A hollow screw and related process of making is provided, wherein the hollow screw is formed from a generally circular corrosion resistant stainless steel disk cut from flat roll stock. The hollow screw includes a head and an elongated and hollow shaft having a wall thickness between about 0.2 to about 0.7 millimeters extending therefrom and defining a shank portion and a threaded portion having a plurality of threads thereon with a rotational drive mechanism configured to facilitate tightening via the threads. The process involves annealing to soften the stamped hollow screw, followed by thread rolling, and then age hardening the hollow screw. As such, the resultant hollow screw is relatively lightweight, about 50% the mass of a solid core screw made from the same material, with a sufficient thread strength to meet most aerospace applications and contributes to important aircraft fuel economy.

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.

An anti-theft screw part includes an annularly extending recess for engaging an adapter, which as viewed from the outward direction to the inward direction is limited by an outer edge, a bottom, and an inner edge. The screw part is assembled of a main piece and an insert piece. The main piece forms the outer edge, the inner edge is formed by the insert piece. The outer edge is limited by an outer wall surface, located on an outer circle, and by several internal projections, projecting from the outer circle towards the rotational axis up to a first circular line. The inner edge is limited by an inner wall surface, located on an inner circle and limited by several outer projections, projecting from the inner circle towards the exterior up to a second circular line. The first circular line is located completely within of the second circular line. The diameter of the second circular line is larger than the diameter of the first circular line.

Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to an automation system that allows for ease of opening and closing, latching or unlatching, or switching on or off components using a spherical bit and corresponding receptacle that allow for a degree of misalignment not previously available. Accordingly, automated maintenance or other tasks may be performed with more speed and efficiency than previously available. Specifically, the spherical bit includes a spherical portion having teeth circumferentially disposed across. A corresponding receptacle includes a spherical void having grooves that correspond to the teeth of the spherical bit. The size and shape of the receptacle and bit as well as the location, size, shape, and number of teeth and corresponding grooves allow for a misalignment of up to 24 degrees in any direction.

A hollow screw and related process of making is provided, wherein the hollow screw is formed from a generally circular corrosion resistant stainless steel disk cut from flat roll stock. The hollow screw includes a head and an elongated and hollow shaft having a wall thickness between about 0.2 to about 0.7 millimeters extending therefrom and defining a shank portion and a threaded portion having a plurality of threads thereon with a rotational drive mechanism configured to facilitate tightening via the threads. The process involves annealing to soften the stamped hollow screw, followed by thread rolling, and then age hardening the hollow screw. As such, the resultant hollow screw is relatively lightweight, about 50% the mass of a solid core screw made from the same material, with a sufficient thread strength to meet most aerospace applications and contributes to important aircraft fuel economy.

A hollow screw and related process of making is provided, wherein the hollow screw is formed from a generally circular corrosion resistant stainless steel disk cut from flat roll stock. The hollow screw includes a head and an elongated and hollow shaft having a wall thickness between about 0.2 to about 0.7 millimeters extending therefrom and defining a shank portion and a threaded portion having a plurality of threads thereon with a rotational drive mechanism configured to facilitate tightening via the threads. The process involves annealing to soften the stamped hollow screw, followed by thread rolling, and then age hardening the hollow screw. As such, the resultant hollow screw is relatively lightweight, about 50% the mass of a solid core screw made from the same material, with a sufficient thread strength to meet most aerospace applications and contributes to important aircraft fuel economy.

Methods and apparatus for a multi-dimensional asymmetrical fastening system according to various aspects of the present technology include a driver and a fastener that are configured to have corresponding conforming surfaces suitably adapted to provide engagement between a plurality of driver fins and a recessed receiving area of the fastener. The driver and fastener may each be configured to include driving surfaces of varying widths. Variable widths allow for the customization of a given driver/fastener system.

A nut includes a nut body that defines a circular hole, and that has four driven wall portions and four guiding wall portions disposed about a central axis of the nut in an alternating arrangement. The driven wall portions are equiangularly spaced apart from each other. Each of the guiding wall portions is straight, and has two opposite ends that are respectively connected to two of the driven wall portions adjacent to the guiding wall portion. A ratio of a longest distance between two of the driven wall portions that are non-adjacent to each other to a longest distance between two of the driven wall portions that are adjacent to each other is greater than 1.16. Each of the driven wall portions has a curved section and two straight sections. A central angle of the curved section of each of the driven wall portions is smaller than 180 degrees.

A device is provided that relates generally to fastener heads for enhancing the ability to hold the fastener to the tool for application without using a magnetic tip on the tool and allowing for more facets in the fastener head into which the bit is keyed allowing for greater torque to be applied to the fastener head and allowing for a pulling pressure to be applied to the fastener while twisting or torquing the fastener. This ability to apply pulling force will allow for the bit to pull materials together and for the application of greater torque and pressure in a zero-gravity environment.