Self-drilling fastener
First Claim
1. A self-drilling fastener comprising a fastener element having two jaws and a slot defined by said jaws and formed at a free end thereof and extending parallel to an axis of the fastener, and a plate-shaped drilling insert having an end inserted into the slot of the fastening element, the drilling insert being connected to the fastening element due to deformation of said jaws forming a boundary of the slot of the fastening element, the drilling insert having at an end region thereof engaging the slot of the fastener element at one lateral boundary surfaces one or more groove means selected from the group consisting of notches, incisions, grooves and channels, which extend over a thickness (D) of the drilling insert and into which an edge region of a respective jaw is or edge regions of both said jaws of the fastening element are pressed with plastic deformation.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-drilling fastener includes a fastening element and a plate-shaped drilling insert inserted in a slot of the fastening element. The lateral peripheral surfaces of the insert have channels which extend over the whole width of the insert. Pressed into the channels are edges of jaws which define the slot of the fastening element so that the insert is held in the fastening element by plastic deformation.
41 Citations
7 Claims
- 1. A self-drilling fastener comprising a fastener element having two jaws and a slot defined by said jaws and formed at a free end thereof and extending parallel to an axis of the fastener, and a plate-shaped drilling insert having an end inserted into the slot of the fastening element, the drilling insert being connected to the fastening element due to deformation of said jaws forming a boundary of the slot of the fastening element, the drilling insert having at an end region thereof engaging the slot of the fastener element at one lateral boundary surfaces one or more groove means selected from the group consisting of notches, incisions, grooves and channels, which extend over a thickness (D) of the drilling insert and into which an edge region of a respective jaw is or edge regions of both said jaws of the fastening element are pressed with plastic deformation.
Specification