초록 ▼

A building structure including a first building member and a second building member may be connected by a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having a head, a threaded portion having a through hardness of between HRB 70 and HRC 40, a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness enabling the

A building structure including a first building member and a second building member may be connected by a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having a head, a threaded portion having a through hardness of between HRB 70 and HRC 40, a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness enabling the fastener to form threads in at least the second steel building member, and a fluted lead portion of at least HRC 50 hardness with a nominal diameter between 70 and 95% of major diameter, such that the fastener is capable of providing a ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 6.0 when the second steel building member having a thickness of 0.25 inch and the fluted lead portion having at least one diameter within nominal diameter between 80 and 98% of major diameter.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A building structure comprising: a first steel building member and a second steel building member connected by a plurality of fasteners,each fastener being steel comprising a head capable of clamping the first steel building member to the second steel building member with the fastener installed,a

1. A building structure comprising: a first steel building member and a second steel building member connected by a plurality of fasteners,each fastener being steel comprising a head capable of clamping the first steel building member to the second steel building member with the fastener installed,a threaded portion adjacent the head,a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the threaded portion adapted to form threads into at least the second steel building member, anda fluted lead portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the thread-forming portion with a nominal diameter in a range from 60% to 95% of major diameter of the threaded portion adapted to form a fastener opening,the thread-forming portion having a series of lobes with recesses between said lobes having a ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 6.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.036 inch to 0.084 inch, the lobes positioned about the rotational axis. 2. The building structure of claim 1 where each lobe having a leading portion and a tailing portion, the leading portion and first adjacent recess at a first angle in a range from 50° to 100° from a plane tangent to the lobe adjacent the leading portion, and the tailing portion and second adjacent recess at a second angle in a range from 25° to 50° from a plane tangent to the lobe adjacent the tailing portion, where the first angle is greater than the second angle. 3. The building structure of claim 1 where the ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque is at least 3.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 8.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.036 inch to 0.084 inch. 4. The building structure of claim 1 where the ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque is at least 3.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 6.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.036 inch to 0.108 inch. 5. The building structure of claim 1, where the threaded portion adjacent the head has a through hardness in a range from HRB 70 and HRC 40. 6. The building structure claimed in claim 5, where the fasteners have up to five threads between the threaded portion and the thread-forming portion hardened to at least HRC 50 hardness. 7. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the fasteners are nutable. 8. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the combined thickness of the first steel building member and the second steel building member at the fastener is no more than 0.125 inch in thickness. 9. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the fluted lead portion has a nominal diameter in a range from 62% to 85% of major diameter. 10. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the thread-forming portion has a shape selected from a group consisting of quadlobular and pentalobular. 11. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the lead portion of the fluted lead portion has a milled point. 12. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the fluted lead portion has at least HRC 50 induction hardness. 13. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the threaded portion has less than 60° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 14. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the threaded portion has from 45 to 50° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 15. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where the thread-forming portion is from 3 to 7 thread pitch in length. 16. The building structure claimed in claim 1, the threaded portion comprising a major diameter extending to within 1.5 of the thread pitch of the head. 17. The building structure claimed in claim 16, where the head of the fasteners are undercut and adapted to deform the first steel building member on tightening of the fasteners. 18. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where a sealing member is positioned between the head and the threaded portion. 19. The building structure claimed in claim 1, where serrations are provided in the underside of the head. 20. A building structure comprising: a first steel building member and a second steel building member connected by a plurality of fasteners,each fastener being steel comprising a head capable of clamping the first steel building member to the second steel building member with the fastener installed,a threaded portion adjacent the head,a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the threaded portion adapted to form threads into at least the second steel building member, anda fluted lead portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the thread-forming portion with a nominal diameter in a range from 60% to 95% of major diameter of the threaded portion adapted to form a fastener opening,the thread-forming portion having a series of lobes with recesses between said lobes having a ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque of at least 4.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 8.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.054 inch to 0.084 inch, the lobes positioned about the rotational axis. 21. The building structure of claim 20 where the ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque is at least 4.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 10.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.054 inch to 0.084 inch. 22. The building structure of claim 20 where the ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque is at least 3.5 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 6.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.036 inch to 0.084 inch. 23. The building structure of claim 20 where the ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque is at least 3.5 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 8.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.036 inch to 0.084 inch. 24. The building structure of claim 20 where the ratio of strip torque to thread-forming torque is at least 3.0 and a ratio of strip torque to drive torque greater than 4.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.036 inch to 0.108 inch. 25. The building structure of claim 20, where the threaded portion adjacent the head has a through hardness in a range from HRB 70 to HRC 40. 26. The building structure claimed in claim 25, where the fasteners have up to five threads between the threaded portion and the thread-forming portion hardened to at least HRC 50 hardness. 27. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the fasteners are nutable. 28. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the combined thickness of the first steel building member and the second steel building member at the fastener is no more than 0.125 inch in thickness. 29. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the fluted lead portion has a nominal diameter in a range from 62% to 85% of major diameter. 30. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the thread-forming portion has a shape selected from a group consisting of quadlobular and pentalobular. 31. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the lead portion of the fluted lead portion has a milled point. 32. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the fluted lead portion has at least HRC 50 induction hardness. 33. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the threaded portion has less than 60° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 34. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the threaded portion has from 45 to 50° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 35. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where the thread-forming portion is from 3 to 7 thread pitch in length. 36. The building structure claimed in claim 20, the threaded portion comprising a major diameter extending to within 1.5 of the thread pitch of the head. 37. The building structure claimed in claim 36, where the head of the fasteners are undercut and adapted to deform the first steel building member on tightening of the fasteners. 38. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where a sealing member is positioned between the head and the threaded portion. 39. The building structure claimed in claim 20, where serrations are provided in the underside of the head. 40. A building structure comprising: a first steel building member and a second steel building member connected by a plurality of fasteners,each fastener being steel comprisinga head capable of clamping the first steel building member to the second steel building member with the fastener installed,a threaded portion adjacent the head having a through hardness in a range from HRB 70 to HRC 40,a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the threaded portion adapted to form threads in at least the second steel building member, anda fluted lead portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the thread-forming portion with a nominal diameter in a range from 75% to 95% of major diameter of the threaded portion adapted to form a fastener opening,the thread-forming portion having a series of lobes with recesses between said lobes having a ratio of failure torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.0 and a ratio of failure torque to drive torque greater than 6.0 over a range of combined thickness of first and second steel building members from about 0.10 inch to 0.32 inch, the lobes positioned about the rotational axis. 41. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the fasteners are capable of providing a ratio of failure torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.75. 42. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the fasteners have a drive torque no more than 50% of a thread-forming torque. 43. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the fasteners have up to five threads between the threaded portion and the thread-forming portion hardened to at least HRC 50 hardness. 44. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the fasteners are nutable. 45. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the lead portion of the fluted lead portion has a milled point. 46. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the thread-forming portion has a shape selected from a group consisting of quadiobular, pentalobular, and hexalobular. 47. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the fluted lead portion has at least HRC 50 induction hardness. 48. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the threaded portion has less than 60° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 49. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the threaded portion has from 45 to 50° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 50. The building structure claimed in claim 40, where the thread-forming portion is from 3 to 7 thread pitches in length. 51. A building structure comprising: a first steel building member and a second steel building member connected by a plurality of fasteners,each fastener being steel comprising a head capable of clamping the first steel building member to the second steel building member with the fastener installed,a threaded portion adjacent the head having a through hardness in a range from HRB 70 to HRC 40,a thread-forming portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the threaded portion adapted to form threads in at least the second steel building member, anda fluted lead portion of at least HRC 50 hardness adjacent the thread-forming portion with a nominal diameter in a range from 80 to 92% of major diameter of the threaded portion adapted to form a fastener opening,the thread-forming portion having a series of lobes with recesses between said lobes having a ratio of failure torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.0 and a ratio of failure torque to drive torque greater than 10 when the second steel building member having a thickness of about 0.25 inch, the lobes positioned about the rotational axis. 52. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the fasteners are capable of providing a ratio of failure torque to thread-forming torque of at least 3.0 and a ratio of failure torque to drive torque greater than 10 over a range of second steel building member thickness from 0.25 inch to 0.38 inch. 53. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the fasteners are nutable. 54. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the fasteners have a drive torque no more than 50% of a thread-forming torque. 55. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the fasteners have up to five threads between the threaded portion and the thread-forming portion hardened to at least HRC 50 hardness. 56. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the lead portion of the fluted lead portion has a milled point. 57. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the thread-forming portion has a shape selected from a group consisting of quadlobular, pentalobular, and hexalobular. 58. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the fluted lead portion has at least HRC 50 induction hardness. 59. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the threaded portion has less than 60° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 60. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the threaded portion has from 45 to 50° thread angle and back-tapered threads. 61. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where at least a portion of the threaded portion of the fasteners meet a specification selected from a group consisting of ASTM A307, ASTM A325, ASTM A354, and ASTM A490 specifications. 62. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where at least a portion of the threaded portion of the fasteners meet a specification selected from a group consisting of SAE J429 Grade 2, SAE J429 Grade 5, and SAE J429 Grade 8. 63. The building structure claimed in claim 51, where the thread-forming portion is from 3 to 7 thread pitches in length.