Multi-mate fastener

Abstract

A threaded fastener has a substantially single helical thread formed upon a shank portion thereof, and a plurality of substantially saw-blade type or serrated teeth are formed upon crest portions of leading ones of individual thread portions of the helical thread. The saw-blade type or serrated teeth cut into side wall portions of any one of a multiplicity of substrates so as to substantially reduce required insertion torque levels, render fastener insertion operations quicker, and enhance fastener pull-out resistance values.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:  
     
         1 . A threaded fastener, comprising: 
 a shank portion;    a head portion formed upon a first end of said shank portion;    a tip portion formed upon a second opposite end of said shank portion;    a substantially continuous single helical thread formed upon said shank portion, wherein individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprise crest portions; and    a plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth formed upon peripheral edge portions of said crest portions of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread.    
     
     
         2 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of saw-blade type teeth has a substantially triangular configuration.    
     
     
         3 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein: 
 valleys are defined between successive ones of said plurality of substantially contiguous substantially triangular-shaped saw-blade type teeth.    
     
     
         4 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 each one of said valleys comprises an included angle of 100°.    
     
     
         5 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth are only formed upon peripheral edge portions of said crest portions of leading ones of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread.    
     
     
         6 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said leading ones of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprises approximately the leading one-third to one-half of the number of individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread formed upon said shank portion of said threaded fastener.    
     
     
         7 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth have a predetermined pitch defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined radial depth dimension.    
     
     
         8 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises either one of a number six and a number eight sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth comprises 0.60 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.21 mm.    
     
     
         9 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises either one of a number ten and a number twelve sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth comprises 0.70 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.25 mm.    
     
     
         10 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises a number fourteen sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth comprises 0.80 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.29 mm.    
     
     
         11 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each one of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprises an upper flank surface and a lower flank surface; and    an included angle defined between said upper flank and lower flank surfaces is within the range of 30-50°.    
     
     
         12 . A threaded fastener, comprising: 
 a shank portion;    a head portion formed upon a first end of said shank portion;    a tip portion formed upon a second opposite end of said shank portion;    a substantially continuous single helical thread formed upon said shank portion, wherein individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprise crest portions; and    a plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth formed upon peripheral edge portions of said crest portions of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread.    
     
     
         13 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of serrated teeth has a substantially triangular configuration.    
     
     
         14 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 valleys are defined between successive ones of said plurality of substantially contiguous substantially triangular-shaped serrated teeth.    
     
     
         15 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein: 
 each one of said valleys comprises an included angle of 100°.    
     
     
         16 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth are only formed upon peripheral edge portions of said crest portions of leading ones of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread.    
     
     
         17 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein: 
 said leading ones of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprises approximately the leading one-third to one-half of the number of individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread formed upon said shank portion of said threaded fastener.    
     
     
         18 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth have a predetermined pitch defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth has a predetermined radial depth dimension.    
     
     
         19 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises either one of a number six and a number eight sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth comprises 0.60 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.21 mm.    
     
     
         20 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises either one of a number ten and a number twelve sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth comprises 0.70 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.25 mm.    
     
     
         21 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises a number fourteen sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth comprises 0.80 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous serrated teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.29 mm.    
     
     
         22 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each one of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprises an upper flank surface and a lower flank surface; and    an included angle defined between said upper flank and lower flank surfaces is within the range of 30-50°.    
     
     
         23 . A self-tapping threaded fastener for use in connection with any one of a plurality of substrates, comprising: 
 a shank portion;    a head portion formed upon a first end of said shank portion;    a tip portion formed upon a second opposite end of said shank portion;    a substantially continuous single helical thread formed upon said shank portion, wherein individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprise crest portions; and    a plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth formed upon peripheral edge portions of said crest portions of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread for cutting into side wall portions of a substrate whereby insertion torque required in connection with the insertion of said threaded fastener into the substrate will be reduced, insertion speed of said threaded fastener into the substrate will be shortened, and pull-out resistance of said threaded fastener from the substrate will be enhanced.    
     
     
         24 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of saw-blade type teeth has a substantially triangular configuration.    
     
     
         25 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein: 
 valleys are defined between successive ones of said plurality of substantially contiguous substantially triangular-shaped saw-blade type teeth.    
     
     
         26 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein: 
 each one of said valleys comprises an included angle of 100°.    
     
     
         27 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth are only formed upon peripheral edge portions of said crest portions of leading ones of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread.    
     
     
         28 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein: 
 said leading ones of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprises approximately the leading one-third to one-half of the number of individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread formed upon said shank portion of said threaded fastener.    
     
     
         29 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth have a predetermined pitch defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined radial depth dimension.    
     
     
         30 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises either one of a number six and a number eight sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth comprises 0.60 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.21 mm.    
     
     
         31 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises either one of a number ten and a number twelve sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth comprises 0.70 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.25 mm.    
     
     
         32 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein: 
 said threaded fastener comprises a number fourteen sized threaded fastener;    said predetermined pitch defined between said plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth comprises 0.80 mm; and    each one of plurality of substantially contiguous saw-blade type teeth has a predetermined depth dimension of 0.29 mm.    
     
     
         33 . The threaded fastener as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 each one of said individual thread portions of said substantially continuous single helical thread comprises an upper flank surface and a lower flank surface; and    an included angle defined between said upper flank and lower flank surfaces is within the range of 30-50°.