Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. A knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forcibly ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die. A stripper sleeve which is reciprocal about the outside surface of the punch then moves from a retracted position over the end of the punch pushing a residual scrap ring from around the outside of the punch.

Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. A knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forcibly ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die. A stripper sleeve which is reciprocal about the outside surface of the punch then moves from a retracted position over the end of the punch pushing a residual scrap ring from around the outside of the punch.

Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. A knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forcibly ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die. A stripper sleeve which is reciprocal about the outside surface of the punch then moves from a retracted position over the end of the punch pushing a residual scrap ring from around the outside of the punch.

Abstract: A method of assembling a captive panel fastener to a printed circuit board comprises the steps of placing an axially-extending shank of a captive fastener retainer through a mounting hole in a printed circuit board, soldering the retainer to the printed circuit board, cooling the retainer, and then affixing a retractable screw assembly including a plastic screw cap to the retainer by snap attachment of the screw cap to an outside surface of the retainer.

Abstract: A method of head trimming a fastener blank in a cold-forging process comprises placing a fastener blank into a bore of a punch having an end face; supporting an underside of a head portion of the fastener blank with the punch end face; moving a die having an internal passage and a trim plate with a cutting edge toward the fastener blank; shearing the head of the fastener blank with the cutting edge of the trim plate; stopping movement of the die at an extended trim position where the cutting edge lies beyond an underside of the head portion of the fastener blank; ejecting the fastener blank from the punch bore and through the die passage to an opposite side of the die; retracting the die; and removing a scrap ring from around the punch by a stripper sleeve.

Abstract: A two-piece panel fastener includes a barrel-shaped metal retainer which holds a screw. The screw includes a threaded shaft and a plastic cap which has longitudinally-extending resilient fingers which engage the outer surface of the retainer to captivate the screw. The retainer has a chamfered top flange along its top edge, a circumferential bulge area around its outer surface approximately in the middle of its length, and a base at the bottom. Two circumferential valley regions of reduced diameter are located along the outer surface of the retainer. The first valley region is located between the chamfered top flange and the bulge area and the second is located between the bulge area and the base. When the fingers occupy either of the valley regions, the screw is captively held at either of two stable positions of retraction or extension. The retainer is preferably rigidly affixed to a circuit board by soldering a base flange at the bottom of the retainer to the top surface of the board.

Abstract: A process for cold forging a metal fastener such as a self-clinching standoff includes a punch and die set at the final head trimming station which produces the shear burr only on the underside of the fastener head where it is not visible after installation. At this station, a fastener blank having a tubular barrel and a temporarily formed circular head is placed into a bore of the punch with a barrel of the fastener residing in the bore with the underside of the circular head abutting an end face of the punch. The forging apparatus then moves the die toward the top side of the fastener until a polygonal cutting edge of the die shears metal from around the edges of the circular head of the fastener blank. Movement of the die stops when the cutting edge lies beyond the underside of the head of the fastener. At this point, a knock-out pin which is reciprocal within the bore of the punch forceably ejects the fastener through a passage in the die to a point beyond an opposite side of the die.

Abstract: A two-piece panel fastener includes a barrel-shaped metal retainer which holds a screw. The screw includes a threaded shaft and a plastic cap which has longitudinally-extending resilient fingers which engage the outer surface of the retainer to captivate the screw. The retainer has a chamfered top flange along its top edge, a circumferential bulge area around its outer surface approximately in the middle of its length, and a base at the bottom. Two circumferential valley regions of reduced diameter are located along the outer surface of the retainer. The first valley region is located between the chamfered top flange and the bulge area and the second is located between the bulge area and the base. When the fingers occupy either of the valley regions, the screw is captively held at either of two stable positions of retraction or extension. The retainer is preferably rigidly affixed to a circuit board by soldering a base flange at the bottom of the retainer to the top surface of the board.