A fastener is provided. In another aspect, a fastener is made of layers of material, a light curable material and/or multiple built-up materials. Another aspect uses a three-dimensional printing machine to emit material from an ink jet printing head to build up a fastener.

A fastener is provided. In another aspect, a fastener is made of layers of material, a light curable material and/or multiple built-up materials. Another aspect uses a three-dimensional printing machine to emit material from an ink jet printing head to build up a fastener.

A blind fastener device for fastening at least two workpieces, including a sleeve, an expander having a tensioning section, a locking section, and an expansion section, and a nut. A portion of the expander passes through the sleeve to cooperate with the nut so that relative rotation of the expander and nut draws the expander's distal end toward the sleeve's proximal end thereby drawing a portion of the expansion section of the expander into a structural region located on the sleeve and expanding at least a portion of the sleeve's structural region, and drawing a portion of the locking section past the sleeve's distal end toward the sleeve's proximal end and deforming at least a portion of the sleeve's distal end to a locked state. The sleeve may be configured as a multi-section sleeve having a sleeve retainer to locate the sections in a predetermined relationship.

A blind fastener device for fastening at least two workpieces, including a sleeve, an expander having a tensioning section, a locking section, and an expansion section, and a nut. A portion of the expander passes through the sleeve to cooperate with the nut so that relative rotation of the expander and nut draws the expander's distal end toward the sleeve's proximal end thereby drawing a portion of the expansion section of the expander into a structural region located on the sleeve and expanding at least a portion of the sleeve's structural region, and drawing a portion of the locking section past the sleeve's distal end toward the sleeve's proximal end and deforming at least a portion of the sleeve's distal end to a locked state. The sleeve may be configured as a multi-section sleeve having a sleeve retainer to locate the sections in a predetermined relationship.

A blind fastener is disclosed having a bolt part, a sleeve part, and a tubular insulating sheath. The bolt part is at least partially received within the sleeve part. A first end of the sheath is retained on the bolt part such that relative axial movement between the first end of the sheath and the bolt part is substantially prevented. The blind fastener is movable between: a pre-installation configuration in which the sleeve part has a first axial position relative to the bolt part and a predetermined section of the sheath is adjacent an outer surface of the sleeve part; and a post-installation configuration in which the sleeve part has a second, different axial position relative to the bolt part and the predetermined section of the sheath is adjacent an inner surface of the sleeve part.

A blind fastener is disclosed having a bolt part, a sleeve part, and a tubular insulating sheath. The bolt part is at least partially received within the sleeve part. A first end of the sheath is retained on the bolt part such that relative axial movement between the first end of the sheath and the bolt part is substantially prevented. The blind fastener is movable between: a pre-installation configuration in which the sleeve part has a first axial position relative to the bolt part and a predetermined section of the sheath is adjacent an outer surface of the sleeve part; and a post-installation configuration in which the sleeve part has a second, different axial position relative to the bolt part and the predetermined section of the sheath is adjacent an inner surface of the sleeve part.

A device for compensating for tolerances between two components to be connected to one another may have a hollow cylindrical base element. The base may also have a hollow cylindrical compensating element which is in thread engagement with the base element and which can be moved out of an initial position into a compensating position by rotation relative to the base element. The device may also have a connecting element extending at least through a first cavity of the device for connecting the two components. The first cavity may have an inner contour in cross section and the connecting element may have an outer contour in cross section. The inner contour may differ from the outer contour in such a way that when the inner contour and the outer contour are oriented concentrically at least one radial overhang is present.

A device for compensating for tolerances between two components to be connected to one another may have a hollow cylindrical base element. The base may also have a hollow cylindrical compensating element which is in thread engagement with the base element and which can be moved out of an initial position into a compensating position by rotation relative to the base element. The device may also have a connecting element extending at least through a first cavity of the device for connecting the two components. The first cavity may have an inner contour in cross section and the connecting element may have an outer contour in cross section. The inner contour may differ from the outer contour in such a way that when the inner contour and the outer contour are oriented concentrically at least one radial overhang is present.

A reusable blind fastener including a bushing, a nut, a tail, a receiver, an expansion device, and a screw. The expansion device having an exterior surface that is discontinuous and configured for selective elastic deformation when engaging a portion of the screw.

In one embodiment, a fastener includes a flexible head and a shank coupled to the flexible head. The flexible head includes a center head portion and a plurality of wing portions coupled to the center head portion. Each of the plurality of wing portions includes a contact area configured to contact a first surface of a part to be fastened. The shank includes a clip groove configured to hold a retainer clip against a second surface of the part to be fastened. The second first surface of the part to be fastened is opposite the first surface of the part to be fastened.