Spacer for use in precision bonding applications that provides enhanced shear strength

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220066-B2
Application number	US-201916663034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2019
Priority date	Oct 3, 2016
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

A spacer-locator with integrated locator pins and spacer tabs for use in joining applications. The spacer-locator provides consistent and accurate spacing between mating surfaces and the locator pins provide enhanced location control of the joining components while providing a mechanical advantage to the shear strength at the joint. Also, a spacer-locator for joining at least two objects along mating surfaces, the spacer-locator constraining at least two degrees of freedom for the objects to be joined.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for spacing at least two surfaces, comprising:
a first object with a first mating surface;
a second object with a second mating surface; and
at least one spacer tab with at least one locator pin;
wherein the first mating surface includes at least one locator positioning hole; and
wherein the at least one locator pin has a non-circular cross-section to prevent rotation in at least one dimension.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spacer tab and the at least one locator pin are integral with the second mating surface.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one locator pin constrains movement of the first mating surface and the second mating surface in at least two dimensions.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one locator pin constrains rotation of the first mating surface and the second mating surface in at least two dimensions.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mating surface and the second mating surface are planar or non-planar.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spacer tab includes at least one fluid channel.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one locator pin is non-perpendicular to the first mating surface and the second mating surface.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one locator pin further includes at least two locator pins connected by the at least one spacer tab.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-circular cross-section is a regular polygon or an irregular polygon.

10. A system for spacing at least two surfaces, comprising:
a first object with a first mating surface;
a second object with a second mating surface; and
at least one locator pin;
wherein the first mating surface includes at least one locator positioning hole and at least one spacer tab, and wherein the at least one spacer tab is integral with the first mating surface; and
wherein the at least one locator pin has a non-circular cross-section to prevent rotation in at least one dimension.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one locator pin is integral with the second mating surface.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first mating surface and the second mating surface are planar or non-planar.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one spacer tab includes at least one fluid channel.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one locator pin is non-perpendicular to the first mating surface and the second mating surface.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one locator pin further includes at least two locator pins connected by the at least one spacer tab.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the non-circular cross-section is a regular polygon or an irregular polygon.

17. A system for spacing at least two surfaces, comprising:
a first mating surface;
a second mating surface; and
at least one locator pin;
wherein the first mating surface and the second mating surface each include at least one locator pin slot, and wherein the at least one locator pin slot restricts movement of the at least one locator pin in at least two directions; and
wherein the at least one locator pin slot restricts movement of the at least one locator pin parallel to the first mating surface and the second mating surface.

18. A system for spacing at least two surfaces, comprising:
a first object, including a first mating surface of the first object and a second mating surface of the first object;
a second object, including a first mating surface of the second object and a second mating surface of the second object;
at least one first spacer tab integral with the first mating surface of the first object or the first mating surface of the second object, wherein the at least one first spacer tab is in contact with an opposite surface of the first mating surface of the first object or an opposite surface of the first mating surface of the second object; and
at least one second spacer tab integral with the second mating surface of the first object or the second mating surface of the second object, wherein the at least one second spacer tab is in contact with an opposite surface of the second mating surface of the first object or an opposite surface of the second mating surface of the second object;
wherein the at least one first spacer tab restricts movement of the first mating surface of the first object or the first mating surface of the second object in at least one direction.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one second spacer tab restricts movement of the first object or the second object in at least one additional direction.

20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising at least two first spacer tabs integral with the first mating surface of the first object or the first mating surface of the second object, wherein the at least two first spacer tabs are in contact with the opposite surface of the first mating surface of the first object or the opposite surface of the first mating surface of the second object, either individually or in combination.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the at least two first spacer tabs restrict rotation of the first mating surface of the first object or the first mating surface of the second object in at least one direction.

Assignees

• Altec Ind Inc

Inventors

• Mckinney Ryan J
• Hoffmann Kyle E
• Hegg Jace

Classifications

• F16B5/065 Primary

  the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance · CPC title

• F16B11/006

  by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48) · CPC title

• B29C65/7826

  said distance pieces being non-integral with the parts to be joined, e.g. particles · CPC title

• B29C65/48

  using adhesives {, i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding} · CPC title

• B29C66/87 Primary

  Auxiliary operations or devices · CPC title