Winged Threaded Fastener With Offset Angled Wings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Winged threaded fasteners face issues such as incomplete wing break-off, wood chip clogging, and excessive torsional resistance due to unremoved wood fibers, leading to incomplete fastening and potential drill point failure when attaching wooden objects to metal objects.
Innovation Solution
The fastener features offset and ramped/angled wings that break off sequentially and efficiently remove wood chips and fibers, reducing torsional resistance and ensuring complete engagement with the metal object.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the wings are positioned directly opposing each other on the shank, then the structural symmetry is maintained, but the wings fail to break off completely when engaging the metal object, preventing proper thread engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the first and second wings at offset positions along the longitudinal axis of the shank rather than directly opposing each other. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the wings engage the metal object at different times during rotation, allowing them to break off sequentially and completely, thereby enabling proper thread engagement with the metal object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the wing structure by creating two separate wings at offset positions rather than a single symmetric structure. This segmentation allows each wing to function independently during the engagement process, with the first wing breaking off to create initial access and the second wing breaking off subsequently, ensuring complete clearance for thread engagement.
2Force
If the wings bore or ream a hole in the wooden object, then the torsional resistance on the threads is reduced, but wood chips and fibers remain in the hole causing drill point overheating and softening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the wings bore or ream the hole in the wooden object before the threads engage the metal object. This preliminary hole creation reduces the torsional resistance that would otherwise be encountered during thread engagement, allowing the fastener to be driven through the assembly without excessive force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by designing the wings to break off and be discarded after serving their function of creating the hole and reducing torsional resistance. The offset positioning ensures complete break-off of both wings, preventing wood chip accumulation that would otherwise cause drill point overheating and softening.
3Reliability
If the wings are positioned to break off sequentially at offset positions, then complete wing removal is achieved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the complexity issue by implementing a relatively simple asymmetric configuration where the wings are positioned at offset locations along the longitudinal axis. This straightforward offset arrangement, while asymmetric, does not require complex mechanisms or additional components, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving reliable sequential break-off.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a winged threaded fastener primarily suited to be used to connect a wooden object to a metal object. The fastener includes a head, a shank, a helical thread formation extending from the shank, a first wing extending from the shank, and a second wing extending from the shank. In various embodiments, the wings are offset along the longitudinal axis of the shank with respect to each other and are angled with respect the longitudinal axis of the shank.