Captive fasteners are nuts mounted inside a tube or channel, used in hard-to-reach places. They have serrated edges and are used in household items, cars, and wood products. They eliminate the need for access holes, reducing costs and increasing strength. Dzus and quarter-turn fasteners are popular in the automotive aftermarket.
Captive fasteners are pieces of hardware that are shaped like nuts and are typically mounted inside a hollow tube or channel. Fasteners allow you to tighten a bolt or screw into a fastener, joining two parts of an assembly. Captive fasteners are routinely used in hard to reach places where it would be impossible to place a wrench on the fastest. Some fasteners are welded inside the channel or tube, while other designs pinch the fastener inside the part, like a rivet.
Serrated edges or teeth
These fasteners come in an assortment of designs and a common link between all fasteners is a serrated edge which causes the nut to penetrate the material it is seated in. Some fasteners used in wood products have staple-like teeth protruding from the top that sink into the wood and keep the nut from turning when tightened. Captive fasteners used in metal have sharp serrated edges machined into the surface of the nut that bite into the metal they are attached to.
Common uses
Captive fasteners are used in many common household items. The bolts that hold most refrigerator doors in place use captive fasteners. Most home entertainment centers are secured together with the help of captive fasteners. Car trunks and bonnets, as well as most doors, are secured using these special fasteners.
Plastic variety
Some of these fasteners come in the form of hollow plastic inserts, embedded in a wooden product. They serve as a location where screws can be driven to hold a panel or even a picture in place. Some automotive trims also use the plastic inserts and fit the trim pieces into place by sliding screws through the trim and into the plastic receptor.
Advantages
Before the advent of the captive fastener, one item required an access hole to tighten parts into place. This created structural weaknesses in many products, which in turn required reinforcing parts to be added to the design. This increased the cost of production, which was passed on to the consumer. The use of captive fasteners allows manufacturers to design products that are easy to assemble, cost less to produce, and are strong and stable.
The automotive aftermarket has promoted the use of captive fasteners in the form of Dzus fasteners or quarter-turn fasteners. This type of fastener uses a spring clip that a male fastener grips and securely locks into place. These fasteners are used to secure bonnets, doors and other interior and exterior body panels.
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