Fastener having sealing head

Claim 2

A fastener for providing a sealed connection between a plurality of members, said fastener comprising a longitudinally extending metal shank, a thread convolution formed on the shank for engaging at least one of the plurality of members, a metal shank head connected to one end portion of said shank and integrally formed with said shank, said shank head including a circular collar disposed in a coaxial relationship with said shank and a head end portion projecting outwardly from said collar in a direction away from said shank and disposed in a coaxial relationship with said collar, said collar extending radially outwardly from said shank for a greater distance than said head end portion and having a first annular side surface area facing toward said shank, a second annular side surface area facing toward said head end portion and a third side surface area interconnecting said first and second side surface areas, said metal shank head further including a cylindrical section disposed between said collar and said shank, said cylindrical section having a cylindrical side surface with a diameter which is less than the diameter of said collar and greater than the diameter of said shank, said head end portion including surface means for defining at least one recess in said head end portion, and an outer head of polymeric material molded over and at least partially enclosing said metal shank head, said outer head of polymeric material including a first portion at least partially enclosing said head end portion and engaging said recess in said head end portion to retard relative movement between said outer head of polymeric material and said head end portion upon application of forces to said outer head tending to rotate said fastener about the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said outer head of polymeric material including a second portion covering said first, second and third surface areas of said collar, said second portion including an annular section of polymeric material having a first annular side surface abutting said first surface area of said collar and a second annular side surface facing toward said shank, said annular section of polymeric material being disposed in abutting engagement with said cylindrical side surface of said cylindrical section throughout the circumferential extent of said cylindrical side surface, said annular section of polymeric material having a thickness between said first and second sides which is equal to the axial extent of said cylindrical section, said outer head of polymeric material further including a circular skirt projecting outwardly from said second side of said annular section in a direction toward said shank, said skirt sloping axially and radially toward said shank from an annular base portion integrally formed with said annular section of said outer head to an annular edge portion which circumscribes said shank and is spaced apart from said shank, said annular base portion having an inside diameter which is substantially smaller than the outside diameter of said collar and an outside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of said collar, said annular edge portion having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said base portion and which is less than the outside diameter of said collar, said skirt having an annular inner surface which slopes inwardly from said base toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a first angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank and which cooperates with said second side of said annular section of said outer head to at least partially define an annular cavity which circumscribes said shank and has a greater radial extent adjacent to the base portion of said skirt than adjacent to said edge portion of said skirt, said skirt having an annular outer side surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a second angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said skirt being deflectable inwardly toward said shank and said collar under the influence of forces applied against said skirt by one of the members upon connection of the fastener with the members, said skirt being clamped between said collar and the one member to decrease the volume of said annular cavity and to enable said outer side surface of said skirt to be pressed into tight sealing engagement with the outer surface of the one member.

Claim 3

A fastener as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annular edge portion of said skirt circumscribes said shank at a location radially outwardly from said thread convolution prior to connection of said fastener with the members.

Claim 4

A fastener as set forth in claim 1 wherein said head end portion flares outwardly in a direction away from said shank from a first section adjacent to said collar to a second section which is spaced apart from said collar to provide a recess for receiving the polymeric material of said first portion of said outer head to hold said first portion of said outer head against axial movement relative to said shank.

Claim 5

A fastener as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second side surfaces of said annular section are flat side surfaces which extend parallel to each other.

Claim 6

A fastener for providing a sealed connection between a plurality of members, said fastener comprising a longitudinally extending metal shank, a thread convolution formed on the shank for engaging at least one of the plurality of members, a metal shank head connected to one end portion of said shank and integrally formed with said shank, said shank head including a circular collar disposed in a coaxial relationship with said shank and a head end portion projecting outwardly from said collar in a direction away from said shank and disposed in a coaxial relationship with said collar, said collar extending radially outwardly from said shank for a greater distance than said head end portion and having a first annular side surface area facing toward said shank, a second annular side surface area facing toward said head end portion and a third side surface area interconnecting said first and second side surface areas, said head end portion including surface means for defining at least one recess in said head end portion, said metal shank head further including a cylindrical section disposed between said collar and said shank, said cylindrical section having a diameter which is less than the diameter of said collar and greater than the diameter of said shank, and an outer head of polymeric material molded over and at least partially enclosing said metal shank head, said outer head of polymeric material including a first portion at least partially enclosing said head end portion and engaging said recess in said head end portion to retard relative movement between said outer head of polymeric material and said head end portion upon application of forces to said outer head tending to rotate said fastener about the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said outer head of polymeric material including a second portion covering said first, second and third surface areas of said collar, said second portion including an annular section of polymeric material having a first side abutting said first surface area of said collar and a second side facing toward said shank, said annular section of polymeric material circumscribing said cylindrical section of said shank head, said outer head of polymeric material further including a circular skirt extending from said second portion of said outer head in a direction toward said shank, said skirt sloping axially and radially toward said shank from an annular base portion integrally formed with said annular section of said outer head to an annular edge portion which circumscribes said shank and is spaced apart from said shank, said annular edge portion having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said base portion and which is less than the outside diameter of said collar, said skirt having an annular inner surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a first angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said skirt having an annular outer side surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a second angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, the dimension of said skirt from its base portion to its edge portion being greater than the dimension thereof from said base portion to said cylindrical section of said shank head, said skirt being deflectable inwardly toward said shank and said collar from an unrestrained position to a sealing position under the influence of forces applied against said skirt by one of the members upon connection of the fastener with the members, said inner side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with said cylindrical section of said metal shank head and with said second side of said annular section of polymeric material when said skirt is in the sealing position, said outer side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with the outer side surface of the one member when said skirt is in the sealing position.

Claim 7

A fastener for providing a sealed connection between a plurality of members, said fastener comprising a longitudinally extending metal shank, a thread convolution formed on the shank for engaging at least one of the plurality of members, a metal shank head connected to one end portion of said shank and integrally formed with said shank, said shank head including a circular collar disposed in a coaxial relationship with said shank and a head end portion projecting outwardly from said collar in a direction away from said shank and disposed in a coaxial relationship with said collar, said collar extending radially outwardly from said shank for a greater distance than said head end portion and having a first annular side surface area facing toward said shank, a second annular side surface area facing toward said head end portion and a third side surface area interconnecting said first and second side surface areas, said head end portion including surface means for defining at least one recess in said head end portion, said metal shank head further including a cylindrical section disposed between said collar and said shank, said cylindrical section having a diameter which is less than the diameter of said collar and greater than the diameter of said shank, and an outer head of polymeric material molded over and at least partially enclosing said metal shank head, said outer head of polymeric material including a first portion at least partially enclosing said head end portion and engaging said recess in said head end portion to retard relative movement between said outer head of polymeric material and said head end portion upon application of forces to said outer head tending to rotate said fastener about the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said outer head of polymeric material including a second portion covering said first, second and third surface areas of said collar, said second portion including an annular section of polymeric material having a first side abutting said first surface area of said collar and a second side facing toward said shank, said annular section of polymeric material circumscribing said cylindrical section of said shank head, said outer head of polymeric material further including a circular skirt extending from said second portion of said outer head in a direction toward said shank, said skirt sloping axially and radially toward said shank from an annular base portion integrally formed with said annular section of said outer head to an annular edge portion which circumscribes said shank and is spaced apart from said shank, said annular edge portion having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said base portion and which is less than the outside diameter of said collar, said skirt having an annular inner surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a first angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said skirt having an annular outer side surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a second angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, the dimension of said skirt from its base portion to its edge portion being greater than the dimension thereof from said base portion to said cylindrical section of said shank head, said skirt being deflectable inwardly toward said shank and said collar from an unrestrained position to a sealing position under the influence of forces applied against said skirt by one of the members upon connection of the fastener with the members, said inner side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with said cylindrical section of said metal shank head and with said second side of said annular section of polymeric material when said skirt is in the sealing position, said outer side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with the outer side surface of the one member when said skirt is in the sealing position.

Claim 8

A fastener as set forth in claim 5 wherein said annular edge portion of said skirt circumscribes said shank at a location radially outwardly from said thread convolution prior to connection of said fastener with the members.

Claim 9

A fastener as set forth in claim 5 wherein said base portion of said skirt has an inside diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said collar and an outside diameter which is greater than the diameter of said collar, said base portion of said skirt being disposed radially outwardly of said cylindrical section of said metal shank head.

Claim 10

A fastener as set forth in claim 5 wherein said head end portion flares outwardly in a direction away from said shank from a first section adjacent to said collar to a second section which is spaced apart from said collar to provide a recess for receiving the polymeric material of said first portion of said outer head to hold said first portion of said outer head against axial movement relative to said shank.

Claim 11

A fastener for providing a sealed connection between a plurality of members, said fastener comprising a longitudinally extending metal shank, a thread convolution formed on the shank for engaging at least one of the plurality of members, a metal shank head connected to one end portion of said shank and integrally formed with said shank, said shank head including a circular collar disposed in a coaxial relationship with said shank and a head end portion which flares outwardly from said collar in a direction away from said shank and disposed in a coaxial relationship with said collar, said head end portion having an axially outer end which is larger than an axially inner end which is disposed adjacent to said collar to provide a radially outwardly facing recess between said collar and the axially outer end of said head end portion, said collar extending radially outwardly from said shank for a greater distance than said head end portion and having a first annular side surface area facing toward said shank, a second annular side surface area facing toward said head end portion and a third side surface area interconnecting said first and second side surface areas, said head end portion including surface means for defining at least one axially outwardly opening recess in said head end portion, said metal shank head further including a cylindrical section disposed between said collar and said shank in a coaxial relationship with said collar and said shank, said cylindrical section having a flat circular side surface which faces toward said shank and has a diameter which is less than the diameter of said collar and is greater than the diameter of said shank, and an outer head of polymeric material molded over and at least partially enclosing said metal shank head, said outer head of polymeric material including a first portion at least partially enclosing said head end portion and engaging said axially outwardly opening recess in said head end portion to retard relative movement between said outer head of polymeric material and said head end portion upon application of forces to said outer head tending to rotate said fastener about the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said outer head of polymeric material engaging said radially outwardly opening recess to hold said outer head of polymeric material against axial movement relative to said shank, said outer head of polymeric material including a second portion covering said first, second and third surface areas of said collar, said second portion including an annular section of polymeric material having a first side abutting said first surface area of said collar and a second side facing toward said shank, said annular section of polymeric material circumscribing said cylindrical section of said shank head with said second side of said annular section of polymeric material disposed in a coplanar relationship with said flat circular side surface of said cylindrical section, said outer head of polymeric material further including a circular skirt extending from said second portion of said outer head in a direction toward said shank, said skirt sloping axially and radially toward said shank from an annular base portion integrally formed with said annular section of said outer head to an annular edge portion which circumscribes said shank and is spaced apart from said shank, said annular base portion of said skirt having an inside diameter which is smaller than the outside diameter of said collar and an outside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of said collar, said annular edge portion having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said base portion and which is less than the outside diameter of said collar, said skirt having an annular inner surface which slopes inwardly from said base toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a first angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank and which cooperates with said second side of said annular section of said outer head to at least partially define an annular cavity which circumscribes said shank and has a greater radial extent adjacent to the base portion of said skirt than adjacent to said edge portion of said skirt, said skirt having an annular outer side surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a second angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, the dimension of said skirt from its base portion to its edge portion being greater than the dimension thereof from said base portion to said cylindrical section of said shank head, said skirt being deflectable inwardly toward said shank and said collar from an unrestrained position to a sealing position under the influence of forces applied against said skirt by one of the members upon connection of the fastener with the members, said skirt being clamped between said collar and the one member to decrease the volume of said annular cavity and to enable said outer side surface of said skirt to be pressed against the outer surface of the one member upon deflection of said skirt from the unrestrained position to the sealing position, said inner side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with said cylindrical section of said metal shank head and with said second side of said annular section of polymeric material when said skirt is in the sealing position, said outer side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with the outer side surface of the one member when said skirt is in the sealing position.

Claim 12

A fastener for providing a sealed connection between a plurality of members, said fastener comprising a longitudinally extending metal shank, a thread convolution formed on the shank for engaging at least one of the plurality of members, a metal shank head connected to one end portion of said shank and integrally formed with said shank, said shank head including a circular collar disposed in a coaxial relationship with said shank and a head end portion which flares outwardly from said collar in a direction away from said shank and disposed in a coaxial relationship with said collar, said head end portion having an axially outer end which is larger than an axially inner end which is disposed adjacent to said collar to provide a radially outwardly facing recess between said collar and the axially outer end of said head end portion, said collar extending radially outwardly from said shank for a greater distance than said head end portion and having a first annular side surface area facing toward said shank, a second annular side surface area facing toward said head end portion and a third side surface area interconnecting said first and second side surface areas, said head end portion including surface means for defining at least one axially outwardly opening recess in said head end portion, said metal shank head further including a cylindrical section disposed between said collar and said shank in a coaxial relationship with said collar and said shank, said cylindrical section having a flat circular side surface which faces toward said shank and has a diameter which is less than the diameter of said collar and is greater than the diameter of said shank, and an outer head of polymeric material molded over and at least partially enclosing said metal shank head, said outer head of polymeric material including a first portion at least partially enclosing said head end portion and engaging said axially outwardly opening recess in said head end portion to retard relative movement between said outer head of polymeric material and said head end portion upon application of forces to said outer head tending to rotate said fastener about the longitudinal central axis of said shank, said outer head of polymeric material engaging said radially outwardly opening recess to hold said outer head of polymeric material against axial movement relative to said shank, said outer head of polymeric material including a second portion covering said first, second and third surface areas of said collar, said second portion including an annular section of polymeric material having a first side abutting said first surface area of said collar and a second side facing toward said shank, said annular section of polymeric material circumscribing said cylindrical section of said shank head with said second side of said annular section of polymeric material disposed in a coplanar relationship with said flat circular side surface of said cylindrical section, said outer head of polymeric material further including a circular skirt extending from said second portion of said outer head in a direction toward said shank, said skirt sloping axially and radially toward said shank from an annular base portion integrally formed with said annular section of said outer head to an annular edge portion which circumscribes said shank and is spaced apart from said shank, said annular base portion of said skirt having an inside diameter which is smaller than the outside diameter of said collar and an outside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of said collar, said annular edge portion having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said base portion and which is less than the outside diameter of said collar, said skirt having an annular inner surface which slopes inwardly from said base toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a first angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank and which cooperates with said second side of said annular section of said outer head to at least partially define an annular cavity which circumscribes said shank and has a greater radial extent adjacent to the base portion of said skirt than adjacent to said edge portion of said skirt, said skirt having an annular outer side surface which slopes inwardly from said base portion toward said shank to said annular edge portion at a second angle to the longitudinal central axis of said shank, the dimension of said skirt from its base portion to its edge portion being greater than the dimension thereof from said base portion to said cylindrical section of said shank head, said skirt being deflectable inwardly toward said shank and said collar from an unrestrained position to a sealing position under the influence of forces applied against said skirt by one of the members upon connection of the fastener with the members, said skirt being clamped between said collar and the one member to decrease the volume of said annular cavity and to enable said outer side surface of said skirt to be pressed against the outer surface of the one member upon deflection of said skirt from the unrestrained position to the sealing position, said inner side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with said cylindrical section of said metal shank head and with said second side of said annular section of polymeric material when said skirt is in the sealing position, said outer side surface of said skirt being disposed in engagement with the outer side surface of the one member when said skirt is in the sealing position.

Claim 13

A fastener as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first angle between the longitudinal central axis of said shank and said inner side surface of said skirt is approximately 20° and said second angle between the longitudinal central axis of said shank and said outer side surface of said skirt is approximately 38°.