Abstract: A refrigerator includes a housing defining an interior compartment with an open side and a door rotatably coupled with the housing and selectively closing at least a portion of the open side. The door includes a door liner having a plurality of mounting members mounted thereto. The mounting members are foamed-in place by an interconnection with an insulation material provided in an inner cavity of the door. The mounting members further include mounting plates extending outwardly from an outer surface of the door liner. The refrigerator further includes a storage compartment system comprised of multiple interconnecting modules that are removeably mounted to the mounting plates of the mounting members. The interconnecting modules can be reconfigured to provide multiple arrangements of storage compartments supported on the door.

Abstract: A bone fixation device includes (a) a threaded shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end; (b) a head located at the proximal end of the shaft; (c) a connector threadably engaging the threaded shaft and movable therealong; and (d) an extension member movable between an insertion configuration for insertion through an opening in a cortex of a bone to a locked configuration when pressed against an inner surface of the cortex. The profile of the wing in the locked configuration in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft is increased relative to the insertion configuration to distribute forces transmitted between the bone fixation apparatus and the bone over an increased area of the cortex.

Abstract: A self-drilling expansion fastener is integrally formed of a sheet metal material for locking two or more sheet workpieces together, and includes an expansion structure and a drill structure. The expansion structure has a plurality of internal threads and force-distributing bars. The drill structure has a chip guard for covering a head of the expansion structure, and a drill forward projected from the chip guar for self-drilling a hole. When an externally threaded element is screwed into the expansion structure to mesh with the internal threads, the force-distributing bars are brought to expand outward and are finally compressed into a folded state to thereby tightly lock the sheet workpieces to one another. A method of forming the self-drilling expansion fastener is also disclosed.

Abstract: A grommet for an opening of a sheet member includes a shank, a head and at least a flexible locking tab. The shank includes, in a region adjacent the head and outside the locking tab, a shoulder to be placed below an edge of the opening when the shank is rotated an angle about the axis of the opening after being inserted therein. The shoulder and the locking tab prevent withdrawal of the grommet from the opening. The shank further includes an inclined outer surface section connecting the shoulder and the lower surface of the head. The inclined outer surface section engages the edge of the opening and draws the shank into the opening upon rotation of the shank.

Abstract: A joining assembly for joining a pair of structural members, comprises a bolt having a thread and a nut-like blind rivet adapted to be inserted into mounting holes of the structural members and to be threadingly engaged to each other. One of the mounting holes is made of resiliently deformable material and comprises a base member including a bore for receiving the thread of the bolt and having an outside provided with a plurality of threads which are similar in number to the corners of the polygonal mounting hole, such that when the bolt is threadingly engaged into the bore of the blind rivet the base member is folded whereby the threads have parts of their flanks pressed against one of the structural members.

Abstract: A plug for fixing to hollow and to solid building materials has a plug body having a plurality of longitudinally extending expansible limbs that are expansible by screwing in of an expansion screw, the expansible limbs having a rear end and a leading end, a sleeve-shaped plug end which joins the expansible limbs with one another at the rear end and is formed so that the expansion screw is insertable through the plug end, a sleeve-shaped plug tip which joins the expansible sleeves with one another at the leading end and which is formed so that the expansion screw is screwable into the plug tip, and a stretchable material which joins the expansible limbs with one another circumferentially and which is pierced by several helically arranged slots.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plug (10) for fastening to hollow or panel-type building materials and to solid building materials. The invention proposes providing the plug (10) with expansion limbs (18) that extend longitudinally and that are connected to one another by thin skins (22) having a corrugation in the peripheral direction. That has the advantage of good screw guidance and a torsionally rigid construction of the plug (10); especially when fastening to hollow and panel-type building materials, undesirable backwards rotation of the plug tip (16) is avoided when screwing in an expansion screw by hand. Angled slits (32) in the plug tip (16) bring about good adaptation to screws having different diameters and different pitches of thread.

Abstract: A plug for fixing to hollow and to solid building materials has a plug body having a plurality of longitudinally extending expansible limbs that are expansible by screwing in of an expansion screw, the expansible limbs having a rear end and a leading end, a sleeve-shaped plug end which joins the expansible limbs with one another at the rear end and is formed so that the expansion screw is insertable through the plug end, a sleeve-shaped plug tip which joins the expansible sleeves with one another at the leading end and which is formed so that the expansion screw is screwable into the plug tip, and a stretchable material which joins the expansible limbs with one another circumferentially and which is pierced by several helically arranged slots.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plug (10) for fastening to hollow or panel-type building materials and to solid building materials. The invention proposes providing the plug (10) with expansion limbs (18) that extend longitudinally and that are connected to one another by thin skins (22) having a corrugation in the peripheral direction. That has the advantage of good screw guidance and a torsionally rigid construction of the plug (10); especially when fastening to hollow and panel-type building materials, undesirable backwards rotation of the plug tip (16) is avoided when screwing in an expansion screw by hand. Angled slits (32) in the plug tip (16) bring about good adaptation to screws having different diameters and different pitches of thread.

Abstract: The novel anchor has a neck portion formed with an opening for inserting a screw into the anchor, a head portion formed with an annular, circumferentially closed collar, and spreading elements connecting the neck portion with the head portion. Radially extending longitudinal webs connect the spreading element with the collar and they space the collar from the spreading elements.

Abstract: An expansion plug has at least one tensioning member, an expansion means formed by a system of at least two expansion tubes encircling the tensioning member and fitted one within another, each of the expansion tubes being provided with a series of slots which are equally spaced in a circumferential direction to retain peripheral sections of the expansion tubes between the slots, the slots extending over a part of a length of the expansion tubes, the tensioning member and the at least two expansion tubes being dimensioned and shaped so that by inserting an axial relative movement the peripheral sections are radially expanded in order to achieve an anchoring effect, the slots of the at least two expansion tubes having a shape which is helical in relation to an axis of a respective one of the expansion tubes, the slots having a slope such that the slope of radially adjacent ones of the expansion tubes are of mutually opposite hand, the expansion tubes being arranged to be non-rotatable relative to one another.

Abstract: An anchor for a bolt formed of a single strip of sheet metal includes a pair of opposed shell portions having helically aligned connecting strips. The shell portions extend from a bottom end of the anchor having a threaded sleeve for accepting the bolt. The free ends of the shell portions have tabs extending outwardly for engagement into the plate in which the member is being installed. The anchor is formed by first stamping a strip of metal and then bending the ends of the strip to form a cylindrical shell. Axially aligned tabs on the free ends extend into complimentary recesses to join the two shell halves together.

Abstract: A fastener assembly for mounting to a panel to allow connection of associated structures thereto comprises a fastener receiving and retaining member formed of plastic and including an elongated sleeve-like body having a head end and a terminal end with a central aperture extending axially therebetween. A flange extends radially from the head end and a fastener receiving bore is carried at the terminal end in alignment with the central aperture. Radially extending retaining elements are carried on the sleeve-like body. A first set of openings is formed through the flange and a second set of openings is formed through the sleeve-like body at a location closely adjacent the flange. A sheet of temperature expandable sealer material is carried on the sleeve-like body adjacent the flange such that when the said member is mounted to a panel by extending the sleeve-like body through an opening in the panel the sheet of expandable sealer material is compressed between the flange and the panel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an infiltrated ferrous powder metal part containing certain additives, yielding a part having improved dimensional control during infiltration and uniform and predictable distribution of dynamic properties within a given group of commonly manufactured parts.

Abstract: The invention is a composite rivet comprising a tubular preform having a longitudinal axis and an aperture therethrough aligned with the longitudinal axis. The preform further comprises a head portion, a head forming portion and a shear portion therebetween. The preform is composed of filamentary material in a resin matrix with the filamentary material in the head forming portion in a helical pattern about the longitudinal axis. A mandrel is mounted in the aperture with the mandrel having an end extending outward from said head forming portion.

Abstract: A plastic straddling or expansion plug having a closed plug neck and a closed plug foot both with a longitudinal aperture into which a screw can cut a thread. The plug includes a shank having a thin plug jacket on which a two-flight helix is integrally formed. In the region between the helices, the plug jacket is provided with longitudinal slits. On the outside of the helix, further ribs are provided which each extend over a 180.degree. arc and are integrally formed with the helix, alternating in orientation by a 90.degree. angle. The plug neck includes flange lugs oriented in the shape of a cross and adapted to be folded over.

Abstract: A device for anchoring in and/or reinforcing hard materials, such as stone, concrete and the like, is described. The device consists of a continuous body, made in one piece, designed for insertion axially into a mounting hole in said materials and which has, transverse to its axis, expansible gripping surfaces or points arranged so as to, when expanded, bear against and engage the sides of the hole for anchoring the device into the hole. In order to achieve the said expansion of the gripping surfaces or points, the shell is provided with, firstly, one or more axial rows (1,2) of pressure absorbing braces (3) between the expansible gripping surfaces or points, which braces (3) are, at least upon insertion of the device in the hole, inclined to the axial direction of the device with their first ends (6) axially displaced in relation to their second ends (7) in a direction towards the insertion end (5) of the device.

Abstract: A metal blind rivet assembly having a plurality of ribs with flutes between them located about the circumference of the barrel of the rivet sleeve. The ribs are arranged in a helix and at an angle so that during the setting operation a twisting motion takes place to scrape the workpiece so that contaminants such as dirt or varnish are removed to provide electrical contact with the workpiece.

Abstract: A sleeve anchor for use in a pre-drilled hole in concrete, masonry and the like includes a bolt with threaded outer end for receiving an internally threaded pressure member, e.g., a nut. The inner end defines a shank terminating in a head of diameter greater than the shank. The head has a tapered wedge-forming shoulder adjoining the shank. A sleeve is disposed concentrically upon the bolt and includes a collar extending along a threaded portion of the bolt at its upper outer end is disposed for receiving longitudinal pressure toward the inner end of the bolt generated by tightening of the nut. An inner portion of the collar is of petalform configuration, having three petals extending along the shank in closely-spaced side-by-side relationship. The petals are joined at proximal ends to the collar by respective pillars each of narrow arcuate extent, providing windows between the pillars of greater arcuate extent.

Abstract: This fastening device, notably for fixing an object to a hollow partition or wall, comprises a splined plug, a screw and a nut; the bottom of the gaps formed between the splines is provided with a slit, except at the plug ends, to enable the splines to separate and expand when contracted as a consequence of the tightening of the nut by means of the screw; the nut carries lugs corresponding to the gaps formed between the plug splines so that when the device is tightened home the lugs registering with the gaps engages the latter to assist in reinforcing the locking action exerted by the expanded and twisted splines against the inner face of the partition.

Abstract: An expandable spacer, comprising: an axial tube having a surface, a proximal end and a distal end and a length, wherein, said surface defines a plurality of slits, said plurality of slits defining at least two axially displaced extensions, such that when said tube is axially compressed, said extensions extend out of said surface and define a geometry of an expanded spacer. Preferably the spacer is adapted to be inserted between two spinal vertebrae of a human.