Compression indentation fastener device

Abstract

An enlarged head fastener device and method for manufacturing the same is described. The enlarged head fastener device includes a shank and a head. The head extends outwardly from the shank in a transverse plane to define a head periphery. The head has an anterior side and a posterior side. The anterior side includes a bearing surface and a convergent transition portion that reinforces the head. The convergent transition portion extends between a large end adjacent the bearing surface to a small end adjacent the shank. At least one ridge formation projects from the anterior side of the head providing additional reinforcement. The ridge formation extends continuously between an outboard end positioned on the anterior side of the head adjacent the head periphery and an inboard end positioned on the shank. The head may be centered or offset relative to the shank.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 010,163, filed Jun. 10, 2014 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 108,259, filed Jan. 27, 2015. The present application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 14 / 735,920 (Attorney Docket No. 16318-000023-US, entitled “COMPRESSION INDENTATION FASTENER DEVICE”), filed on the same day as this application. The entire disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD[0002]The subject disclosure generally relates to fasteners and methods for their manufacture. By way of example and without limitation, such fasteners may be used in the construction industry for securing multiple building components to one another.BACKGROUND[0003]This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.[0004]Nail-like fasteners have been used for thousands of years. Some archeological evidence su...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The fastener devices described in this patent have several advantages over existing fasteners. Specifically, their design improves retention and push-through resistance compared to small-head and enlarged head fasteners. This makes the fasteners less prone to failure modes that occur when the enlarged head is turned inside out like an umbrella. The disclosed enlarged head fastener device also performs well when thickness of the substrate material increases. Testing also shows that the teachings in the patent can be applied to a wide range of different fastener types.

Problems solved by technology

When a typical fastener is installed in a typical wood and / or wood-like substrate material, a tug-a-war of sorts results between the substrate material and the fastener.

The weakest link in the pull-through withdrawal tug-of-war will fail first such that one of three failure modes results.

A third failure mode, less common than the first and second failure modes, is fastener failure, where the nail head or the shank fails due to breakage, bending, or shearing.

When any one of these three failure modes occur, the wood roof decking substrate material comes off resulting in the building suffering extensive damage and property loss.

Shank features such as barbs, ring shanks, spirals, and flutes have been shown to lose significant withdrawal resistance when the substrate material is subjected to environmental conditions, which causes the dry shrinking of wood substrate fibers over long periods of time.

In addition, shank features such as barbs, ring shanks, spirals, and flutes have been shown to lose significant withdrawal resistance when the nail and substrate material are subjected to vibration, which may be created by storm winds beating upon a structure, seismic activity generated by tornadoes beating the ground as they travel, and seismic activity associated with earth quakes and ground shifting.

One short coming of the fasteners described in these patents is that the heads can easily cut and / or rupture the surface fibers of the wood and / or wood-like substrate material.

While using a washer-type device does increase the bearing surface, it also increases the relative thickness of the head of the fastener causing it to protrude above the surface of the substrate material.

If the fastener and washer combination is driven in to be flush with the surface of the substrate material, then the substrate material can often be cut, compromised, and / or damaged such that it is easily susceptible to further deformation and subsequent loss of structural integrity.

A short coming of the fasteners disclosed in these patents includes that the washer-like devices are not designed to prevent cutting and / or rupturing the surface fibers of the wood and / or wood-like material substrate.

The benefit of the enlarged head size compared to the shank of the fastener is limited because of the inherent detrimental benefits of the geometric shape of the head design.

Specifically, enlarged head nails have been shown to include several significant failure modes.

One failure mode occurs where the surface fibers of the wood substrate material become ruptured and split from the initial setting of the nail before pull-through forces are applied due to the sharp edges on the underside of the head.

Another failure mode occurs where the enlarged heads of the nails become noticeably distorted and wobbled after pulling through the substrate material, resembling an umbrella turned inside out as a result of strong winds.

In other words, in spite of the enlarged head, independent third party testing reveals that as the thickness of the substrate material increases, there is not a corresponding increase in the pull-through resistance for nails of this design.

Another disadvantage associated with such enlarged head fasteners lies with the manufacturing process for such fasteners.

In other words, the diameter of the head after a first hammer strike is insufficient and one or more additional hammer strikes are required to continue to push the material of the wire outward to form the enlarged head.

This increases manufacturing costs by slowing down the yield of the manufacturing process.

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