US 12,215,729 B2
Smart operating nut
Andrew Henderson Pike, Ooltewah, TN (US); Amanda Leverett Owens, Trenton, GA (US); and Matthew Thomas Sutterfield, Signal Mountain, TN (US)
Assigned to Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/545,670.
Prior Publication US 2023/0175537 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. F16B 1/00 (2006.01); B25B 27/24 (2006.01); F16B 37/08 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 37/0878 (2013.01) [B25B 27/24 (2013.01); F16B 2200/95 (2023.08)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An operating nut comprising:
a body defining a central bore defining an axis and comprising:
a working portion defining an end surface and a plurality of side surfaces defining a polygonal shape in a cross-sectional plane orthogonal to the axis; and
a flange portion extending outward from the working portion in a radial direction with respect to an axis of the operating nut, the flange portion defining a first end surface and a second end surface, the central bore extending through each of the working portion and the flange portion; and
a digital identification tag secured to the body, at least one of the body and the digital identification tag defining an outer surface of the operating nut.