This invention relates to blind fasteners of the type that can be installed entirely from one side of a structure and more particularly to a new and improved blind fastener that is inexpensive to manufacture such as one that can be made entirely from plastic materials.
The blind fasteners heretofore used consisted of various designs wherein the fastener had a tubular or cylindrical body with a head on an upper portion that was slotted and a lower body portion that was threaded. In the process of securing such fasteners to the plate structure, the upper slotted body portion would be deformed or folded outwardly thereby presenting a flanged and deformed portion which would secure the fastener to the plate structure with the head on one side and the deformed flanged portion on the other side.
Another requirement of such blind fasteners is that they be easy to manufacture and operate in a facile manner. The fastener of the present invention is particularly easy to manufacture because it can be made from a plastic material as in an extrusion or molding process. Further, the application of the blind fastener to a workpiece is accomplished in a facile manner yet insuring a firm attachment to such workpiece.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds