A fastening system comprises a fastener, a washer, and a collar. The fastener has a shaft extending through a hole in a composite panel. The washer is concentrically positioned on the shaft between a head of the fastener and the composite panel. The washer comprises an enlarged bore facing the composite panel. The enlarged bore is one of a chamfered bore or a countersunk bore. The collar secures the fastener relative to the composite panel.

A split coupler, and methods of making and using such a split coupler, whereby the split coupler includes a first semi-cylindrical member, a second semi-cylindrical member, and an interlocking assembly configured to interlock the first and second semi-cylindrical members to form a substantially cylindrical coupler having a coupler inner surface which defines a throughbore. Additionally, the split coupler can include spiral threads coupled to the coupler inner surface. Furthermore, the split coupler can include a flange inwardly extending from the coupler inner surface.

A fastener for mounting on a support, comprising an axial hollow body, comprising a central part and a plurality of flexible legs, and a base, comprising a central hollow main part and a plurality of projecting rotating legs which pivot around a hinge connecting the leg to the base main part. Each rotating leg has a retracted and an extended position, and in the extended position the leg is pivoted outwardly around the hinge relative to the retracted position. The base has a plurality of holes around the central hollow, the holes adjacent to the rotating legs having a protrusion projecting outwardly. In a mounted position, the flexible legs are inserted into the holes adjacent to the rotating legs, and the central part of the body is inserted into the base central hollow. On insertion, the rotating legs of the base pass from the retracted to the extended position.

A barrier for the inside of a home. The barrier includes two partitions that slide relative to each other to increase and decrease a distance between ends of the barrier. The partitions slide into and out of confronting relationships with each other. The partitions engage each other at upper and lower locations and further at a medial location where an elongate member of one partition is received in a tube engaged to the other partition. A threaded piece upon being turned brings pressure to bear upon an end of the tube such that the partitions can be incrementally expanded apart and thereby pressurized between two locations within the home so as to block off one portion of the home. The threaded piece is slideable along the elongate member.

A barrier for the inside of a home. The barrier includes two partitions that slide relative to each other to increase and decrease a distance between ends of the barrier. The partitions slide into and out of confronting relationships with each other. The partitions engage each other at upper and lower locations and further at a medial location where an elongate member of one partition is received in a tube engaged to the other partition. A threaded piece upon being turned brings pressure to bear upon an end of the tube such that the partitions can be incrementally expanded apart and thereby pressurized between two locations within the home so as to block off one portion of the home. The threaded piece is slideable along the elongate member.

A split coupler, and methods of making and using such a split coupler, whereby the split coupler includes a first semi-cylindrical member, a second semi-cylindrical member, and an interlocking assembly configured to interlock the first and second semi-cylindrical members to form a substantially cylindrical coupler having a coupler inner surface which defines a throughbore. Additionally, the split coupler can include spiral threads coupled to the coupler inner surface. Furthermore, the split coupler can include a flange inwardly extending from the coupler inner surface.

A threaded rod connector includes a housing having a cavity for receiving a threaded rod therein where the housing has a mouth for inserting the threaded rod into the cavity. A plurality of rod engagement wedge segments are disposed within the cavity where each of the plurality of rod engagement wedge segments has a rod contact surface for engaging the threaded rod. The housing has a tapered surface which delimits the cavity and which tapers towards the mouth for wedging the plurality of rod engagement wedge segments against the threaded rod. At least one of the rod contact surfaces is threadless and has a surface roughness of 7.0 m or greater.

A nut fastener assembly includes a nut assembly and a fastening clip. Opposite sides of the bottom of the nut assembly are provided with a pair of protrusions. The fastening clip includes a pair of lugs arranged on opposite ends of the fastening clip and extending towards the nut assembly, and a pair of receiving channels configured to respectively penetrate the pair of lugs. At least one of the pair of lugs is an adjustable lug including a blocking part and an elastic part. The distal end of the elastic part is movable relative to the distal end of the blocking part. The corresponding protrusion in the pair of protrusions can enter the corresponding receiving channel through a space between the distal end of the blocking part and the distal end of the elastic part to be held in the receiving channel.

A quick-release engagement device for a female threaded member includes a tubular member and an actuating unit. The tubular member includes a contractible portion which has a male threaded segment and an actuated segment, and which is divided into a plurality of contractible sectors by a plurality of slits. The actuating unit is configured to press the actuated segment to permit the contractible sectors to deform synchronously from an expanded state, where the female threaded member is permitted to be quickly sleeved on or removed from the male threaded segment, to a contracted state, where the female threaded member is permitted to be in threaded engagement with the male threaded segment.

Provided in this disclosure is a self-tightening nut and bolt system. The nut and bolt system can be configured to provide a consistent level of tightness and torque to reliably attach two mechanical components together. The nut comes with a microcontroller, and a motorized thread, where the microcontroller controls the tightness of the nut. The microcontroller allows the nut's tightness to be monitored, and controlled over time. This prevents the nut from becoming loose, and allows certain levels of tightness to be controlled over time.