Encapsulated fastener assembly

• US 8,434,982 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engineered Components Company
• Original Assignee: Engineered Components Company
• Inventors: Henriksen, Arne Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/942,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20120114447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 411/438, 411/373, 411/372.5, 411/372.6, 411429-431, 411/338, 411/178
• US Class Current: 411/338
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/145 Sleeve nuts, e.g. combined with bolts

Abstract

A fastener assembly including an internally threaded nut and an externally threaded screw for securing at least two materials together. A combined thickness TM of the materials is less than a length SL of the screw inserted into the materials. The nut includes a head, a shank extending from the head, and an internally threaded bore extending into the shank. The screw includes a head and an externally threaded shank adapted to threadingly engage the internally threaded bore of the nut. An encapsulating plastic layer covers the head of the nut. The plastic layer extends under and covers a bottom surface of the head. The plastic layer has a thickness TE below the bottom surface of the head which is equal to or greater than a difference between the screw length SL and the material thickness TM.

Claims

1. A fastener assembly including an externally threaded screw and an internally threaded nut in combination with at least two materials secured together by the fastener assembly, comprising:

said screw having an enlarged head and an externally threaded shank with a length SL extending from said enlarged head,

a combined thickness TM of the at least two materials being less than the length SL of said screw,

said nut having a shank with a blind hole therein, said blind hole being internally threaded to threadingly receive said externally threaded shank of said screw,

said shank having an anti-rotation structure thereon,

said nut having an enlarged head on an end of said shank opposite from an end with an opening of said blind hole,

an encapsulating plastic layer on said enlarged head of said nut covering a top side of said head and an underside of said head and surrounding a portion of said shank of said nut,

said encapsulating plastic layer surrounding a portion, but not all, of said anti-rotation structure,

said encapsulating plastic layer having a thickness TE on said underside of said head which is equal to or greater than a difference between said screw length SL and the material combined thickness TM.

2. A fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein an underside of said encapsulating plastic layer has two sealing areas, an annular outer lip and an annular inner lip, each of said lips radially extending away from a planar surface of said encapsulating plastic layer;

said outer lip being formed to extend radially outwardly when said fastener assembly is secured in place; and

said inner lip being formed to extend radially inwardly when said fastener assembly is secured in place;

said planar surface extending uninterrupted between said outer lip and said inner lip to form a single annular space between said inner and outer lips bounded by said planar surface and said fastening surface.

3. A fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein said externally threaded shank portion comprises threads disposed along an entire length of said shank portion.

4. The fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein said nut includes a plurality of longitudinal ridges disposed on at least part of a length of an outer surface of said shank portion extending in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said shank portion.

5. The fastener assembly according to claim 4, wherein said longitudinal ridges extend along a portion of said shank of said nut and terminate short of said end of said nut with said opening of said blind hole.

6. The fastener assembly according to claim 4, wherein said longitudinal ridges extend along a portion of said shank of said nut and have an exposed length not surrounded by said plastic of at least 0.135 inches.

7. The fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein a depth of said blind hole is at least 0.300 inches.

8. A fastener assembly including an internally threaded first fastener and an externally threaded second fastener comprising:

said first fastener including a head portion, a generally cylindrical shank portion extending from said head portion, said shank portion having an anti-rotation structure thereon, said shank portion having a longitudinal axis, and an internally threaded longitudinal bore extending into said shank portion;

said second fastener including a head portion, an externally threaded shank portion extending from said head portion and adapted to threadingly engage said internally threaded bore of said first fastener;

an encapsulating plastic layer covering said head of said first fastener;

said encapsulating plastic layer extending under and covering a bottom surface of said head;

said encapsulating plastic layer surrounding a portion, but not all, of said anti-rotation structure.

9. A fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein said first fastener is a T-nut and said second fastener is a screw.

10. A fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein an underside of said encapsulating plastic layer has two sealing areas, an annular outer lip and an annular inner lip, each of said lips radially extending away from a planar surface of said encapsulating plastic layer;

said outer lip being formed to extend radially outwardly when said fastener assembly is secured in place; and

said inner lip being formed to extend radially inwardly when said fastener assembly is secured in place;

said planar surface extending uninterrupted between said outer lip and said inner lip to form a single annular space between said inner and outer lips bounded by said planar surface and said fastening surface.

11. A fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein said internally threaded longitudinal bore of said first fastener member comprises a blind bore.

12. A fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein said externally threaded shank portion comprises threads disposed along an entire length of said shank portion.

13. The fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein said first fastener includes a plurality of longitudinal ridges disposed on at least part of a length of an outer surface of said shank portion extending in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said shank portion.

14. The fastener assembly according to claim 13, wherein said longitudinal ridges extend along a portion of said shank of said nut and terminate short of said end of said nut with said opening of said blind hole.

15. The fastener assembly according to claim 13, wherein said longitudinal ridges extend along a portion of said shank of said nut and have an exposed length not surrounded by said plastic of at least 0.135 inches.

16. The fastener assembly according to claim 11, wherein a depth of said blind hole is at least 0.300 inches.

17. A fastener assembly including an externally threaded screw and an internally threaded nut in combination with at least two materials secured together, comprising:

said screw having an enlarged countersunk and undercut head and an externally threaded shank with a length SL extending from said enlarged head,

a combined thickness TM of the at least two materials being less than the length SL of said screw,

said nut having a shank with a blind hole therein, said blind hole being internally threaded to threadingly receive said externally threaded shank of said screw,

said shank of said nut having a plurality of longitudinal ridges disposed on at least part of a length of an outer surface of said shank extending in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said shank,

said nut having an enlarged head on an end of said shank opposite from an end with an opening of said blind hole,

an encapsulating plastic layer on said enlarged head of said nut covering a top side of said head and an underside of said head and surrounding a portion of said shank of said nut,

said encapsulating plastic layer surrounding a portion of said longitudinal ridges,

said encapsulating plastic layer having a thickness TE on said underside of said head which is equal to or greater than a difference between said screw length SL and the material combined thickness TM,

said longitudinal ridges extending along a portion of said shank of said nut which is not surrounded by said encapsulating plastic layer.

18. The fastener assembly according to claim 17, wherein said longitudinal ridges extend along a portion of said shank of said nut and terminate short of said end of said nut with said opening of said blind hole.

19. The fastener assembly according to claim 17, wherein said longitudinal ridges extending along a portion of said shank of said nut and having an exposed length not surrounded by said plastic of at least 0.135 inches.

20. The fastener assembly according to claim 17, wherein a depth of said blind hole is at least 0.300 inches.