Fastening and alignment member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11098478-B2
Application number	US-201615207202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Jul 9, 2015
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A connection between a connector, a fastener and one or more structural members is disclosed. The connector can be formed with a fastening and alignment member. The fastening and alignment member includes a projecting member and a protruding member in close proximity to a predetermined location for the fastener.

First claim

We claim:

1. A connection between a structural member, a connector and a fastener, the connection comprising:
a. the structural member having a planar attachment face;
b. the fastener having an elongated shaft, a portion of the elongated shaft being received by the structural member and entering the structural member through the attachment face, the fastener also being received by the connector; and
c. the connector, the connector having a body portion, the body portion being a planar member having a planar front surface disposed away from the attachment face of the structural member and a planar back surface disposed facing the attachment face of the structural member, the body portion also having a predetermined location for the fastener, the fastener being received by the body portion at the predetermined location or adjacent thereto; the body portion having a deformed portion adjacent the predetermined location for the fastener, the deformed portion including a projecting member that projects rearwardly towards the attachment face of the structural member, the projecting member having a sloping surface that descends toward the predetermined location, the projecting member descends from an upper portion of the deformed portion, the projecting member projecting closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the planar back surface of the connector when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel, the upper portion being adjacent to the projecting member and radially farther away from the predetermined location for the fastener than the projecting member, adjacent to the upper portion is a protruding member that projects rearwardly towards the attachment face of the structural member, the protruding member being disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the upper portion of the deformed portion, the protruding member being disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the planar back surface of the connector when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel, adjacent to the protruding member is a second upper portion, the second upper portion being radially farther away from the predetermined location for the fastener than the protruding member, the protruding member being disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the second upper portion when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel, and wherein
d. the fastener has a head that has portions that flare outwardly from the shaft and engage the sloped surface of the projecting member.

2. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the projecting member surrounds the predetermined location for the fastener.

3. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of the projecting member is embedded in the structural member.

4. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the predetermined location for the fastener is an opening in the body portion and the opening has a rim which is disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the upper portion when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel.

5. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the sloping surface is a single annular surface making a conical frustum.

6. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the protruding member and the projecting member are arranged in a concentric manner around the predetermined location for the fastener.

7. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the projecting member sloping surface descends to the predetermined location for the fastener.

8. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the projecting member and the protruding member lift the body portion of the connector off of the attachment face of the structural member.

9. The connection of claim 1 , wherein:
the protruding member has a receiving surface facing away from the attachment face of the structural member and facing in the same direction as the front surface of the body portion and the protruding member is made with hatchings to roughen the receiving surface of the protruding member.

10. A connection between a structural member, a connector and a fastener, the connection comprising:
a. the structural member having a planar attachment face;
b. the fastener having an elongated shaft, a portion of the elongated shaft being received by the structural member and entering the structural member through the attachment face, the fastener also being received by the connector; and
c. the connector, the connector having a body portion, the body portion having a planar front surface disposed away from the attachment face of the structural member and a planar back surface disposed facing the attachment face of the structural member, the body portion also having a predetermined location for the fastener, the fastener being received by the body portion at the predetermined location or adjacent thereto; the body portion having a deformed portion adjacent the predetermined location for the fastener, the deformed portion including a projecting member that projects rearwardly towards the attachment face of the structural member, the projecting member having a sloping surface that descends toward the predetermined location, the projecting member descends from an upper portion of the deformed portion, the upper portion being adjacent to the projecting member and radially farther away from the predetermined location for the fastener than the projecting member, adjacent to the upper portion is a protruding member that projects rearwardly towards the attachment face of the structural member, the protruding member having a flat surface facing the attachment face of the structural member, the protruding member being disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the upper portion of the deformed portion when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel, adjacent to the protruding member is a second upper portion, the second upper portion being radially farther away from the predetermined location for the fastener than the protruding member, the protruding member being disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the second upper portion when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel, and wherein
d. the fastener has a head that has portions that flare outwardly from the shaft and engage the sloped surface of the projecting member.

11. The connection of claim 10 , wherein:
the projecting member surrounds the predetermined location for the fastener.

12. The connection of claim 10 , wherein:
a portion of the projecting member is embedded in the structural member.

13. The connection of claim 10 , wherein:
the predetermined location for the fastener is an opening in the body portion and the opening has a rim which is disposed closer to the attachment face of the structural member than the upper portion when the planar attachment face of the structural member and the planar back surface of the body portion of the connector are parallel.

14. The connection of claim 10 , wherein:
the sloping surface is a single annular surface making a conical frustum.

15. The connection of claim 10 , wherein:
the protruding mem

Assignees

• Downs Michael S
• Lin Jin Jie
• Stauffer Timothy M
• Mielbrecht Emmet J
• Muhn Dustin P
• Simpson Strong Tie Co Inc

Inventors

• Downs Michael S
• Lin Jin-Jie
• Stauffer Timothy M
• Mielbrecht Emmet J
• Muhn Dustin P

Classifications

• B25C7/00 Primary

  Accessories for nailing or stapling tools, e.g. supports (for tools operated by detonation of a cartridge B25C1/18) · CPC title

• E04B2001/2684

  with metal connectors · CPC title

• E04B2001/2644

  Brackets, gussets or joining plates · CPC title

• E04B2001/2672

  for members formed from a number of parallel sections · CPC title

• E04B2001/2652

  Details of nailing, screwing, or bolting · CPC title