The invention relates to a connecting element (10, 30) for connecting at least two components that are positioned one on top of the other, comprising a shaft (14, 34) and a head (12, 32), which is provided with a drive (38), the shaft (14, 34) being formed from a base material and ending at the exposed shaft end thereof that is opposite the head (12, 32). The invention is characterised in that a tip (16, 40) made of plating material is applied to the exposed shaft end, which plating material is different from the base material.

The invention relates to a thread-forming screw (10) comprising a base body (12, 20) which comprises a drive and a screw shank, the screw shank carrying a thread (13) having a channeling region (14) and a carrying region, the base body (12, 20) consisting of a base material. The invention is characterized in that the thread (13) is formed from a coating material (18) different from the base material, at least in the channeling region (14), which is applied to the base material by deposition welding.

The invention relates to a thread-forming screw (10) comprising a base body (12, 20) which comprises a drive and a screw shank, the screw shank carrying a thread (13) having a channeling region (14) and a carrying region, the base body (12, 20) consisting of a base material. The invention is characterized in that the thread (13) is formed from a coating material (18) different from the base material, at least in the channeling region (14), which is applied to the base material by deposition welding.

A screw and anchor assembly include a male fastener and a female anchor. The male fastener only has threads or half-circular fins on half of the surface area. The other half is just like a regular cylinder. The female anchor only has threads or half-circular fins on half of the inner surface area. The other half is just like the inner wall of a regular cylinder. The user may push the male fastener into the female anchor, so the half-circular fins on the male fastener engages with the half-circular fins inside the female anchor and locks the male fastener to the female anchor. When the user needs to remove the male fastener, simply turns the male fastener 180 degrees and disengages the half-circular fins on the male fastener from the half-circular fins on the female anchor, then pull the male fastener from the female anchor.

A member with threads is provided that is made of a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material with improved strength. Carbon fibers each extending in the axial direction across at least two threads appearing in a longitudinal cross section are embedded in the at least two threads in a zigzag manner along the surface shape of the at least two threads appearing in a longitudinal cross section. Preferably, the member is a nut, where the above-described structure is embedded in the threads of the female threadform of the nut, thereby providing a nut that is lightweight and exhibits improved strength.

The present invention provides compliant screws compatible with standard threaded holes that are self-anchoring via auxetic properties. Once a screw has been twisted in place using a mating screw driver, the screw won't be able to be removed unless it is broken, its surrounding material is torn out with the screw, or unless the screw driver itself is again used to twist the screw in the opposite direction. Thus, although reusable, the screw will never come out of its hole in the presence of vibrations or other cyclic or random loading scenarios. The screws are thereby suitable for critical joint applications where screws must never come loose. Non-limiting examples include satellite fasteners, high-speed vehicle bolts, pedicle screws, and other screws used to secure medical implants within a human body.

The invention relates to a joining element comprising a shaft to be placed into a component; a head provided at a first end of the shaft; and a punching element attached in a losable manner to a second end of the shaft remote from the head.

A thread-forming screw has a shank which, in a front region of the shank, has a tip for insertion into a bore in a substrate, and in a rear region of the shank, has a drive for transmitting a torque to the shank. The shank has a spiral-shaped groove and a thread spiral which is inserted into the spiral-shaped groove. The spiral-shaped groove has a front flank and a rear flank disposed opposite the front flank. The front flank, at least regionally, has a different part flank angle than the rear flank.

One aspect is an apparatus including an additively manufactured first component and a captive nut contained within the first component for interconnecting the first component to a second component. Another aspect is an apparatus including a first additively manufactured component having a hole and a second additively manufactured component having a socket. The apparatus further includes a pin having a head engaging a surface of the first component and a shaft extending from the head through the hole in the first component and into the socket of the second component. Another aspect is an apparatus including first and second panels. The apparatus also includes a bolt having a head and a shaft extending from the head and a nut located at a distal end of the shaft. The first and seconds panels may be sandwiched between the bolt and nut to interconnect the first and second panels.

A screw anchor for a trussed foundation system to support single-axis trackers and other structures and related methods of driving such a screw anchor into underlying ground. A hollowed tube of uniform diameter is open at both ends with a thread form beginning at one end and circumscribing a portion the tube, the thread form having a tapered lead-in. The open-ended geometry allows a mandrel or rock drill to be inserted and operated through the anchor during driving to expedite the driving process. The tapered thread form provides a lead-in for driving the anchor into a rock bore.