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An article for use in a torque transmitting system which has a drive surface configuration having side and end surfaces is disclosed. The end surface tapers upwardly and outwardly from a lowermost point provided along a longitudinal axis to the side surface. The end surface defines a plurality of id

An article for use in a torque transmitting system which has a drive surface configuration having side and end surfaces is disclosed. The end surface tapers upwardly and outwardly from a lowermost point provided along a longitudinal axis to the side surface. The end surface defines a plurality of identically configured lobes that extend from a first point to a second point. The first point of one lobe is identical to the second point of an adjacent lobe. The first and second points of each lobe are provided along an imaginary circle having its center along the longitudinal axis. Each lobe extends from the first point to the second point by a series of edges that are straight, concave and/or convex. Two of the edges are tangential to the imaginary circle. The side surface extends upwardly from the edges defining the plurality of lobes.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An article of manufacture for use in a torque transmitting system having a longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture comprising: a drive surface configuration having a side surface and an end surface, said end surface tapers upwardly and outwardly from a lowermost point provided along the lo

1. An article of manufacture for use in a torque transmitting system having a longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture comprising: a drive surface configuration having a side surface and an end surface, said end surface tapers upwardly and outwardly from a lowermost point provided along the longitudinal axis to said side surface, said end surface defining a plurality of identically configured lobes, each said lobe extending from a first point to a second point, said first point of one of said plurality of lobes being said second point of an adjacent one of said plurality of lobes, each of said first and second points of each said lobe being provided along an imaginary circle having its center along the longitudinal axis, said side surface extends upwardly from said end surface defining said plurality of lobes, each of said lobes extends from said first point to said second point by, in series, a first convex edge, a straight edge, first and second concave edges, and a second convex edge, said first and second convex edges each being tangential to said imaginary circle. 2. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein said first convex edge of each said lobe is defined by a first radius about a first axis which is parallel to, but offset from, the longitudinal axis, and which does not extend through said respective lobe or said imaginary circle, and wherein said first concave edge of each said lobe is defined by a second radius about a second axis which is parallel to, but offset from, the longitudinal axis, and which extends through said respective lobe, and wherein said second concave edge of each said lobe is defined by a third radius about a third axis which is parallel to, but offset from, the longitudinal axis, and which extends through said respective lobe, and wherein said second convex edge of each said lobe is defined by said first radius about a fourth axis which is parallel to, but offset from, the longitudinal axis, and which does not extend through said respective lobe or said imaginary circle. 3. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of lobes comprises a first lobe, a second lobe and a third lobe, wherein said first points of each said lobe are separated from one another by 120 degrees. 4. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein said article of manufacture comprises a fastener having a head and a shank, said head having upper and lower surfaces, said shank extending downwardly from said lower surface of said head about the longitudinal axis, and wherein said drive surface configuration is an internally configured drive surface defined by a recess formed through said upper surface of said head of said fastener, said recess defining a recess wall and a bottom surface, wherein said side surface is said recess wall, and wherein said end surface is said bottom surface. 5. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 4, wherein said recess wall tapers upwardly and outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis from said edges defining said plurality of lobes toward said upper surface of said head. 6. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 5, wherein said recess wall tapers upwardly and outwardly to said upper surface of said head. 7. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 5, wherein said recess further defines a chamfer, said chamfer tapering upwardly and outwardly from said recess wall to said upper surface of said head. 8. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 4, wherein said lowermost point is located within said head of said fastener. 9. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 4, wherein said lowermost point is located within said shank of said fastener. 10. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 4, wherein a drive tool having a driving contact with complementary externally configured driving surfaces is configured to be inserted into said recess in order to install and/or remove said fastener, whereby said fastener can be installed by rotating said drive tool in a clockwise direction, and whereby said fastener can be removed by rotating said drive tool in a counter-clockwise direction. 11. A fastener comprising: a shank extending about a central axis; andan internally configured drive surface which is accessible from an upper surface of said fastener, said internally configured drive surface comprising: a base surface having a plurality of outer edges defining a plurality of lobes, each said lobe having a first edge which extends from a first point to a second point in a convex manner, a second edge which extends from said second point to a third point in a straight manner, a third edge which curves from said third point to a fourth point in a concave manner, a fourth edge which curves from said fourth point to a fifth point in a concave manner, and a fifth edge which curves from said fifth point to a sixth point in a convex manner, wherein said sixth point of one of said plurality of lobes is said first point of an adjacent one of said plurality of lobes, and wherein said first and sixth points of each said lobe are provided along an imaginary circle having its center along the central axis; anda wall which extends upwardly from said plurality of outer edges toward said upper surface of said fastener. 12. The fastener as defined in claim 11, wherein said base surface has a center point which is provided along the central axis. 13. The fastener as defined in claim 12, wherein said center point is a lowermost point of said recess such that said base surface tapers upwardly and outwardly relative to the central axis from said center point to said plurality of edges. 14. The fastener as defined in claim 13, wherein said center point is provided in a head of said fastener. 15. The fastener as defined in claim 13, wherein said center point is provided in said shank. 16. The fastener as defined in claim 11, wherein said wall is tapered relative to the central axis from said outer edges toward the upper surface of the fastener. 17. The fastener as defined in claim 11, wherein a chamfer is provided between said wall and an upper surface of a head of the fastener. 18. The fastener as defined in claim 11, wherein said internally configured drive surface is formed by a forming tool having a complementary externally configured drive surface. 19. The fastener as defined in claim 11, wherein a drive tool having a driving contact with a complementary externally configured driving surface can engage said internally configured driving surface by clockwise rotation in order to install said fastener and can engage said internally configured driving surface by counter-clockwise rotation in order to uninstall said fastener. 20. The fastener as defined in claim 11 further comprising: a head having upper and lower head surfaces, where the shank extends downwardly from said lower head surface about a central axis of the fastener. 21. The fastener as defined in claim 11, wherein said wall is tapered relative to the central axis from said outer edges toward the upper head surface. 22. The article of manufacture for use in a torque transmitting system having a longitudinal axis, said article of manufacture comprising: a drive surface configuration having a side surface and an end surface, said end surface extending from a center point along the longitudinal axis to an outer edge thereof which defines a plurality of identically configured lobes, each said lobe extending from a first point to a second point, said first point of one of said plurality of lobes being said second point of an adjacent one of said plurality of lobes, each of said first and second points of each said lobe being provided along an imaginary circle having its center along the longitudinal axis, said side surface extends upwardly and outwardly from said outer edge of said end surface, each of said lobes extends from said first point to said second point by, in series, a first convex edge, a straight edge, first and second concave edges, and a second convex edge, said first and second convex edges each being tangential to said imaginary circle. 23. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 22, wherein said plurality of lobes comprises a first lobe, a second lobe and a third lobe, wherein said first points of each said lobe are separated from one another by 120 degrees. 24. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 22, wherein said article of manufacture comprises a fastener having a head and a shank, said head heaving upper and lower surfaces, said shank extending downwardly from said lower surface of said head about the longitudinal axis, and wherein said drive surface configuration is an internally configured drive surface defined by a recess formed through said upper surface of said head of said fastener, said recess defining a recess wall and a bottom surface, wherein said side surface is said recess wall, and wherein said end surface is said bottom surface. 25. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 24, wherein said bottom surface tapers relative to the longitudinal axis upwardly and outwardly from said center point to said outer edge. 26. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 25, wherein said center point is located within said head of said fastener. 27. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 25, wherein said center point is located within said shank of said fastener. 28. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 24, wherein said recess wall tapers relative to the longitudinal axis upwardly and outwardly to said upper surface of said head. 29. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 24, wherein said recess further defines a chamfer, said chamfer tapering upwardly and outwardly from said recess wall to said upper surface of said head. 30. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 24, wherein a driver tool having a driving contact with complementary externally configured driving surfaces is configured to be inserted into said recess in order to install and/or remove said fastener, whereby said fastener can be installed by rotating said driver tool in a clockwise direction, and whereby said fastener can be removed by rotating said driver tool in a counter-clockwise direction.