Patents for December/January

Patents as compiled from: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) – www.uspto.gov – for the December 2025/January 2026 issue of FTI.

Flow Drill Screw
US Patent 12467495
Published November 11, 2025
Inventors: Yongjiu Huo, Yangjiang, China; Huaiwen Liu, Yangjiang, China; and Chuanbing Zhong, Yangjiang, China
Assignee: Kunhou Auto Parts (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., Yangjiang, China
A flow drill screw is provided, which includes a head, a threaded section of a rod and a tip portion; the head is configured to connect with an external tool; the threaded section of the rod is configured for self-tapping a plate; the tip portion is configured to penetrate the plate; the threaded section of the rod and the tip portion are made of different metal materials, and ends of the threaded section of the rod and the tip portion are connected and fixed by welding. By using two different materials to make the threaded section of the rod and the tip portion, it can cope with different plates and meet different usage scenarios, and save costs. This design enables the screw to perform well under various complex conditions, thereby improving its applicability and reliability, and has significant economic and social benefits.

Self-Sealing Fastener and Related Method of Use
US Patent 12467493
Published November 11, 2025
Inventors: Roger A. Vandenberg, Hudsonville, MI, USA
Assignee: National Nail Corp., Grand Rapids, MI, USA
A self-sealing fastener is provided to preserve fluid barriers on building components such as panels, sheets, boards and other work pieces. The fastener can be a form of a nail having a shaft and a pointed tip opposite a head that projects radially outward from the shaft. The fastener can include a striker post extending from the head opposite the shaft a preselected distance. A plug defining a bore can be placed atop the head and registered with the striker post so that the post extends through the bore. The post can extend above the plug, and the plug’s upper surface can be unobstructed by any part of the fastener or post. A related method of use includes striking the post with an automated driver to drive the shaft into a panel; penetrating the panel with the head to create a hole; and plugging the hole above the head with the plug.

Spring Head Screw Assembly
US Patent 12467497
Published November 11, 2025
Inventors: Ralph Joerg Hellmig, Bad Laasphe, Germany; and David Korn, Bad Laasphe, Germany
Assignee: EJOT SE & CO. KG, Bad Berleburg, Germany
The invention relates to a spring head screw assembly (8) incorporating a spring head screw (10) having a head (12) with a conical skirt (14) that widens towards the free end of a threaded shank which adjoins the head (12), wherein the spring head screw assembly (8) has a washer (30) which is located between the skirt and the threaded part (20) of the shank (16) in an unthreaded part (18) of the shank that has a bolt diameter (d0). The inner surface (22) of the skirt transitions into the shank at a radius (Ru), wherein the inner surface (22) forms a contact angle (α) with a support plane (EA). The support plane is defined by the end of the skirt facing the free end of the screw and is orthogonal to the screw axis. The shank has, between the support plane and the radius in the transition to the skirt, a cylindrical region having the bolt diameter.

Blind Fasteners with EME Protection and Sealing
US Patent 12454975
Published October 28, 2025
Inventors: Blake Simpson, Kent, WA, USA; and Sean Dennis Morden, Federal Way, WA, USA
Assignee: The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA, USA
Methods and blind fasteners with EME protection are provided. A blind fastener comprises a shank having a bulb forming portion; a head; and an electromagnetic effects (EME) protection sealant positioned on at least one of the bulb forming portion of the shank or under the head.

Pressure Differential Fastener Release Mechanism
US Patent 12442404
Published October 14, 2025
Inventor: Jason S. Boxerman, Panama City, FL, USA
Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
A fastener release mechanism is provided, which operates utilizing a pressure differential between the mechanism and the surrounding medium. A sealed cavity is fabricated within a shank section of the mechanism. When used in a releasable system, the shank section is exposed to the surrounding medium through a plurality of channel bores fabricated into a head section of the fastener release mechanism. The shank section includes one or more seams or scored areas designed to cause the failure of the shank section when a pressure differential between the pressure of the surrounding medium against the shank section and the pressure within the cavity reaches a designed fracture pressure. The fracture of the shank section can release a part held in place by the threaded section of the fastener release mechanism.

Sealing Head Design for Self-Penetrating and Hole Forming Fasteners
US Patent 12421991
Published September 23, 2025
Inventors: Stephen Crockett, Bartlett, IL, USA: Brandt J. Ruszkiewicz, Glendale Heights, IL, USA; Eric C. Breidenbaugh, Huntley, IL, USA; John Grimsby, Carol Stream, IL, USA; and Chris Norton, Cheboygan, MI, USA
Assignee: Semblex Corporation, Elmhurst, IL, USA
A fastener including an elongated shaft extending between first and second shaft ends, with a tip provided at the first shaft end, and a thread region provided between the tip and the second shaft end; and a head with a drive region arranged at the second shaft end. The fastener also incudes a first annular undercut area in an underside surface of the head, where the first annular undercut area is configured and arranged to receive material that has flowed from a substrate during installation of the fastener into the substrate, and a second annular undercut area in the underside surface of the head, where the second annular undercut area is located radially outwardly of the first annular undercut area. Additionally, an annular sealing member is provided within the second annular undercut area, where the annular sealing member makes sealing contact with an upper surface of the substrate.

System and Method for Applying a Shear Test to a Threaded Section of a Bolt
US Patent 12416557
Published September 16, 2025
Inventors: Carson W. Cade, South Windsor, CT, USA; and Allan R. Gorneault, Southington, CT, USA
Assignee: RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT, USA
A system having: a shear die set having a fork that includes first and second legs that are have grooves and are spaced from each other to define a test cavity; and a center sleeve that extends between the legs and is radially larger than the first leg groove, the center sleeve has an inner threaded surface and receives a threaded portion of the bolt; a first support sleeve having an inner threaded surface that receives a threaded portion of the bolt, and the first support sleeve has an outer diameter surface that fits in the first leg groove; and a second support sleeve having a same size and shape as the first support sleeve and receives a threaded portion of the bolt and fits in the second leg groove; and the outer diameter of the first support sleeve is different than the outer diameter of the center sleeve.

Heavy-Duty Thrust Washer with Lubricant Passages for E-Axle
US Patent 12416328
Published September 16, 2025
Inventors: Guihui Zhong, Charlotte, NC, USA; James Brown, Rock Hill, SC, USA; Florin Muscas, Sterling Heights, MI, USA; and Joseph T. Griffin, Monroe, NC, USA
Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach, Germany
A thrust washer for a bearing assembly having increased strength, decreased weight and improved oil flow for lubrication and/or cooling of the bearing assembly. The thrust washer includes an annular washer body surrounding a central axis. The washer body has first and second opposite axial sides, and each axial side includes a plurality of alternating radially-extending ridges and channels that define oil flow passageways. In one example, the thrust washer is a stamped component.