CAPTIVE BOLT MECHANISM AND PROCESS FOR STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY OF PLANAR COMPONENTS

• US 20100129138A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Original Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Inventors: Lariviere, Donald G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,434,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/22
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 17/006 of rods or tubes to sheets or plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/04 Devices for fastening nuts to surfaces, e.g. sheets, plates nuts fastened behind a wall by a toggle-mechanism F16B13/0808; threaded inserts F16B37/122; measures against loss of bolts, nuts or pins F16B41/002
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/00 Washers or equivalent devices; Other devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts circlips F16B21/18; for indicating tensile load F16B31/02; forming a whole with the bolt or nut F16B33/00; locking bolts or nuts by means of a fixed plate or ring, or washer-like resilient plates F16B39/10, F16B39/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0096 by using permanent deformation
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/02 by means of fastening members using screw-thread F16B5/0004 takes precedence; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0291 the threaded element being driven through the edge of a sheet plate with its axis in the plane of the plate

Abstract

A captive bolt mechanism joins planar structural members. In an exemplary embodiment, a first structural member has an opening defined there through. The head of a bolt is captured in a fastener slot within a second member, such that the threaded shaft of the bolt protrudes, in-plane, beyond the end of the second member. The threaded shaft is then passed through the opening in the first member and secured with a nut. As the nut is tightened, the underside of the bolt head is drawn against the interior surface of the fastener slot, binding the end of the second member against the surface of the first member. In an alternate embodiment, a nut is similarly confined within the fastener slot, and a bolt or screw is extended through the hole in the first member and the slot in the second member, and is then fastened to the nut.

Claims

1. A structure, comprising:

a first member having a first planar surface and a second planar surface opposite the first planar surface, and a hole defined there through between the first planar surface and the second planar surface;

a second member having a first planar side and a second planar side opposite the first planar side, and a planar end surface extending from the first planar side to the second planar side, a slot defined between the first planar side and the second planar side and extending from the planar end surface, and a fastener region defined in the slot between the first planar side and the second planar side;

a first fastener that is positionable within the fastener region; and

a second fastener that is fastenable to the first fastener when the planar end surface of the second member is positioned toward the first surface of the first member, wherein the slot is aligned with the hole, and wherein any of the first fastener or the second fastener extend through the hole and the slot for connection to the other of the first fastener and the second fastener.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the hole defined through the first planar member comprises a rectangular mortise, wherein the second planar member further comprises a tenon that extends beyond the planar end surface, wherein the defined slot extends through the tenon, and wherein the tenon fits within the defined mortise of the first planar member when the planar end surface of the second planar member contacts the first planar surface of the first planar member.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first fastener comprises a bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt shaft extending from the bolt head to a leading end, wherein the bolt shaft comprises fastener threads that extend from the leading end toward the bolt head, and wherein the second fastener comprises a nut.

4. The structure of claim 3, further comprising:

a washer having a hole defined there through, wherein the washer is located between the second planar surface of the first member and the nut, and wherein the bolt shaft of the bolt extends through the hole of the washer.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first fastener comprises a polygonal shape having an even number of sides, and wherein two of the opposing sides are rotatably capturable within the fastener region.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein the fastener region is sized for a press fit of the first fastener.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the fastener region further defines an access region in relation to any of the side and the top of the first fastener for access of a tool that is connectable to the first fastener.

8. The structure of claim 7, wherein the tool comprises any of a wrench, a socket, a ratchet, and a driver.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second fastener comprises a bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt shaft extending from the bolt head to a leading end, wherein the bolt shaft comprises fastener threads that extend from the leading end toward the bolt head, and wherein the first fastener comprises a nut.

10. The structure of claim 9, further comprising:

a washer having a hole defined there through, wherein the washer is located between the second planar surface of the first member and the bolt head, and wherein the bolt shaft of the bolt extends through the hole of the washer.

11. The structure of claim 1, wherein any of the first member and the second member is formed by at least one planar manufacturing process.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the first member has a recessed area defined therein adjacent to the hole, and wherein the nut is at least partially located within the recessed area.

13. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are orthogonal to each other.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein the second member is inclined at an angle with respect the first member, wherein the angle is less than ninety degrees.

15. A process, comprising the steps of:

providing a first member having a first planar surface and a second planar surface opposite the first planar surface, and a hole defined there through between the first planar surface and the second planar surface;

providing a second member having a first planar side and a second planar side opposite the first planar side, and a planar end surface extending from the first planar side to the second planar side, a slot defined between the first planar side and the second planar side and extending from the planar end surface;

slidably positioning a first fastener within the fastener region;

movably positioning the first planar member and the second planar member together such that the planar end surface of the second planar member contacts the first planar surface of the first planar member; and

attaching a second fastener to the first fastener to bind the first planar member and the second planar member together.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the hole defined through the first planar member comprises a rectangular mortise, wherein the second planar member further comprises a tenon that extends beyond the planar end surface, wherein the defined slot extends through the tenon, and wherein the tenon fits within the defined mortise of the first planar member when the planar end surface of the second planar member contacts the first planar surface of the first planar member.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein the first fastener comprises a bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt shaft extending from the bolt head to a leading end, wherein the bolt shaft comprises fastener threads that extend from the leading end toward the bolt head, and wherein the second fastener comprises a nut.

18. The process of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

locating a washer between the second planar surface of the first member and the nut, wherein the washer has a hole defined there through, and wherein the bolt shaft of the bolt extends through the hole of the washer.

19. The process of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the first fastener comprises a polygonal shape having an even number of sides, and wherein two of the opposing sides are rotatably captured within the fastener region.

20. The process of claim 15, wherein the fastener region is sized for a press fit of the first fastener.

21. The process of claim 15, wherein the fastener region further defines an access region in relation to any of the side and the top of the first fastener for access of a tool that is connectable to the first fastener.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein the tool comprises any of a wrench, a socket, a ratchet, and a driver.

23. The process of claim 15, wherein the second fastener comprises a bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt shaft extending from the bolt head to a leading end, wherein the bolt shaft comprises fastener threads that extend from the leading end toward the bolt head, and wherein the first fastener comprises a nut.

24. The process of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

locating a washer between the second planar surface of the first member and the bolt head, wherein the washer has a hole defined there through, and wherein the bolt shaft of the bolt extends through the hole of the washer.

25. The process of claim 15, wherein any of the first member and the second member is formed by at least one planar manufacturing process.

26. The process of claim 15, wherein the second surface of the first member has a recessed area defined therein adjacent to the hole, and wherein the nut is at least partially located within the recessed area.

27. The process of claim 15, wherein the first member and the second member are orthogonal to each other.

28. The process of claim 15, wherein the second member is inclined by an angle with respect the first member, wherein the angle is less than ninety degrees.

29. A structure that is assemblable with at least one fastener assembly comprising a first fastener and a second fastener that is fastenable to the first fastener, the article of manufacture comprising:

a first member having a first planar surface and a second planar surface opposite the first planar surface, and a hole defined there through between the first planar surface and the second planar surface; and

a second member having a first planar side and a second planar side opposite the first planar side, and a planar end surface extending from the first planar side to the second planar side, a slot defined between the first planar side and the second planar side and extending from the planar end surface, and a fastener region defined in the slot between the first planar side and the second planar side;

wherein the first fastener that is positionable within the fastener region; and

wherein the second fastener is fastenable to the first fastener when the planar end surface of the second member is positioned toward the first surface of the first member, wherein the slot is aligned with the hole, and wherein any of the first fastener or the second fastener extend through the hole and the slot for connection to the other of the first fastener and the second fastener.

30. The structure of claim 29, wherein the structure comprises any of a chair, a sofa, shelving, a strut, stairs, a rail, a platform, and a shelter.