FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a nut and bolt system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sliding nut and bolt device that can quickly fasten a nut to a bolt of the nut and bolt device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A nut and bolt fastening mechanism is one of the most common and secure fastening mechanisms used for holding or fastening objects together. A nut and bolt fasten two objects together by inserting the bolt through the two objects and fastening the nut to the bolt. The bolt consists of a head and a cylindrical body with screw threads along a portion of its length, and the nut is the female member of the nut and bolt pair, having internal threads to match those of the bolt. The nut is fastened to the bolt (or a screw or a stud) to provide a clamping force and prevent axial movement. To provide a secure fastening, the nut typically relies on torque being applied to generate an axial force. This axial force causes sufficient friction at the threads so as to prevent the nut from unscrewing. The force may act between the bolt head and the nut, causing compression of the objects being held or fastened together. Only a small amount of rotation (e.g., 15 degrees) of the bolt or the nut is required to transition from almost no clamping force to a full clamp load in a bolted joint. In an assembly, most of the rotation of the nut after the nut contacts a clamping surface only pulls the joint together.

[0003] Bolts can have different lengths depending on a thickness of the objects they are fastening. Accordingly, a number of threads, or a length of threaded area on a bolt also varies, based on the bolt’s dimensions. Usually, right after the nut is engaged with a first thread of the bolt, the nut is rotated until the nut contacts the clamping surface or the bolt head. This may take a long time depending on the length of the threaded area or the length of the bolt. A nut that can quickly slide into contact with the clamping surface or bolt head and provide the desired clamping force with a quick rotation of the nut is needed. As such, an objective of the present invention is to provide a sliding nut and bolt device for fastening objects together quickly and easily and with a minimum number of rotations of the nut.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] An aspects of the invention provides a sliding nut and bolt device, including a nut including a plurality of threaded protrusions; and a bolt, including: a bolt head; and a cylindrical bolt body including a plurality of slots and a plurality of threads; wherein: each of the plurality of threaded protrusions protrude longitudinally from an internal cylindrical surface of the nut; each of the plurality of slots and each of the plurality of threads are disposed longitudinally along the bolt body and are arranged around a circumference of the bolt body in alternation; the nut is slidingly coupled longitudinally with the bolt body when each of the plurality of threaded protrusions are aligned and engaged with each of the plurality of slots; and the nut and the bolt form a clamped joint when each of the plurality of threaded protrusions are engaged with each of the plurality of threads and a clamped force is attained.

[0005] An aspect of the invention includes a method for operating a sliding nut and bolt device, including: aligning and engaging each of a plurality of threaded protrusions longitudinally protruding from an internal cylindrical surface of the nut with each of a plurality of slots longitudinally disposed on a bolt body of the bolt; slidingly coupling the nut longitudinally with the bolt body by translating the nut longitudinally along the bolt body from a first end of the bolt body towards a second end of the bolt body until reaching a desired position along the bolt body, wherein the nut is slidingly coupled longitudinally with the bolt body when each of the plurality of threaded protrusions are aligned and engaged with each of the plurality of slots; and rotating the nut such that each of the plurality of threaded protrusions engages with each of a plurality of threads longitudinally disposed on the bolt body and a clamped force is attained to form a clamped joint, wherein each of the plurality of slots and each of the plurality of threads are arranged around a circumference of the bolt body in alternation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a sliding nut and bolt device, according to some embodiments.

[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a front elevation view of a nut of the sliding nut and bolt device in FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the nut in FIG. 2 along the A- A’ plane.

[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the cross-sectional view of the nut in FIG. 3.

[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates a front elevation view of a bolt of the sliding nut and bolt device in FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the bolt in FIG. 5 along the B-B’ plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Embodiments provide a sliding nut and bolt device comprising a nut and a bolt for fastening objects together quickly and easily. A plurality of threaded protrusions protrude from an internal cylindrical surface of the nut and are oriented longitudinally. The plurality of threaded protrusions delineate a plurality of longitudinal gaps in the internal cylindrical surface of the nut. The bolt comprises a bolt head and a bolt body. The bolt body comprises a plurality of slots and a plurality of threads longitudinally disposed on the bolt body and arranged around a circumference of the bolt body in alternation. To fasten objects together, the nut is slidingly coupled longitudinally with the bolt body by aligning each of the plurality of threaded protrusions of the nut with each of the plurality of slots of the bolt and each of the plurality of gaps of the nut with each of the plurality of threads of the bolt body. The nut is translated longitudinally in a first direction along the bolt body until reaching a desired position along the bolt body. The nut is tightened to the desired strength to fasten the objects together by rotating the nut such that each of the plurality of threaded protrusions engages with each of the plurality of threads of the bolt body and a desired clamped force is attained. The nut and bolt mechanism as described herein provides a more efficient fastening mechanism than the traditional nut and bolt fasteners.

[0014] FIGS. 1-6 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a sliding nut and bolt device 100 comprising a nut 101 and a bolt 102. A plurality of threaded protrusions 103 longitudinally protrude from an internal cylindrical surface 104 of the nut 101. The plurality of threaded protrusions 103 delineate a plurality of longitudinal gaps 105 in the internal cylindrical surface 104 of the nut 101. The bolt 102 comprises a bolt head 106 and a cylindrical bolt body 107. The bolt body 107 comprises a plurality of slots 108 and a plurality of threads 109 longitudinally disposed on the bolt body 107 and arranged around a circumference of the bolt body 107 in alternation. To fasten objects together, the nut 101 is slidingly coupled longitudinally with the bolt body 107 of the bolt 102 by aligning each of the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 of the nut 101 with each of the plurality of slots 108 of the bolt 102 and each of the plurality of gaps 105 of the nut 101 with each of the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt body 107. The nut 101 is translated longitudinally in a first direction along the bolt body 107 until reaching a desired position along the bolt body 107. The nut 101 is tightened to the desired strength to fasten the objects together by rotating the nut 101 such that each of the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 engages with each of the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt body 107 and the desired clamped force is attained.

[0015] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the nut 101 comprising a nut body 110. The internal cylindrical surface 104 defines a hole 111 concentric with the nut body 110. The nut body 110 of the nut 101 is preferably hexagonal in shape. In various embodiments, the nut body 110 may comprise different shapes, sizes, orientations, etc., so long as the objectives of the present invention are fulfilled. To fasten the objects together, the bolt body 107 passes through the objects. The nut 101 translates longitudinally along the bolt body 107 until reaching the desired position, after which the nut 101 is tightened. The plurality of slots 108 and the plurality of gaps 105 facilitate the longitudinal translation of the nut 101 along the bolt body 107 without any obstruction. When tightening the nut 101, the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 protruding from the internal cylindrical surface 104 of the nut 101 are engaged with the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt body 107. The plurality of threaded protrusions 103 create a clamping force as the nut 101 is rotated in relation to the bolt body 107 of the bolt 102 and the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 engage with the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt body 107. The plurality of threaded protrusions 103 are equally spaced around the circumference of the internal cylindrical surface 104 of the nut 101 to distribute a uniform clamping force on the clamping surface with the rotation and tightening of the nut 101.

[0016] In various embodiment, the bolt body 107 and/or the bolt head 106 may comprise different shapes, sizes, orientations, etc., so long as the intents of the present invention are unaltered. The bolt head 106 is preferably solid, hexagonal, able to be ergonomically gripped by a tool and/or user, and acts as a blocking border or an end surface for a bolted joint. The bolt head 106 preferably has a smaller height and larger radius than the bolt body 107, however, the bolt head 106 may have a larger height and/or smaller radius than the bolt body 107 in other embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the bolt body 107 comprising a first end 112 and a second end 113 opposite the first end 112. The first end 112 comprises a top end of the bolt body 107 and the second end 113 comprises a bottom end of the bolt body 107. The bolt head 106 is fixed to the second end 113 of the bolt body 107. The plurality of slots 108 and the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt body 107 are spaced evenly around the circumference of the bolt body 107 and in alternation. Each slot of the plurality of slots 108 and each thread of the plurality of threads 109 is oriented longitudinally along the bolt body 107. The plurality of slots 108 extend from the first end 112 to some distance from the second end 113 of the bolt body 107. Each of the plurality of slots 108 comprises a planar surface recessed within the bolt body 107. Since the plurality of slots 108 only extend up to some distance from the second end 113 of the bolt body 102, a section 114 of the bolt body 102 adjacent to the second end 113 comprises threads around an entire circumference of the bolt body 107. The plurality of threaded protrusions 103 engage with the threads around the entire circumference of the bolt body 107 in section 114 to create a clamped or bolted joint to prevent axial movement. In embodiments, a number of threads, pitch, and/or thread angle of any threads of sliding nut and bolt device 100 may vary so long as the intents of the present invention are fulfilled.

[0018] As described above, a clamped or bolted joint is also achieved at any point along the length of the bolt body 107 by rotation of the nut 101 such that each of the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 engages with each of the plurality of threads 109. As long as each of the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 of the nut 101 are aligned with each of the plurality of slots 108 of the bolt 102 and each of the plurality of gaps 105 of the nut 101 are aligned with each of the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt 102, the nut 101 translates longitudinally along the bolt body 107 from the first end 112 towards the second end 113 without any obstruction, saving time and effort. The plurality of slots 108 and the plurality of gaps 105 facilitate longitudinal translation of the nut 101 along the bolt body 107 without any obstruction. A radius of the hole 111 and a radius of the bolt body 107 must also be considered to ensure the nut 101 may easily translate longitudinally along the bolt body 107.

[0019] In various embodiments, the nut 101 and bolt 102 may comprise any size, material, components, arrangement of components, etc., that are known to one of ordinary skill in the art, so long as the intents of the present invention are unaltered. Further, in various embodiments, the number of slots of the bolt and threaded protrusions of the nut may vary.

[0020] Embodiments include a method of operation of the sliding nut and bolt device. The method comprises aligning each of the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 of the nut 101 with each of the plurality of slots 108 of the bolt 102 and each of the plurality of gaps 105 of the nut 101 with each of the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt 102; slidingly coupling the nut 101 longitudinally with the bolt body 107 of the bolt 102 by translating the nut 101 longitudinally along the bolt body 107 from the first end 112 towards the second end 113 of the bolt body 107 until reaching the clamping surface or the threads surrounding the entire circumference of the bolt body 107 in section 114; rotating the nut 101 such that each of the plurality of threaded protrusions 103 engages with each of the plurality of threads 109 of the bolt body 107 and the desired clamped force is attained.

[0021] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.