Fastening system

• US 6,336,779 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. K.G. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. K.G. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Jakob, Andreas, Schneider, Mario, Kirchhoff, Peter, Jahnke, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, NEILL R
• Application Number:
  US09/659,076
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 411/310, 411/311, 411/299, 411/174, 411/175, 411/326, 411/327, 411/328, 411/329
• US Class Current: 411/175
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 25/00 Screws that cut thread in the body into which they are screwed, e.g. wood screws F16B35/065 takes precedence; joining sheets or plates using screws with two separate threads F16B5/0275, using screws with adjustment sleeves F16B5/0283
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/041 Specially-shaped shafts shape of thread F16B33/02

Abstract

A fastening system comprises a screw including a thread formed on a shank and configured to form a threaded bore in a plug made of a plastic material, and at least one notch formed in the shank between at least two adjacent turns of the thread. The system also comprises a clip including first and second clip bows connected at joined portions thereof. The first and second clip bows further have firs and second through apertures in their central portions which are aligned and sized to define a channel for allowing the shank of the screw to pass through. At least one of the first and second through apertures has an internal thread matching with the thread of the screw. The clip has at least one resilient lug adapted to engage with the at least one notch when the screw is fastened into the internal thread.

Claims

1. A fastening assembly, comprising:

a screw including

a shank;

a head formed at one end of the shank;

a thread formed on the shank and having a pitch and a flank angle configured to form a threaded bore in a plastic material;

and at least one notch formed in the shank between at least two adjacent turns of the thread; and

a clip including

first and second clip bows each having lead-in, central and joined portions, the first and second clip bows further having first and second through apertures in the central portions thereof, respectively, the first and second through apertures being substantially aligned and sized to define a channel for allowing the shank of the screw to pass through, at least one of the first and second through apertures having an internal thread matching with the thread of the screw;

a clip back connecting the joined portions of the first and second clip bows; and

and at least one resilient lug adapted to engage with the at least one notch when the screw is fastened into the internal thread.

2. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the flank angle of the screw is of from about 20°

to about 40°

.

3. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the pitch of the screw is of from about 1.5 mm to about 3.5 mm.

4. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one notch comprises a plurality of notches distributed uniformly circumferentially of the shank.

5. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one notch extends axially of the shank.

6. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one notch is configured symmetrically with respect to a radial direction of the shank.

7. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one notch is configured asymmetrically with respect to a radial direction of the shank so that the resilient lug, engaged with the at least one notch, causes more resistance to movements of the screw in a loosening rotational direction than in a fastening rotational direction opposite to the loosening rotational direction.

8. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the second clip bow of the clip is a spring bow which, in an unloaded state, is inclined to the first clip bow and, in a loaded state when a free edge of a flange is inserted between the first and second clip bows, is pivoted about the clip back away from the first bow.

9. The fastening assembly of claim 8, wherein the lead-in portion of the second clip bow comprises a suspension lug slanted with respect to the central portion of the second clip bow, the suspension lug having a first portion extending into a space between the first and second clip bows and toward the clip back, and a second portion heading away from the clip back, thereby facilitating the insertion of the free edge of the flange in between the first and second clip bows.

10. The fastening assembly of claim 9, wherein the first portion of the suspension lug is provided with at least one barb for preventing separation of the clip from the flange.

11. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient lugs comprises a plurality of lugs arranged symmetrically circumferentially of the channel.

12. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient lug has a free end tapered toward the channel for engaging with the at least one notch of the screw.

13. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient lug is a part of the central portion adjacent to the joined portion of the second clip bow which is bent into a substantially U-shape.

14. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the clip (17) is made integrally of a metal sheet.

15. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient lug extends into the channel in a radial direction thereof.

16. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the thread extends continuously in a helical path along the shank without being interrupted by the at least one notch.

17. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one notch extends axially of the shank from one of the at least two adjacent turns of the thread to the other.

18. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the internal thread comprises approximately one complete turn.

19. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the central portion of the second clip bow is substantially flat with two opposite parallel faces, the second through aperture extending from one of the two opposite parallel faces toward and beyond the other.

20. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient lug is formed outside of the first and second through apertures.

21. The fastening assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one notch extends inwardly from an outer circumferential surface of the shank and has a leading wall and a trailing wall with respect to a fastening rotational direction of the screw, the outer circumferential surface, the leading and trailing walls are connected by radiused sections.

22. The fastening assembly of claim 21, wherein the leading and trailing walls are disposed symmetrically with respect to the radial direction.

23. The fastening assembly of claim 21, wherein the trailing wall is steeper than the leading wall thereby locking the screw from rotating in a loosening rotational direction opposite to the fastening rotational direction.

24. The fastening assembly of claim 19, wherein second through aperture extending away from the first clip bow.