Claims
- 1. A nut plate adapted to be attached to a wall defined by an aperture through a workpiece, said nut plate comprising:
a nut having a base portion and a portion extending upwardly from said base, said upwardly extending portion having an aperture provided therethrough; a holding bracket including a tubular portion and a bracket portion, said tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said bracket portion extending from said first end of said tubular portion, said tubular portion including an outer wall and an inner wall, said outer wall extending from said first end of said tubular portion to said second end of said tubular portion, said inner wall extending from said first end of said tubular portion to said second end of said tubular portion, said inner wall being defined by an aperture extending through said tubular portion, said inner wall being tapered such that a diameter of said aperture at said first end of said tubular portion is larger than a diameter of said aperture at said second end of said tubular portion, said aperture of said tubular wall being in communication with said aperture of said nut; a stem having an enlarged head portion and an elongate portion extending therefrom, said stem being positioned within said aperture of said tubular portion, said enlarged head portion capable of expanding said inner wall of said tubular portion upon axial movement of said stem such that said outer wall of said tubular portion is forced into engagement with the wall of the workpiece; and means for securing said nut within said bracket portion, said securing means permitting limited movement of said nut within said bracket portion.
- 2. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said upwardly extending portion is cylindrical and wherein an inner wall of said upwardly extending portion defined by said aperture is threaded.
- 3. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular portion of said holding bracket and said bracket portion of said holding bracket are integrally formed.
- 4. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said inner wall of said tubular portion further defines a shoulder proximate to said first end of said tubular portion, said diameter of said aperture at said first end of said tubular portion being larger than a diameter of said aperture at said shoulder and said diameter of said aperture at said shoulder being larger than said diameter of said aperture at said second end of said tubular portion.
- 5. A nut plate as defined in claim 4, wherein said enlarged head portion of said stem has a diameter which is larger than said diameter of said aperture at said shoulder but which is smaller than said diameter of said aperture at said first end of said tubular portion such that said enlarged head portion of said stem is capable of resting upon said shoulder.
- 6. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said inner wall further defines a lip at said second end of said tubular portion such that said diameter of said aperture at said second end of said tubular portion is reduced.
- 7. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer wall has a plurality of lobes extending outwardly therefrom, said lobes capable of being embedded into the wall of the workpiece upon expansion of said inner wall by the stem.
- 8. A nut plate as defined in claim 7, wherein each said lobe substantially extends from an underside of said bracket portion to said second end of said tubular portion.
- 9. A nut plate as defined in claim 7, wherein adjacent lobes are separated by a gap.
- 10. A nut plate as defined in claim 7, wherein each said lobe has an angled portion proximate to an underside of said bracket portion such that each said lobe extends further away from said outer wall proximate to said underside of said bracket portion than from said second end of said tubular portion.
- 11. A nut plate as defined in claim 7, wherein said plurality of lobes includes high lobes and low lobes, said high lobes extending further outwardly from said outer wall than said low lobes.
- 12. A nut plate as defined in claim 11, wherein each said high lobe has an angled portion proximate to an underside of said bracket portion such that each said high lobe extends further away from said outer wall proximate to said underside of said bracket portion than from said second end of said tubular portion.
- 13. A nut plate as defined in claim 11, wherein each said high lobe is positioned between two low lobes, and wherein each said low lobe is positioned between two high lobes.
- 14. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said enlarged head portion of said stem is formed of a material which allows said enlarged head portion of said stem to deform to a geometrically relevant size such that said enlarged head portion continues to expand said inner wall of said tubular portion until said enlarged head portion exits said aperture of said tubular portion at said second end thereof.
- 15. A nut plate as defined in claim 14, wherein said enlarged head portion of said stem has a cavity provided therein, said cavity of said enlarged head portion capable of assisting in the deformation of said enlarged head portion.
- 16. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket portion has a base portion which extends outwardly from said first end of said tubular portion and opposing sidewalls which project from said base portion in a direction opposite from said tubular portion, said opposing sidewalls defining a space for receiving said nut.
- 17. A nut plate as defined in claim 16, wherein each said sidewall of said bracket portion has a slot therethrough, and wherein said securing means includes a flexible retainer that fits over said base portion of said nut and which includes portions which project into each of said slots of said opposing sidewalls.
- 18. A nut plate as defined in claim 17, wherein said base portion of said bracket portion has protrusions which project from said base portion of said bracket portion in a direction opposite of said tubular portion, and wherein said base portion of said nut has opposite end recesses provided, said opposite end recesses capable of receiving said protrusions to limit movement of said nut relative to said bracket portion.
- 19. A nut plate as defined in claim 16, wherein said base portion of said nut has opposite ends having at least one tab member extending therefrom, and wherein said securing means includes at least one opening in each said sidewall for receiving a tab member of said nut.
- 20. A nut plate as defined in claim 19, wherein at least one of said sidewalls is formed of a flexible material such that said at least one sidewall can be flexed away from said other sidewall to allow said tab members of said nut to be received in said openings of said sidewalls.
- 21. A nut plate as defined in claim 20, wherein said holding bracket is separately formed of a bracket and a sleeve, said bracket having an opening therethrough and said opposing sidewalls with slots therethrough, and said sleeve having a tubular portion and an enlarged head at one end thereof, said tubular portion extending through said opening of said bracket such that said enlarged head of said sleeve is positioned on said bracket, said enlarged head extending through said slots of said opposing sidewalls of tubular portion.
- 22. A nut plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular portion has a length which is smaller than a length of the wall of the workpiece such that said second end of said tubular portion does not extend outside of the aperture of the workpiece.
- 23. A tubular portion of a nut plate which is adapted to be attached to a wall defined by an aperture through a workpiece, said tubular portion being sized to fit within the aperture of the workpiece, said tubular portion comprising:
an outer wall extending generally from a first end of said tubular portion to a second end of said tubular portion; and an inner wall extending from said first end of said tubular portion to said second end of said tubular portion, said inner wall being defined by an aperture extending through said tubular portion, said inner wall being tapered such that a diameter of said aperture at said first end of said tubular portion is larger than a diameter of said aperture at said second end of said tubular portion; said aperture of said tubular portion capable of receiving a stem therethrough for expanding said inner wall of said tubular portion such that said outer wall of said tubular portion is forced into engagement with the wall of the workpiece.
- 24. A tubular portion as defined in claim 23, wherein said inner wall further defines a shoulder proximate to said first end of said tubular portion, said diameter of said aperture at said first end of said tubular portion being larger than a diameter of said aperture at said shoulder and said diameter of said aperture at said shoulder being larger than said diameter of said aperture at said second end of said tubular portion.
- 25. A tubular portion as defined in claim 23, wherein said inner wall further defines a lip at said second end of said tubular portion such that said diameter of said aperture at said second end of said tubular portion is reduced.
- 26. A tubular portion as defined in claim 23, wherein said outer wall has a plurality of lobes extending outwardly therefrom, said lobes capable of being embedded into the wall of the workpiece upon expansion of said inner wall by the stem.
- 27. A tubular portion as defined in claim 26, wherein each said lobe substantially extends from proximate to said first end of said tubular portion to said second end of said tubular portion.
- 28. A tubular portion as defined in claim 26, wherein adjacent lobes are separated by a gap.
- 29. A tubular portion as defined in claim 26, wherein each said lobe has an angled portion proximate to said first end of said tubular portion such that each said lobe extends further away from said outer wall proximate to said first end of said tubular portion than from said second end of said tubular portion.
- 30. A tubular portion as defined in claim 26, wherein said plurality of lobes includes high lobes and low lobes, said high lobes extending further outwardly from said outer wall than said low lobes.
- 31. A tubular portion as defined in claim 30, wherein each said high lobe has an angled portion proximate to said first end of said tubular portion such that each said high lobe extends further away from said outer wall proximate to said first end of said tubular portion than from said second end of said tubular portion.
- 32. A tubular portion as defined in claim 30, wherein each said high lobe is positioned between two low lobes, and wherein each said low lobe is positioned between two high lobes.
- 33. A tubular portion as defined in claim 23, wherein said tubular portion has a length which is smaller than a length of the wall of the workpiece such that said second end of said tubular portion does not extend outside of the aperture of the workpiece.
- 34. A tubular portion of a nut plate which is adapted to be attached to a wall defined by an aperture through a workpiece, said tubular portion being sized to fit within the aperture of the workpiece, said tubular portion comprising:
an outer wall extending from a first end of said tubular portion to a second end of said tubular portion, said outer wall having a plurality of lobes extending outwardly therefrom, at least a portion of said lobes having an angled portion proximate to said first end of said tubular portion such that each said lobe having an angled portion extends further away from said outer wall proximate to said first end of said tubular portion than from said second end of said tubular portion; and an inner wall extending from said first end of said tubular portion to said second end of said tubular portion, said inner wall being defined by an aperture extending through said tubular portion; said aperture of said tubular portion capable of receiving a stem therethrough for expanding said inner wall of said tubular portion such that said outer wall of said tubular portion is forced into engagement with the wall of the workpiece, said lobes capable of being embedded into the wall of the workpiece upon expansion of said inner wall by the stem.
- 35. A tubular portion as defined in claim 34, wherein each said lobe substantially extends from proximate to said first end of said tubular portion to said second end of said tubular portion.
- 36. A tubular portion as defined in claim 34, wherein adjacent lobes are separated by a gap.
- 37. A tubular portion as defined in claim 34, wherein said plurality of lobes includes high lobes and low lobes, said high lobes extending further outwardly from said outer wall than said low lobes.
- 38. A tubular portion as defined in claim 37, wherein each said high lobe has said angled portion proximate to said first end of said tubular portion such that each said high lobe extends further away from said outer wall proximate to said first end of said tubular portion than from said second end of said tubular portion.
- 39. A tubular portion as defined in claim 37, wherein each said high lobe is positioned between two low lobes, and wherein each said low lobe is positioned between two high lobes.
- 40. A tubular portion as defined in claim 34, wherein said tubular portion has a length which is smaller than a length of the wall of the workpiece such that said second end of said tubular portion does not extend outside of the aperture of the workpiece.
- 41. A stem of a nut plate which is adapted to be attached to a wall defined by an aperture through a workpiece, said stem capable of expanding a tapered inner wall of a tubular portion of the nut plate upon axial movement thereof such that an outer wall of the tubular portion is engaged with the wall of the workpiece, said stem comprising:
an elongated portion; and a deformable head portion provided at an end of said elongated portion, said deformable head portion allowing for measured expansion of the tapered inner wall of the tubular portion to compensate for variations in the size of the aperture of the workpiece such that the outer wall provides adequate engagement with the wall of the workpiece, said deformable head portion deforming when adequate resistance is exerted thereon by the workpiece during axial movement of the stem.
- 42. A stem as defined in claim 41, wherein said deformable head portion has a cavity provided therein.
- 43. A method of securing a nut plate to a wall defined by an aperture through a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing said nut plate which includes a nut, a holding bracket having a tubular portion and a bracket portion extending from a first end thereof, said tubular portion having an outer wall with lobes protruding outwardly therefrom, said tubular portion having an aperture provided therethrough which defines an inner wall of said tubular portion, said inner wall defining a shoulder proximate to said first end of said tubular portion, said inner wall being tapered from said shoulder to a second end of said tubular portion, and a stem having an enlarged head portion; b) inserting said stem into said aperture of said tubular portion such that said enlarged head portion of said stem is positioned on said shoulder of said inner wall of said tubular portion; c) placing said nut into said bracket portion; d) securing said nut within said bracket portion such that said nut is prevented from moving out of said bracket portion but such that said nut is free to move within said bracket portion; e) inserting said tubular portion into the aperture of the workpiece such that an undersurface of said bracket portion is positioned on a top surface of the workpiece; f) applying a first force to a bottom surface of the workpiece; g) applying a second force to said stem to move said enlarged head portion of said stem through said aperture of said tubular portion such that said tapered inner wall of said aperture is expanded to force said lobes on said outer wall to embed into the wall of the workpiece to secure said tubular portion to the workpiece.
- 44. A method as defined in claim 43, further including the step of:
a) deforming said enlarged head portion of said stem to a geometrically relevant size relative to said tapered inner wall upon expansion thereof such that said enlarged head portion continues to expand said tapered inner wall.
CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of domestic priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/345,105, filed Nov. 9, 2001, and entitled “Nutplate”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60345105 |
Nov 2001 |
US |