Composite fastener

• US 5,354,160 A
• Filed: 08/07/1992
• Issued: 10/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Textron Inc
• Original Assignee: Textron Inc
• Inventors: Simmons, Clyde D., Pratt, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Application Number:
  US07/927,075
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 29/243.521, 29/243.522, 29/243.526, 29/243.53, 29/509, 29/524.1, 29/525.2, 411/43, 411/171, 411/501, 411/504, 411/505, 411/506, 411/908, 411/361
• US Class Current: 411/501
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/00 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/022 Setting rivets by means of swaged-on locking collars, e.g. lockbolts
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/027 Setting rivets by friction heating
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/12 with tools or tool parts having a movement additional to the feed movement, e.g. spin B21J15/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0255 using friction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/0672 Spin welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/0681 created by a tool
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/069 the welding tool cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined, e.g. cooperating with holes or ribs of at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/601 using extra riveting elements, i.e. the rivets being non-integral with the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/602 using hollow rivets B29C65/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/41 Joining substantially flat articles B29C66/47 and subgroups take precedence; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles B29C66/51 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8161 said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81811 : of the welding jaws
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8242 : Pneumatic or hydraulic drives using fluid pressure directly acting on the parts to be joined B29C66/8266
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 : Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/861 : Hand-held tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/9241 : by controlling or regulating the pressure, the force or the mechanical power
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/93451 : by controlling or regulating the rotational speed, i.e. the speed of revolution
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/939 : characterised by specific speed values or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 : Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0809 : Fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/108 : arranged in parallel planes and crossing at substantial angles B29K2105/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7288 : Rivets
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/06 : Solid rivets made in one piece
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/1027 : Multi-part rivets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49915 : Overedge assembling of seated part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5373 : comprising driver for snap-off-mandrel fastener; e.g., Pop [TM] riveter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53752 : having rotary drive mechanism

Abstract

Composite fasteners joining panels together are installed by a tool that grips the end of a fastener stem and exerts a pulling force which causes a rotating forming die to advance toward the fastener. The rotating die is pressed against the fastener to frictionally heat and deform a tail of the fastener to create an upset head. A sensing device stops the movement of the forming die and controls the size of the upset head. A portion of the stem extending from the fastener is then pulled away by a pulling force on the stem. Preferred dimensional relationships of said upset head are disclosed, together with various fastener constructions.

Claims

1. A composite fastener, comprising:

a tubular body having a shank and a tail of thermoplastic material, said tail being made deformable by a rotating die pressed against the tail;

a stem extending axially through said body, having a head at one end abutting and extending radially beyond one end of said shank, and a pulling end extending beyond said tail, said stem being made of a different material than said body.

2. The fastener of claim 1, in which said stem, including said head, is made of metal, and said thermoplastic material is fiber reinforced.

3. The fastener of claim 2, in which said stem has a lock groove for receiving a deformed portion of said material when said rivet tail is deformed by heat and pressure into an upset head.

4. The fastener of claim 2, wherein said stem includes portions extending into said shank to axially lock the stem and body together, said portions being formed before the fastener is installed in a workpiece.

5. The fastener of claim 4, including a plurality of ribs integral with said stem which extend into said shank, said ribs having serrations located on the outer portions of said ribs to lock said shank to said stem.

6. An assembly, comprising:

a workpiece including first and second sides;

a fastener having an elongated shank extending through said workpiece;

a preformed head adjacent to one end of said shank on the first side of said workpiece;

an upset head on an opposite end of said shank, and pressed against the second side of said workpiece to prevent the shank from being withdrawn from said workpiece, said upset head including a plurality of fibers held together by a plastic binder, said upset head having been formed by pressing a rotating forming die against a tail of said fastener, said tail including said fibers and said binder, to heat said binder by friction to cause the binder to melt or soften and deform together with adjacent ends of the fibers, with the deformed fibers being spun outwardly about the axis of rotation of the die and axially against the other side of said workpiece;

wherein said shank is tubular, said fastener includes a stem which extends through said shank and said upset head, said preformed head is attached to said stem, and said preformed head engages one end of said shank and extends radially beyond said shank so that said preformed head engages the first side of said workpiece.