A threaded blind fastener and spacer assembly is provided, the assembly including a blind fastener having a flange; and a spacer having a surface, said spacer having a hole therethrough, said hole terminating as a counterbore at said surface, said counterbore receiving said flange. Methods of preparing the assembly and a method of securing the threaded blind fastener and spacer assembly to a substrate material are also provided.

A tacking device for a temporary fastening of components has a sleeve having a first end, a second end, an axial hole and a radially projecting collar at the first end, and an elongate mandrel having a head end and a tensioning end. The mandrel can be inserted into the axial hole at the second end of the sleeve, can be brought into stop contact with a sleeve rim surface by the head end and projects beyond the first end from the sleeve in the inserted state. A holding unit is designed to hold the mandrel when the tacking device is inserted into an opening of a component. The sleeve has a deformable material, which is squashed against the component when is inserted into an opening of a component. The mandrel has a predetermined breaking point with a weakened cross section, positioned between the head end and the tensioning end.

A blind fastener system including a sleeve and, optionally, a core bolt insertable into the sleeve, wherein at least one of the sleeve and the core bolt includes a lubricious metallic coating containing at least one of tin, bismuth, indium and aluminum.

A fastener includes a sleeve, a core bolt, and an insert. The sleeve includes a first portion having a first inner diameter, a second portion having a second inner diameter, and a step intermediate the first and second portions. The core bolt includes a cylindrical portion having a first diameter, a threaded portion having a major diameter, and a thread run-out intermediate the cylindrical and threaded portions. The insert is disposed within the sleeve and is sized and shaped to be retained between the step of the sleeve and the thread run-out of the core bolt when the fastener is in a pre-installation position. The fastener compresses the insert between the step of the sleeve and the thread run-out of the core bolt by an installation motion of the core bolt. The insert deforms away from the core bolt to initiate formation of a bulb in response to the compression.

The invention concerns a fastener used to attach structural components that have aligned perforations with a nominal diameter (D), where the fastener comprises a minimum grip plane (Gmin) and a maximum grip plane (Gmax), and A screw (.sup.12) comprising an enlarged head and a threaded portion (22); A sleeve (30) comprising an enlarged head, a cylindrical tubular body and a tapped portion (36) that engages the threaded portion (22) of the screw, where the tapped portion (36) is adjacent to an internally smooth portion of the body (34) of the sleeve. This smooth portion has a thickness (E), a non-deformable area (A) adjacent to the head of the sleeve and a deformable area (B) adjacent the non-deformable area (A). The sleeve's deformable area (B) can be deformed into a bulb (48) intended to come into contact with a blind side (46) of the structural components. The deformable area (B) extends over a length (L) greater than a minimum length (Lmin) and less than a maximum length (Lmax), such as:
Lmin=D/2+2E+(GmaxGmin);
Lmax=(E/0.092) In particular, the invention applies to the assembly of aircraft structures.

A bonding washer for making electrical connection between two metal pieces that are to be mechanically fastened together. The washer, to be interposed between the two metal pieces, may be constructed so as to fasten to one of the pieces before the two pieces are joined. Teeth on the washer, positioned at right angles to the plane of the washer, are forced into each of the two metal pieces when the fastener is tightened, making electrical connection between the two metal pieces.

A two-part mechanical fastener comprising an elongated body with a bore slidably carrying a mandrel adapted to interferingly engage the body is described. The fastener body has one or more protuberances on its exterior surface. In an aspect, the protuberances form a thread. The fastener is adapted to form an opening in, and penetrate, a stack of two or more workpieces. To secure the workpieces in the workpiece stack and form a robust joint, the fastener body is deformed by the mandrel, expanding the body, so that a body end engages a surface of the workpiece stack and the one or more protuberances are brought into engagement with the walls of the opening. Methods of using such a fastener to secure non-ferrous or polymer-based sheet-like workpieces to one another are disclosed.

A blind rivet-nut having an annular-flange-like setting head and a hollow shaft for securing a blind rivet-nut in an opening of a carrier. The hollow shaft has a free end having a threaded portion for receiving a threaded element of a tensioning tool. A clamping portion adjacent to the setting head forms a bead-like deformation when the tensioning tool is used to clamp the carrier between the bead-like deformation and the setting head. A threadless shaft portion is formed between the clamping portion and the threaded portion. The threadless shaft portion is threaded by a thread self-rolling or thread self-tapping fastener. The fastener is received in a positive-locking manner when the fastener is screwed into the thread formed on the previously threadless shaft portion. A method is also disclosed for securing a component to a carrier by a blind rivet-nut.

A bonding washer for making electrical connection between two metal pieces that are to be mechanically fastened together. The washer, to be interposed between the two metal pieces, may be constructed so as to fasten to one of the pieces before the two pieces are joined. Teeth on the washer, positioned at right angles to the plane of the washer, are forced into each of the two metal pieces when the fastener is tightened, making electrical connection between the two metal pieces.

A rivet element for setting a thread into at least one component has a head portion which can be interlockingly brought into abutment with the component and a sleeve portion which can be inserted into an opening extending through the component and can be plastically deformed. The sleeve portion is provided with an internal thread into which a traction mandrel and/or a screw element can be screwed. The sleeve portion has a protruding rib structure on the outer circumference, the rib structure having at least one first support rib and at least one second support rib which extend in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve portion and are separated from one another by a recess. After the plastic deformation of the sleeve portion, the support ribs contact one another in order to allow a direct force flow between the head portion and the sleeve portion.