Construction connector having fastener receiver
A construction connector that connects to a support member with a fastener has a connection element that engages the support member and a fastener receiver connected to the connection element. The fastener receiver includes a raised element and a driving element. The raised element has a proximal end portion connected to the connection element and a distal end portion disposed distally of the proximal end portion. The driving element is coupled to the distal end portion of the raised element and projects generally proximally from the distal end portion of the raised element. The driving element includes a cylindrical wall defining a fastener opening sized and shaped to receive the fastener. The driving element is constructed to be driven into the support member as the fastener is driven into the support member.
1 . A method of making a construction connector from a deformable sheet material, the method comprising:
forming a connection element of the construction connector out of the sheet material; and
forming a fastener receiver out of a portion of the sheet material, the fastener receiver having a raised element and a driving element, the raised element having a proximal end portion connected to the connection element and a distal end portion disposed distally of the proximal end portion, the driving element being coupled to the distal end portion of the raised element and extending generally proximally from the distal end portion of the raised element, the driving element including a cylindrical wall sized and shaped to receive a fastener and engage a shaft of the fastener, the cylindrical wall configured to be driven into the support member with the shaft of the fastener and to operatively engage the shaft within the support member along a length of the cylindrical wall that is greater than the thickness of the sheet material to transfer loads between the support member and the shaft of the fastener.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the fastener receiver includes piercing the portion of the sheet material forming the fastener receiver without removing any of the sheet material.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming the connection element comprises stamping the connection element out of the sheet material.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said forming the fastener receiver comprises stamping the fastener receiver out of the portion of the sheet material forming the connection element.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming the fastener receiver comprises stamping the fastener receiver out of the portion of the sheet material forming the connection element.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming the fastener receiver occurs after said forming the connection element.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an opening in the raised element.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the opening has a circular shape.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a plurality of openings in the raised element.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each opening of the plurality of openings is an elongate slot.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the plurality of openings includes forming the elongate slots to extend along helical paths.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming the fastener receiver comprises deforming the portion of the sheet material forming the connection element in a distal direction to form the raised element.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said forming the fastener receiver comprises deforming the portion of the sheet material forming the connection element in a proximal direction, opposite the distal direction, to form the driving element.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said deforming the portion of the sheet material forming the connection element in the proximal direction comprises piercing the portion of the sheet material in the proximal direction.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said piercing comprises splitting the portion of the sheet material to form a plurality of tips at the proximal end of the driving element.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the construction connector is a joist hanger.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the construction connector is an angled bracket.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the construction connector is a strap.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet material comprises sheet metal.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection element comprises a plate or a flange.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection element has an interface surface arranged to engage the support member when the construction connector is connected to the support member with the fastener, wherein said positioning the proximal end of the driving element includes positioning the proximal end of the driving element to be co-planar with the interface surface or positioning the proximal end of the driving element to be disposed distally of an interface surface plane defined by the interface surface.
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming the fastener receiver includes sizing and positioning the distal end portion of the raised element to be engaged by a head of the fastener as the fastener is driven into the support member to drive the proximal end of the driving element into the support member, wherein the driving element includes at least a portion of the cylindrical wall.
23 . A method of connecting a construction connector formed from a deformable sheet material having an inner face and an outer face to a support member, the method comprising:
placing an undeformed portion of the inner face of the sheet material against the support member, the undeformed portion of the inner face surrounding a connection element of the construction connector, the connection element including a raised element and a fastener receiver projecting from the raised element;
inserting a fastener through a fastener opening of the fastener receiver; and
driving the fastener into the support member, said driving the fastener including driving the fastener receiver into the support member, such that the fastener receiver moves from a first position to a second position with respect to the sheet material, said step of driving the fastener receiver into the support member occurring after the undeformed portion of the sheet material engages the support member.
24 . The method of claim 23 wherein the fastener receiver further includes a raised element, said step of driving the fastener into the support member further including deforming the raised element thereby to drive the driving element into the support member.
25 . The method of claim 24 wherein driving the fastener into the support member further comprises engaging the raised element with a head of the fastener for transferring force to the raised element to deform the raised element.
26 . The method of claim 23 wherein the driving element includes a cylindrical wall and said step of driving the fastener into the support member comprises driving at least a portion of the cylindrical wall into the support member.