CN108317153B

CN108317153B - Fastener coupling with engagement indicator

Info

Publication number: CN108317153B
Application number: CN201710999782.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 舒新宇; A·D·戴克辉斯; K·吉伦
Original assignee: Sheridan Stock Co
Current assignee: Sheridan Stock Co
Priority date: 2017-10-24
Filing date: 2017-10-24
Publication date: 2019-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-24
Also published as: CN108317153A; JP6727272B2; JP2019078404A

Abstract

a fastener coupling, comprising: a body having a wall defining a first internal cavity for receiving a first fastener from an open end; and an indicator having a bottom portion, at least one arm portion extending upwardly from a side of the bottom portion, and at least one indicator portion connected to the at least one arm portion, wherein the bottom portion and the arm portion are housed within the first cavity and the indicator portion is exposed at a peripheral edge of the open end, wherein the indicator portion is not visible at the peripheral edge when the bottom portion is pushed inwardly.

Description

Fastener coupling with engagement indicator

Technical Field

the present invention relates to a fastener coupling, and more particularly, to a fastener coupling having an engagement indicator.

Background

Fastener couplings, e.g., long nuts, are often used in anchoring systems for suspending objects, such as air conditioning equipment, lighting fixtures, or ducts, to a target structure, such as a wall or ceiling. Long nuts typically include one end secured to an anchor secured to the target structure and an opposite end having a bolt threaded therein for suspending an object. The bolt must reach a predetermined thread engagement depth in the long nut to ensure the performance of the anchoring system.

JP4294694B2 discloses a long nut having a viewing hole formed in a side wall of the long nut to view advantageous engagement between the long nut and the bolt. However, after the anchoring system has been installed, it is difficult for the inspector to determine a favorable engagement in case of a large distance between the long nut and the inspector, for example due to a very high ceiling, or a view opening facing away from the inspector. In addition, forming the holes in the side walls of the long nuts affects the strength of the long nuts.

It would therefore be advantageous to have an alternative fastener coupling with an engagement indicator.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a fastener coupling comprising: a body having a wall defining a first interior cavity for receiving a first fastener from an open end thereof; and an indicator having a bottom portion, at least one arm portion extending upwardly from at least one side of the bottom portion, and at least one indicating portion connected to the at least one arm portion. The base portion and the arm portion are at least partially received within the first internal cavity and the indicator portion is exposed at a peripheral edge of the open end, wherein the indicator portion is not visible at the peripheral edge when the base portion is pushed inwardly.

Drawings

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fastener coupling having an engagement indicator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a front schematic view and a top plan view of an indicator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the indicator of FIG. 3 taken along line A-A in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an isometric schematic view of a body according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are an isometric schematic view and a top plan view of the assembled fastener coupling of FIG. 1, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the fastener coupling of FIG. 7 taken from line B-B in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the advantageous engagement between the fastener coupling of FIG. 1 and a first fastener according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded isometric schematic view of a fastener coupling having an engagement indicator according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is an isometric schematic view of the assembled fastener coupling of FIG. 10 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side schematic view of an advantageous engagement between the fastener coupling of FIG. 10 and a first fastener according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a module, circuit, device component, structure, or method step that comprises a list of elements or steps does not include only those elements but may include other elements or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such module, circuit, device component, or step. The previous appearance of an element or step "comprising … a" does not exclude the presence of other identical elements or steps than those listed.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view of a fastener coupling 100 with engagement indicators is shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The fastener coupling 100 includes a body 102 having a wall 104 defining a first interior cavity 106 for receiving a first fastener (not shown) from an open end 108 thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the body 102 is a long nut having a cylindrical body, and the first lumen 106 is a threaded bore extending from the open end 108 along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body. The first fastener is a bolt to be screwed into the threaded hole to a predetermined thread engagement depth to achieve favorable engagement between the long nut and the bolt. In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises a metal or alloy material.

The fastener coupling 100 further includes an indicator 110 comprising a base portion 112, a plurality of arm portions 114 extending upwardly from different sides of the base portion 112, and a plurality of indicator portions 116 connected to the plurality of arm portions 114, respectively, wherein, after assembly, the base portion 112 and the arm portions 114 are received within the first interior cavity 106 and the indicator portions 116 are exposed at a peripheral edge of the open end portion 108. In a preferred embodiment, the indicator 110 includes at least one of a plurality of arm portions 114 extending from at least one side of the base portion 112, and at least one indicator portion 116 connected to the at least one arm portion 114.

Fig. 2 and 3 show a front view and a top plan view, respectively, of an indicator 110 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the arm portions 114 are flared outwardly such that when the arm portions 114 are received within the first lumen 106 from the open end 108, the arm portions 114 engage and push against the inside of the top wall 104 to prevent the indicator 110 from falling out of the first lumen 106. In a preferred embodiment, the arm portions 114 are substantially evenly distributed about the base portion 112. The length of the arm portion 114 is defined according to a predetermined thread engagement depth.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the indicator 110 of FIG. 3 taken along line A-A. Each of the indicator portions 116 is preferably stepped outwardly from the arm portion 114 in a step 117. In a preferred embodiment, indicator 110 further includes a plurality of neck portions 118 connected between arm portions 114 and indicator portion 116, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the strength of each neck portion 118 is less than the strength of the arm portions 114. In a preferred embodiment, the neck portion 118 has a thickness less than the thickness of the arm portion 114. Preferably, the thickness of the neck portion 118 is equal to or less than 1/2 the thickness of the arm portion. In another preferred embodiment, the neck portion 118 has a width less than the width of the arm portion 114. Preferably, the width of the neck portion 118 is equal to or less than 4/5 of the width of the arm portion 114. In a preferred embodiment, indicator 110 comprises a plastic material, such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyoxymethylene (POM), or the like.

Fig. 5 is an isometric schematic view of the body 102. In a preferred embodiment, the body 102 includes a plurality of guide slots 120 each formed longitudinally on an inner side of the wall 104 for respectively receiving the plurality of arm portions 114.

Fig. 6 and 7 show an isometric schematic view and a top plan view, respectively, of the assembled fastener coupling 100 of fig. 1, and fig. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the fastener coupling 100 of fig. 7 taken from line B-B. In a preferred embodiment, the minimum depth of each guide groove 120 is not less than the thickness of the received arm portion 114, such that the received arm portion 114 is completely embedded in the guide groove 120. In a preferred embodiment, the indicator portion 116 is attached to and extends along the peripheral edge of the open end 108.

In a preferred embodiment, the body 102 further includes a second internal cavity 122 for receiving a second fastener (not shown). In a preferred embodiment, the second lumen 122 is a threaded bore and the second fastener is an anchor having a threaded shaft threaded into the threaded bore. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second lumens 106 and 122 form through threaded bores of the body 102.

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the advantageous engagement between the fastener coupling 100 of FIG. 1 and the first fastener 124. The first fastener 124 is threaded into the first interior cavity 106 to a predetermined thread engagement depth. When the first fastener 124 engages and pushes the bottom portion 112 further inward to reach the predetermined thread engagement depth, the peripheral edge of the open end 108 stops the indicator portion 116, and then tension between the indicator portion 116 and the arm portion 114 breaks the neck portion 118, which causes the indicator portion 116 to fall out of the fastener coupling 100 and no longer be visible at the peripheral edge of the open end 108. The fastener coupling 100 without the indicator portion 116 exposed at the peripheral edge indicates that the first fastener 124 has reached the predetermined thread engagement depth, i.e., the favorable engagement between the fastener coupling 100 and the first fastener 124 has been achieved, which can be easily determined from below. In a preferred embodiment, the color of the indicator portion 116 is different from the color of the body 102.

Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a fastener coupling 200 with engagement indicators according to another embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 11 is an isometric schematic view of the assembled fastener coupling 200 of fig. 10. The fastener coupling 200 is substantially identical to the fastener coupling 100 of fig. 1, except that: the fastener coupling 200 includes an indicator 202 comprising an indicator portion 204 having a width no greater than the width of the guide slot 120 of the body 102, wherein the arm portion 114 along with the indicator portion 204 is generally strap-shaped.

FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the advantageous engagement between the fastener coupling 200 of FIG. 10 and the first fastener 124. When the first fastener 124 engages and pushes the bottom portion 112 further inward to reach the predetermined thread engagement depth, the indicating portion 204 is pulled into the first interior cavity 106 of the main body 102 by the arm portion 114 along the guide slot 120 such that when the first fastener 124 reaches the predetermined thread engagement depth, the indicating portion 204 is pulled completely into the first interior cavity 106 and is no longer visible at the peripheral edge of the open end 108, which indicates that the first fastener 124 has reached the predetermined thread engagement depth, i.e., a favorable engagement between the fastener coupling 200 and the first fastener 124 has been achieved, which can be readily determined from below. In a preferred embodiment, the color of the indicator portion 204 is different from the color of the body 102.

The description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. a fastener coupling, comprising:

A body including a wall defining a first interior cavity for receiving a first fastener from an open end of the first interior cavity; and

an indicator comprising a base portion, at least one arm portion extending upwardly from at least one side of the base portion, and at least one indicator portion connected to the arm portion, wherein the base portion and the arm portion are at least partially received within the first internal cavity and the indicator portion is exposed at a peripheral edge of the open end, wherein inward thrust when the base portion is pushed inwardly causes the indicator portion to break or deform at the peripheral edge to be pulled into the first internal cavity.

2. the fastener coupling according to claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises a plurality of arm portions extending upwardly from different sides of said bottom portion, wherein said at least one indicator portion is connected to one of said plurality of arm portions, and wherein said plurality of arm portions are substantially evenly distributed about said bottom portion.

3. The fastener coupling according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of arm portions expand outwardly, engage and urge against the inner sides of said walls.

4. The fastener coupling according to claim 1, wherein said main body comprises at least one guide groove formed longitudinally on an inner side of said wall, which guide groove receives said arm portion.

5. The fastener coupling according to claim 4, wherein a minimum depth of said guide groove is not less than a thickness of said arm portion.

6. the fastener coupling according to claim 4, wherein the width of said indicator portion is no greater than the width of said guide slot, and wherein said indicator portion is pulled into said first internal cavity along said guide slot by said at least one arm portion when said first fastener engages and further pushes said bottom portion inwardly.

7. The fastener coupling according to claim 1, wherein said indicator portion is attached to a peripheral edge of said open end, wherein said indicator portion breaks away from said indicator when said first fastener engages and further urges said bottom portion inwardly.

8. The fastener coupling according to claim 7, wherein the indicator further comprises a neck portion coupled between the arm portion and the indicator portion, wherein upon the first fastener engaging and further pushing the bottom portion inward, the neck portion breaks and the indicator portion falls out of the fastener coupling.

9. The fastener coupling according to claim 8, wherein a thickness of said neck portion is less than a thickness of said arm portion.

10. the fastener coupling according to claim 8, wherein the neck portion has a width less than a width of the arm portion.

11. The fastener coupling according to claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises a plastic material.

12. The fastener coupling according to claim 1, wherein the color of said indicator portion is different from the color of said body.