NUT PLATE FASTENER REPAIR ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A repair/replacement nut plate assembly, which is fully preassembled, is provided which can be inserted into an oversized or reworked/reconditioned aperture of a workpiece after an original nut plate has been removed from the original aperture of the workpiece. The repair/replacement nut plate assembly includes a nut, a holding bracket, a stem, a nut retainer, and a sleeve member. The sleeve member is configured to be secured to a nut plate assembly, of the same type originally used to provide the original nut plate in the original aperture of the workpiece to compensate for material lost from the workpiece during the removal of the original nut plate. The sleeve member allows for the original nut plate assembly to be utilized, with only the securement of the sleeve member to the holding bracket prior to setting.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a nut plate assembly;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the nut plate assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a holding bracket of the nut plate assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an alternative perspective view of the holding bracket of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the holding bracket of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the holding bracket of FIG. 3, where a lip is provided;

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate the setting of the nut plate assembly into an aperture of a first workpiece to provide a nut plate, and the fastening of a second workpiece to the first workpiece by way of a bolt being secured to the nut plate;

FIG. 10 illustrates the nut plate being removed from the aperture of the first workpiece;

FIG. 11 illustrates the oversized aperture of the first workpiece after removal of the nut plate from the aperture by drilling;

FIG. 11A illustrates the damaged aperture of the first workpiece after removal of the nut plate from the aperture by means other than drilling;

FIG. 11B illustrates the aperture of the first workpiece having been reworked/reconditioned after having been damaged as illustrated in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a repair/replacement nut plate assembly of the invention;

FIGS. 13-20 illustrate different configurations of lobes/ribs provided on an outer wall of a sleeve member of the repair/replacement nut plate assembly; and

FIGS. 21-25 illustrate the setting of the repair/replacement nut plate assembly into either the oversized or the reworked/reconditioned aperture of the first workpiece to provide a repair/replacement nut plate, and a bolt being secured to the repair/replacement nut plate, which fastens the second workpiece in place.

Claims

1. A nut plate fastener repair assembly comprising: a nut plate assembly which comprises a stem, a tubular portion, and a sleeve member which is configured to engage the tubular portion and to be positionable in an aperture in a workpiece, wherein the nut plate fastener repair assembly is configured such that pulling the stem through the tubular portion of the nut plate fastener repair assembly causes both the tubular portion and the sleeve to expand outwardly, said sleeve expanding outwardly in contact with a surface of the workpiece which at least partially defines the aperture.

2. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular portion comprises a portion of a holding bracket, said holding bracket also comprising a threaded portion configured to receive a fastener, further comprising a nut and a retainer, said retainer being engaged with the holding bracket and configured to retain the nut.

3. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is cylindrical and has an aperture which extends therethrough.

4. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the aperture of the sleeve defines an inner wall of the sleeve.

5. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the inner wall of the sleeve defines a lip.

6. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the sleeve also has an outer wall, and there are ribs or lobes on the outer wall.

7. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the ribs or lobes criss-cross each other.

8. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the ribs or lobes are configured as being straight lines.

9. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein sleeve has a first end and a second end, wherein the aperture extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the ribs or lobes are configured as being straight lines which run parallel to the first end and the second end of the sleeve, about a circumference of the sleeve.

10. A nut plate fastener repair assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein sleeve has a first end and a second end, wherein the aperture extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the ribs or lobes are configured as being straight lines which run from the first end to the second end of the sleeve, parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve.

11. A method of removing a nut plate fastener assembly from an aperture in a workpiece, and installing a nut plate fastener repair assembly in the aperture, said method comprising: removing the nut plate fastener assembly from the aperture in the workpiece; providing a nut plate fastener repair assembly which comprises a stem, a tubular portion, and a sleeve member; engaging the sleeve member in the aperture; providing that the sleeve member engages a surface of the workpiece which at least partially defines the aperture and providing that the sleeve member engages the tubular member; pulling the stem through the tubular portion of the nut plate fastener repair assembly thereby causing both the tubular portion and the sleeve to expand outwardly, and causing said sleeve to expand outwardly in contact with the surface of the workpiece which at least partially defines the aperture.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising providing that the tubular portion of the nut plate fastener repair assembly comprises a portion of a holding bracket, providing that said holding bracket also comprises a threaded portion configured to receive a fastener, providing that said nut plate fastener repair assembly further comprises a nut and a retainer, said retainer being engaged with the holding bracket and configured to retain the nut.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising providing that the sleeve is cylindrical and has an aperture which extends therethrough.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising providing that aperture of the sleeve defines an inner wall of the sleeve.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising providing that the inner wall of the sleeve defines a lip.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising providing that the sleeve also has an outer wall, and that there are ribs or lobes on the outer wall.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising providing that the ribs or lobes crisscross each other.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising providing that the ribs or lobes are configured as being straight lines.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising providing that the sleeve has a first end and a second end, wherein the aperture extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the ribs or lobes are configured as being straight lines which run parallel to the first end and the second end of the sleeve, about a circumference of the sleeve.

20. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising providing that the sleeve has a first end and a second end, wherein the aperture extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the ribs or lobes are configured as being straight lines which run from the first end to the second end of the sleeve, parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve.