Patent ID: 7250003

Claim:
An encapsulated fastener manufacturing method, which comprises the steps of: providing an encapsulation extension molding tool adapted for molding encapsulation extensions; molding an encapsulation extension including a tube with proximate and distal ends and a tube bore open at said proximate end and generally aligned with said nut bore; molding said encapsulation extension with a flange located at said tube proximate end; providing a nut with first and second faces, an internally-threaded bore extending between and open at said faces and at least one sidewall; placing said nut on said encapsulation extension with said flange face engaging a respective nut face; providing an overmolding tool with first and second mold halves with respective first and second mold cavities and a mandrel with an end adapted to engage said nut and close said nut bore; providing a compression spring in said second mold half and engaging said mandrel with said compression spring; closing said mold halves; partially inserting said mandrel end into said nut bore and thereby pressing said nut and encapsulation extension into said first cavity; injecting molten plastic into said first and second cavities to overmold said nut, said flange and said tube proximate end with an encapsulation base; fusing said encapsulation base onto said flange and said tube proximate end; and forming an encapsulation base opening adapted for receiving a bolt in said encapsulation base in alignment with said nut bore.