Patent Application
20070297869
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The cap [50] comprises a flat cap portion [52], and a cylindrical cap portion [54]. The cylindrical cap portion [54] is mounted at or near a center of the flat cap portion [52].
The stud cylinder aperture [30] comprises an upper aperture perimeter [34] which comprises at least two aperture perimeter surfaces [36]. The two aperture perimeter surfaces [36] are parallel to each other, and a length of each of the aperture perimeter surfaces [36] is greater than a distance between them.
The flat cap portion [52] of the cap [50] comprises a cap aperture [58] at or near a center of the flat cap portion [52]. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap aperture [58] is hexagonal to facilitate tightening the cap [50] onto the stud [20] by an Allen wrench. It is envisioned that in other embodiments, the cap aperture [58] is designed to cooperate with other tightening devices. The cap aperture [58] overlays a threaded cylindrical cap aperture [55] of the cylindrical cap portion [54], as described below.
As shown in
The nut threaded aperture [44] is a recessed, cylindrical aperture comprising an interior surface of the nut [40] configured to receive and hold a fastener [90] (shown in
A nut exterior diameter [43] of the nut [40] is measured as a distance from one side of the nut outer perimeter [42] to an opposite side of the nut outer perimeter [42]. A nut threaded aperture diameter [46] is measured as an inner diameter across the nut threaded aperture [44], that is to say, as a distance between the edges of the threads on opposite sides of the nut threaded aperture [44].
The stud cylinder aperture [30] comprises an upper aperture portion [32] and a lower aperture portion [38]. An upper aperture diameter [37] is measured as a distance across the upper aperture portion [32] from one aperture perimeter surface [36] to the other. A lower aperture diameter [39] is measured as a diameter of the lower aperture portion [38]. A threaded outer surface diameter [29] of the cylindrical stud portion [26] is measured as an outer diameter of the threaded outer surface [28], that is to say, a distance between the outside edges of the threads on opposite sides of the threaded outer surface [28].
The upper aperture diameter [37] of the stud cylinder aperture [30] is the same as or slightly greater than a nut exterior diameter [43], allowing the nut [40] to fit into the upper aperture portion [32]. The upper aperture diameter [37] is greater than the lower aperture diameter [39]. The lower aperture diameter [39] is less than the nut exterior diameter [43], allowing the nut [40] to rest above the lower aperture portion [38]. A length of the aperture perimeter surfaces [36] is greater than the nut exterior diameter [43]. The threaded outer surface diameter [29] is the same as or slightly greater than the threaded cylindrical cap aperture diameter [57]. The cap aperture diameter [60] is greater than the nut threaded aperture diameter [46].
The nut [40] may be placed into the upper aperture portion [32], resting above the lower aperture portion [38], because the upper aperture diameter [37] is greater than the lower aperture diameter [39], and the lower aperture diameter [39] is less than the nut exterior diameter [43]. The nut [40] is prevented from rotating because the distance between the parallel aperture surfaces [36] is the same as or slightly greater than the nut exterior diameter [43]. The nut [40] may slide back and forth in a dimension parallel to the aperture perimeter surfaces [36] because the length of the aperture perimeter surfaces [36] is greater than the nut exterior diameter [43].
The cap [50] may be screwed onto the stud [20] because the threaded outer surface diameter [29] is the same as or slightly greater than the threaded cylindrical cap aperture diameter [57], thereby allowing the threads and grooves of the threaded outer surface [28] and threaded interior surface [56] to interlock with each other. The fastener [90] may enter the insert [10] through the cap aperture [58] at an angle not perpendicular to the flat cap portion [52] because the cap aperture diameter [60] is greater than the nut threaded aperture diameter [46].
The insert [10] may be used to install an object [80] such as a piece of furniture or equipment onto a panel [70] in a situation where the fastener [90] needs to be connected to both the panel [70] and the object [80]. One application is securing objects [80] onto the panel [70] of a vehicle [100], such as the aircraft shown in
In operation, a hole [72] is created in the panel [70], and the cylindrical stud portion [26] of the stud [20] is placed into the hole [72] in the panel [70]. The flat base portion [22] of the stud [20] is made flush with the panel [70], and the anti-rotation projections [24] or adhesive material, grip the panel [70] to prevent the stud [20] from rotating or sliding.
The nut [40] is placed into the upper aperture portion [32], and rests on the portion of the cylindrical stud portion [26] that surrounds the lower aperture portion [38]. The hexagonal shape of the nut [40] and the two aperture perimeter surfaces [36] allow the nut [40] to slide back and forth in a dimension parallel to the aperture perimeter surfaces [36], and to rock back and forth in the same dimension, but not to rotate, slide, or rock in a perpendicular dimension.
The cap [50] is then screwed onto the stud [20] by interlocking the threaded interior surface [56] with the threaded outer surface [28] until the flat cap portion [52] is flush with the panel [70]. The cap [50] is thereby locked onto the stud [20]. The fastener [90] may be driven through a hole 82 in the object [80], then through the cap aperture [58], and screwed into the nut [40]. If the fastener [90] was driven through the hole 82 in the object [80] at a location that was not precisely aligned with the nut threaded aperture [44], then the nut [40] may be moved or rocked along the dimension parallel to the aperture perimeter surfaces [36] to align the nut threaded aperture [44] with the fastener [90]. This movement of the nut [40] provides the insert [10] with floating capability to receive screws or bolts that are not precisely aligned with the insert [10]. If necessary, the stud [20] may be rotated so that the dimension parallel to the aperture perimeter surfaces [36] allows the nut threaded aperture [44] to be aligned with the fastener [90]. The fastener [90] is then driven through the nut [40], using an Allen wrench in some embodiments, thereby securing the object [80] to the panel [70].
In embodiments in which the nut [40] comprises a locking nut, the fastener [90] may be secured to the insert [10] such that the fastener [90] and the object are locked in place. Therefore, using a locking nut for the nut [40] reduces the likelihood that vibrations will cause the fastener [90] to twist and fall out of the nut [40].
Locking the stud [20] and the cap [50] together by interconnecting the threaded outer surface [28] with the threaded interior surface [56] improves retention of the insert [10] inside the panel [70]. The ability to lock the stud [20] and the cap [50] together can also obviate the need for potting compound or glue to secure an insert into the panel [70]. The flat base portion [22] of the stud [20] improves pullout strength by pressing against the panel [70].
In some embodiments, the insert [10] has the feature of ballistic resistance, enabling it to withstand the impact of a bullet. The floating feature of the nut [40] allows for tolerance of mismatches between the insert [10] and the object [80]. This tolerance advantageously decreases the installation time of objects [80] onto panels [70] by obviating the need to reconfigure a hole [72] in a panel [70] that was created in an incorrect location.
Although this invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments that are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, including embodiments that do not provide all of the features and advantages set forth herein, are also within the scope of this invention. Rather, the scope of the present invention is defined only by reference to the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
