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US3978760A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Self-thread forming threaded fasteners and blanks for making same

Assignee: Research Engineering and Manufacturing Inc
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Filing: 1974-01-14
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Granted: 1976-09-07
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Expires: 1994-01-14
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Abstract

Abstract A self-thread forming threaded fastener has a straight thread on a shank of circular cross section and a tapered thread on the work-entering end. The tapered portion of the thread is of lobular root, pitch and crest surface cross sections and which lobular configuration is continued, but to a diminishing extent, on the first few threads on the shank immediately adjacent to the tapered section. The fastener is formed by rolling between thread-rolling dies a blank having a cylindrical shank of circular cross section and an end section of arcuate lobular cross section including a tapered portion. At least the lobular and tapered portions of the blank are intermittently deflected first in one direction and then in the opposite direction by the dies. Due to such deflections of the end of the blank, a lobular tapered thread is produced on the tapered portion of the blank.

Inventors

  • 👤 Herman M. Muenchinger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 07:25
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21H; B21H3/00; B21H3/02; B21H3/027; F; F16; F16B; F16B25/00; F16B25/0036; F16B25/0078; F16B25/0084; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/03; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12201

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 199 words
A thread-forming screw fastener comprising a threaded shank portion, a tapered thread-forming portion, and a lead portion, said thread-forming portion being intermediate the shank portion and the lead portion, the shank portion and the lead portion being cylindrical, the diameter of the lead portion being less than the diameter of the shank portion, the thread-forming portion diverging from the lead portion in a substantially conical configuration, the axis of a cone circumscribing the thread-forming portion being offset from and parallel with the axis of the lead portion whereby the thread-forming portion and the lead portion are eccentric relative to one another to provide a lobe on a portion of the periphery of the thread-forming portion, a thread-forming portion and the lead portion intersecting along a line which extends at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the lead portion whereby all planes transverse to the axis of the lead portion and extending through said line intersect both the lead portion and the thread-forming portion, the thread-forming portion having a partially formed thread with a substantially fully developed crest on the lobe, the thread on the thread-forming portion being a continuation of the thread on the shank portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 199 words
A thread-forming screw fastener comprising a threaded shank portion, a tapered thread-forming portion, and a lead portion, said thread-forming portion being intermediate the shank portion and the lead portion, the shank portion and the lead portion being cylindrical, the diameter of the lead portion being less than the diameter of the shank portion, the thread-forming portion diverging from the lead portion in a substantially conical configuration, the axis of a cone circumscribing the thread-forming portion being offset from and parallel with the axis of the lead portion whereby the thread-forming portion and the lead portion are eccentric relative to one another to provide a lobe on a portion of the periphery of the thread-forming portion, a thread-forming portion and the lead portion intersecting along a line which extends at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the lead portion whereby all planes transverse to the axis of the lead portion and extending through said line intersect both the lead portion and the thread-forming portion, the thread-forming portion having a partially formed thread with a substantially fully developed crest on the lobe, the thread on the thread-forming portion being a continuation of the thread on the shank portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The fastener of claim 1 in which the thread-forming portion has substantially elliptical transverse cross sections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The fastener of claim 1 in which the thread-forming portion has substantially oval cross sections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The fastener of claim 1 in which the crest of the thread on the thread-forming portion is fully developed along a circumferential segment that is substantially less than a full turn.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
The fastener of claim 1 in which the crest of the thread on the thread-forming portion is fully developed along a circumferential segment that extends for about one-half a turn.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A self thread-forming fastener according to claim 1 in which the lead section has an unthreaded portion at the end thereof that is remote from said thread-forming portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
A self thread-forming fastener according to claim 1 in which the root of the thread in said thread-forming section is of progressively varying width.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2352982A Cited
US3426642A Cited
US3180126A Cited
US3451080A Cited
US3724315A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-09-07 1980-03-08 1980-09-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-09-07 1984-03-08 1984-09-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-09-07 1988-03-08 1988-09-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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