Impact-driven plastic fasteners

• US 5,795,121 A
• Filed: 08/15/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Utility Composites International Limited
• Original Assignee: Utility Composites International Limited
• Inventors: Tucker, Pamela S., Showers, Nancy
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US08/698,580
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 411/442, 411/443, 411/444, 411/446, 411/457, 411/908, 206/340, 206/343, 206/345, 470/34
• US Class Current: 411/442
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/12 using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0077 Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0082 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/0015 Staples
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/08 formed in integral series but easily separable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/908 Resinous material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/92 Staple

Abstract

A continuous impact-driven fastener pack made of ultra-high strength plastic composite materials, for example, thermoplastic or thermoset materials for use in standard impact driving fastener machines. The individual fasteners have sufficient compressive strength and a flexural modulus such that the fastener may be used with commodity woods for construction, furniture making, or for building boats. Further, this fastener pack is non-corrodible and provides plastic fasteners having a length/diameter ratios of a working nail or staple, e.g., heretofore unavailable.

Claims

1. A plastic impact driven fastener pack mountable in an impact driving fastener machine and comprising impact driven fasteners made from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi.

2. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the plastic composite is fiber-filled polyphthalamide.

3. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the plastic composite comprises a polyamide.

4. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 3 where the polyamide is MXD6.

5. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the plastic composite comprises an aromatic polyamide.

6. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 5 where the aromatic polyamide is Grivory GV-6H.

7. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the fastener is a spike.

8. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the fastener is a staple.

9. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the fastener is a brad.

10. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the fastener is a corrugated fastener.

11. The plastic impact driven fastener pack of claim 1 where the fastener is a spike.

12. A plastic impact driven fastener pack mountable in an impact driving fastener machine and made by a process comprising the steps of:

selecting a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi; and

molding the plastic composite into a continuous impact driven fastener pack.

13. An impact driven fastener formed from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi.

14. An impact driven staple formed from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi.

15. A method of attaching a construction material, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining construction materials;

mounting an impact driven fastener pack in an impact driving fastener machine, the impact driven fastener pack comprising fasteners made from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi; and

attaching the construction materials by driving an impact driven fastener from the pack through said materials.

16. A method of attaching an impact driven fastener penetrable material to a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an impact driven fastener penetrable material;

mounting an impact driven fastener pack in an impact driving fastener machine, the impact driven fastener pack comprising fasteners made from a plastic composite, having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi; and

driving an impact driven fastener from the pack through the penetrable materials to be attached and into a substrate.

17. A plastic impact driven fastener pack mountable in an impact driving fastener machine comprising impact driven fasteners having an L/d ratio of less than about 38, the fasteners being made from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi.

18. A plastic impact driven staple pack mountable in an impact driving staple machine and comprising impact driven staples made from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi.

19. A plastic impact driven staple pack mountable in an impact driving staple machine and made by a process comprising the steps of:

selecting a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi; and

molding the plastic composite into a continuous impact driven staple pack.

20. A method of attaching a construction material, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining construction materials;

mounting an impact driven staple pack in an impact driving staple machine, the impact driven staple pack comprising staples made from a plastic composite having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi; and

attaching the construction materials by driving an impact driven staple from the pack through said materials.

21. A method of attaching an impact driven staple penetrable material to a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an impact driven staple penetrable material;

mounting an impact driven staple pack in an impact driving staple machine, the impact driven staple pack comprising staples made from a plastic composite, having a compression strength greater than about 20,000 psi and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.2×

10⁶ psi; and

driving an impact driven staple from the pack through the penetrable materials to be attached and into a substrate.