Straight shank end screw for foreign-object-debris (FOD) reduction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11732744-B2
Application number	US-201916274836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2019
Priority date	Feb 13, 2019
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A fastener which includes a first portion of a shaft which defines threads, and a second portion of the shaft, which extends from the first portion of the shaft, includes a planar curved surface. A method for securing a fastener to an e-nut, which includes the step of inserting the fastener positioned within an e-nut into an opening defined by and which extends through at least two components to be secured together, wherein: a first portion of the shaft of the fastener defines threads; and a second portion of the shaft of the fastener, which extends from the first portion of the shaft, defines a curved planar surface.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A fastener assembly, comprising:
a fastener including a head and a shaft extending from the head;
wherein the shaft includes a first portion that presents threads, a second portion that extends from the first portion and tapers inwardly as the second portion extends away from the first portion, and a third portion that extends away from the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the second portion is disposed between the first portion and the third portion;
an e-nut including an inner wall that defines a boundary of a hole, wherein the inner wall of the e-nut presents threads, and the e-nut includes at least one tine;
wherein the threads of the first portion of the shaft and the threads of the e-nut engage each other to attach the fastener and the e-nut together as a sub-assembly in an initial position;
an insert defining an opening extending between a first end and a second end of the insert, and the opening of the insert is configured to receive the sub-assembly in the initial position, wherein the insert includes an internal wall surrounding the opening to define a boundary of the opening, and the insert includes a ledge extending outwardly from the internal wall into the opening of the insert, and a portion of the e-nut abuts the ledge when the sub-assembly is disposed inside of the opening in the initial position; and
wherein the sub-assembly is movable from the initial position to a final position within the insert to attach the sub-assembly to the insert by rotating the fastener relative to the e-nut in which the threads of the first portion of the shaft advance along the threads of the e-nut such that the shaft engages the inner wall of the e-nut which pushes the at least one tine outwardly away from the shaft to the final position.

2. The fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the shaft of the fastener is connected to the head.

3. The fastener assembly of claim 2 , wherein the head defines an opening for receiving an insertion of a tool.

4. The fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the second portion of the shaft of the fastener has a dimension less than a diameter defined by the threads of the e-nut.

5. The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the shaft of the fastener has a circular cross section positioned abutting the first portion of the shaft and a circular cross section abutting the third portion of the shaft.

6. The fastener of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the circular cross section of the second portion is greater in dimension than a dimension of a diameter of a second circular cross section positioned farther away from the first portion of the shaft than the circular cross section.

7. The fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third portion of the shaft of the fastener comprises a distal end portion which comprises a beveled portion extending about the third portion.

8. The fastener assembly of claim 7 , wherein a distal end of the third portion of the shaft of the fastener comprises a planar surface.

9. The fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein a distal end portion of the third portion of the shaft of the fastener from the second portion defines a beveled surface extending about the third portion of the shaft.

10. The fastener assembly of claim 9 , wherein the distal end portion of the third portion of the shaft of the fastener defines a planar surface which extends transverse to a central axis of the shaft.

11. The fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tine is further defined as a plurality of tines, and wherein with rotation of the threads of the first portion of the shaft relative to the threads of the e-nut results in a planar curved surface of the second portion of the shaft contacting each of the tines of the e-nut at an end portion of the tines.

12. The fastener assembly of claim 11 , wherein the planar curved surface of a truncated conical shape of the second portion of the shaft contacts each of the tines and pushes each of the tines away of the e-nut away from a central axis of the fastener.

13. The fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the tines include a securement flange.

14. The fastener assembly of claim 13 , wherein each of the tines are positioned about the central axis of the fastener with the fastener positioned within the e-nut.

15. A method for securing a fastener assembly to two or more components, comprising the step of:
inserting the fastener assembly into an opening of an insert in an initial position until a portion of an e-nut abuts a ledge of the insert, wherein the opening of the insert extends between a first end and a second end of the insert, and the insert includes an internal wall surrounding the opening to define a boundary of the opening, and the ledge extends outwardly from the internal wall into the opening of the insert, wherein the insert is disposed in an opening of at least one of the two or more components, and wherein the fastener assembly includes a fastener and the e-nut attached to each other as a sub-assembly, wherein:
the fastener includes a head and a shaft extending from the head, wherein the shaft includes a first portion that presents threads, a second portion that extends from the first portion and tapers inwardly as the second portion extends away from the first portion, and a third portion that extends away from the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the second portion is disposed between the first portion and the third portion;
the e-nut includes an inner wall that defines a boundary of a hole, wherein the inner wall of the e-nut presents threads, and the e-nut includes at least one tine; and
the threads of the first portion of the shaft and the threads of the e-nut engage each other to attach the fastener and the e-nut together as the sub-assembly in the initial position; and

moving the sub-assembly from the initial position to a final position within the insert to attach the sub-assembly to the two or more components by rotating the fastener relative to the e-nut in which the threads of the first portion of the shaft advance along the threads of the e-nut such that the shaft engages the inner wall of the e-nut which pushes the at least one tine outwardly away from the shaft and into engagement with at least one of the two or more components to the final position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of inserting the fastener assembly includes the second portion of the shaft pushes the at least one tine in a direction away from a central axis of the fastener.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one tine includes a securement flange, and wherein moving the sub-assembly from the initial position to the final position further includes moving the e-nut relative to the opening of the insert during rotation of the fastener to the final position which disengages the portion of the e-nut from the ledge and moves the securement flange into engagement with at least one of the two or more components.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one tine is further defined as a plurality of tines, and wherein the step of inserting the fastener assembly further including a planar curved surface of the second portion of the shaft of the fastener, contacts, pushes against and moves each of the tines of the at least one tine in a direction away from a central axis of the fastener.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of inserting the fastener assembly further includes rotating the fastener and imparting a compres

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Osborne John C
• Seet Terrence C

Classifications

• F16B39/284 Primary

  Locking by means of elastic deformation ({F16B39/2825, F16B39/36,} F16B39/38 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16B5/0258

  using resiliently deformable sleeves, grommets or inserts (F16B43/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• F16B13/08 Primary

  with separate {or non-separate} gripping parts moved into their final position in relation to the body of the device without further manual operation · CPC title

• F16B35/044 Primary

  Specially-shaped ends · CPC title