P.Inventors: John R. Crompton, Wayne Greene, George P. Smith
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Patent number: 7011281Abstract: An expansion bolt. A first chock has first and second outer ramping surfaces. A second chock has an inner ramping surface complementarily corresponding to the first outer ramping surface. A spring member biases the second chock radially inwardly against the first outer ramping surface of the first chock.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2003Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Inventors: Karl Guthrie, Joseph Schwartz
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Patent number: 7004702Abstract: A fastener system for connecting and releasing two elements. The system comprises a rod-shaped product with a male part and a female part, in which the male part is sized to be receivable in the female part. Either the male or female part is provided with a screw thread and the other is provided with at least one tooth such that, when the male and female parts are assembled, the tooth is engaged with the screw thread. The part equipped with the tooth comprises a strip extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, so that when the male part is pressed into the female part, the tooth is elastically distorted axially onto the screw thread, and the tooth shape and the screw thread prevent axial movement in the opposite direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2001Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Inventor: Franciscus Antonius Maria Van Der Heijden
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Patent number: 7004704Abstract: A flute positioner is provided for positioning a fastener in a tool barrel, and includes a body, a throughbore extending through the body, and at least one holding member extending into the throughbore. One or more extensions may extend radially outward from the body.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2004Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Donald Buytaert, Richard J. Ernst, George Matthew Davis, David W. Jablonski
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Patent number: 6994501Abstract: Disclosed is a stopping point comprising a connecting eye (1) used with stopping or lashing means. Said connecting eye is rotatably mounted on an anchoring screw (4) which is undetachably connected to a supporting disc (10). The base (2) of the connecting eye leans against a ring flange (13) of the anchoring screw (4) head (5) via a first series of rolling bodies (11) and against the supporting disc (10) via a second series of rolling bodies (12) so as to ensure high rotatability of the connecting eye (1) in relation to the anchoring screw (4).Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2002Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: RUD-Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co.Inventor: Reinhard Smetz
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Patent number: 6994503Abstract: A quick lock nut (1) for positive friction locking securement of a disc-like tool (2) to an external thread (3) on a working spindle (4) driven about an axis of rotation (A), having an associated inner threaded part (5) and a manually displaceable tensioning means (6, 6?, 6?) for axial clamping and release of the inner threaded part (5) relative to the tool (2), wherein at least one flat spring (7) extending essentially parallel to the axis of rotation (A) is associated with the inner threaded part (5) on the tool side, by means of which the inner threaded part (5) can be axially resiliently tensioned with the tool (2).Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2004Date of Patent: February 7, 2006Assignee: Hilti AktiengsellschaftInventor: Thomas Blatz
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Patent number: 6976816Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection between a spindle and a bearing assembly to retain the bearing assembly on the spindle. A combination lock washer and spindle bearing assembly is provided to include a spindle, thrust washer, lock washer and nut in which the lock washer simultaneously locks the inner thrust washer and an outer spindle nut. According to the present invention, the thrust washer, lock washer and nut may be oriented at any angle relative to one another allowing for infinite bearing adjustment positions.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2003Date of Patent: December 20, 2005Assignee: Dana CorporationInventors: Steve Slesinski, Jeff Moreau, Dave Moses, Tom Lyon
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Patent number: 6971831Abstract: A fastener for securing first and second members together at opposing respective flat surfaces thereof, whereby at the point of joining the first member has an aperture concentric with an aperture of the second member, the fastener comprising first and second tubular portions concentric with one another, whereby the second tubular portion is of reduced outside diameter relative to the first tubular portion, a circular flange forming a transverse interior end of the first tubular portion, an interior end of the second tubular portion being rigidly joined to the circular flange, at least one resilient arm being formed in and extending from a sidewall of each one of the first and second tubular portions toward the flange, the at least one resilient arm of each portions each having a free end including a retaining end surface adapted for having close proximity to a side portion surrounding the respective apertures of the first and second members.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2003Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: LMT Mercer Group, Inc.Inventors: James G. Fattori, Anthony J. Lesenskyj, George Lesenskyj
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Patent number: 6969220Abstract: A wall anchor (1) has a head shaft (5) and a screw nut shaft (6) on the same longitudinal axis (4), connected to each other by a plurality of approximately longitudinal small bars (7). The bars (7) are plastically flexible in a direction away from the axis (4). The screw nut shaft (6) is equipped with teeth (18) of generally triangular shape. The teeth (18) form a longitudinal projection with respect thereto and converge on the axis (4) to define a point (22) to perforate or drill a partition (8).Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2004Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.Inventor: Robert Anquetin
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Patent number: 6955515Abstract: A hand tightened locking pin using a unique internal cam configuration to lock the pin assembly. The pin assembly includes a sleeve and a locking cam unit. The sleeve includes anti-rotation protrusions that match a keyhole in a first metal plate to prevent rotation of the sleeve. The pin assembly is inserted through the keyhole of the first metal plate and a circular hole in a second metal plate that lies on the first metal plate. When the locking cam unit, which is inside the sleeve, is rotated, a lower portion of the sleeve expands, locking the first and metal plates together. The cam is locked in position by concave shaped ends that mate over bulges in the lower portion of the sleeve. A locked/unlocked indicator on top of the pin assembly indicates when the concave shaped ends are mated with the bulges.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2003Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard Barina, Dean F. Herring, Glenn E. Myrto
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Patent number: 6955514Abstract: A connector for fastening a member having an attaching hole includes a female part and a male part. The female part has a head portion, a leg portion, an inner space formed in the leg portion side and opened at the head portion, and an engaging projection formed on the leg portion for engaging the attaching hole. The engaging projection elastically bends inwardly and engages the attaching hole when the leg portion is inserted into the attaching hole. The male part has a pressing head portion, an inserting leg to be inserted into the inner space of the female part, a first engaging portion for engaging the female part so that the male part is temporarily fixed to the female part, and a second engaging portion for engaging the female part.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2003Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: NIFCO Inc.Inventor: Shouichi Hoshi
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Patent number: 6955512Abstract: A mounting device for securing an electronic device to an equipment rack includes a mounting member and a securing device mounted on an end of the mounting member.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2003Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Joseph R. Allen, Kelly K. Smith, George D. Megason