Rb&w Manufacturing LLC

Michael Da Costa

Marc Andrew O'Donnell

Gabriel Pirvulescu

Anthony Hahn

A self-clinching fastener for attachment to a plastically deformable metal substrate includes a body portion with a central axis, the body portion has an annular-shaped surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis The annular-shaped surface includes a first annular face, a second annular face, and a third annular face. The third annular face lies on an imaginary horizontal plane. A punch portion extends from the body portion. A plurality of spaced apart lugs encircle the punch portion. The first annular face extends from an outer peripheral surface of the punch portion in a radially outwards direction, and the second annular face is radially disposed between the first annular face and the third annular face. One of the lugs declines to the second annular face.

Self-clinching fastener

A method of permanently attaching a fastener to a plastically deformable panel includes placing a fastener shearing edge in contact with a first surface of a panel and a die assembly in contact with an opposite second surface of the panel, and penetrating the fastener shearing edge through the panel to create a hole. The fastener shearing edge is driven into a swage formed as a recess in an end face of the die assembly to deform the fastener shearing edge outwards along the swage and into contact with the second surface of the panel. A bent portion of the panel is trapped between the deformed fastener shearing edge abutting the second surface of the panel and a tapered flange formed on an outer surface of the fastener that abuts the first surface of the panel. A die assembly and driving mechanism for attaching the fastener is also provided.

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Orangeville, Canada

Michael Da Costa