Abstract:
Disclosed is a strip of fasteners and related methods including at least a first fastener and a second fastener connected to the second fastener. Also disclosed is a system including the strip of fasteners and an installation tool capable of inserting each of the fasteners in the strip into a substrate.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    Fastening devices, such as clips and staples, are commonly used to attach objects (e.g., cylindrical objects) to generally planar surfaces such as substrates. Examples of such objects include conduits such as electrical conductors (e.g., cables and wires) and also tubing and pipes designed to carry fluids, such as water. Such conduits may, for example, be generally circular in cross section (in the case, for example, of a typical water pipe or electrical conduit) or may, alternatively, have a different cross-sectional shape (e.g., elliptical or rectangular). Thus, such fastening devices may, for example, be used to facilitate the installation of electrical conduits or fluid carrying pipes during building construction and/or renovation.  
           [0002]    A typical fastening device generally includes a pair of leg portions joined by a crown portion. To secure an object to a substrate, the fastening device is generally arranged such that the legs straddle the object.  
           [0003]    In one type of fastening device, one or both of the legs are then driven directly into the substrate (e.g., by hammering or through the use of an automated or semi-automated installation tool) such that the object is secured between the substrate and the crown portion of the fastening device. This type of fastening device is typically used in conjunction with substrates made of relatively soft material, e.g, Styrofoam®. Examples of this type of fastening device are generally disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 1,736,807 of Thomas; U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,675 of Taft and U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,548 of Cotellessa, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed therein.  
           [0004]    In another type of fastening device, one or more separate substrate penetrating members (e.g., screws or nails) are engaged with the leg members and then driven into the substrate. This type of fastening device is typically used in conjunction with substrates made of relatively hard material, e.g, wood. Examples of this type of fastening device are generally disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,801,064 of Mangone; 5,350,267 of Mangone and 6,021,982 of Mangone, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed therein.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    Disclosed herein is a method in which a plurality of fasteners may be provided. The plurality of fasteners may include at least a first fastener and a second fastener connected to the first fastener. The method may further include: causing at least a portion of the first fastener to be parallel to at least a portion of the second fastener; inserting the plurality of fasteners into engagement with an installation tool while the portion of the first fastener is parallel to the portion of the second fastener; and thereafter causing the portion of the first fastener to be non-parallel to the portion of the second fastener while the first fastener remains connected to the second fastener and while the plurality of fasteners is in engagement with the installation tool.  
           [0006]    Also disclosed herein is a system that may include a plurality of fasteners and an installation tool. The plurality of fasteners may include at least a first fastener and a second fastener. The system may also include at least first, second and third operating conditions. In the first operating condition; the plurality of fasteners may be operatively engaged with the installation tool, the second fastener may be connected to the first fastener, and at least a portion of the first fastener may be parallel to at least a portion of the second fastener. In the second operating condition; the plurality of fasteners may be operatively engaged with the installation tool, the second fastener may be connected to the first fastener, and the portion of the first fastener may be non-parallel to the portion of the second fastener. In the third operating condition, the first fastener may be separated from the second fastener.  
           [0007]    Also disclosed herein is a plurality of fasteners that may include at least a first fastener and a second fastener. The first fastener may include at least a pair of leg members and at least one crown portion joining the pair of leg members. The second fastener may include at least a pair of leg members and at least one crown portion joining the pair of leg members. The plurality of fasteners may further include at least one connecting portion connecting the first fastener and the second fastener. The first fastener, the second fastener and the connecting portion may be integrally formed with one another. Further, the first fastener and the second fastener may be capable of assuming at least first and second operating conditions. In the first operating condition, the first fastener leg members may be parallel to the second fastener leg members. In the second operating condition, the connecting portion may be elastically deformed and the first fastener leg members may form an angle of at least about 4 degrees with respect to the second fastener leg members.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a prior art installation tool located in conjunction with a conduit.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a strip of fasteners.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the strip of FIG. 3  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of one of the fasteners separated from the strip of FIG. 3.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the fastener of FIG. 5 identified by the reference numeral  164  in FIG. 5.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a system including the strip of FIG. 3 and an installation tool.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the strip of FIG. 3 in which some of the fasteners in the strip are in a non-parallel relationship. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art installation tool  30 . Installation tool  30  may, for example, be of the type useable to install generally U-shaped fasteners, such as the fastener  14  in order to facilitate attachment of an object, e.g., the conduit  12 , to a substrate  10 . The substrate  10  may, for example, be a relatively soft material, such as Styrofoam®, which is commonly used as a substrate during the installation of in-floor radiant heating system.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates, in further detail, the prior art attachment of the conduit  12  to the substrate  10 . With reference to FIG. 2, the fastener  14  may generally include a pair of leg members  18 ,  20  connected by a crown portion  16 . As can be appreciated from FIG. 2, the legs  18  and  20  of the fastener  14  may be embedded within the substrate  10  such that the conduit  12  is firmly held between substrate  10  and the crown portion  16  of the fastener  14 . The leg members  18 ,  20  of the fastener  14  may include barbs, such as the barb  22 , to further secure the fastener  14  within the substrate  10 .  
         [0018]    Referring again to FIG. 1, installation tool  30  may include a main body portion  32 . Main body portion  32  may include a foot portion  34  at the bottom thereof. Foot portion  34  is adapted to contact the substrate  10  during use and may include a cutout portion (not shown) sized and shaped to allow the foot portion  34  to fit over the conduit  12 . A plunger  36  may be slidably received within the main body portion  32  and may include a handle  38  attached thereto, the handle  38  being of the type adapted to be grasped by a human hand. A spring  40  may be provided as shown in order to urge the plunger  36  in the direction indicated by the arrow  42 .  
         [0019]    With further reference to FIG. 1, a magazine  50  may be attached to the main body portion  32  of the installation tool  30 , as shown. Magazine  50  may include a channel member  52  which may, for example, have a rectangular cross-section. A bar member  54  may be attached to the channel member  52  via a plurality of posts, such as the posts  56 ,  58 . Magazine  50  may further include a curved portion  60  in which both the channel member  52  and the bar member  54  may have curved profiles as shown.  
         [0020]    In operation, a plurality of fasteners, such as the individual fastener  14  previously described, are first installed into the magazine  50  of the installation tool  30  (for clarity of illustration purposes, only one such fastener  24  is shown installed in FIG. 1). More specifically, a fastener, e.g., the fastener  24 , is first inserted over the open end  62  of the channel member  52 . After being initially inserted in this manner, gravity causes the fastener  24  to slide down the channel member  52  and travel around the curved portion  60  until it enters the main body  32 . This process is then repeated with additional fasteners until a plurality of fasteners are retained within the magazine  50 .  
         [0021]    After the magazine  50  has been loaded with a plurality of fasteners, as described above, the installation tool  30  may be positioned over the conduit  12  such that the leg members  18 ,  20  of the fastener  14  are located on opposite sides of the conduit  12 , as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A human operator may then push down on the handle  38  in the direction  44  causing a driver (not shown) which is attached to the lower end of the plunger  36  to contact the fastener that has advanced into the body portion  32 . This contact, in turn, causes the fastener to be driven downwardly into the substrate  10  surrounding the conduit, thus retaining the conduit in place relative to the substrate in a manner as generally shown in FIG. 2. After the fastener has been installed, the plunger  36  is allowed to move in the direction  42 , urged by the spring  40 , until the plunger returns to the starting position shown in FIG. 1. As the driver moves out of the way, the next fastener in the magazine  50  will move into the body portion  32 , urged in such direction by the weight of the remaining fasteners stored above it in the magazine.  
         [0022]    After the next fastener in the magazine has moved into the body portion  32 , as described above, the installation tool  30  may then be moved to the next desired location along the conduit  12  (or along a different conduit if desired) and the process described above repeated in order to install the next fastener.  
         [0023]    As can be appreciated from the above, the installation tool  30  is able to install a plurality of fasteners into the substrate  10 . Heretofore, however, it has been necessary, when loading the magazine  50 , to insert each fastener individually. This represents a time consuming and, thus, labor intensive task.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a strip  100  of fasteners useable with a fastener installation tool, e.g., the fastener installation tool  30  previously described. The strip  100  may include a plurality of fasteners such as the individual fasteners  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ,  116 . The strip may, for example, include fifty such individual fasteners, although strips having greater or fewer numbers of individual fasteners may alternatively be provided. The strip  100  may, for example, be formed from a plastic material such as HDPE.  
         [0025]    The fastener  114  is illustrated individually in FIG. 5, it being understood that the remaining fasteners within the strip  100  may be substantially identical to the fastener  114 . Referring now to FIG. 5, the fastener  114  may include a pair of leg members  130  and  140  that may be connected by a crown portion  150 . The fastener  114  may further generally include an inner surface  118  and an oppositely disposed outer surface  120 , as shown. The inner surface  118  of the leg members  130  and  140  may form an included angle “A”. The outer surface  120  of the leg members  130 ,  140  may form the same included angle “A”. The angle “A” may, for example, be about 6 degrees.  
         [0026]    The inner surface  118  of the crown portion  150  may, for example, have a radius “B” about a point  122 . The outer surface  120  of the crown portion  150  may, for example, have a radius “C” about the point  122 . The point  122  may be located a distance “D” above the lowermost (as viewed in FIG. 5) point  124  on the fastener  114 . The radius “B” may, for example, be about 0.375 inch while the radius “C” may, for example, be about 0.475 inch. The distance “D” may, for example, be about 1.525 inches.  
         [0027]    An angled surface  132  may be formed at the lower end of the leg member  130 . A barb portion  134  may extend upwardly (as viewed in FIG. 5) from the lower end of the leg member  130 , as shown. In a similar manner, an angled surface  142  may be formed at the lower end of the leg member  140  and a barb portion  144  may extend upwardly from the lower end of the leg member  140 . The angled surfaces  132 ,  142  may each extend at an angle “E” with respect to the outer surface  120  of the leg portions  130 ,  140 , respectively. The barb portions  134 ,  144  may each extend at an angle “F” with respect to the outer surface  120  of the leg portions  130 ,  140 , respectively. The barb portions  134 ,  144  may each extend for a distance “G” above the lowermost (as viewed in FIG. 5) point  124 . The angles “E” and “F” may, for example, each be about 30 degrees. The distance “G” may, for example, be about 0.476 inch.  
         [0028]    Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, the individual fasteners e.g.,  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ,  116  may be connected to one another within the strip  100 . Specifically, the fastener  112  may be connected to the fastener  113  via a connector  160 , the fastener  113  may be connected to the fastener  114  via a connector  162  and so on. The connector  162  will now be described in further detail, it being understood that the remaining connectors in the strip  100  may be configured in a substantially identical manner.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the connector  162  may be formed adjacent the upper (as viewed in FIG. 5) periphery of the crown portion  150  of the fastener  162 . This area  164  of the fastener  114  is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 6. Referring now to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the connector  162  may include three separate connecting portions  166 ,  168  and  170 . The connecting portion  168  may be located at the uppermost (as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6) point of the fastener  114  along curved outer surface  120 , as shown. Connecting portion  168  may, for example, have a square cross-section as shown in FIG. 6. The width “H” and the height “I” of this square may, for example, each be about 0.020 inch. The connecting portions  166 ,  170  may be located on either side of the connecting portion  168 , as shown. Connecting portions  166  and  168  may, for example, each have rectangular cross-sections as shown in FIG. 6. The connecting portion  170  may be located a distance “J” from the connecting portion  168 , as shown. The distance “J” may, for example, be about 0.055 inch. The connecting portion  166  may be located the same distance “J” on the opposite side of the connecting portion  168 , as shown. The connecting portions  166 ,  170  may each have a height “K” and a width “L”. The height “K” may, for example, be about 0.005 inch. The height “L” may, for example, be about 0.020 inch.  
         [0030]    With reference to FIG. 4, each of the connecting portions within the strip  100  (including the connecting portions  166 ,  168  and  170  discussed above) may have a length “M”. As can be appreciated, this length “M” also  7  defines the spacing between the individual fasteners within the strip  100 . The length “M” may, for example, be about 0.062 inch. With further reference to FIG. 4, each of the fastening members within the strip  100  may have a width “N” which may, for example, be about 0.188 inch.  
         [0031]    As can be appreciated, the strip  100  described above represents a unitary structure comprising a plurality of individual fasteners. As such, the strip allows a plurality of fasteners to be installed into the magazine of an installation tool in one action and, thus, eliminates the necessity of manually installing individual fasteners as previously discussed. The strip  100  may also be simpler and less costly to manufacture, relative to the manufacture of individual fasteners. Specifically, for example, the strip  100  allows a plurality of individual fasteners to be molded in one step and also reduces the amount of subsequent handling required since the individual fasteners within the strip  100  may be conveyed and handled as a single unit rather than individually.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 illustrates a system  200  that includes a strip of fasteners, e.g., the strip  100  previously described, and an installation tool, e.g., the installation tool  30  previously described. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the strip  100  has been installed into the magazine  50  of the installation tool  30 . To accomplish this installation, the strip  100  may first be inserted over the open end  62  of the channel member  52 . After being initially inserted in this manner, the strip then slides down the channel member  52 , under the force of gravity, and travels around the curved portion  60  until the leading fastener in the strip enters the main body  32 . Accordingly, the strip  100  allows a plurality of fasteners (e.g., fifty) to be loaded into the magazine  50  in a single step.  
         [0033]    After the strip  100  has been loaded into the magazine, as described above, the installation tool  30  may be operated in substantially the same manner as previously described to install individual fasteners. Specifically, for example, the installation tool  30  may be positioned over the conduit  12  as illustrated in FIG. 7. A human operator may then push down on the handle  38  in the direction  44  causing a driver (not shown) which is attached to the lower end of the plunger  36  to contact the leading fastener in the strip  100  that has advanced into the body portion  32 . This contact, in turn, severs the connector between the leading fastener and the adjacent fastener, e.g., the connector  162 , FIG. 5. More specifically, severing the connector may, for example, entail severing each of the individual connecting portions making up the connector, e.g., the connecting portions  166 ,  168 ,  170  making up the connector  162 , FIG. 6.  
         [0034]    The aforementioned contact between the driver and the leading fastener in the strip  100  also causes the fastener to be driven downwardly into the substrate  10  surrounding the conduit, thus retaining the conduit in place relative to the substrate in a manner similar to that previously described. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a fastener  112  installed in the substrate  10 . The barbs, e.g., the barb portions  134 ,  144 , FIG. 5, help resist disengagement of the fastener from the substrate  10  once installed.  
         [0035]    After a fastener has been installed, as described above, the plunger  36  is allowed to move in the direction  42 , urged by the spring  40 , until the plunger returns to the starting position shown in FIG. 7. As the driver moves out of the way, the next fastener in the strip  100  will move into the body portion  32  due to the weight of the remaining fasteners in the strip  100  above it in the magazine.  
         [0036]    Alternatively, the installation tool  30  may be provided with a mechanism, not shown, to apply downward (as viewed in FIG. 7) force to the strip  100  in order to enhance the movement of the next fastener into the body portion  32 . Such mechanism may, for example, take the form of a weight placed above the strip  100  and engaged with the magazine channel member  52 . Alternatively, this mechanism may, for example, take the form of a spring mounted within the magazine  50  in such a manner as to apply a downward force to the strip  100 .  
         [0037]    After a fastener has been installed, in a manner as described above, the installation tool  30  may then be moved to the next desired location along the conduit  12  (or along a different conduit if desired) and the process described above repeated in order to install the next fastener in the strip  100 .  
         [0038]    As previously noted, the strip  100  is a unitary structure including a plurality of fasteners, thus allowing a plurality of fasteners to be loaded into an installation tool in a single step. The construction of the strip  100 , as previously described, allows the strip, nevertheless, to travel around the curved portion  60  of the magazine  50 . More specifically, with reference to FIG. 8, it can be appreciated that the connectors previously described (e.g., the connectors  160 ,  162 ) allow the strip  100  to deform as shown. Specifically, it can be seen that, while the fasteners  115  and  116  remain substantially parallel to one another, the fasteners  112 ,  113  and  114  have assumed a non-parallel relationship with respect to each other and with respect to the fastener  115 . With further reference to FIG. 7, it can be seen that the fastener  113  may form an angle “∘” with respect to the fastener  114 . The magnitude of this angle “∘” is dependent, for example, on degree of curvature of the curved portion  60  of the installation tool magazine  50 , FIG. 7, and the particular size and configuration of the fasteners within the strip  100 . It is noted that, although the curved portion  60  has been illustrated for exemplary purposes as an arc of a circle, the curved portion could, alternatively assume a different curved or arcuate profile, e.g., an elliptical or parabolic profile.  
         [0039]    In order to traverse magazines of differing configurations, the fasteners within the strip  100  may be capable, for example, of assuming an angle “∘” of at least about 4 degrees and, more preferably, at least about 9 degrees. Further, the fasteners may be capable of achieving an angle “∘” of about 15 degrees. This angle is enabled by elastic deformation of the connector  162 . Accordingly, the connector  162  allows the fastener  113  to assume a non-parallel relationship with respect to the fastener  114  while maintaining the fasteners  113 ,  114  in a connected relationship. This ability to assume a non-parallel relationship, in turn, allows the strip  100  to navigate non-linear features, such as the curved portion  60  of the fastening device magazine  50  previously described.  
         [0040]    As can be appreciated from the above, the individual fasteners within the strip  100  are able to move from a parallel orientation to an orientation in which each fastener forms an angle “∘”, FIG. 8, with respect to its adjacent fastener and then resiliently move back to the original parallel orientation. The ability of the strip to “flex” in this manner allows the strip to negotiate non-linear portions of an installation tool magazine, such as the curved portion  60  illustrated in FIG. 7. More specifically, with reference to FIG. 7, when the strip  100  is first inserted into the open end  62  of the channel member  52 , the individual fasteners within the strip  100  may be substantially parallel to one another as illustrated, for example, with respect to the fasteners  115 ,  116  in FIG. 8. As each fastener in the strip  100  enters into the curved portion  60 , however, it will assume an angled orientation with respect to the adjacent fastener as illustrated, for example, with respect to the fasteners  113 ,  114  in FIG. 8. As each fastener in the strip  100  leaves the curved portion  60  (and approaches the main body portion  32 ), it may resiliently return to its original parallel orientation with respect to the adjacent fastener.  
         [0041]    Referring to FIG. 7, the upper portion of the magazine  50  is illustrated as being substantially vertical, i.e., substantially parallel to the main body portion  32  and substantially perpendicular to the substrate  10 . It is noted, however, that the upper portion of the magazine  50  may alternatively be configured such that it is not vertical. Such a non-vertical orientation may be desirable, for example, to improve the tendency of the strip  100  to remain engaged with the magazine  50  since, in this non-vertical orientation, gravity will tend to hold the strip against the channel member  52 . The non-vertical orientation described above may also serve to reduce resistance as the strip  100  travels around the magazine curved portion  60 , in a manner as described above. The upper portion of the magazine  50  may, for example, be configured such that it forms an angle of about 30 degrees with respect to the main body portion  32  and an angle of about 60 degrees with respect to the substrate.  
         [0042]    It is noted that, if desired, the installation tool magazine  50 , FIG. 7, may be provided with a mechanism, not shown, to retain the strip  100  against the channel member  52  during use. Alternatively, if desired, the strip  100  may be provided with features, e.g., molded features, to engage the channel  52  and thereby facilitate retention.  
         [0043]    As previously described, each of the connectors connecting the individual fasteners of the strip  100  may include three separate and distinct connecting portions, e.g., the connecting portions  166 ,  168 ,  170 , FIG. 6. With reference to FIG. 6, the center connecting portion  168 , due to its relatively larger cross-sectional area, may provide the majority of the strength required to maintain the fasteners in an attached configuration, e.g., in the form of the strip  100 . The remaining connecting portions  166 ,  170  may be provided, primarily, to prevent movement of a fastener in the strip  100  in the directions indicated by the arrow  180 , FIG. 6, relative to an adjacent fastener. The connecting portions  166 ,  170 , thus, may be provided to add stability to the strip of fasteners  100 . Accordingly, although the strip  100  may flex in directions indicated by the arrow  182 , FIG. 8, the connecting portions  166 ,  170  serve to reduce undesirable flexing in the directions indicated by the arrow  180 , FIG. 6.  
         [0044]    It is noted, however, that one or both of the connecting portions  166 ,  170  may be omitted in cases where stability is not a problem, e.g., where flexing in the directions indicated by the arrow  180 , FIG. 6 is not a problem. In the case where both of the connecting portions  166 ,  170  are omitted, the connecting portion  168  would provide the sole connection between fasteners.  
         [0045]    The strip  100  may, for example, be formed in a conventional injection molding process. Alternatively, the strip  100  may be formed using any other process such as an extrusion process. In the case of an extrusion process, material may, for example, be extruded having a cross-sectional shape as generally shown in FIG. 5. A cutting device, e.g., a conventional slitting saw, may then be used to cut the extruded strip into separate fasteners while leaving an uncut connector between each two fasteners. In this case, the outer connecting portions  166 ,  170 , FIG. 6, may be omitted, in a manner as previously described. Further, the center connecting portion  168  may be reconfigured in any desired manner in order to facilitate formation by the slitting saw.  
         [0046]    It is noted that, although the system  200 , FIG. 7, has been described in conjunction with a conventional manually activated installation tool, the installation tool, could alternatively take the form of any other type of installation tool, e.g., a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated installation tool.  
         [0047]    As previously described, the strip  100  is able to travel around the curved portion of an installation tool magazine, e.g., the curved portion  60 , FIG. 7. As can be appreciated, this ability is directly linked to the flexibility of the inter fastener connectors, e.g., the connector  162 , FIGS. 5 and 6. The flexibility of the connectors, in turn, is a function of the total cross-sectional area of the connecting portions (e.g., the connecting portions  166 ,  168 ,  170 , FIG. 6), the length “M”, FIG. 4, of the connecting portions and the nature of the material used to form the strip of fasteners  100 . It is to be understood that the dimensions previously described with respect to the connecting portions  166 ,  168 ,  170  have been provided for exemplary purposes only and these dimensions (as well as the number of connecting portions) may readily be adjusted as needed. If, for example, a stronger and/or stiffer material were used to form the strip of fasteners  100 , then it might be desirable to reduce the cross-sectional areas of the connecting portions in order to achieve the flexibility necessary to enable the strip  100  to negotiate the curved portion of a magazine. Of course, the converse would also be true in the case where a relatively weaker and/or more flexible material were used to form the strip  100 .  
         [0048]    It is further noted that, although the strip  100  has been described in conjunction with an installation tool having a curved magazine portion, the strip  100  could, of course, readily be used in an installation tool that does not have such a curved magazine portion, e.g., an installation tool having a substantially linear magazine.  
         [0049]    It is further noted that the fasteners in the strip  100  have been described and illustrated herein as the type in which the legs of the fastener are driven directly into the substrate for exemplary descriptive purposes only. The fasteners forming the strip  100  could, alternatively, be any type of fastener, for example, the type of fastener in which one or more separate substrate penetrating members (e.g., screws or nails) are engaged with the leg members and then driven into the substrate, as previously described.  
         [0050]    While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.