Patent ID: 7896751

Claim:
An encapsulated fastener manufacturing method, which comprises the steps of: providing an encapsulation extension molding tool adapted for molding encapsulation extensions; molding with said extension molding tool an encapsulation extension including a tube with proximate and distal ends and a tube bore open at said proximate end and closed at said distal end; molding said encapsulation extension with a flange located at said tube proximate end and including a flange face; providing a nut with first and second faces, an internally-threaded bore extending between and open at said faces and at least one sidewall, said nut first face having a concave shoulder forming a gap at said sidewall; placing said nut on said encapsulation extension with said flange face engaging said nut second 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; closing said mold halves; partially inserting said mandrel end into said nut bore and thereby pressing said nut and encapsulation extension into said first mold 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 having a side and a base foot extending into said nut first face concave shoulder, said base foot partially enclosing said nut first face; fusing said encapsulation base onto said flange and said tube proximate end; and forming with said mandrel an encapsulation base opening adapted for receiving a bolt in said encapsulation base in alignment with said nut bore.