U.S. patent application number 13/036465 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-08 for wood fastener.
Invention is credited to Jeff Bent, Michael A. Kochheiser.
Application Number | 20110217145 13/036465 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44515298 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110217145 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kochheiser; Michael A. ; et
al. |
September 8, 2011 |
WOOD FASTENER
Abstract
Fasteners are provided that include a head and having a head, a
tip end having a tip, a first body portion having right-hand
threads, and a second body portion having left-hand threads. The
first body portion is adjacent to the tip end of the fastener and
extends a first distance along a length of the fastener towards the
head end. The second body portion is adjacent to the first body
portion, and extends the head end of the fastener and extending a
second distance along the length of the fastener towards the head
end. The right-hand threads, and the left-hand threads, can have a
pitch angle .alpha. of less than about 60.degree..
Inventors: |
Kochheiser; Michael A.;
(Bellville, OH) ; Bent; Jeff; (Milton,
CA) |
Family ID: |
44515298 |
Appl. No.: |
13/036465 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61309665 |
Mar 2, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
411/412 ;
29/525.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 25/106 20130101;
F16B 25/0057 20130101; F16B 35/04 20130101; Y10T 29/49963 20150115;
B23P 11/00 20130101; F16B 25/0084 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
411/412 ;
29/525.11 |
International
Class: |
F16B 35/04 20060101
F16B035/04; B23P 11/00 20060101 B23P011/00 |
Claims
1. A fastener comprising: a head and having a head; a tip end
having a tip; a first body portion that is adjacent to the tip end
of the fastener and extends a first distance along a length of the
fastener towards the head end, the first body portion including
right-hand threads having a pitch angle .alpha. of less than about
60.degree.; and a second body portion that is adjacent to first
body portion and extends a second distance along the length of the
fastener towards the head end, the second body portion including
left-hand threads.
2. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the right-hand threads have a
pitch angle .alpha. that is from about 20.degree. to about
40.degree..
3. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the pitch angle of the
right-hand threads comprises: a first internal angle .beta. that is
from about 20.degree. to about 30.degree.; and a second internal
angle .gamma. that is from about 0.degree. to about 10.degree..
4. The fastener of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first three
fully formed right-hand threads on the first body portion includes
serrations.
5. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the second distance of the
second body portion is less than the first distance of the first
body portion.
6. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the second distance of the
second body portion is equal to or less than about one quarter of
an inch.
7. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the left-hand threads have a
pitch angle .alpha. of less than about 60.degree..
8. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the left-hand threads have a
pitch angle .alpha. that is from about 20.degree. to about
40.degree..
9. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the pitch angle of the
left-hand threads comprises: a first internal angle .beta. that is
from about 20.degree. to about 30.degree.; and a second internal
angle .gamma. that is from about 0.degree. to about 10.degree..
10. A fastener comprising: a head and having a head; a tip end
having a tip; a first body portion that is adjacent to the tip end
of the fastener and extends a first distance along a length of the
fastener towards the head end, the first body portion including
right-hand threads having a pitch angle .alpha. from about
20.degree. to about 40.degree.; and a second body portion that is
adjacent to first body portion and extends a second distance along
the length of the fastener towards the head end, the second body
portion including left-hand threads having a pitch angle .alpha.
from about 20.degree. to about 40.degree..
11. The fastener of claim 10, wherein the pitch angle of the
right-hand threads comprises: a first internal angle .beta. that is
from about 20.degree. to about 30.degree.; and a second internal
angle .gamma. that is from about 0.degree. to about 10.degree..
12. The fastener of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first
three fully formed right-hand threads on the first body portion
includes serrations.
13. The fastener of claim 10, wherein the second distance of the
second body portion is less than the first distance of the first
body portion.
14. The fastener of claim 10, wherein the second distance of the
second body portion is equal to or less than about one quarter of
an inch.
15. The fastener of claim 10, wherein the pitch angle of the
left-hand threads comprises: a first internal angle .beta. that is
from about 20.degree. to about 30.degree.; and a second internal
angle .gamma. that is from about 0.degree. to about 10.degree..
16. A method of installing a fastener to secure a metal panel to a
wood structural element is provided that comprises the steps of
creating a bur of metal as a tip of the fastener penetrates the
metal panel; causing an area of the metal panel immediately
surrounding the fastener to pull away from the wood structural
element as right-hand threads on a first body portion of the
fastener pass through the metal panel; removing the bur of metal as
the fastener passes through the metal panel; pushing the area of
the metal panel towards the wood structural element as left-hand
threads on a second body portion of the fastener pass through the
metal panel; and contacting the wood structural element with the
area of the metal panel prior to the area of the metal panel being
contacted with a head of the fastener or a sealing washer adjacent
to the head of the fastener.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of removing the bur of
metal comprises: contacting the bur of metal with the left-hand
threads on the second body portion of the fastener; and detaching
the bur of metal as the left-hand threads pass through the metal
panel.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of removing the bur of
metal comprises: contacting the bur of metal with one or more
right-hand threads having serrations; and detaching the bur of
metal as the one or more right-hand threads having serrations pass
through the metal panel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/309,665, filed Mar. 2, 2010, currently
pending.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present technology relates to fasteners and methods of
installing fasteners, and particularly fasteners that can be used
to secure metal panels to wood building structures.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In the construction industry, post frame metal building
materials are attached to the wooden frame structure with various
types of wood fasteners. However, current wood fastener thread
designs have a tendency to back-out over time, thus weakening the
connection and the building's structural integrity. Additionally,
known fasteners can have a tendency to break during installation
due to high drive torques in certain high density materials, as
well as having a tendency to strip-out in certain low density
materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present technology relates to fasteners and methods of
installing fasteners in order to secure metal panels to wood
building structures.
[0005] In one aspect, a fastener is provided that includes a head
and having a head, a tip end having a tip, a first body portion,
and a second body portion. The first body portion is adjacent to
the tip end of the fastener and extends a first distance along a
length of the fastener towards the head end. The first body portion
includes right-hand threads having a pitch angle .alpha. of less
than about 60.degree.. The second body portion is adjacent to first
body portion and extends a second distance along the length of the
fastener towards the head end. The second body portion includes
left-hand threads.
[0006] In a second aspect, a fastener is provided that includes a
head and having a head, a tip end having a tip, a first body
portion, and a second body portion. The first body portion is
adjacent to the tip end of the fastener and extends a first
distance along a length of the fastener towards the head end. The
first body portion includes right-hand threads having a pitch angle
.alpha. from about 20.degree. to about 40.degree.. The second body
portion is adjacent to first body portion and extends a second
distance along the length of the fastener towards the head end. The
second body portion includes left-hand threads having a pitch angle
.alpha. from about 20.degree. to about 40.degree..
[0007] In a third aspect, a method of installing a fastener to
secure a metal panel to a wood structural element is provided that
includes the steps of creating a bur of metal as a tip of the
fastener penetrates the metal panel; causing an area of the metal
panel immediately surrounding the fastener to pull away from the
wood structural element as right-hand threads on a first body
portion of the fastener pass through the metal panel; contacting
the bur of metal with left-hand threads on a second body portion of
the fastener; removing the bur of metal as the left-hand threads
pass through the metal panel; pushing the area of the metal panel
towards the wood structural element; and contacting the wood
structural element with the area of the metal panel prior to the
area of the metal panel being contacted with the head of the
fastener.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Specific examples have been chosen for purposes of
illustration and description, and are shown in the accompanying
drawings, forming a part of the specification.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one example of a
fastener of the present technology.
[0010] FIG. 1A is a detail view of the area A of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second example of a
fastener of the present technology, having a sealing washer
assembled therewith.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the fastener of FIG. 2,
having a sealing washer assembled therewith.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Fasteners of the present technology can be used in any
suitable application, but are most particularly suited to
construction applications in which metal building materials are
secured to wood frame structures.
[0014] FIGS. 1, 1A and 2 illustrate examples of a fastener 100 of
the present technology. The same reference numbers have been used
for aspects that are the same in each of the illustrated examples.
The fastener 100 can be made of any suitable material, including
for example carbon steel. Additionally, the fastener 100 can have a
coating, such as a coating to improve the weather resistance
properties of the fastener 100. A fastener 100 can have any
suitable length, including but not limited to 1 inch, 1.5 inches, 2
inches, 2.5 inches, or 3 inches.
[0015] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fastener 100 has a body
102 that includes a tip end 104 and a head end 106. The fastener
100 has a point 108 at the tip end 104 of the body, and a head 110
at the head end 106 of the body. The fastener 100 also has a first
body portion 112 that is adjacent to the tip end 104 and includes
right-hand threads 114, and a second body portion 116 that is
adjacent to the head end 106 and includes left-hand threads 118.
The head of the fastener 100 can be any suitable style. The tip end
104 of the fastener 100 can include one or more partially formed
threads 126. The point 108 of the fastener 100 can include a sharp,
self-tapping point. In the illustrated example, the fastener 100
has a type-17 point, which can allow for desired penetration in
lapped metal conditions. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a sealing washer
132 can be included with, or assembled to a fastener 100. The
sealing washer 132 can be any suitable material, such as rubber,
and may be placed on the fastener 100 adjacent to and abutting the
head 106.
[0016] The first body portion of the fastener 100 is adjacent to
the tip end 104 of the fastener 100 and extends a first distance
D.sub.1 along the length of the fastener 100 towards the head end
106. The first body portion 112 includes right-hand threads 114.
The right-hand threads 114 can be single or multi-lead threads. The
right-hand threads 114 can have any suitable diameter and number of
threads per inch of length along the body of the fastener. For
example, the right-hand threads 114 of the illustrated embodiment
are 10-14 threads, having a #10 diameter, which is a major diameter
of about 0.19 inches plus or minus normal ANSI tolerances, and
about 14 threads per inch. As illustrated in the detail call-out of
FIG. 1A, the right-hand threads 114 have a pitch angle .alpha. that
less than standard threads having a 60.degree. pitch angle. For
example, the right-hand threads 114 of the fastener 100 can have a
pitch angle .alpha. that is from 20.degree. to about
40.degree..
[0017] The pitch angle .alpha. of the right-hand threads 114 can
have a 0.degree. to 10.degree./20.degree. to 30.degree. geometric
configuration. In such an example, each thread has a first internal
angle .beta. on the tip side 120 of the thread, which faces towards
the tip 108 of the fastener 100, and a second internal angle
.gamma. on the head side 122 of the thread, which faces the head
end 110 of the fastener 100. For example, the tip side 120 and the
head side 122 of each thread slope towards each other from the base
of the thread and meet at a point 124 that is a certain height from
the body 102 of the fastener 100. When a vertical reference line B
is drawn to the body of the fastener from the point 124, the tip
side 120 of the thread slopes away from the vertical reference line
at the first internal angle .beta., which can be from about
20.degree. to about 30.degree.. In such an example, the head side
122 of the thread slopes away from the vertical reference line at
the second internal angle .gamma., which can be from about
0.degree. to about 10.degree.. For example, the thread pith angle
.alpha. can be about 30.degree., with the first internal angle
.beta. of the tip side 120 being about 20.degree., and the second
internal angle .gamma. of the head side 122 being about 10.degree..
In at least some examples, the geometric configuration of the
threads can improve the fastener's resistance to backing out over
time after installation.
[0018] In some examples, one or more of the first fully formed
right-hand threads 114 on the first body portion 112, which are the
threads closest to the tip end 104 of the fastener, can include
serrations 128. In at least one example, at least one of the first
three fully formed right-hand threads 114 on the first body portion
112, which are the threads closest to the tip end 104 of the
fastener, can include serrations 128. For example, one, two, or all
three of the first fully formed right-hand threads can include
serrations 128. In the examples illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
first two fully formed threads include serrations 128. In the
example illustrated in FIG. 2, the serrations 128 can be teeth 130.
Such teeth can be rectangular, as illustrated in FIG. 2, or can
have any other suitable shape, such as being triangular. In at
least some examples, serrations 128 can reduce the drive torque
needed to install the faster 100, and facilitate installation of
the fastener 100 through knots and hardwood. Additionally, it is
common that when a fastener pierces metal siding, a bur of metal
can be created, which is sometimes called a pig-tail. The inclusion
of serrations 128 can result in the bur being removed then the
serrated threads contact the bur as the fastener 100 is being
installed.
[0019] The second body portion 116 of the fastener 100 is adjacent
to the first body portion 112 of the fastener 100 and extends a
second distance D.sub.2 along the length of the fastener 100
towards the head end 106. In preferred examples, the length of the
second body portion can be less than the length of the first body
portion. For example, with reference FIG. 1, the second distance
D.sub.2 of the second body portion 116 can be less than the first
distance D.sub.1 of the first body portion. In some examples, such
as when the total length of the fastener 100 is about 3 inches or
less, the length of the second body portion, which is equal to the
second distance D.sub.2 of the second body portion, can be less
than or equal to about one quarter of an inch (0.6 cm).
[0020] The second body portion 116 includes left-hand threads 118.
The left-hand threads 118 can be single or multi-lead threads. The
left-hand threads 116 can have any suitable diameter and number of
threads per inch of length along the body of the fastener. The
second body portion 116 of the fastener 100 can include any number
of left-hand threads, including, for example, from about 1 thread
to about 5 threads, or preferably from about 2 threads to about 4
threads. The left-handed threads have the same diameter as the
right-hand threads, or can be oversized, meaning that the left-hand
threads can have a larger diameter than the right-hand threads. As
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the left-hand threads the left-hand
threads 116 of the illustrated embodiment can be 10-12 threads,
having a #10 diameter, which is a major diameter of about 0.19
inches plus or minus normal ANSI tolerances, and about 12 threads
per inch. In at least some examples when a fastener is being
installed through metal siding, the left-hand threads can result in
the bur being removed that is commonly created when the fastener
pierces the metal siding. Additionally, the left-hand threads can
invert the edge of the metal around the insertion hole of the
fastener 100, which can create a smooth surface and may prevent the
metal siding from cutting and damaging the rubber sealing washer
132. Further, while right-hand threads tend to back-out over time
due to expansion and contraction of the building materials and the
fastener when subjected to varying weather conditions, the left
hand threads can tend to apply force in opposite direction,
resisting back-out,
[0021] In at least some examples, the left-hand threads 118 can
have the same pitch angle as the right-hand threads. Accordingly,
the left-hand threads 118 have a pitch angle .alpha. that less than
standard threads having a 60.degree. pitch angle. For example, the
left-hand threads 118 of the fastener 100 can have a pitch angle
.alpha. that is from about 20.degree. to about 40.degree.. As
discussed above with reference to FIG. 1A, the pitch angle .alpha.
of the left-hand threads 118 can have a 0.degree. to
10.degree./20.degree. to 30.degree. geometric configuration. In
such an example, each thread has a first internal angle .beta. on
the tip side 120 of the thread, which faces towards the tip 108 of
the fastener 100, that can be from about 20.degree. to about
30.degree.. Each thread also has a second internal angle .gamma. on
the head side 122 of the thread, which faces the head end 110 of
the fastener 100, that can be from about 0.degree. to about
10.degree.. For example, the thread pith angle .alpha. can be about
30.degree., with the first internal angle .beta. of the tip side
120 being about 20.degree., and the second internal angle .gamma.
of the head side 122 being about 10.degree..
[0022] In at least one application, fasteners of the present
technology can be used to secure metal panels to wood building
structures. One method of installing a fastener 100 of the present
technology can include steps of inserting the fastener through a
metal panel and into a wood structural element. A sealing washer
132 can be assembled to the fastener 100 prior to inserting the
fastener 100 through the metal panel and into the wood structural
element. As with conventional fasteners, the step of inserting the
fastener 100 can include the fastener 100 creating a bur, or
pigtail, of metal that is attached to the metal panel as the tip
108 of the fastener penetrates the metal panel. Additionally, as
also tends to be observed with conventional fasteners, the step of
inserting the fastener 100 can include the right-hand threads of
the fastener causing an area of the metal panel immediately
surrounding the fastener 100 to pull away from the wood structural
element, as the right-hand threads 114 of the first body portion
102 of the fastener 100 pass through the metal panel. In methods of
installing conventional fasteners, creating a bur of metal and
causing the area of the metal panel immediately surrounding the
fastener to pull away from the wood structural element can each
tend to cause damage to the sealing washer.
[0023] However, in methods of installing fasteners of the present
technology, such damage to the washer may be reduced or prevented.
For example, the step of inserting a fastener 100 can also include
the fastener 100 removing the bur of metal as it passes through the
metal panel. In one example, removing the bur of metal can include
contacting the bur of metal with the left-hand threads 118 on the
second body portion of the fastener, and one or more of the
left-hand threads detaching the bur of metal as the left-hand
threads 118 pass through the metal panel. In another example, where
the fastener includes one or more right-hand threads having
serrations 128, removing the bur of metal can include contacting
the bur of metal with the serrations 128 on the one or more
right-hand threads 114, and one or more of the serrations 128
detaching the bur of metal as the one or more right-hand threads
114 having serrations 128 pass through the metal panel.
[0024] Additionally, in practice, the metal panel can stop pulling
away from the wood structural element at the junction of the
right-hand and left-hand thread. Once the left-hand threads 118
make contact with the metal panel, the left-hand threads 118 can
push the metal panel toward the wood structural element prior to
the fastener being fully inserted, at which point the area of the
metal panel would be in contact with the head 110 of the fastener
100, or with the sealing washer 132 that can be adjacent to and
abutting the head 110 of the fastener 100. Accordingly, the step of
inserting a fastener 100 can also include pushing the area of the
metal panel, which had been caused to pull away from the wood
structural element, towards the wood structural element, and
contacting the wood structural element with the area of the metal
panel prior to the area of the metal panel being contacted with the
head of the fastener or the sealing washer adjacent to the head of
the fastener. This may enable the fastener installer to know that
the metal panel has made contact with the wood structural element
prior to the fastener being completely installed. In such
instances, the fastener installer can then apply an appropriate
final seating torque to the fastener, thus properly compressing the
sealing washer, and preventing the fastener and sealing washer from
being over-torqued, which may damage the sealing washer and result
in leaks.
[0025] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that although
specific examples have been described herein for purposes of
illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating
from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. It is therefore
intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as
illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that
it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are
intended to particularly point out and distinctly claim the claimed
subject matter.
* * * * *