Struts and methods utilizing a locking collar nut

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10294973-B2
Application number	US-201615386849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2014
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A composite tube assembly may comprise a composite tube comprising a variable diameter portion comprising a first frustoconical portion and a second frustoconical portion, wherein a diameter of the composite tube at an interface between the first frustoconical portion and the second frustoconical portion is a maximum diameter value with respect to the first frustoconical portion and is a maximum diameter value with respect to the second frustoconical portion, a locking wedge disposed at least partially around a circumference of the first frustoconical portion, a locking collar nut disposed at least partially around a circumference of the locking wedge, and an end fitting disposed at least partially around a circumference of the second frustoconical portion, wherein the end fitting is coupled to the locking collar nut, wherein the first frustoconical portion and the second frustoconical portion comprise a metallic insert.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite tube assembly comprising:
a composite tube comprising a variable diameter portion comprising a first frustoconical portion and a second frustoconical portion,
wherein a diameter of the composite tube at an interface between the first frustoconical portion and the second frustoconical portion is a maximum diameter value with respect to the first frustoconical portion and is a maximum diameter value with respect to the second frustoconical portion;
a locking wedge disposed at least partially around a circumference of the first frustoconical portion;
a locking collar nut disposed at least partially around a circumference of the locking wedge; and
an end fitting disposed at least partially around a circumference of the second frustoconical portion, wherein the end fitting is coupled to the locking collar nut;
a locking key in contact with the locking collar nut and the end fitting; and
a jam nut threadedly engaged to the end fitting,
wherein the first frustoconical portion and the second frustoconical portion comprise a metallic insert.

2. The composite tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the end fitting is threadedly engaged with the locking collar nut.

3. The composite tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the locking wedge comprises a plurality of subcomponents.

4. The composite tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the first frustoconical portion and an outer surface of the second frustoconical portion are nanocoated.

5. The composite tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the metallic insert is at least one of co-molded, bonded, and co-cured with the composite tube.

6. The composite tube assembly of claim 5 , wherein the metallic insert comprises at least one of aluminum, tungsten, titanium, nickel, molybdenum, steel, cobalt, chromium, or alloys thereof.

7. The composite tube assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a jam nut threadedly engaged to the end fitting.

8. The composite tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the locking wedge comprises one single integral piece.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Ganis Rony Giovanni

Classifications

• F16C2326/43

  Aeroplanes; Helicopters · CPC title

• F16B7/025 Primary

  with the expansion of an element inside the tubes due to axial movement towards a wedge or conical element (for rods or tubes telescopically engaged F16B7/1463) · CPC title

• F16B7/182

  for coaxial connections of two rods or tubes · CPC title

• F16C7/02

  Constructions of connecting-rods with constant length · CPC title

• F16C11/0695

  Mounting of ball-joints, e.g. fixing them to a connecting rod · CPC title