Fastening system with sealing arrangement

1 . A deformable fastening system comprising:

a clamped component; and

a fastener including a bolt having a shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the fastener, the shaft portion including a securing portion formed thereon, and a head portion having a surface including at least one engagement portion,

wherein the shaft portion of the bolt is inserted through a passage in the clamped component to engage a corresponding thread on a nut member and the head portion of the bolt is rotated to move the bolt into the nut member during a tightening cycle,

wherein the at least one engagement portion includes one or more projections formed on the surface of the head portion generally proximate the shaft portion and in arrangement with the longitudinal axis and shaft portion,

wherein the one or more projections includes at least one first projection extending generally circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis and one or more second projections extend generally circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis,

wherein the at least one first projection is formed with at least one geometric profile with multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces as part of the surface of the head portion to provide a sealing arrangement between the fastener and a mating surface of the clamped component,

wherein the one or more second projections are disposed radially inward from the at least one first projection and are formed with at least one geometric profile to provide a grounding arrangement with the mating surface of the clamped component,

wherein the one or more projections formed on the at least one engagement portion of the surface of the head of the bolt engage the mating surface of the clamped component when the bolt is moved into the nut member causing an increase in axial load during the tightening cycle to deform the clamped component.

2 . The deformable fastening system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first projection comprises a sealing ring extending continuously circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis.

3 . The deformable fastening system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces engage the clamped component at various depths to provide a sealing arrangement between the fastener and the mating surface of the clamped component.

4 . The deformable fastening system of claim 3 , wherein the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces are formed on the at least one first projection in offset positions to provide distinct engagement depths to provide a sealing arrangement between the fastener and the mating surface of the clamped component.

5 . The deformable fastening system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second projections are formed with at least one geometric profile as part of the surface of the head portion of the fastener to form a grounding ring.

6 . The deformable fastening system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one geometric profile of the one or more second projections is formed with an arcuate shaped profile as part of the surface of the head portion of the fastener to form the grounding ring.

7 . The deformable fastening system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second projections are formed as a plurality of discrete members cooperatively arranged to extend circumferentially around the surface of the head portion to provide continuous plurality of lines of contact between the one or more projections and the mating surface of the clamped component.

8 . The deformable fastening system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first projection is a sealing ring, and the one or more second projections form a grounding ring disposed radially inward from the at least one first projection relative to the longitudinal axis.

9 . The deformable fastening system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more projections of the at least one engagement portion are formed as one or more rings extending circumferentially around the surface of the head portion in a substantially circular and concentric arrangement with the longitudinal axis.

10 . A fastener comprising:

a bolt having a head portion and a shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the fastener, the shaft portion including a securing portion formed thereon; and

at least one engagement portion formed on a surface of the head portion, wherein the at least one engagement portion includes one or more projections formed on the surface of the head portion generally proximate the shaft portion and in arrangement with the longitudinal axis and shaft portion,

wherein the one or more projections includes at least one first projection extending generally circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis,

wherein the at least one first projection is formed with multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces as part of the surface of the head portion,

wherein the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces are formed on the at least one first projection in offset positions to engage a clamped component at various distinct engagement depths to provide a sealing arrangement between the fastener and the clamped component.

11 . The fastener of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces is formed at an increased height relative to at least one other of the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces to engage the clamped component at various depths to provide the sealing arrangement between the fastener and the clamped component.

12 . The fastener of claim 11 , wherein the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces formed in the offset positions provide a sealing arrangement between the fastener and the clamped component.

13 . The fastener of claim 10 , wherein the one or more projections of the at least one engagement portion of the head portion of the fastener includes one or more second projections extending generally circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis.

14 . The fastener of claim 13 , wherein the one or more second projections are formed with at least one geometric profile as part of the surface of the head portion of the fastener to form a grounding ring.

15 . The fastener of claim 14 , wherein the at least one geometric profile of the one or more second projections is formed with an arcuate shaped profile as part of the surface of the head portion of the fastener to form the grounding ring.

16 . The fastener of claim 13 , wherein the one or more second projections are formed as a plurality of discrete members cooperatively arranged to extend circumferentially around the surface of the head portion to provide a continuous engagement with the clamped component.

17 . The fastener of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first projection is a sealing ring, and the one or more second projections form a grounding ring disposed radially inward from the at least one first projection relative to the longitudinal axis.

18 . The fastener of claim 10 , wherein the one or more projections of the at least one engagement portion are formed as one or more rings extending circumferentially around the surface of the head portion in a substantially circular and concentric arrangement with the longitudinal axis.

19 . A fastener comprising:

a bolt having a head portion and a shaft portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the fastener, the shaft portion including a securing portion formed thereon; and

at least one engagement portion formed on a surface of the head portion, wherein the at least one engagement portion includes one or more projections formed on the surface of the head portion generally proximate the shaft portion and in arrangement with the longitudinal axis and shaft portion, wherein the one or more projections includes,

at least one first projection extending generally circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one first projection is formed with multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces as part of the surface of the head portion, wherein the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces are formed on the at least one first projection in offset positions to engage a clamped component at various distinct engagement depths to provide a sealing arrangement between the fastener and the clamped component, and

one or more second projections extending generally circumferentially about the surface of the head portion relative to the longitudinal axis, the one or more second projections are formed as a plurality of discrete members cooperatively arranged to extend circumferentially around the surface of the head portion to provide a continuous engagement with the clamped component.

20 . The fastener of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces is formed at an increased height relative to at least one other of the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces to engage the clamped component at various depths to provide the sealing arrangement between the fastener and the clamped component.

21 . The fastener of claim 20 , wherein the multiple arcuate shaped engagement surfaces formed in the offset positions to provide a first sealing arrangement and a second sealing arrangement between the fastener and the clamped component.

22 . The fastener of claim 19 , wherein the at least one first projection is a sealing ring, and the one or more second projections form a grounding ring disposed radially inward or radially outward from the at least one first projection relative to the longitudinal axis.