Acument Intellectual Properties, LLC

Gary Sifferman

Paul Purdy

Jeramiah Slater

Robert A Niec

A ball stud assembly includes a ball stud for engaging a component with a stepped bore extending along a bore axis and a reaction surface orthogonal to the bore axis. The stud includes a ball first end, a threaded second end, and a flange. The stud additionally includes a shank extending along a stud axis between the first and second ends, having a stepped shank shape, and configured to extend through the stepped bore and leave a gap between the bore and the shank. The stud also includes a flange between the first end and the shank with a flange surface orthogonal to the stud axis for engaging and abutting the reaction surface. The stud additionally includes a sleeve positioned on the shank and a threaded nut configured to tighten the stud on the component and deform the sleeve such that the sleeve fills at least part of the gap.

Minimized lateral clearance ball stud joint

A bolted joint providing a 'zero-clearance' fit formed from a bolt including a shoulder that works during installation to cold form a deformable sleeve. The bolted joint joins a bolt receiving member to a clamped component. One or more bolted joints may be used and as the bolts are installed, shoulders on each of the bolts dilate deformable sleeves until the outer diameters of the sleeves contact internal walls of through holes in the clamped component. Each of the deformable sleeves includes at least one groove or flute on its interior surface that results in: reduced radial load on internal walls of the clamped component and the bolt receiving members, and less friction between the sleeve and both the clamped component and a counter bore disposed within the bolt receiving member, thereby allowing for smaller percentage of the bolt's tensile strength capability required to deform the sleeve.

Bolted joint using deformable sleeve with longitudinal grooves

A fastener system that includes a fastener, a compression-limiting sleeve, and a retainer which generally retains the compression-limiting sleeve on the fastener. By providing that the compression-limiting sleeve is not staked to the fastener, existing technology can be used, and no extra staking processing step needs to be performed. The fastener may comprise a conventional metal threaded screw or bolt, possibly having a recess in its head for receiving a driver. Preferably, the compression-limiting sleeve is cold headed as opposed to being stamped, and preferably includes a counter bore which assures that an end of the retainer is below an end surface of the compression-limiting sleeve. Preferably, the retainer is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer or another suitable material.

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Grand Blanc, MI, United States of America

Gary Sifferman