Importance

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Abstract

The disclosed method and apparatus is adapted to form a low pressure fluid sealed nut and panel assembly for a flush mounted self-piercing bearing nut having a rectangular piercing pilot, panel bearing flanges on opposed sides of the nut and grooves in the flanges, adjacent the pilot, retaining the pierced panel edges. The improved method includes simultaneously shearing and deforming the nonflanged top edges and corners of the nut pilot beneath the panel to form a panel bearing surface on all four sides of the pilot and deforming the pierced panel edges into the grooves and against the grooved bottom walls and inner pilot walls, spaced from the bottom walls of the grooves, to form a sealed nut and panel assembly. The apparatus includes a clinch die having an opening configured to deform the pilot, as described, and clinching lips forming the panel in the nut grooves in sealed relation.

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First Claim