In some embodiments, a method includes: selecting dimensions of a slot to be provided in a device feature, the dimensions selected to accommodate one or more tools while resulting in tangential contact between the slot and the one or more tools when the one or more tools are inserted into the slot and used to manipulate the device feature; and forming the slot in a surface of the device feature according to the selected dimensions.

Various embodiments provide a post-to-beam fastener including a head, a tip, and a threaded shank connected to the head at a first end and the tip and a second end. In various embodiments, threaded shank includes a longitudinal axis extending from the head to the tip, and the tip includes a recess operable to removably receive a drill bit to the fastener.

A screw includes a threaded shank and a head with a first surface. Communicating sockets formed in the first surface include a Pozi-type socket and a drive socket. The drive socket includes rounded portions, arched portions alternating with the rounded portions, and a conical portion connected to the rounded portions and the arched portions to define a first reference line and a second reference line parallel to a central axis of the head. The rounded portions are inclined outwardly from the first reference line, and the arched portions are inclined outwardly from the second reference line. Thus, a first room enclosed by the rounded portions and the arched portions increases gradually towards the first surface. By a combination of the above sockets, the head cooperates with different driving tools for delivering driving force efficiently and is more convenient to use.

A hose adapter may include an outer tube, an inner tube, a hose connector, and a hose. An inner peripheral ring protrudes from the inner periphery of the outer tube while an expanding ring portion protrudes from the outer periphery of an end of the inner tube. The outer periphery of the inner tube further has a first peripheral recess, a second peripheral recess, and a first outer thread, and a first O-ring and a second O-ring are respectively disposed on the first peripheral recess and the second peripheral recess. The inner tube is inserted into the outer tube, and the expanding ring portion is abutted against the inner peripheral ring, and the first O-ring is coupled between the outer tube and the inner tube while the second O-ring and the first outer thread are adapted to pass through and be exposed out of the outer tube.

A screw having stacked screw heads includes a screw shank portion with a thread and a screw head portion rigidly connected to each other. The screw head portion is driven to bring the screw shank portion to rotate. The screw head portion includes a first screw head and a second screw head. The first screw head has a first shaped groove on its top plane to receive an operating torque. A neck portion is connected to a bottom plane of the first screw head and a top plane of the second screw head. The second screw head has a second shaped groove on its top plane. The neck portion or the connection between the neck portion and the first screw head or the second screw head has lower torsional endurance than each of the first screw head and the second screw head.

A screw has a screw head and a shank extending downwardly from the screw head. The shank has a threaded segment, a cutting segment, and a tapered segment sequentially arranged downwardly, a thread spirally surrounding an external surface of the shank from the threaded segment to the tapered segment, multiple cutting ribs arranged around the external surface of the shank on the cutting segment of the shank, and multiple chip recesses formed between the cutting ribs. Each of the cutting ribs has a rounded crest to enlarge a drill hole and to reduce a resistance formed between the cutting ribs and the workpiece during drilling. The screw can be easily screwed into the workpiece with less driving force.

A bone anchoring screw comprises a head, a shaft and a threaded portion arranged successively along a common axis, the head having a recess comprising at least two stages arranged in succession along the common axis, the first stage having a diameter larger than the diameter of the second stage, in which one of the two stages comprises at least one socket of a first type and the other of the two stages comprises at least one socket of the first type and one other type.

The combination of a driver and fastener that allows a user to insert and remove the fastener by applying larger than normal torque loads to it includes: (a) a fastener with a proximal end handle and a distal end head configured to provide a standard indentation and an additional recess that provides additional surface area that allows larger torque loads to be applied to the fastener, (b) a main driver with a shaft having a central bore, a handle at its proximal end and a head at its distal end configured to allow it to be temporarily inserted into the fastener's head, and (c) an awl driver having an awl shaft with an awl handle affixed to its distal end and its proximal end including a tip configured to allow it to pass through the main driver's bore and be brought into contact with the fastener's head where it is used to cut into the fastener cannula so as to temporarily adhere the awl driver to the fastener.

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 low mass fastener head that reduces the amount of material required in manufacturing. The fastener comprises a threaded shank having a longitudinal axis; a head attached to one end of the threaded shank, the head comprising: full-height lugs and short-height lugs positioned at approximately 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, or 300 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the threaded shank, wherein the short-height lugs are shorter than the full-height lugs. Those portions of a hex head that are not necessary for application and transmission of torque, nor necessary to resist axial loading, nor necessary to axially stabilize the fastener head within conventional driving tooling may be removed. Compatibility with existing hex head tools is maintained while improving handling of the fastener by an assembler and reducing material used in the fastener head.