Patent ID: 8266779

Claim:
A method of attaching a first object to a second object using a self-drilling anchor screw, wherein the self-drilling anchor screw comprises (a) a shaft member comprising a first end, second end, and a central portion extending between the first and second ends, (b) a masonry drill bit at the first end of the shaft member, (c) a threaded shaft portion located along at least part of the central portion of the shaft member, (d) a transition portion of the shaft member located between the threaded shaft portion and the masonry drill bit, and at least part of the transition portion having a larger cross-section area than that of the threaded shaft portion, (e) a nut having nut threads adapted to thread onto the threaded shaft portion of the shaft member, the nut being located on the threaded shaft portion, and the nut comprising a hexagonal portion and a flared portion, the flared portion having a larger diameter than the hexagonal portion, (f) a sleeve located about the shaft member and located along part of the central portion between the nut and the transition portion, the sleeve being capable of sliding along the shaft member for engaging the transition portion, and the sleeve comprises a longitudinal slit for allowing the sleeve to expand as it is pushed against the transition portion of the shaft member, and (g) a nut stop portion at the second end of the shaft member, the nut stop portion being adapted to prevent the nut from being unscrewed from the threaded shaft portion at the second end of the shaft member, the method comprising: engaging the nut with a socket wrench; turning the socket wrench in a reverse or counter-clockwise direction while pressing the socket wrench against the nut toward a surface of a second object into which the self-drilling anchor screw will be installed so that the masonry bit is engaging the surface, wherein the nut engages the nut stop portion so that the nut drives the rotation of the shaft member; drilling a hole into the second object using the masonry bit during the turning in the counter-clockwise direction, wherein part of the self-drilling anchor screw enters into the hole and into the second object during the drilling; after the self-drilling anchor screw is drilled into the second object to a desired depth, turning the nut with the socket wrench in a forward or clockwise direction so that the nut presses the sleeve toward the transition portion of the shaft member, thereby expanding the sleeve at the transition portion of the shaft member as the longitudinal slit engages the transition portion and thereby anchoring the self-drilling anchor screw in the second object; and tightening the nut further to attach the first object to the second object using the anchored self-drilling anchor screw.