Flush mounting insert for sandwich panels

Claim 2

An insert for providing fastener means in a sandwich panel having opposite facial sheets of prescribed thickness and a cavity between the sheets for receiving the insert and a hardenable liquid adhesive prior to insertion of the insert, said cavity including an opening of predetermined diameter in one of said sheets, said insert comprising: a body having opposite ends and a central longitudinal axis; fastener means in said body for receiving a mating fastener member; a flange projecting radially from the body and having a radial surface and an outer peripheral edge surface with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said opening and an axial extent substantially greater than the thickness of said one sheet; a thread on the peripheral edge surface, said thread having a pitch substantially less than the axial extent of said peripheral edge surface, said peripheral edge surface being tapered from a larger diameter at said radial surface to a smaller diameter toward the other end of the body such that the pitch line of the thread on the peripheral edge surface makes an actue angle with the longitudinal axis of the body; a second flange soaced from the first and flange and extending radially from said body in order to extend into said adhesive for anchoring said insert between the sheets; and means on the second flange for engaging the adhesive to impede rotation of the insert when the adhesive hardens.

Claim 3

The insert of claim 1 wherein said acute angle is in the order of magnitude of 12*.

Claim 4

The insert of claim 1 wherein the flange includes at least two recesses extending axially from said radial surface into the flange for enabling the cooperative engagement of complementary rotating means.

Claim 5

An insert for providing fastener means in a sandwich panel having opposite facial sheets of prescribed thickenss and a cavity between the sheets for receiving the insert and a hardenable liquid adhesive prior to insertion of the insert, said cavity including an opening of predetermined diameter in one of said sheets, said insert comprising: a body having opposite ends, a central longitudinal axis, and an aperture extending axially into said body between said opposite ends; an internal screw thread engageable with a complementary externally threaded member inserted into said aperture; means closing said aperture adjacent one of the opposite ends of the body; a flange projecting radially from the body adjacent the other of said opposite ends thereof, said flange having A radial surface at said other end of the body and an outer peripheral edge surface with a diameter corresponding to the diametero of said opening and an axial extent of at least approximately the thickness of said one sheet; an axially extending spiral thread in the peripheral edge surface of the flange, said spiral thread decreasing in diameter from a larger diameter at the radial surface to a smaller diameter toward said one of the opposite ends and having a pitch no greater than approximately the axial extent of said peripheral edge surface, said thread being capable of forming a corresponding complementary thread in said one sheet along the opening therein in response to rotation of said flange relative to said one sheet such that said flange can grip said one sheet and retain the insert in place, with the radial surface essentially flush with the outer surface of said one sheet, as the adhesive hardens; a second flange spaced from the first said flange and extending radially from said body in order to extend into said adhesive for anchoring said insert between the sheets; and means on the second flange for engaging the adhesive to impedg rotation of the insert when the adhesive hardens.

Claim 6

An insert for providing fastener means in a sandwich panel having opposite facial sheets of prescribed thickenss and a cavity between the sheets for receiving the insert and a hardenable liquid adhesive prior to insertion of the insert, said cavity including an opening of predetermined diameter in one of said sheets, said insert comprising: a body having opposite ends, a central longitudinal axis, and an aperture extending axially into said body between said opposite ends; an internal screw thread engageable with a complementary externally threaded member inserted into said aperture; means closing said aperture adjacent one of the opposite ends of the body; a flange projecting radially from the body adjacent the other of said opposite ends thereof, said flange having A radial surface at said other end of the body and an outer peripheral edge surface with a diameter corresponding to the diametero of said opening and an axial extent of at least approximately the thickness of said one sheet; an axially extending spiral thread in the peripheral edge surface of the flange, said spiral thread decreasing in diameter from a larger diameter at the radial surface to a smaller diameter toward said one of the opposite ends and having a pitch no greater than approximately the axial extent of said peripheral edge surface, said thread being capable of forming a corresponding complementary thread in said one sheet along the opening therein in response to rotation of said flange relative to said one sheet such that said flange can grip said one sheet and retain the insert in place, with the radial surface essentially flush with the outer surface of said one sheet, as the adhesive hardens; a second flange spaced from the first said flange and extending radially from said body in order to extend into said adhesive for anchoring said insert between the sheets; and means on the second flange for engaging the adhesive to impedg rotation of the insert when the adhesive hardens.

Claim 7

The insert of claim 4 including at least one radial constriction in said aperture immediately adjacent said aperture closing means so as to inhibit the passage of the complementary externally threaded member into said aperture beyond said radial constriction.

Claim 8

The insert of claim 4 wherein the axial extent of the peripheral edge surface is substantially greater than the thickness of said one sheet and the pitch of said thread is substantially less than the axial extent of the peripheral edge surface.

Claim 9

The insert of claim 6 wherein the pitch line of the spiral thread makes an acute angle in the order of magnitude of 12* with the longitudinal axis of the body.

Claim 10

The insert of claim 4 wherein the flange includes at least two recesses extending axially from said radial surface into the flange for enabling the cooperative engagement of complementary rotating means