Wire harness retainer assembly and methods for use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447080-B2
Application number	US-202016843817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2020
Priority date	Nov 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a wire harness retainer assembly. The wire harness retainer assembly includes a stud including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The stud includes a cavity between the first end and the second end. The stud is configured to receive a wire harness retainer thereon. The wire harness retainer assembly also includes a plug configured to be positioned at least partially within the cavity to lock the wire harness retainer onto the stud.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wire harness retainer assembly comprising:
a stud including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the stud includes a cavity between the first end and the second end, the stud comprising a plurality of biasing arms that define an opening at the second end of the stud, wherein the stud is configured to receive a wire harness retainer thereon, wherein the cavity includes a base between the first end of the stud and the second end of the stud, and wherein the base includes a first drive socket recessed in the base; and
a plug configured to be inserted through the opening toward the first end into the cavity to lock the wire harness retainer onto the stud.

2. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is defined by an area between the plurality of biasing arms.

3. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of biasing arms each comprise a first end coupled to the base, and wherein a second end of each of the plurality of biasing arms has an angled tab with a thickness greater than a thickness of the first end of each of the plurality of biasing arms.

4. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug includes a plurality of recesses, and wherein the plurality of biasing arms each include a protrusion configured to interact with the plurality of recesses to thereby prevent axial movement of the plug with respect to the stud when the plug is positioned at least partially in the cavity of the stud.

5. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug includes a plurality of longitudinal channels, and wherein the plurality of biasing arms each include a spine configured to interact with the plurality of longitudinal channels to thereby prevent axial movement of the plug with respect to the stud when the plug is positioned at least partially in the cavity of the stud.

6. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug interacts with the plurality of biasing arms of the stud to prevent axial movement of the plug with respect to the stud and further prevent axial movement of the wire harness retainer with respect to the stud when the plug is positioned at least partially in the cavity of the stud.

7. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the first end of the plug has a first diameter and the second end of the plug has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.

8. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the second end of the plug is configured to be positioned within the cavity of the stud, and wherein the first end of the plug is configured to remain outside of the cavity of the stud.

9. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the first end of the plug includes a second drive socket recessed in the first end of the plug.

10. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the stud is threaded.

11. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the stud comprises a first material, and wherein the second end of the stud comprises a second material that is different than the first material.

12. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first material comprises a metal, and wherein the second material comprises a plastic.

13. The wire harness retainer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stud, the wire harness retainer, and the plug are configured to be permanently coupled to one another when the plug is positioned at least partially within the cavity of the stud.

14. A method of installing a wire harness retainer assembly, the method comprising:
positioning a first end of a stud into a hole in a structure, wherein the stud includes a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the stud includes a cavity between the first end and the second end, the stud including a plurality of biasing arms that define an opening at the second end of the stud, wherein positioning the first end of the stud into the hole comprises driving the first end of the stud into the hole via a drive socket recessed in a base between the first end of the stud and the second end of the stud;
positioning a wire harness retainer circumferentially around at least the second end of the stud; and
inserting a plug through the opening toward the first end into the cavity of the stud.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wire harness retainer interacts with the second end of the stud to prevent axial movement of the wire harness retainer with respect to the stud when the wire harness retainer is positioned circumferentially around the second end of the stud.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plug interacts with the second end of the stud to prevent axial movement of the plug with respect to the stud when the plug is positioned in the cavity of the stud.

17. An aircraft comprising:
an aircraft structure; and
a wire harness retainer assembly configured to be coupled to the aircraft structure, the wire harness retainer assembly comprising:
a stud including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the stud is configured to be positioned within a hole formed in the aircraft structure, wherein the stud includes a cavity between the first end and the second end, the stud comprising a plurality of biasing arms that define an opening at the second end of the stud, and wherein the stud is configured to receive a wire harness retainer thereon wherein the cavity includes a base between the first end of the stud and the second end of the stud, and wherein the base includes a first drive socket recessed in the base; and
a plug configured to be inserted through the opening toward the first end into the cavity of the stud to lock the wire harness retainer onto the stud.

18. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the cavity is defined by an area between the plurality of biasing arms.

19. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the plug includes a plurality of protrusions, wherein the plurality of biasing arms each include a recess configured to interact with the plurality of protrusions to thereby prevent axial movement of the plug with respect to the stud when the plug is positioned at least partially in the cavity of the stud, wherein the plug includes a plurality of longitudinal channels, and wherein the plurality of biasing arms each include a spine configured to interact with the plurality of longitudinal channels to thereby prevent axial movement of the plug with respect to the stud when the plug is positioned at least partially in the cavity of the stud.

20. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of biasing arms each comprise a first end coupled to the base, and wherein a second end of each of the plurality of biasing arms has an angled tab with a thickness greater than a thickness of the first end of each of the plurality of biasing arms.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Luthi Benjamin
• Fisher David O
• West Steven P
• Lyons Robert F

Classifications

• B60R16/0215 Primary

  Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor · CPC title

• F16B21/10

  by separate parts ({F16B21/06 takes precedence}; key-type connection F16B3/00; locking screws or nuts against rotation by such means F16B39/04) · CPC title

• F16B21/18

  with circlips or like resilient retaining devices, {i.e. resilient in the plane of the ring or the like}; Details (spring-washers for locking nuts F16B39/24; adjusting rings F16B43/00) · CPC title