US 12,276,294 B2
Blind fasteners and methods of fastening
Troy Don Pierce, Hewitt, TX (US); Robert B. Wilcox, McGregor, TX (US); and Justin Branch, Waco, TX (US)
Assigned to HOWMET AEROSPACE INC., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Appl. No. 17/594,569
Filed by Howmet Aerospace Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
PCT Filed May 15, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/032349
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 22, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/231416, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0128077 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. F16B 19/10 (2006.01); F16B 37/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 19/1072 (2013.01) [F16B 19/1045 (2013.01); F16B 37/002 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A blind fastener comprising:
a sleeve adapted for installation into a threaded bore in a structure, the sleeve comprising
a head portion wherein the head portion comprises at least one feature configured to receive a torque selected from the group consisting of a substantially flat side, a rib, a spline, an indent, a knurl, a lobe, a bore, and a tab,
a first sleeve end,
a second sleeve end,
an elongate portion extending intermediate the first sleeve end and the second sleeve end, and
a cavity extending from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end; and
a mandrel at least partially disposed through the cavity of the sleeve, the mandrel comprising
a first mandrel end disposed adjacent to the first sleeve end and comprising an enlarged portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the cavity, wherein the enlarged portion is hollow;
wherein the elongate portion is configured to at least partially deform into threads of the threaded bore thereby forming external threads on the elongate portion and the diameter of the enlarged portion is configured to be at least partially reduced responsive to forcible contact between the enlarged portion and the sleeve,
wherein the blind fastener is capable of removal from the threads in the threaded bore after forming the external threads by rotation of the blind fastener.