nut for attaching two devices and method for providing the same

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 120, this application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/446,580, filed on Jun. 2, 2006, still pending, the substance of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates generally to a nut for attaching two devices together, wherein the nut provides visual and tactile signals as to the correct rotational direction and methods for providing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a nut for attaching a water device such as a water filter system to a water supply such as a faucet, wherein the nut provides visual and tactile signals as to the rotational direction required to tighten and/or install the nut onto the water supply and methods for providing the same.

Nuts for attaching devices such as a water filter system to a second device such as a water supply (e.g., faucet) are well known in the art. These nuts generally have a hexagonal-shaped body or a body having a plurality of ribs or protrusions (“rib/protrusion” nut) extending from and disposed along a circumference of the body. The hexagonal-shaped nut includes pairs of intersecting faces that form six vertices to form its hexagonal shape. The hexagonal-shaped nut is symmetrical relative to planes that contain either pairs of opposing midpoints of the hexagonal faces or opposing vertices and the longitudinal axis of the nut. With respect to the “rib/protrusion” nut designs, such designs also include a plurality of two intersecting faces that form a plurality of ribs or protrusions. Similar to the hexagonal nut, the “rib/protrusion” nut designs are symmetrical relative to planes that contain a protrusion and the longitudinal axis of the nut.

The portion of the faces near the vertices of the hexagonal nut design and/or the faces of the ribs or protrusions of the rib/protrusion nut design provide a face of equal leverage for a user to grip and/or apply pressure to with his/her hand or fingers no matter which direction the user is rotating the nut (e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise). In other words, the conventional nut designs are bi-directional because they provide a user the same tactile and visual signals in either direction of rotation. This often causes a user confusion as to which direction the nut should be rotated in order to tighten or loosen it.

Accordingly, an improved nut design and method for providing the same are needed in order to inform the user as to the direction that it should be turned to either tighten or loosen it.

The present invention is directed to a nut for attaching two devices, wherein the nut provides visual and tactile signals as to the correct rotational direction of the nut.

One embodiment of the present invention is a nut that includes a body having an aperture disposed within the body, threads located within the aperture of the body, and a plurality of gripping areas disposed along a circumference of the body. The plurality of gripping areas provides visual and tactile directional signals as to the rotational direction required to attach or detach the nut to or from a threaded member.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a nut for attaching a first device to a second device that includes a body having a threaded aperture disposed within the body and a plurality of protrusions circumferentially positioned along and extending from a perimeter of the body. The plurality of protrusions comprises a pressure-bearing face and a non-pressure-bearing face.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention is an asymmetrical nut for attaching a water device to a water supply that includes a nut body having a circular aperture disposed within the body and a plurality of unidirectional gripping areas circumferentially positioned along a perimeter of the body. The body is asymmetrical with respect to any plane that contains the longitudinal axis of the nut body.

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for providing a nut with visual and tactile signals for attaching the nut to a threaded member. The method includes providing a nut body and forming a plurality of unidirectional gripping areas along a circumference of the body such that the plurality of gripping areas provides visual and tactile directional signals as to the correct rotational direction required to attach the nut to a threaded member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary nut according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the exemplary nut according to FIG. 1;

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Recessed head screw
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Bookbinding system, bookbinding method, and recording medium storing bookbinding program
Industry Class:
Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-threaded fastener

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