Patents for October 2024

Patents as compiled by the editors of FTI for October/November 2024.

IPR Solenoid Retaining Nut
US Patent 12092142
Published September 17, 2024
Inventor: Fernando Parajon, Hialeah, FL, USA
A solenoid retaining nut that secures a solenoid on an injection pressure regulator. The solenoid retaining nut comprises of a nut that has a top part, a middle part, and a bottom part, the top part is a nut, the middle part is a spacer, and the bottom part is a washer, the solenoid retaining nut defines an inner thread that runs from the top part of the spacer to the top part of the nut, the inner thread is configured to screw on the threads of a shaft of an injection pressure regulator.

Fastener, Fastening Structure and Method of Designing Fastener
US Patent 12092144
Published September 17, 2024
Inventors: Kohei Yoshida, Tokyo, Japan; Kazuhiro Miura, Tokyo, Japan; and Takeshi Fujita, Tokyo, Japan
Assignee: Misubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Provided are a fastener that can reduce the fastener weight, decrease body shear fracture, and avoid slip of a nut part and damage of the body due to the slip. The fastener includes: a metal nut part into which a bolt is screwed along an axis; and a resin body in which the nut part is inserted, the nut part includes an internal thread part into which the bolt is screwed from one end to another, a plate-like flange part connected to a side of the other end of the internal thread part and having a flange face perpendicular to the axis, and an erected part arranged at a position apart from the internal thread part radially about the axis and erected axially from the flange face, and the internal thread part and the erected part are inserted in the body.

Systems and Methods for Threaded Fasteners with Grounding Brush Endpoints
US Patent 12095316
Published September 17, 2024
Inventors: Richard Francis Nye, Poland, ME, USA; and Matthew Roman, Winthrop, ME, USA
Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL, USA
Systems and methods to mitigate electrical voltage on a rotating plate are disclosed. An example grounding pen brush includes two or more bundles of conductive filaments that are separated from the others by a threshold distance.

Threaded Fastener Retention Detection
US Patent 12095206
Published September 17, 2024
Inventors: Donghwi Kim, Kirkland, WA, USA; Jaejin Lee, Redmond, WA, USA; and Manish Shah, Redmond, WA, USA
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA, USA
Portable electronic devices by their nature are designed to be regularly physically repositioned and relocated, which can cause significant mechanical stresses on internal components, including printed circuit boards (PCBs). This is particularly true when a portable electronic device is handled roughly. These significant mechanical stresses can cause threaded mechanical fasteners securing the PCBs to become dislodged. A dislodged threaded mechanical fastener may contact electrically conductive features of the PCB or other internal components, thereby causing a ground fault or short. At a minimum, this may cause the portable electronic device to not work well, or at all. Further, this may cause the portable electronic device to overheat and become a fire hazard. The presently disclosed technology detects if the threaded mechanical fasteners within a portable electronic device become dislodged. A user of the portable electronic device may then be warned, and the portable electronic device may be powered down.

Speed Nut
US Patent 12092146
Published September 17, 2024
Inventor: Donald Eugene Rhoton, Emmett, ID, USA
Assignee: Alpha 3D LLC, Middleton, ID, USA
A speed nut provides a separable housing, when closed, defining an internally threaded cavity for engaging a threaded shaft, and when open, allowing movement of the speed nut along the shaft without engagement of the threads. Interdigitated knuckles on the housing portions provide robust resistance against axial shifting when the nut is used to apply axial force to the threaded shaft. The knuckles may also provide a hinge point allowing the nut to be opened and closed with a simple hinging action and a means for locking the nut portions together through a releasable pin passing through the opposite knuckles.

Screw Having Stacked Screw Heads
US Patent 12092141
Published September 17, 2024
Inventor: Tzu-Chih Lin, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Assignee: Alpha Networks Inc., Hsinchu, Taiwan
A screw having stacked screw heads includes a screw shank portion with a thread and a screw head portion rigidly connected to each other. The screw head portion is driven to bring the screw shank portion to rotate. The screw head portion includes a first screw head and a second screw head. The first screw head has a first shaped groove on its top plane to receive an operating torque. A neck portion is connected to a bottom plane of the first screw head and a top plane of the second screw head. The second screw head has a second shaped groove on its top plane. The neck portion or the connection between the neck portion and the first screw head or the second screw head has lower torsional endurance than each of the first screw head and the second screw head.

Nut And Tightening Method
US Patent 12085110
Published September 10, 2024
Inventor: Tomoki Yamashita, Higashiosaka, Japan
Provided is a nut that resists being loosened and is easy to be tightened. A nut 600 includes a nut main body 10 having a tapped hole 30 formed therein; an annular member 41 formed on the side of a top surface of the nut main body 10; and an outer frame member 45 formed on the side of an outer edge of the annular member 41. The annular member 41 includes a second end portion 42b in contact with a top surface 11 of the nut main body 10 and a first end portion 42a located opposite to the second end portion 42b. A top surface of the first end portion 42a is located above a top surface of the second end portion 42b. A first gap 40 is formed between the first end portion 42a and the top surface 11 of the nut main body 10. A second gap 49 is formed between a side surface of the annular member 41 and an inner wall 47 of the outer frame member 45. The top surface of the first end portion 42a of the annular member 41 is located above a top surface 46 of the outer frame member 45. The inner wall 47 of the outer frame member 45 is inclining while tapering in an upward direction.

Universal Hardware Nut
US Patent 12085106
Published September 10, 2024
Inventor: William Noah Dearing, Houston, TX, USA
Assignee: Nut Solutions, LLC, Houston, TX, USA
A universal hardware nut that may be adaptable for use with various mating fasteners (e.g., bolts and screws). In one embodiment, the universal hardware nut comprises a nut body, wherein the nut body is manufactured from a pliable material; and one or more slots, wherein the one or more slots allow the nut body to accept fasteners of different sizes and shapes. In alternate embodiments, the universal hardware nut may comprise a sized hole instead of the one or more slots, or may comprise a combination of a sized hole and one or more slots.

Structural Screw
US Patent 12085107
Published September 10, 2024
Inventors: Farhad Lajewardi, Toronto, ONT, Canada; and Dale G. Malott, Gilbert, AZ, USA
Assignee: The Hillman Group, Inc., Forest Park, OH, USA
A structural screw usable in multiple different substrates/materials includes a head end, a shank and a tapered end, the head end including a tool engaging part, the head end located at a first end of the shank and the tapered end located at a second end of the shank. A thread is formed along the shank, wherein the thread begins on the tapered end, extends onto the shank and terminates at a first axial location along the shank that is spaced from the head end. The thread (i) is a multiple start thread formed by at least a first helical thread and a second helical thread and/or (ii) includes a thread angle of between fifteen degrees and thirty degrees. The screw may also include a reaming section with leading and trailing wedge sections and/or an asymmetric notch pattern along at least part of the thread edge.

Door Alignment Pin Bolt with the Thread on the Top and the Bottom
US Patent 12084903
Published September 10, 2024
Inventor: Brian Goldwitz, Waterbury, CT, USA
The current invention is vehicle door alignment pin bolts with a bolt thread on the top and the bottom. The current invention will have two components, a door bolt with a thread on the top and a thread on the bottom with an angled bolt cap in the middle and a bolt nut with an opening on the bottom that fits over the angled bolt cap. The allows for the reconnecting the door to the frame of the vehicle in a quicker and more efficient manner.

Fastener Structure
US Patent 12078195
Published September 3, 2024
Inventor: Ting-Jui Wang, New Taipei, Taiwan
A fastener structure includes a head portion, rod member and fitting member. The head portion has a lateral holding portion and vertical receiving portion. The rod member has a lateral attaching portion and engaging member. The rod member is penetratingly disposed at the receiving portion to allow the attaching portion to correspond in position to the holding portion. The fitting member is penetratingly disposed at the attaching portion and the holding portion to fit the head portion and the rod member together. To couple two objects together, the head portion drives an engaging portion of the rod member, such that the engaging portion penetrates one object before being fastened to the other object. To unfasten the objects, the head portion is moved reversely to remove the engaging portion from the other object, effecting separation of the objects, so as to achieve quick coupling and easy unfastening.

Fastener for Frame Structure of Vehicle
US Patent 12077218
Published September 3, 2024
Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Novi, MI, USA; Mohammad Omar Faruque, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; and Dean M. Jaradi, Macomb, MI, USA
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI, USA
A fastener includes a head, a tail, and a body disposed between the head and the tail. The body includes a first portion that includes a lattice structure and a second portion that includes a solid structure. The second portion has an axial length that is greater than an axial length of the first portion. The lattice structure is configured to fracture under a predetermined loading condition.

Fastener and Fastening Arrangement Including Nut With Load Transfer Shoulder
US Patent 12071967
Published August 27, 2024
Inventors:Christoph Wiedner, Feldkirch, Austria; Vincent De Groof, Frastanz, Austria; Frederik Korte, Feldkirch, Austria; Juergen Gebhard, Buchs, Switzerland; Juergen Boeckle, Schaan, Liechtenstein; and Kay Heemann, Kaufering, Germany
Assignee: Hilti AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein
A fastener includes an anchor bolt and a nut. The nut has a nut hole and an internal thread. The anchor bolt has an anchor portion and a threaded rod that has an external thread and that is connected to the anchor portion. The nut is arranged on the threaded rod and the internal thread of the nut threadedly engages the external thread of the threaded rod. The nut has a rearward nut section, a forward nut section and an outside shoulder for load transfer into the nut which is located between the forward nut section and the rearward nut section and which faces the anchor portion of the anchor bolt. The internal thread of the nut extends at least in the forward nut section and threadedly engages the external thread of the threaded rod at least in the forward nut section.

Blind Fasteners
US Patent 12066046
Published August 20, 2024
Inventors: Matthew Cross, Bristol, Great Britain; Andrew John Fay, Bristol, Great Britain; and Matthew Webster, Bristol, Great Britain
Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited, Bristol, Great Britain
A blind fastener is disclosed having a bolt part, a sleeve part, and a tubular insulating sheath. The bolt part is at least partially received within the sleeve part. A first end of the sheath is retained on the bolt part such that relative axial movement between the first end of the sheath and the bolt part is substantially prevented. The blind fastener is movable between: a pre-installation configuration in which the sleeve part has a first axial position relative to the bolt part and a predetermined section of the sheath is adjacent an outer surface of the sleeve part; and a post-installation configuration in which the sleeve part has a second, different axial position relative to the bolt part and the predetermined section of the sheath is adjacent an inner surface of the sleeve part.

Locking Nut and Associated Fastener
US Patent 12066049
Published August 20, 2024
Inventor: Julien Goyer, Saint Gratien, France; and Batoubié Sotou-Bere, Pontoise, France
Assignee: LISI Aerospace, Paris, France
The present invention relates to a locking nut (10), comprising: a body (20) and a bore passing through said body along a main axis, the body comprising: a bearing face (30); a drive surface (32); and at least one through-hole (38), substantially perpendicular to the main axis from the radial drive surface. The body further comprises a locking collar (36) of elliptical shape; and the drive surface comprises an upper region (50) and a lower region (52), adjacent along the main axis, the lower region being situated between the upper region and the bearing surface; a perimeter of the lower region around the main axis being greater than a perimeter of the upper region; the at least one through-hole (38) extending from the upper region (50).

Fastener System
US Patent 12066044
Published August 20, 2024
Inventor: Travis McClure, Chelan Falls, WA, USA
Assignee: Centrix Aerospace LLC, Kent, WA, USA
A fastener is provided. The fastener includes a housing with a housing opening and a collet body at least partially enclosed within the housing, the collet body includes a crown having a crown opening with a threaded section and a leg that extends from the crown and including a foot. The fastener further includes a screw with a head positioned in the housing opening, an upper threaded section and a lower unthreaded section, where the housing opening and the crown include a set of splined protrusions and a set of splined recesses mated with one another, where the sets of splined protrusions and recesses include ramps and are designed to permit the collet body and the screw to transition into a free-spin configuration, and where a spring is designed to exert a return force on the collet body or the screw when the fastener is in the free-spin configuration.

Fasteners
US Patent 12060905
Published August 13, 2024
Inventors: Mahantesh Gokavi, Pune, India; and Abhishek Karambelkar, Pune, India
Assignee: Illinois Tool works Inc., Glenview, IL, USA
A fastener has a head and a shank coupled to the head and extending along a central axis of the fastener. A plurality of engagement members are disposed on a peripheral surface of the shank and connected to the shank at a point of connection to project away from the shank. The plurality of engagement members can collectively act as external threads and are flexible with respect to the shank to be relatively moveable with respect to the shank.

Panel Fastener
US Patent 12060906
Published August 13, 2024
Inventors: Donald Wayne Rice, Ripley, NY, USA; and Raymond Disantis, Vinton, VA, USA
Assignee: BPC LG 2, LLC, Charlotte, NC, USA
A fastener for attachment to a panel, having an inner skin and an outer skin, via a panel aperture in the outer skin. The fastener including an insert pillar, a base plate, a spring and a top insert arranged and configured to allow longitudinal compression of the spring resulting in movement and deflection of components to promote ease of use, security and durability.

Bolt
US Patent 12055176
Published August 6, 2024
Inventor: Gentaro Miyazaki, Niwa-Gun, Japan
Assignee: Aoyama Seisakusho Co., Ltd., Niwa-Gun, Japan
Provided is an invention relating to a bolt having a crushed portion of a ridge formed on a regular threaded portion of the bolt. The crushed portion of the ridge is set to have a height at which no screwing torque is generated when the bolt is screwed into an internal thread, and the crushed portion of the ridge is formed on an entire half-circumference or a partial half-circumference of the regular threaded portion so as to form a spiral shape that advances toward a shaft tip in a direction opposite to the ridge of the regular threaded portion when viewed from a head. The bolt of the present invention is used as a locking bolt or an earth bolt.

Wood Screw
US Patent 12055174
Published August 6, 2024
Inventor: Chao-Wei Lin, Tainan, Taiwan
Assignee: Kwantex Research Inc., Tainan, Taiwan
A wood screw includes a head, a shank axially extending from the head, a main thread extending helically around the shank in a tightening direction and having an outer diameter ranging from 3 to 16 mm, and a plurality of forward ribs extending spirally around the shank in a same direction as the main thread. The number of the forward ribs ranges from three to five. Each forward rib, in a cross section thereof, has a first outer edge facing the tightening direction, and a second outer edge facing opposite the tightening direction and having a length shorter than that of the first outer edge. Each forward rib has a height smaller than that of the main thread, and a lead angle greater than that of the main thread.

Captive Fastener with Push Out Pin and Hold Out Clip
US Patent 12055177
Published August 6, 2024
Inventors: Benjamin Phan, Arcadia, CA, USA; Simon Ly, Rosemead, CA, USA; An Tran, Rosemead, CA, USA; Patrick Tran, Arcadia, CA, USA; Yuriy Bern, North Hollywood, CA, USA; Larisa Zilber, Northridge, CA, USA; Jeffrey Hang, Rosemead, CA, USA; and Dennis Suedkamp, Porter Ranch, CA, USA
Assignee: Fastener Technology Corporation, North Hollywood, CA, USA
A captive fastener is disclosed having a longitudinal slot along the shank for receiving a hold-out clip, and a chamber that houses a retractable push out pin. The push out pin is spring actuated to extend out of the shank and can be retracted into the cavity against the bias of the spring to pass through a primary panel and subpanel. The push out pin is shaped to bear against a counterbore and secure the fastener within a panel while other components are affixed to the fastener.

Flexible Head Fasteners
US Patent 12055173
Published August 6, 2024
Inventors: Randall James Sovereign, Palmdale, CA, USA; Frans Hendrik Ebersohn, Ashburn, VA, USA; and Jonathon Robert Heinrich, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD, USA
In one embodiment, a fastener includes a flexible head and a shank coupled to the flexible head. The flexible head includes a center head portion and a plurality of wing portions coupled to the center head portion. Each of the plurality of wing portions includes a contact area configured to contact a first surface of a part to be fastened. The shank includes a clip groove configured to hold a retainer clip against a second surface of the part to be fastened. The second first surface of the part to be fastened is opposite the first surface of the part to be fastened.

Floating Fastener
US Patent 12055175
Published August 6, 2024
Inventors: Ming-De Wu, New Taipei, Taiwan; and Chih-Yuan Chen, New Taipei, Taiwan
Assignee: Hanwit Precision Industries Ltd., New Taipei, Taiwan
Floating fastener includes base including main body provided with through hole, resisting ring protruded inside through hole, seat body extended around main body and docking portion protruded from seat body, positioning member having shank inserted into through hole, head located at one end of shank outside main body, joint portion located at an opposite end of shank to move in and out of docking portion and stopper provided between joint portion and shank to abut against resisting ring, elastic member set on shank and stopped between head and resisting ring, and pad provided with inner hole which is inserted outside docking portion of base, so that pad abuts against seat body near the docking portion. The pad is made of soft material, which can achieve the purpose of absorbing the shaking and vibration of the floating fastener under the influence of external force.