Additively manufactured thermoplastic metering pin with slots for retention hardware

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097835-B2
Application number	US-201916261954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2019
Priority date	Jan 30, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

An additively manufactured metering pin may comprise a shaft portion comprising a first end and a second end, a head portion disposed at the second end of the shaft portion, and a slot disposed in the head portion, the slot extending through a perimetrical surface of the head portion and an end surface of the head portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additively manufactured metering pin, comprising:
a shaft portion comprising a first end and a second end;
a head portion disposed at the second end of the shaft portion, the shaft portion extending from the head portion; and
a slot disposed in the head portion, the slot extending through a perimetrical surface of the head portion and an end surface of the head portion,
wherein the perimetrical surface of the head portion defines a periphery of the additively manufactured metering pin, and
wherein the shaft portion defines a centerline axis, and the slot extends through the perimetrical surface of the head portion so as to receive a fastener by sliding the fastener into the slot in a direction that is perpendicular to and towards the centerline axis.

2. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 1 , wherein the end surface defines a terminus of the additively manufactured metering pin.

3. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 2 , wherein the slot is configured to retain a fastener.

4. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 3 , wherein the slot comprises a head slot portion and a shaft slot portion, wherein the head slot portion is disposed longitudinally inward from the shaft slot portion with respect to the second end, and a width of the head slot portion is greater than a width of the shaft slot portion.

5. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 4 , wherein the width of the head slot portion is measured in a circumferential direction and the width of the shaft slot portion is measured in the circumferential direction.

6. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 1 , wherein the additively manufactured metering pin is comprised of a thermoplastic.

7. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 1 , wherein the perimetrical surface of the head portion comprises an outside diameter surface of the head portion.

8. The additively manufactured metering pin of claim 1 , further comprising a seal groove disposed in the perimetrical surface.

9. A shock strut, comprising:
a strut cylinder;
a strut piston operatively coupled to the strut cylinder; and
an additively manufactured metering pin comprising a shaft portion comprising a first end and a second end, a head portion disposed at the second end of the shaft portion, and a slot disposed in the head portion, the slot extending through a perimetrical surface of the head portion and an end surface of the head portion, wherein the perimetrical surface of the head portion is configured to mate against an inner surface of the strut piston, and
wherein the shaft portion defines a centerline axis, and the slot extends through the perimetrical surface of the head portion so as to receive a fastener by sliding the fastener into the slot in a direction that is perpendicular to and towards the centerline axis.

10. The shock strut of claim 9 , wherein the end surface defines a terminus of the additively manufactured metering pin.

11. The shock strut of claim 10 , further comprising a fastener retained by the slot.

12. The shock strut of claim 11 , wherein the slot comprises a head slot portion and a shaft slot portion, wherein the head slot portion is disposed longitudinally inward from the shaft slot portion with respect to the second end, and a width of the head slot portion is greater than a width of the shaft slot portion.

13. The shock strut of claim 12 , wherein the width of the head slot portion is measured in a circumferential direction and the width of the shaft slot portion is measured in the circumferential direction.

14. The shock strut of claim 9 , wherein the additively manufactured metering pin is comprised of a thermoplastic.

15. The shock strut of claim 11 , wherein the fastener extends through the strut piston and further comprising a second fastener coupled to the fastener and disposed externally from the strut piston, the head portion is compressed between the fastener and the strut piston via the second fastener.

16. A method for installing a metering pin to a shock strut, comprising:
moving a first fastener into a slot disposed in a metering pin, wherein the slot extends through a perimetrical surface of a head portion of the metering pin and the slot extends through an end surface of the head portion, and the perimetrical surface of the head portion defines a periphery of the metering pin;
moving the metering pin into a strut piston while the first fastener remains in the slot; and
aligning the first fastener with an aperture disposed in the strut piston while the first fastener remains in the slot.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling a second fastener to the first fastener, wherein the second fastener is disposed externally from the strut piston.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first fastener is moved radially into the slot disposed in the metering pin and the metering pin is moved longitudinally into the strut piston.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Goldring Eric
• Ganis Rony Giovanni

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F16F9/3264

  Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers (F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04) · CPC title

• B64C25/60 Primary

  Oleo legs · CPC title

• F16F9/342 Primary

  Throttling passages operating with metering pins {(F16F9/486 takes precedence)} · CPC title