Permanently placeable fasteners, inserter head for fastener placement and related methods

• US 6,361,258 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Heesch, Gary V.
• Original Assignee: Heesch, Gary V.
• Inventors: Heesch, Gary V.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, NEILL R
• Application Number:
  US09/611,027
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 411/178, 411/396, 411/397, 411/374, 411/403, 411/404, 411/407, 411/410, 411/399, 411/456
• US Class Current: 411/178
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 23/0084 with a threaded engagement between the head of the bolt or screw and the tool
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/06 Specially-shaped heads special shape in order to rotate the bolt F16B23/00 ; separate hook adaptors for bolts F16B43/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/122 Threaded inserts, e.g. "rampa bolts"

Abstract

Fasteners and devices and methods for placing fasteners in a workpiece are disclosed. More particularly, non-removable permanently-placeable fasteners for placement in a workpiece to hold elements thereof together, permanently-placeable but removable fasteners for placement in a workpiece to hold elements thereof together, headless removable one-way fastener inserter or heads by which the fasteners are placed, tools for permanently placing such fasteners, tools for removing certain of the fasteners and methods by which such fasteners are placed in, and in some cases removed from a workpiece.

Claims

1. A fastener combination comprising:

a fastener for long term use comprising a distal end, a slender intermediate threaded shaft and a headless proximal end with a blunt surface adapted to be flush with one member of a multiple member workpiece, the threads of the shaft covering a substantial part of the length of the shaft, the threads being adapted to threadedly engage and connect the one member and at least another member of the multiple member workpiece;

a removable temporary inserter for short term use sized and shaped to be connected to the headless proximal end of the fastener to accommodate tightening of the fastener into the one member and the other member of the workpiece by joint rotation of the fastener and the temporary inserter in one direction and prompt removal of the temporary inserter from the tightened fastener by rotation of the temporary inserter in respect to the fastener in another direction once the fastener is threadedly engaged with the one and other members so that the blunt surface is flush with the workpiece.

24. A method according to claim 1 wherein the connecting act comprises engaging distal external male threads of the temporary inserter with proximal internal female threads of the fastener for joint rotation in one direction and temporary inserter removal in the other direction.

27. A method according to claim 1 wherein the piggy-backing act comprises the act of providing the temporary inserter with an integral handle, wherein the first applying force act is achieved by turning the handle and the second applying step comprises removing the unitary temporary inserter and handle from the fastener.

2. A piggy-back rotatable fastener for long term threaded retention in both of two workpiece members and a rotatable temporary fastener placement head for short term use, the long term fastener being intermediately threaded along an exterior surface between proximal and distal ends thereof but headless at a proximal end thereof, the temporary head being removably seated at the proximal end of the long term fastener whereby rotational force in a first direction applied to the temporary head jointly rotates the long term fastener and the temporary head to connect the threads of the long term fastener to both workpiece members for long term retention and rotational force immediately thereafter applied to the temporary head in a second direction rotates the temporary head in respect to the long term fastener promptly removing the temporary head from the long term fastener leaving the long term fastener threadedly connected to the workpiece members and the temporary head removed from the fastener.

3. A piggyback assembly comprising (a) a long term threaded fastener having a maximum predetermined diametral size and comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable short term head having a maximum diametral size no greater than the maximum diametral size of the fastener and comprising a distal end for correction to and placement of the fastener, the proximal end and the distal end comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to threadedly place the fastener into each of two members comprising a workpiece, with the head displaced in the opposite direction to separate the connectors leaving the long term fastener threadedly engaging both members of the workpiece and removing the short term head.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the fastener comprises a distal pointed end and external threads disposed along a central portion between the distal and proximal ends of the fastened.

5. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the removable head comprises an integral elongated tool by which the distal end of the head is connected to and disconnected from the proximal end of the fastener.

6. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the proximal end of the fastener comprises a female recess.

8. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the female recess comprises internal threads and the head comprises matching external threads.

11. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the fastener and the head respectively comprise interrelated one way connectors.

12. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the connectors comprise internal and external threads, respectively.

30. A method according to claim 8 wherein the non-cutting fastener barb projects radially and extends generally circumferentially.

7. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable head comprising a distal end for connection to and placement of the fastener, the headless proximal end of the fastener and the distal end of the removable head comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the head is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the head;

the proximal end of the fastener comprising a female recess and terminating in a proximal face and further comprising structure at the proximal face for receiving a removal tool.

29. A method according to claim 7 comprising the at least one fastener barb is a undirectional non-cutting barb carried as a tapered projection at an exterior surface of the shaft portion of the fastener.

9. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable head comprising a distal end for connection to and placement of the fastener, the headless proximal end of the fastener and the distal end of the removable head comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the head is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the head;

at least one directional barb carried at the exterior of the fastener.

10. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable head comprising a distal end for connection to and placement of the fastener, the headless proximal end of the fastener and the distal end of the removable head comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the head is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the head;

at least one directional barb carried at the exterior of the proximal end of the fastener.

13. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener having a maximum predetermined diametral size and comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable head having a maximum diametral size no greater than the maximum diametral size of the fastener and comprising a distal end for connection to and placement of the fastener, the proximal end and the distal end comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the head is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the head;

the fastener and the head respectively comprise interrelated one way connectors comprising internal and external threads, the internal and external threads being conically-shaped and matching.

14. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener having a maximum predetermined diametral size and comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable head having a maximum diametral size no greater than the maximum diametral size of the fastener and comprising a distal end for connection to and placement of the fastener, the proximal end and the distal end comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the head is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the head, the head being generally conical in its configuration.

15. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable head comprising a distal end for connection to and placement of the fastener, the headless proximal end of the fastener and the distal end of the removable head comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the head is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the head;

the head comprising at least one tool-receiving recess.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 wherein the tool-receiving recess selected from the group consisting of a standard screw driver slot, Phillips screw driver slots and an Allen wench-receiving blind bore.

17. A screw fastener comprising an exterior surface, a pointed distal end, a threaded shaft and a proximal head by which the fastener is rotated, the fastener further comprising at least one directional non-cutting barb carried at the exterior surface accommodating fastener rotation in one direction without significant cutting of workpiece material and inhibiting fastener rotation in the other direction, the barb projecting radially from the head and being tapered in a circumferential direction.

18. A screw fastener comprising an exterior surface, a pointed distal end, a threaded intermediate shaft and a headless proximal end by which the fastener is rotated, the fastener further comprising a threaded recess at the proximal end thereof ending in a flat annular peripheral face, the face comprising spaced notches, the threaded recess accommodating rotation of the screw fastener into the workpiece and the notches accommodating rotational removal of the fastener from the workpiece.

19. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable insertion tool comprising a distal end for removable connection to and placement of the fastener, the proximal end and the distal end comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the tool is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the tool;

at least one directional barb carried at the exterior of the fastener.

20. A piggy-back assembly comprising (a) a fastener comprising a headless proximal end and (b) a removable insertion tool comprising a distal end for removable connection to and placement of the fastener, the proximal end and the distal end comprising interrelated connectors which are jointly displaced in one direction to place the fastener into a workpiece location and the tool is displaced in another direction to separate the connectors leaving the fastener in the workpiece and removing the tool;

the proximal end of the fastener comprising a female recess;

the connectors comprising internal and external threads, respectively;

the internal and external threads being conically-shaped and matching.

21. A screw fastener comprising an exterior surface, appointed distal end, a threaded shaft and a headless proximal end portion by which the fastener is rotated into a workpiece, the fastener further comprising a proximal threaded recess surrounded by a proximal peripheral edge having opposed slots for receiving a tool by which the fastener is rotated from the workpiece.

22. A screw fastener comprising a pointed distal end, a threaded intermediate shaft and a proximal portion by which the fastener is rotated using a tool, the fastener further comprising at least one directional non-cutting barb carried radially at the proximal portion and extending circumferentially accommodating fastener rotation in one direction without significant removal of workpiece material and inhibiting fastener rotation in the other direction.

23. A method of non-removably placing a fastener in operative relation to hold two workpiece members together, comprising the acts of:

piggy-backing a headless fastener and a fastener inserter, the headless fastener comprising a long term connector having a distal end, a proximal end comprising an exposed internally threaded bore and central external threads disposed between the distal and proximal ends, the inserter comprising external threads matching the internal threads of the bore;

rotationally temporarily connecting the external threads of the inserter and the internal threads of the bore;

applying further rotational force to the temporary inserter to rotate the central external threads of the fastener into both workpiece members;

immediately thereafter applying an opposite rotational force to the temporary inserter to remove the temporary inserter from the fastener leaving the fastener headless in its operative relation threadedly connecting the fastener to both workpiece members.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the first applying act comprises engaging a proximal part of the temporary inserter with a tool and jointly rotating the temporary inserter and the fastener in one direction to achieve the operative relation.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the second applying act comprises engaging the temporary inserter with a tool and jointly rotating the temporary inserter and the fastener in another direction to remove the temporary inserter from the fastener, leaving the fastener headless, flush with one of the workpiece members and positioned for long term use in its operative relation.

28. A method of placing a fastener having a shaft portion in operative threaded relation with a workpiece, comprising the acts of:

displacing a fastener into threaded operative relation with a workpiece in a direction where at least one non-cutting fastener barb radially disposed on the shaft portion accommodates the displacement without significant removal of workpiece material from the workpiece;

substantially inhibiting fastener displacement from said operative relation by anti-displacement engagement between the at least one fastener barb radially disposed on the shaft portion and the workpiece material.

31. A method of placing a screw fastener threadedly into two adjacent workpiece members, comprising the acts of:

temporarily collecting a separate inserter to a headless proximal end of a threaded screw fastener;

turning the temporary inserter to thereby jointly rotate in a first direction the temporary inserter and the fastener to threadedly place the fastener into each of two adjacent workpiece members;

reverse rotating in a second direction the temporary inserter in respect to the fastener to remove the temporary inserter from the fastener, leaving the fastener in the two workpiece members.