Patent ID: 8016512

Claim:
A fastener system for fastening a vacuum pump ( 1 ) to a wall ( 2 ) of a stationary structure ( 3 ) having tapped holes ( 15 ) provided in the wall ( 2 ) of the stationary structure ( 3 ), said fastener system comprising: an annular flange ( 14 ) configured to be provided on a body of the vacuum pump and around a suction orifice ( 6 ) such that the flange ( 14 ) is coaxial with respect to a center axis of the suction orifice ( 6 ); through holes ( 16 ) provided in the annular flange ( 14 ); and screws ( 17 ) having heads ( 18 ), wherein the screws are fitted so that shanks ( 19 ) of the screws ( 17 ) pass through the through holes ( 16 ) and are to be screwed into corresponding ones of the tapped holes ( 15 ) in order to secure the vacuum pump ( 1 ) to the stationary structure ( 3 ) while pressing the flange ( 14 ) against the wall ( 2 ) of the stationary structure ( 3 ); and wherein each through hole ( 16 ) comprises a distal segment ( 16 a ) that is cylindrical about a first axis followed by an enlarged proximal segment ( 16 b ) that is cylindrical about the first axis; wherein said shank passes through said distal segment first, and then passes through said proximal segment; wherein the proximal segment is connected to the distal segment by a frustoconical distal portion; and wherein the shank of the screw bends inside the through hole and the proximal segment of each through hole is of a length greater than the length of the distal segment of each through hole, such that the through holes are configured to offset laterally in response to shear forces ( 20 , 21 ) being applied in any lateral direction in a connection zone between the vacuum pump ( 1 ) and the stationary structure ( 3 ).