Convoluted bolt retainer

Abstract

A retaining apparatus disposable within an axial bore for maintaining a fastener having an extending shank within a bore provided on a structural member. In the preferred embodiment, the retainer comprises a convoluted, polymeric, thin-walled annular body constructed of a resilient material with an aperture extending therethrough. The unitary body is defined by longitudinally extending radially outwardly projecting ear portions and radially inwardly projecting ribs which circumferentially alternate in a symmetrical pattern. A method for pre-attaching fasteners to structural members includes disposing the retainer within a bore contained on a structural member and subsequently inserting the fastener through the retainer's aperture. The fastener is thereby flexibly maintained along the central axis of the bore. The structural member may then be transported with fasteners pre-attached for subsequent attachment to another structural member. The fasteners may be shifted and/or tilted, as necessary, within the first bores in order to align the fastener shanks with the corresponding bores contained on the second structural member which may or may not be in axial alignment with the bores of the first structural member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flexible retaining apparatus at least partially disposable within a bore for receiving a fastener having a head and an extending shank, said bore having a central axis and a diameter which is larger than the diameter of said extending shank, said retaining apparatus comprising: an annular, unitary body made of a resilient plastic material and having an aperture therethrough;   wherein said annular body includes a plurality of resilient selectively deformable radially outwardly extending arcuate convex projections, the outermost portions of which seat substantially contiguously against the inner wall of the axial bore upon insertion and demark an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the bore, and furthermore includes a plurality of resilient selectively deformable radially inwardly extending and substantially concaved arcuate projections, the innermost portions of which demark an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the extending fastener shank, said innermost portions being contacted by the shank of the fastener upon insertion into said aperture;   whereby upon insertion of the retaining apparatus into the bore the outward projections deform, tending to secure the retaining apparatus within the bore; and   whereby upon insertion of the shank within the aperture of the retaining apparatus further deformation of the retaining apparatus occurs such that the outward and inward projections in cooperation tend to maintain the shank along the central axis of the bore absent opposing external forces; and   wherein the annular body is of sufficient longitudinal length to provide the longitudinal dispersion of projections necessary to maintain the fastener shank along the central bore axis absent opposing external forces.   
     
     
       2. The retaining apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular body is entirely defined by said inward and outward projections. 
     
     
       3. The retaining apparatus of claim 2 wherein said outward projections are symmetrically spaced apart by said inward projections. 
     
     
       4. The retaining apparatus of claim 2, wherein the outward and inward projections extend longitudinally along the annular body. 
     
     
       5. The retaining apparatus of claim 1, wherein said annular body is thin-walled and made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
       6. A resilient retainer for receiving the shank of a fastener, said retainer being at least partially disposed within a bore having a central axis wherein the bore has a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the shank, thus allowing for insertion of said fastener shank at various angles relative to the central axis of the bore and translation of said fastener shank within the bore, said retainer comprising: a convoluted, unitary, thin-walled annular body made of a polymeric material and having an aperture therethrough;   wherein said annular body is defined in part by a plurality of resilient polymeric ear portions having a given wall thickness projecting radially outwardly which extend longitudinally along the annular body, the outermost portions of said ear portions demarking an outer diameter slightly larger than the bore, whereby upon insertion of the retainer into the bore at least a plurality of the ear portions deform, tending to maintain the retainer within the bore;   wherein said annular body is furthermore defined by a plurality of resilient ribs having a smaller wall thickness projecting radially inwardly which extend longitudinally along the annular body, the innermost portion of said ribs demarking an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fastener shank, whereby upon insertion of the shank into the aperture of the retainer further deformation occurs and the ear portions and ribs in cooperation tend to maintain the shank along the central axis of the bore absent opposing external forces;   wherein said retainer has a longitudinal length and stiffness sufficient to successfully maintain the fastener along the central bore axis absent opposing external forces; and   wherein said longitudinally extending ear portions and ribs are alternately and symmetrically spaced and have sufficient circumferential spacing to permit . .to align.!. the fastener .Iadd.to align .Iaddend.with a bore in a second structural member .Iadd.by allowing .Iaddend.lateral movement of the fastener shank within the axial bore.   
     
     
       7. A method of attaching at least one fastener having an extending shank to a first structural member, said structural member including a bore for receiving the fastener shank, said bore including a central axis and a diameter which is substantially larger than the diameter of the shank, said method comprising the steps of: inserting a retaining apparatus having a plurality of resilient radially outwardly extending projections the outermost portions of which define an outer diameter, a plurality of resilient radially inwardly extending projections the innermost portions of which define an inner diameter, and an aperture therethrough into the bore such that the outer diameter of the retaining apparatus seats against a wall of the bore;   inserting the shank of said at least one fastener at least partially through said aperture such that the shank engages the innermost surface of the retaining apparatus;   whereby the inward and outward projections cooperate to maintain the fastener shank along the central axis of the bore absent an opposing external force;   aligning the first structural member with a second structural member such that a number of bores contained on the first structural member overlap a number of corresponding bores contained on said second structural member; and   further inserting said at least one fastener into the corresponding bore contained on that second structural member, and manipulating the shank of the fastener away from the central axis of the bore contained on the first structural member thereby aligning the fastener shank with a non-coincident central axis of the corresponding bore.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of manipulating the fastener includes the step of applying an external lateral force to the head of the fastener. .Iadd. 
     
     
       9.  In combination a flexible retaining apparatus and fastener, said flexible retaining apparatus being at least partially disposable within a bore for supporting said fastener, said bore having a central axis and a diameter which is larger than a diameter of an extending shank of said fastener, said combination comprising: said fastener having a head portion and an extending shank; and   said flexible retaining apparatus having an annular, unitary body made of a resilient plastic material and having an aperture therethrough;   wherein said annular body includes a plurality of resilient selectively deformable radially outwardly extending arcuate convex projections, the outermost portions of which seat substantially contiguously against the inner wall of the axial bore upon insertion and demark an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the bore, and furthermore includes a plurality of resilient selectively deformable radially inwardly extending and substantially concaved arcuate projections, the innermost portions of which demark an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the extending fastener shank, said innermost portions being contacted by the shank of the fastener upon insertion into said aperture;   whereby upon insertion of the retaining apparatus into the bore the outward projections deform, tending to secure the retaining apparatus within the bore; and   whereby upon insertion of the shank within the aperture of the retaining apparatus deformation of the retaining apparatus occurs such that the outward and inward projections in cooperation tend to maintain the shank along the central axis of the retaining apparatus absent opposing external forces; and   wherein the annular body is of sufficient longitudinal length to provide the longitudinal dispersion of projections necessary to maintain the fastener shank along the central bore axis absent opposing external forces..Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
       10.  A fastener and retainer assembly for at least partial insertion within a bore, said assembly comprising: a fastener including a head and a shank portion; and   a retainer including a convoluted, unitary, thin-walled annular body made of a polymeric material and having an aperture therethrough;   wherein said annular body is defined in part by a plurality of resilient polymeric ear portions having a given wall thickness projecting radially outwardly which extend longitudinally along the annular body, the outermost portions of said ear portions demarking an outer diameter slightly larger than the bore, whereby upon insertion of the retainer into the bore at least a plurality of the ear portions deform, tending to maintain the retainer within the bore;   wherein said annular body is furthermore defined by a plurality of resilient ribs having a smaller wall thickness projecting radially inwardly which extend longitudinally along the annular body, the innermost portion of said ribs demarking an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fastener shank, whereby upon insertion of the shank into the aperture of the retainer deformation occurs and the ear portions and ribs in cooperation tend to maintain the shank along the central axis of the retainer absent opposing external forces;   wherein said retainer has a longitudinal length and stiffness sufficient to successfully maintain the fastener along the central bore axis absent opposing external forces; and   wherein said longitudinally extending ear portions and ribs are alternately and symmetrically spaced and have sufficient circumferential spacing to permit the fastener to align with a bore in a second structural member by allowing lateral movement of the fastener shank within the axial bore..Iaddend..Iadd.11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of inserting said retaining apparatus into the bore precedes said step of inserting the shank of said fastener through an aperture in said retaining apparatus..Iaddend..Iadd.12. A fastener and flexible retaining apparatus assembly, said assembly being at least partially disposable within a bore having an inner wall with a central axis and a given diameter, said assembly comprising:   a fastener having a head portion and an extending shank; and   a flexible retaining apparatus having an annular, unitary body made of a resilient plastic material and having an aperture therethrough, said annular body including a plurality of resilient selectively deformable radially outwardly extending arcuate convex projections, the outermost portions of which seat substantially contiguously against the inner wall of the bore upon insertion and demark an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the bore, said body further including a plurality of resilient selectively deformable radially inwardly extending and substantially concaved arcuate projections, the innermost portions of which demark an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the fastener shank, said innermost portions being contacted by the shank of the fastener upon insertion into said flexible retaining apparatus;   whereby upon insertion of the shank within the aperture of the retaining apparatus deformation of the retaining apparatus occurs such that the inward projections tend to maintain the shank along the central axis of the retaining apparatus absent opposing external forces;   whereby upon insertion of the retaining apparatus into the bore the outward projections deform, tending to secure the retaining apparatus within the bore; and   wherein the annular body is of sufficient longitudinal length to provide the longitudinal dispersion of projections necessary to maintain the fastener shank along the central bore axis absent opposing external forces..Iaddend.