Fasteners with visual indication of correct installation and method for fastening

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12188508-B2
Application number	US-202218052995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 7, 2022
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A fastener includes a sleeve, a pin, and a visual indicator. The sleeve includes a tubular body. The pin includes a shank. At least a portion of the shank of the pin is configured to extend through the tubular body of the sleeve and to facilitate deformation of a portion of the tubular body into a bulb in response to a force applied to the tubular body of the sleeve by the shank of the pin. The visual indicator is configured to provide a visual verification of correct formation of the bulb.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fastener comprising:
a sleeve comprising a tubular body;
a pin comprising a shank, wherein at least a portion of the shank of the pin is configured to extend through the tubular body of the sleeve and to facilitate deformation of a portion of the tubular body into a bulb in response to a force applied to the tubular body of the sleeve by the shank of the pin; and
a visual indicator configured to provide a visual verification of correct formation of the bulb, the visual indicator comprising at least one reference mark located on the shank of the pin.

2. The fastener of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one reference mark is not visible before formation of the bulb; and
the at least one reference mark is visible after the correct formation of the bulb.

3. The fastener of claim 1 , wherein:
the sleeve further comprises a sleeve axis, a first sleeve end, and a second sleeve end that is opposite the first sleeve end along the sleeve axis;
the visual indicator comprises a shank reference mark located on the shank of the pin;
the correct formation of the bulb is established by a location of the second sleeve end relative to the shank reference mark;
before formation of the bulb, the shank reference mark is covered by the sleeve; and
after formation of the bulb, at least a portion of the shank reference mark being exposed by the second sleeve end visually indicates the correct formation of the bulb.

4. The fastener of claim 3 , wherein the shank reference mark comprises at least one of an annular recess formed in the shank of the pin and a physical characteristic of an annular portion of a surface of the shank of the pin.

5. The fastener of claim 4 , wherein the physical characteristic of the annular portion of the surface of the shank of the pin comprises at least one of surface color, surface texture, and surface reflectivity.

6. The fastener of claim 3 , wherein:
the pin comprises a pin axis;
the shank reference mark comprises a first shank-reference-mark end and a second shank-reference-mark end that is opposite the first shank-reference-mark end along the pin axis;
the first shank-reference-mark end is located at a minimum limit for the correct formation of the bulb;
the second shank-reference-mark end is located at a maximum limit for the correct formation of the bulb; and
after formation of the bulb, the second sleeve end of the sleeve being located between the first shank-reference-mark end and the second shank-reference-mark end visually indicates the correct formation of the bulb.

7. The fastener of claim 6 , wherein:
the shank reference mark further comprises:
a first shank-reference-mark portion that extends between the first shank-reference-mark end and the second shank-reference-mark end; and
a second shank-reference-mark portion that extends from the first shank-reference-mark end along the pin axis; and

after formation of the bulb, at least a portion of the second shank-reference-mark portion being exposed by the second sleeve end visually indicates that formation of the bulb is beyond the minimum limit for the correct formation of the bulb.

8. The fastener of claim 7 , wherein:
the first shank-reference-mark portion comprises a first physical characteristic;
the second shank-reference-mark portion comprises a second physical characteristic; and
the first physical characteristic and the second physical characteristic are different.

9. The fastener of claim 6 , wherein:
the shank reference mark further comprises:
a first shank-reference-mark portion that extends between the first shank-reference-mark end and the second shank-reference-mark end; and
a third shank-reference-mark portion that extends from the second shank-reference-mark end along the pin axis; and

after formation of the bulb, at least a portion of the third shank-reference-mark portion being exposed by the second sleeve end visually indicates that formation of the bulb is beyond the maximum limit for the correct formation of the bulb.

10. The fastener of claim 9 , wherein:
the first shank-reference-mark portion comprises a first physical characteristic;
the third shank-reference-mark portion comprises a third physical characteristic; and
the first physical characteristic and the third physical characteristic are different.

11. The fastener of claim 6 , wherein:
the shank reference mark further comprises:
a first shank-reference-mark portion that extends between the first shank-reference-mark end and the second shank-reference-mark end;
a second shank-reference-mark portion that extends from the first shank-reference-mark end along the pin axis; and
a third shank-reference-mark portion that extends from the second shank-reference-mark end along the pin axis;

after formation of the bulb, at least a portion of the second shank-reference-mark portion being exposed by the second sleeve end visually indicates that formation of the bulb is beyond the minimum limit for the correct formation of the bulb; and
after formation of the bulb, at least a portion of the third shank-reference-mark portion being exposed by the second sleeve end visually indicates that formation of the bulb is beyond the maximum limit for the correct formation of the bulb.

12. The fastener of claim 11 , wherein:
the first shank-reference-mark portion comprises a first physical characteristic;
the second shank-reference-mark portion comprises a second physical characteristic;
the third shank-reference-mark portion comprises a third physical characteristic; and
the first physical characteristic, the second physical characteristic, and the third physical characteristic are different.

13. A fastener comprising:
a sleeve comprising a tubular body;
a pin comprising a shank, wherein at least a portion of the shank of the pin is configured to extend through the tubular body of the sleeve and to facilitate deformation of a portion of the tubular body into a single bulb in response to a force applied to the tubular body of the sleeve by the shank of the pin; and
a visual indicator configured to provide a visual verification of correct formation of the bulb,
wherein:
the sleeve further comprises a sleeve axis;
the visual indicator comprises a sleeve reference mark located on the tubular body of the sleeve;
the correct formation of the bulb is established by a location of the sleeve reference mark relative to the bulb; and
after formation of the bulb, the sleeve reference mark being located along a middle of the bulb and being perpendicular to the sleeve axis visually indicates the correct formation of the bulb.

14. The fastener of claim 13 , wherein:
the sleeve reference mark comprises a physical characteristic of an annular portion of an external surface of the tubular body of the sleeve; and
the physical characteristic of the annular portion of the external surface of the tubular body of the sleeve comprises at least one of surface color, surface texture, and surface reflectivity.

15. The fastener of claim 13 , wherein:
the sleeve reference mark comprises a first sleeve-reference-mark end and a second sleeve-reference-mark end that is opposite the first sleeve-reference-mark end along the sleeve axis; and
after formation of the bulb, the first sleeve-reference-mark end and the second sleeve-reference-mark end being parallel to each other visually indicates the correct formation of the bulb.

16. The fastener of claim 13 , wherein:
the sleeve reference mark further comprises:
a first sleeve-reference-mark portion;
a second sleeve-reference-mark portion that ext

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Ahn Jonathan Y
• Anderson Joseph D
• Arthur Shane E

Classifications

• F16B31/02

  for indicating {the attainment of a particular tensile load} or limiting tensile load {(apparatus for, or method of, determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member similarly stressed G01L5/24)} · CPC title

• F16B13/06

  combined with expanding sleeve {(F16B13/045 and F16B13/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F16B2200/95

  with markings, colours, indicators or the like · CPC title

• F16B19/1054

  the pull-mandrel or the like being frangible · CPC title

• F16B19/1072

  the pull-mandrel or the like comprising a thread and being rotated with respect to the rivet, thereby mechanically expanding and fastening the rivet (nuts fastened by riveting F16B37/067) · CPC title