Advanced nut and bolt

Abstract

A fastener including a bolt having an elongated shank having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a threaded portion having an external bolt thread, the bolt thread including a bolt pitch. The fastener includes a nut having a first end, a second end opposite the first end of the nut, and an internal nut thread extending between the first and second ends of the nut and adapted to engage threadedly the bolt thread of the bolt. The nut thread includes a nut pitch and a hardness that changes gradationally between the first and second ends of the nut. The bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt is mismatched with the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fastener, comprising:
 a bolt including an elongated shank having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a threaded portion having an external bolt thread, wherein the bolt thread includes a bolt pitch; and   a nut including a first end, a second end opposite the first end of the nut, and an internal nut thread extending between the first and second ends of the nut and adapted to engage threadedly the bolt thread of the bolt, wherein the nut thread includes a nut pitch,   wherein the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt is mismatched with the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut.   
     
     
         2 . The fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut is shorter than the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt. 
     
     
         3 . The fastener of  claim 2 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the first end of the nut. 
     
     
         4 . The fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut is longer than the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt. 
     
     
         5 . The fastener of  claim 4 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the second end of the nut. 
     
     
         6 . The fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the nut includes a flange located at the first end thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A fastener, comprising:
 a bolt including an elongated shank having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a threaded portion having an external bolt thread, wherein the bolt thread includes a bolt pitch; and   a nut including a nut body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end of the nut body, and a countersunk aperture, an insert positioned within the countersunk aperture, and an internal nut thread extending between the first and second ends of the nut body and adapted to engage threadedly the bolt thread of the bolt, wherein the nut thread includes a nut pitch,   wherein the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt is mismatched with the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut.   
     
     
         8 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut is shorter than the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt. 
     
     
         9 . The fastener of  claim 8 , wherein the countersunk aperture is located at the second end of the nut body. 
     
     
         10 . The fastener of  claim 9 , wherein the nut body is made from a first material and the insert is made from a second material that is softer than the first material. 
     
     
         11 . The fastener of  claim 10 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the second end of the nut. 
     
     
         12 . The fastener of  claim 8 , wherein the countersunk aperture is located at the first end of the nut body. 
     
     
         13 . The fastener of  claim 12 , wherein the nut body is made from a first material and the insert is made from a second material that is harder than the first material. 
     
     
         14 . The fastener of  claim 13 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the second end of the nut. 
     
     
         15 . The fastener of  claim 7 , wherein the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut is longer than the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt. 
     
     
         16 . The fastener of  claim 15 , wherein the countersunk aperture is located at the second end of the nut body. 
     
     
         17 . The fastener of  claim 16 , wherein the nut body is made from a first material and the insert is made from a second material that is harder than the first material. 
     
     
         18 . The fastener of  claim 17 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the first end of the nut. 
     
     
         19 . The fastener of  claim 15 , wherein the countersunk aperture is located at the first end of the nut body. 
     
     
         20 . The fastener of  claim 19 , wherein the nut body is made from a first material and the insert is made from a second material that is softer than the first material. 
     
     
         21 . The fastener of  claim 20 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the first end of the nut. 
     
     
         22 . A nut, comprising:
 a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an internal nut thread extending from the first end to the second end, and a hardness, wherein the hardness gradationally changes between the first and second ends.   
     
     
         23 . The nut of  claim 22 , wherein the nut includes a first hardness area extending between the first end and a first boundary located intermediate the first and second ends, a second hardness area extending from the first boundary to a second boundary located distal from the first boundary and towards the second end, and a third hardness area extending from the first boundary to the second end. 
     
     
         24 . The nut of  claim 23 , wherein the hardness within the first hardness area includes a first hardness, the hardness within the second hardness area includes a second hardness, and the hardness within the third hardness area includes a third hardness. 
     
     
         25 . The nut of  claim 24 , wherein the first hardness is a range of approximately Rc 20 to approximately Rc 60, the second hardness is a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rc 60, and the third hardness is in a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rb 100. 
     
     
         26 . The nut of  claim 25 , wherein the hardness increases gradually from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         27 . The nut of  claim 25 , wherein a transition from the first hardness to the second hardness is abrupt, and wherein a transition from the second hardness to the third hardness is abrupt. 
     
     
         28 . The nut of  claim 24 , wherein the first hardness is in a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rb 100, the second hardness is a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rc 60, and the third hardness is in a range of approximately Rc 20 to approximately Rc 60. 
     
     
         29 . The nut of  claim 28 , wherein the hardness increases gradually from the second end to the first end. 
     
     
         30 . The nut of  claim 28 , wherein a transition from the first hardness to the second hardness is abrupt, and wherein a transition from the second hardness to the third hardness is abrupt. 
     
     
         31 . The nut of  claim 24 , wherein at least one portion of the nut thread located proximate to the second end is locally softened, and a remaining portion of the nut thread is hardened. 
     
     
         32 . The nut of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is approximately equal to at least a portion of a pitch thread length of the nut thread. 
     
     
         33 . The nut of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is approximately equal to one pitch thread length of the nut thread. 
     
     
         34 . The nut of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is approximately equal to a plurality of pitch thread lengths of the nut thread. 
     
     
         35 . The nut of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is within a range between one pitch thread length of the nut thread and two pitch thread lengths of the nut thread. 
     
     
         36 . The nut of  claim 22 , wherein the engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread provides a visual indication of the amount of clamp generated. 
     
     
         37 . A fastener, comprising:
 a bolt including an elongated shank having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a threaded portion having a an external bolt thread, wherein the bolt thread includes a bolt pitch; and   a nut including a first end, a second end opposite the first end of the nut, a an internal nut thread extending between the first and second ends of the nut and adapted to engage threadedly the bolt thread of the bolt, wherein the nut thread includes a nut pitch, and a hardness that changes gradationally between the first and second ends of the nut,   wherein the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt is mismatched with the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut.   
     
     
         38 . The fastener of  claim 37 , wherein the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut is shorter than the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt. 
     
     
         39 . The fastener of  claim 38 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the first end of the nut. 
     
     
         40 . The fastener of  claim 37 , wherein the nut pitch of the nut thread of the nut is longer than the bolt pitch of the bolt thread of the bolt. 
     
     
         41 . The fastener of  claim 40 , wherein when the nut thread of the nut engages the bolt thread of the bolt, an initial contact and engagement between the nut thread and the bolt thread is located at a pitch of the nut pitch that is proximate to the second end of the nut. 
     
     
         42 . The fastener of  claim 37 , wherein the nut includes a flange located at the first end thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The fastener of  claim 42 , wherein the nut includes a first hardness area extending between the first end and a first boundary located intermediate the first and second ends, a second hardness area extending from the first boundary to a second boundary located distal from the from the first boundary and towards the second end, and a third hardness area extending from the first boundary to the second end. 
     
     
         44 . The fastener of  claim 43 , wherein the hardness within the first hardness area includes a first hardness, the hardness within the second hardness area includes a second hardness, and the hardness within the third hardness area includes a third hardness. 
     
     
         45 . The fastener of  claim 44 , wherein the first hardness is a range of approximately Rc 20 to approximately Rc 60, the second hardness is a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rc 60, and the third hardness is in a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rb 100. 
     
     
         46 . The fastener of  claim 45 , wherein the hardness increases gradually from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         47 . The fastener of  claim 45 , wherein a transition from the first hardness to the second hardness is abrupt, and wherein a transition from the second hardness to the third hardness is abrupt. 
     
     
         48 . The fastener of  claim 44 , wherein the first hardness is in a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rb 100, the second hardness is a range of approximately Rb 20 to approximately Rc 60, and the third hardness is in a range of approximately Rc 20 to approximately Rc 60. 
     
     
         49 . The fastener of  claim 48 , wherein the hardness increases gradually from the second end to the first end. 
     
     
         50 . The fastener of  claim 48 , wherein a transition from the first hardness to the second hardness is abrupt, and wherein a transition from the second hardness to the third hardness is abrupt. 
     
     
         51 . The fastener of  claim 48 , wherein the nut wherein at least one portion of the nut thread located proximate to the second end is locally softened, and a remaining portion of the nut thread is hardened. 
     
     
         52 . The fastener of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is approximately equal to at least a portion of a pitch thread length of the nut thread. 
     
     
         53 . The fastener of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is approximately equal to one pitch thread length of the nut thread. 
     
     
         54 . The fastener of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is approximately equal to a plurality of pitch thread lengths of the nut thread. 
     
     
         55 . The fastener of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one portion of the nut thread includes a length that is within a range between one pitch thread length of the nut thread and two pitch thread lengths of the nut thread.