An insert for the attachment of objects to composite or plastic panels consists of two parts, a retainer and an insert. The retainer has a through-hole and knurls on its perimeter for gripping the walls of a receiving hole in the composite or plastic panel. The insert has multiple self-clinching features at increasing diameters which when inserted into the retainer rigidly attach it to the retainer. The panel is rigidly clamped between opposite sides of the panel by an enlarged head of the retainer and an opposing flange on the insert. The self-clinching features of different diameter permit the device to be used with panels of different thickness and allow a large tolerance range. A plain or threaded stud can be substituted for the threaded hole of the insert. Both the retainer and the insert can be metallic.

A roof mount assembly mounts a structure to a roof haying a rafter and a substrate supported by the rafter. The roof mount assembly includes a piece of flashing positioned on the substrate. The flashing includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and an aperture extending through the flashing. A fastener extends through the flashing aperture. A bracket is connected to the flashing via the fastener, and the bracket is sized to support at least one roof mounted structure on the roof. A seal is positioned between the flashing aperture and the fastener. The seal is sized to form a water-tight seal with the aperture to inhibit flow of fluid through the aperture. The seal includes a first portion and a second portion, in which the first portion is positioned to abut the flashing first surface and the second portion is positioned to extend through the aperture.

A support rail on which a plurality of housings, which can be strung together and which are equipped with electrical contact elements and/or functional elements, can be arranged is mounted onto a mounting base in a mounting position, even in a state in which the housings have already been strung onto the support rail prior to the support rail being mounted. The support rail is retained by two or more latching devices which are placed in position on the mounting base prior to the support rail being mounted. The latching devices and the support rail are configured such that the support rail can be placed onto the latching device and locked onto it without using any tools. The latching device has a base section has a cross-section relative to the mounting position on the mounting base which corresponds to a U rotated by 180°, The base section is divided into a horizontal base bar and two side bars perpendicular thereto and the latching element is supported on the mounting base as a thrust bearing via the two side bars.

An insert may include an outer sleeve that includes a first tubular portion and a first disk portion perpendicular to the first tubular portion at an end of the first tubular portion. An inner sleeve includes a second tubular portion and a second disk portion perpendicular to the second tubular portion at an end of the second tubular portion. The second tubular portion of the inner sleeve may be configured to be inserted in the first tubular portion of the outer sleeve. The first disk portion of the outer sleeve may include a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface includes a recess configured to accommodate the second disk portion of the inner sleeve when the second tubular portion is inserted in the first tubular portion.

An acousto-optic device may include an acousto-optic component carried by a chassis, and a fastener assembly for removably securing a cover to the chassis. The fastener assembly may include a base sleeve having an enlarged head, and a tubular body and extending through a cover passageway. The fastener assembly may include a retainer sleeve having a threaded interior secured to the threaded exterior of the base sleeve to define an anchor member, the anchor member having a threaded interior. The fastener assembly may further include a fastener, a shaft having a threaded exterior opposite the enlarged head and to be threaded through the threaded interior of the anchor member to capture the fastener to the cover and movable through the chassis passageway for removably securing the cover to the chassis.

A method for creating local and controlled frangible areas in composites, comprising: creating an area in a composite component comprised of composite material, the area configured to receive a fastener with a composite thickness that is thinner than a surrounding area of the composite component; replacing the composite material under the area in the composite component with a metal insert; placing Fiberglass plies above and below the insert; and curing the composite component.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to mount apparatuses for digital micromirror devices of digital lithography systems and methods of mounting the digital micromirror devices. The mount apparatuses described herein retain spatial light modulators, such as DMDs. The mount apparatus enables the flattening of the DMD by providing a force such that the pair of contact pads contact the DMD. The DMD is positioned in a mounting frame of the mount apparatus. Contact pads of the mounting frame are operable to apply pressure to the DMD.

A fastener system shifting shear stresses away from a collet body and provides clamping action to targeted structures. The fastener system includes feet in the collet body that mate with openings in a sleeve at least partially surrounding the collet body. The sleeve or the collet body includes interior threads that engage with a stud that is configured to extend through the collet body and bend the feet such that they project outward from the sleeve openings in an engaged configuration.

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.

A fastening method is for fastening at least one display element of a watch using a fastening device. Indeed, the at least one display element is fastened thanks to the fastening method via the fastening device. For this, it is necessary to provide the at least one display element, at least one movement, and at least one split ring, then to deform the at least one split ring so as to adapt to the at least one display element before fastening the at least one split ring with the at least one display element to the at least one movement.