Floating Connection Fastening System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020284033-A1
Application number	US-201916519388-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2019
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A floating connection fastening system employs a semi-flexible floating bushing having a sleeve with an axial slot which captures a fastener having a head, an unthreaded shank portion, a threaded portion and an intermediate reamer. An offset cap mounts to the bushing/fastener assembly and receives a driver bit. The offset cap defines an offset clearance. The floating connection is installed by driving the fastener through a non-load bearing member so as to form a bore and threadably engage a load bearing member. The floating bushing has a flange which engages the surface of the non-load bearing member, and the sleeve is entirely received in the formed bore. The offset attachment functions to provide a clearance so that upon termination of driving the fastener, the head of the fastener sits proud relative to the non-load bearing member. The installation is accomplished in essentially a one-step procedure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A floating connection installation assembly comprising:
an adaptor comprising an offset enclosure defining a central first axis and a proximal axial opening and having a distal reference flange defining a coaxial coupling recess; and a bushing having a sleeve defining a second central axis and having a locating flange disposed about said second axis and defining a notch, said locating flange receivable in said coupling recess, said floating sleeve having a generally cylindrical inside surface.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the floating sleeve is interrupted by an axial slot extending from said notch to a floating sleeve terminus.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reference flange is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said floating sleeve has an exterior thread.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a driver bit received in said adaptor and extending through said opening to define a clearance relative to said reference flange.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a fastener having a head, an unthreaded portion, a bore forming reamer, and a distal threaded portion, wherein said floating sleeve is mounted to the unthreaded portion and said head is engageable by said driver bit.

7 . The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a driver having a chuck which receives a shank of said driver bit so that said adaptor and driver are rotatably fixed.

8 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein said fastener is driven through a non-load bearing member into a load bearing member to provide a floating connection between said load bearing member and said non-load bearing member wherein said fastener forms a bore in said non-load bearing member and said floating sleeve is entirely received in said bore.

9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein said fastener is driven to a clearance position offset from said non-load bearing member and said clearance position is established by the relationship between said reference flange and said driver bit.

10 . A method for installing a floating connection comprising:
engaging an adaptor with a driver bit and having a reference flange defining an offset clearance and a received floating bushing having a sleeve with a captured fastener; and driving the fastener thereby forming a bore in a non-load bearing member and threadably engaging a load bearing member so that the sleeve is received in the bore.

11 . The installation method of claim 10 , further comprising driving the fastener through a non-load bearing member into a load bearing member so that the sleeve is entirely retained in a portion of the non-load bearing member bore and the head is spaced from the non-load bearing member by the offset clearance.

12 . The installation method of claim 11 , further comprising engaging a flange of said floating bushing against a surface of said non-load bearing member.

13 . The installation method of claim 10 , further comprising engaging said reference flange against a surface of the non-load bearing member.

14 . A floating connection installation assembly, comprising:
an adaptor having an offset housing defining a central first axis and a proximal axial opening and having a distal annular reference flange defining a coaxial coupling recess; a bushing comprising a sleeve defining a second axis and having a locating flange disposed about said second axis, said locating flange receivable in said coupling recess; and a fastener having a head, a shank with an unthreaded portion extending from said head and having a threaded terminal portion and an intermediate reamer, said unthreaded portion extending through said floating sleeve, wherein said fastener is rotatably and axially slidable along said unthreaded portion and said fastener is captured by said bushing between said head and said reamer.

15 . The installation assembly of claim 14 , wherein said sleeve has a generally cylindrical inside surface interrupted by an axial slot.

16 . The installation assembly of claim 14 , wherein said driver bit and said reference flange define an offset clearance.

17 . The installation assembly of claim 14 , wherein said locating flange has a notch extending to said axial slot.

18 . The installation assembly of claim 17 , wherein said adaptor has a key engageable in said notch.

19 . The installation assembly of claim 14 , wherein when said locating flange is received in said coupling recess, and said reference flange and said locating flange have coplanar surfaces.

20 . The installation assembly of claim 14 , wherein said inside surface has a uniform sleeve diameter and said reamer has a maximum diameter greater than said sleeve diameter.

Assignees

• Omg Inc

Inventors

• Venkatesan Arun Srinivasan
• Gillis Timothy F
• Enko Frederick A
• Dicaire Mark A

Classifications

• F16B5/0241 Primary

  with the possibility for the connection to absorb deformation, e.g. thermal or vibrational · CPC title

• F16B43/005

  engaging the bolt laterally to allow a quick mounting or dismounting of the washer, i.e. without the need to engage over the end of the bolt (F16B43/009 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B25/0063

  with a non-threaded portion on the shaft of the screw · CPC title

• E04B2/82 Primary

  characterised by the manner in which edges are connected to the building; Means therefor; Special details of easily-removable partitions {as far as related to the connection with other parts of the building} · CPC title

• F16B5/0275

  the screw-threaded element having at least two axially separated threaded portions (F16B5/0283 takes precedence) · CPC title