NZ617803B2 - Fastener identification marking - Google Patents

Abstract

fastener (100) for being inserted a first depth d, through a first object and a second depth d2 into or through a second object is disclosed. The fastener includes a head (120) having an outer surface (122) opposed to an inner surface and a shank (130) connected with the inner surface of the head at a first end and forming a tip (136) at a second end. An identification marking (140) is formed on the outer surface of the head. The outer surface remains exposed upon the fastener being inserted into an object. The identification marking could be the shank length or any other physical property of the fastener. In particular identification marking could indicate the depth of penetration into the second object when used with a fist object with a known thickness. at a first end and forming a tip (136) at a second end. An identification marking (140) is formed on the outer surface of the head. The outer surface remains exposed upon the fastener being inserted into an object. The identification marking could be the shank length or any other physical property of the fastener. In particular identification marking could indicate the depth of penetration into the second object when used with a fist object with a known thickness.

Description

FASTENER IDENTIFICATION MARKING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain applications require use of a power driven fastener to attach a first object, such as a metal bracket, to a second object, such as a concrete wall. After a fastener is embedded through the first object and into or through the second object, by an installer, an interested third party such as a contractor or a building inspector, does not know the actual length or the embedment depth of the fastener into the second object. Being that a power driven fastener is intended to be a permanent fastening, the embedded fastener may need to be removed, possibly causing damage to the first object, the second object, or the fastener itself, in order to verify the actual length or the embedment depth of the fastener.

It would therefore be desirable to allow interested parties to determine the actual length or the embedment depth of a power driven fastener after installation without having to remove the fastener, and possibly causing damage to the first object, the second object, or the fastener itself.

SUMMARY The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims. [003A] In accordance with the the present invention, there is provided a fastener system comprising: a first object including a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first thickness defined from the first surface to the second surface; a second object having a second thickness and abutting the second surface of the first object; and a fastener coupling the first object and the second object together, the fastener including a head, a shank and a depth identification marking, the head including an inner surface abutting the first surface of the first object and an outer surface externally exposed from the first object, the shank extending from the inner surface of the head, the fastener is inserted through the first object a first depth and into the second object a second depth, the first depth is equal to the first thickness, the depth identification marking is formed on the outer surface of the head and indicates the second depth. [003B] Preferably, the fastener is a power driven fastener for installation with a power tool. [003C] There is also disclosed a fastener system comprising: a first object including a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first thickness defined from the first surface to the second surface; a second object having a second thickness and abutting the second surface of the first object; and a fastener coupling the first object and the second object together, the fastener including a head, a shank and an identification marking, the head including an inner surface abutting the first surface of the first object and an outer surface externally exposed from the first object, the shank extending from the inner surface of the head, the fastener is inserted through the first object a first depth and into the second object a second depth, the first depth is equal to the first thickness, the identification marking is formed on the outer surface of the head and indicates at least one of a width of the shank, a material which the fastener is comprised of, a major diameter of the shank, a minor diameter of the shank, a distance between threads on the shank, a hardness of the fastener, a manufacturing date of the fastener, a location at which the fastener was manufactured, and an embedment depth.

In another aspect there is provided, a fastener for being inserted a first depth d through a first object and a second depth d into or through a second object, is provided.

The fastener includes, but is not limited to, a head having an outer surface opposed to an inner surface, a shank connected with the inner surface of the head at a first end and forming a tip at a second end opposed to the first end, and an identification marking formed on the outer surface. The outer surface remains exposed upon the fastener being inserted into an object. The shank has an actual length La from the first end to the second is equal to or greater than the sum of the first depth end, and wherein the actual length La . The identification marking indicates an embedment depth de of d1 and the second depth d2 the fastener.

In another aspect, a fastener is provided. The fastener includes, but is not limited to, a head having an outer surface, a shank connected with the head at a first end and forming a tip at a second end opposed to the first end, and an identification marking formed on the outer surface. The outer surface remains exposed upon the fastener being inserted into an object. The shank has an actual length L a from the first end to the second end. The identification marking indicates a representative length Lr of the fastener.

In another aspect, a fastener is provided. The fastener includes, but is not limited to, a head having an outer surface, a shank connected with the head at a first end and extending to a second end opposed to the first end, and an identification marking formed on the outer surface. The outer surface remains exposed upon the fastener being inserted into an object. The shank has an actual length La from the first end to the second end and a width W. The identification marking indicates a physical property of the fastener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, as set out below. depicts a first perspective view of a first fastener having an identification marking formed on a head of the fastener, in accordance with one embodiment; depicts a second perspective view of the fastener shown in in accordance with one embodiment; depicts a first perspective view of a second fastener having an identification marking formed on a head of the fastener, in accordance with one embodiment; and depicts a side cross-sectional view of the first fastener driven through a first object and embedded within a second object, in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Methods and devices consistent with the present invention overcome the disadvantages of conventional fasteners by using a fastener which has an identification marking on an outer surface of the fastener' s head. The identification marking preferably indicates a physical property of the fastener. By viewing the identification marking on the outer surface of the fastener's head, which is visible even after installation of the fastener, interested parties may now determine the actual length or the embedment depth of a power driven fastener after installation without having to remove the fastener, and possibly causing damage to the first object, the second object, or the fastener itself.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, there is shown one embodiment of a fastener 100 having an identification marking 140 formed on a head 120 of the fastener 100. Fastener 100 is any device which can be inserted into or through a first object 110 and then inserted into or through a second object 112, in order to secure or fasten the first object 110 to the second object 112, as shown in Fastener 100 is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects 110, 112 together. Fastener 100 can also be used to close a container such as a bag, a box, or an envelope; or fastener 100 may involve keeping together the sides of an opening of flexible material, attaching a lid to a container, etc. Examples of fastener 100 include a nail 133 as shown in a screw 135 as shown in a masonry anchor, a peg, a pin, a rivet, a tack, a threaded fastener, or a captive threaded fastener.

Preferably, the fastener 100 has a one-piece structure a screw or a nail, and not a two- piece structure, such as a masonry anchor.

With reference to in one embodiment the fastener 100 is a screw 135 having threads 138 having peaks and valleys on the shank 130, with a distance d between peaks of threads 138 on the shank 130. In this embodiment, the shank 130 includes a major diameter D along the peaks of threads 138 on the shank 130, and a minor diameter Dmin along the valleys of threads 138 on the shank 130.

Fastener 100 may be a manually inserted fastener 104, as shown in which uses only human power to insert the manually inserted fastener 104 into or through the first or second object 110, 112 using a non-powered tool or hand tool, such as a screw driver or a conventional hammer. In one embodiment, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, fastener 100 is a power driven fastener 102 which uses non- human power to drive the fastener 102 into or through the first or second object 110, 112 using a power tool. A power tool is a tool which is powered by an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, a steam engine, compressed air, direct burning of fuels and propellants, or even natural power sources like wind or moving water. In one embodiment, a power tool employing an explosive charge is used to drive the power driven fastener 102 into or through the first or second object 110, 112.

First or second objects 110, 112 are any objects into which a fastener 100 can be inserted into and are preferably objects used in construction to construct a building or home, such as a concrete slab, a piece of wood, a piece of metal, a bracket, a stud, a shelf, a floor, a wall, carpet, flooring, glass, stone, rubber, plastic, and drywall.

The fastener 100 includes the head 120 having an outer surface 122 opposed to an inner surface 124, a shank 130 connected with the head 120, and the identification marking 140 formed on the head 120. The head 120 is the portion of the fastener 100 through which a force is typically applied in order to insert the shank 130 of the fastener 100 into or through first or second objects 110, 112. Preferably, the outer surface 122 of the head 120 remains exposed upon the fastener 100 being inserted into or through first or second objects 110, 112, while the inner surface 124 and the shank 130 are typically hidden with the first or second objects 110, 112.

The shank 130 is connected with the inner surface 124 of the head 120 at a first end 132 of the shank 130 and has a second end 134 opposed to the first end 132.

The shank 130 has an actual length La linearly measured from the first end 132 to the second end 134. Preferably, the actual length La of the shank 130 is equal to or greater than the sum of the first depth d1 and the second depth d2. Preferably, the shank 130 forms a tip 136 at the second end 134 to allow to easier insertion of the shank 130 into the first or second objects 110, 112.

With reference to fastener 100 is inserted into or through a first object 110 a first depth d i and then inserted into or through a second object 112 a second depth d2, in order to secure or fasten the first object 110 to the second object 112, as shown in Preferably, the combination of the first depth d1 and the second depth d2 is approximately is approximately equal to, within ±10%, the actual length L., of the shank 130 of the fastener 100.

With reference to identification marking 140 is formed, and preferably, displayed on the outer surface 122 of the head 120. The identification marking 140 indicates a physical property of the fastener 100. The physical property includes any type of physical feature of the fastener 100 or any type of information about the fastener 100, excluding information pertaining to whom the manufacturer of the fastener 100 is, includes such things as a representative length L, of the fastener 100, the actual length La of the shank 130, the width W of the shank 130, a material which of the shank 130, a minor the fastener 130 is comprised of, a major diameter Dmaj of the shank 130, a distance dt between threads 138 on the shank 130, a diameter Rain hardness of the fastener 100, a manufacturing date of the fastener 100, a factory in which the fastener 100 was manufactured, and a unique identifier which identifies the fastener 100.

In one embodiment, the identification marking 140 indicates a representative length Lr of the fastener 100. The representative length Lr of the fastener 100 is any length of measurement which represents a length of the fastener 100 or an embedment depth into a first or second object 110, 112 for the fastener 110, and includes things such as the actual length La of the shank 130, the entire length Lf of the fastener 100 from the outer surface 122 to the tip 136, or an embedment depth de of the fastener 100. In one embodiment, the identification marking 140 indicates an embedment depth de of the fastener 100. The embedment depth de of the fastener 100 is the depth d2 which the fastener 100 is embedded into the second object 112. Preferably, the e is approximately equal to, within +10%, the actual length embedment depth d e is approximately equal 1. Preferably, the embedment depth d minus the first depth d . In one embodiment, the representative length to, within ±10%, the second depth d2 . of the fastener 100 is within ±20% the actual length La of the shank 130.

Preferably, the identification marking 140 is stamped into the outer surface 122, however, the identification marking 140 may also be displayed on the outer surface 122 in any one of a number of ways, including being printed onto the outer surface 122 or engraved into the outer surface 122. By having an identification marking 140 on the outer surface 122 of the head 120, interested parties are allowed to determine the actual length La or the embedment depth de of a fastener 100 after installation without having to remove the fastener 100, and possibly causing damage to the first object 110, the second objectl 12, or the fastener 100 itself.

In use, the fastener 100 is inserted, preferably with a power tool, through the first object 110, and preferably, into or through the second object 112, by an installer.

Upon insertion, the installer, an interested third party such as a contractor or a building inspector, then views the identification marking 140 on the outer surface 122 of the head 120, which is visible even after installation of the fastener 100 in first object 110, and preferably, second object 120, and then determines the actual length or the embedment depth of a power driven fastener after installation without having to remove the fastener 100.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. 1-1AcjI \ Interwoven \ NRPortblOCC \EIL \ 75 I 9896_1.docx-2/03/2015

Claims (1)

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A fastener system comprising: a first object including a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first thickness defined from the first surface to the second surface; a second object having a second thickness and abutting the second surface of the first object; and a fastener coupling the first object and the second object together, the fastener including a head, a shank and a depth identification marking, the head including an inner surface abutting the first surface of the first object and an outer surface externally exposed from the first object, the shank extending from the inner surface of the head, the fastener is inserted through the first object a first depth and into the second object a second depth, the first depth is equal to the first thickness, the depth identification marking is formed on the outer surface of the head and indicates the second depth. The fastener system of claim 1, wherein the second depth is less than the second thickness. The fastener system of claim 1, wherein the shank includes a first end at the head and forms a tip at a second end opposed to the first end, wherein the shank has a length from the first end to the second end, and wherein the length of the shank is equal to or greater than a sum of the first depth and the second depth. H:\txb\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\TXB\9563446_1.docx-19/