Patent ID: 8918993

Claim:
A method for installing a ground stud in a composite structure, the method comprising the steps of: drilling a hole in the composite structure; drilling a countersink in the composite structure; inserting the ground stud into the hole; attaching a connective device to the ground stud such that the connective device is in electrical contact with the ground stud, wherein the connective device, the ground stud and the composite structure are configured to allow electrical current to flow from the connective device to the ground stud and then into the composite structure, and the connective device, the ground stud and the composite structure are further configured to allow electrical current to flow from the composite structure to the ground stud and then into the connective device; and positioning the ground stud including a pin, the pin having a shoulder located between a first threaded end and a second threaded end located on the ground stud, the pin further having a non-threaded portion located between the shoulder and the second threaded end, wherein positioning causes the non-threaded portion to be in electrical contact with conductive fibers within composite structure so that the shoulder engages the countersink.