Patent ID: 7828500

Claim:
A cooperative element pair for use in affixing a first part to a second part, said element pair comprising: a first element of a generally cylindrical shape having a first portion and a second portion and having a longitudinal axis and a single thread formed on a surface thereof; and a second element having a thread preformed on a surface thereof and adapted to receive said single thread of said first element, each of said first and second element threads characterized by a thread parameter including at least a thread count or pitch; wherein said first portion and said second portion of said first element each has a different thread count or pitch; wherein said first and second portions have a substantially equal thread height so that said single thread of said first element may be received by said thread of said second element without damage being caused to either of said first and second element threads so that said first and said second element may be reused without performance degradation; and wherein said second element further comprises first and second portions, each with a different value of said thread parameter.