IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0734684
(2007-04-12)
|
등록번호 |
US-8333538
(2012-12-18)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Shelton, Lawrence S.
- Storiz, Paul J.
- Starozhitsky, Michael
- Suopys, Algis P.
- Bergstrom, Donald E.
- Heskel, Isaac H.
- Versino, Anthony M.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
50 |
초록
▼
A fastener assembly for use in an associated fastener driving tool for driving a fastener from the assembly, in sequential order, into an associated substrate, includes a row of fasteners arranged substantially parallel to each other, each fastener having a shank and defining an axis and a collation
A fastener assembly for use in an associated fastener driving tool for driving a fastener from the assembly, in sequential order, into an associated substrate, includes a row of fasteners arranged substantially parallel to each other, each fastener having a shank and defining an axis and a collation system formed from a plastic material that is molded onto and adhered to the fasteners. The plastic material defines a collar portion at least substantially encircling the fastener shank and a connecting portion extending between and connecting adjacent collar portions. When the fastener is driven from the driving tool, the collar portion remains adhered to the fastener such that the collar portion penetrates the substrate with the fastener, and the connecting portion includes a preferentially weakened region to influence separation of the connecting portion from the collar at a desired location.
대표청구항
▼
1. A fastener assembly for use in an associated fastener driving tool for driving a fastener from the assembly, in sequential order, into an associated substrate, the fastener assembly comprising: a row of fasteners arranged substantially parallel to each other, each fastener having a shank and a he
1. A fastener assembly for use in an associated fastener driving tool for driving a fastener from the assembly, in sequential order, into an associated substrate, the fastener assembly comprising: a row of fasteners arranged substantially parallel to each other, each fastener having a shank and a head, the head being larger in diameter than the shank, the shanks being spaced from each other, so that the head of a fastener does not contact the shank of an adjacent fastener, each fastener shank defining an axis; anda molded, tape-less collation system formed from a plastic material that is molded onto and adhered to the fasteners, the plastic material defining a collar portion fully encircling the fastener shank, the plastic material further defining a discrete connecting portion disposed along the shank axis extending between and connecting adjacent collar portions, the connecting portions spacing each fastener from each adjacent fastener, the plastic material being formed from an adhesive polymer that is, at least in part, a modified polyolefin, the collar portion being formed on the shank a discrete length that is less than a length of the shank,wherein the collar portion and substantially the entire connecting portion remains adhered to the fastener at a location at which the collar portion is molded onto the fastener shank even after being driven into the substrate, andwherein the connecting portion includes a preferentially weakened region to influence separation of the connecting portion from the collar at a desired location, and wherein the preferentially weakened region is at a juncture of the connecting portion and the collar portion of the next subsequent fastener in the row of fasteners, the preferentially weakened region having a cross-section different from a cross-section of the connecting portion at a location other than the preferentially weakened region. 2. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the preferentially weakened region is formed by a notch in the connecting portion. 3. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the notch is formed in an upper edge of the connecting portion and including a notch in a lower edge of the connecting portion. 4. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the notch has an arcuate wall. 5. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the connecting portion has a varying cross-sectional area and wherein the preferentially weakened region is formed by forming a smaller cross-sectional area at the desired location than at other locations in the connecting portion. 6. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein the connecting portion includes a bridge and a rib, and wherein the varying cross-sectional area corresponds to transitions between the rib and the collar portions being formed having different radii of curvature. 7. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the connecting portion has a varying cross-sectional area and wherein the preferentially weakened region is formed by a smaller cross-sectional area at the juncture of the connecting portion and the collar portion of a subsequent fastener in the row of fasteners than at a juncture of the connecting portion and the collar of the driven fastener. 8. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fasteners are eccentric relative to their respective sleeves defining a thin-walled sleeve section at the desired location. 9. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 7 wherein the fasteners are eccentric relative to their respective sleeves defining a thin-walled sleeve section at the desired location. 10. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the connecting portion includes a rib extending less than an axial length of the collar portion. 11. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein the rib has a width that is greater than a width of the collar. 12. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein the connecting portion includes a bridge integral with the rib and extending substantially the axial length of the collar portion, the rib and bridge having a substantially cruciform shape. 13. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein the rib has a tapered shaped, narrowing in a direction proximal to a tip of the fastener. 14. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the connecting portion includes a bridge integral with and extending substantially the axial length of the collar portion. 15. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein the bridge has a tapered shaped, narrowing in a direction proximal to a tip of the fastener. 16. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein the connecting portion includes a rib integral with the bridge, the rib extending less than an axial length of the bridge. 17. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 16 wherein the rib has a tapered shape, narrowing in a direction proximal to the tip of the fastener. 18. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the collation system is a first collation system and including a second collation system formed from a plastic material that is molded onto and adhered to the fasteners, the second collation system being parallel to and spaced from the first collation system. 19. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 18 wherein the second collation system is proximal to a tip of the fasteners and wherein the first and second collation systems each have a width, the width of the first collation system being greater than the width of the second collation system. 20. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 19 wherein the width of the second collation system is about ½ of the width of the first collation system. 21. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 including formations in the shank and wherein the plastic material is molded onto the shanks, overlying the formations. 22. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 1 including formations in the shank, extending outwardly therefrom, at least in part, beyond an outer periphery of the shank, the formations being present in the shank, between the plastic material and a tip of the fastener. 23. A fastener assembly for use in an associated fastener driving tool for driving a fastener from the assembly, in sequential order, into an associated substrate, the fastener assembly comprising: a row of fasteners arranged substantially parallel to each other, each fastener having a shank and a head, the head being larger in diameter than the shank, the shanks being spaced from each other, so that the head of a fastener does not contact the shank of an adjacent fastener, each fastener shank defining an axis; anda molded, tape-less collation system formed from a plastic material that is molded onto and adhered to the fasteners, the plastic material defining a collar portion fully encircling the fastener shank, the plastic material further defining a discrete connecting portion disposed along the shank axis extending between and connecting adjacent collar portions, the connecting portions spacing each fastener from each adjacent fastener, the plastic material being formed from an adhesive polymer that is, at least in part, a modified polyolefin, the collar portion being formed on the shank a discrete length that is less than a length of the shank,wherein the collar portion and substantially the entire connecting portion remains adhered to the fastener at a location at which the collar portion is molded onto the fastener shank even after being driven into the substrate; andmeans for influencing separation of the connecting portion from the collar at a desired location between the driven fastener and a next adjacent fastener, at a juncture of the connecting portion and the next adjacent fastener, and wherein the desired location has a cross-section different from a cross-section of the connecting portion at a location other than the desired location. 24. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 23 wherein the means for influencing separation includes selectively thinned areas in the connecting portion corresponding to the desired location. 25. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 24 wherein the selectively thinned areas are thinned in a direction parallel to axes of the fasteners. 26. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 24 wherein the selectively thinned areas are thinned in a direction transverse to axes of the fasteners. 27. The fastener assembly in accordance with claim 24 wherein the selectively thinned areas are formed by eccentrically positioning the fasteners relative to their respective sleeves to define a thin-walled region and a thick-walled region of the sleeve.
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