Threaded fastener for a fastening element, fastening rail for an aircraft cabin, and aircraft provided therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535096-B2
Application number	US-202217955600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2022
Priority date	Oct 4, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A blocking mechanism which is integrated with a threaded fastener is proposed for improving the reusability and handling of locking devices for threaded fasteners, such as threaded bolts or nuts. The blocking mechanism can be switched to and from between a blocked state, in which the threaded fastener is gripped in a positively locking manner, and an unblocked state, in which the threaded fastener can be rotated. The blocking mechanism can have a blocking element which can engage into a blocking groove of the threaded fastener in a positively locking manner in the blocked state, and thus prevents rotation. For example, a nut which is provided with the blocking mechanism can be used to pivotably fasten a fastening rod to a fastening rail.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A threaded fastener for a fastening element, the threaded fastener comprising:
a threaded fastener body which comprises:
a thread for the fastening element, and
a blocking mechanism is arranged on the threaded fastener body in an integrated manner, the blocking mechanism being configured to be switched between a blocked state and an unblocked state, the blocking mechanism being configured to block a relative rotation of the threaded fastener body relative to the fastening element by means of a blocking element in the blocked state, and to make the relative rotation of the threaded fastener body relative to the fastening element possible in the unblocked state,
wherein the blocking mechanism comprises an actuating pin which, during a change from the unblocked state into the blocked state, is configured to grip the blocking element and press the blocking element along a radial direction of the threaded fastener body such that the fastening element is gripped in a positively locking manner, and further configured to make a radial movement of the blocking element away from the fastening element possible in the unblocked state, wherein during the change from the unblocked state into the blocked state, the actuating pin is configured to move with an axial movement along an axial direction of the threaded fastener body, and wherein during the change from the unblocked state into the blocked state, the actuating pin is further configured to move with a radial displacement along the radial direction.

2 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the blocking element being configured to grip the fastening element in a positively locking manner for blocking in the blocked state.

3 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the blocking element projecting, in the blocked state, from a circumferential wall section of the threaded fastener body in a direction of the fastening element such that the blocking element grips the fastening element and, in the unblocked state, being arranged in the circumferential wall section such that the relative rotation is made possible.

4 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the blocking mechanism having an actuator which is coupled to the blocking element and is configured to be moved relative to a circumferential wall portion of the threaded fastener body such that the blocking mechanism can be transferred from the blocked state into the unblocked state or from the unblocked state into the blocked state.

5 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the blocking mechanism having an elastic element which pushes the blocking mechanism in a direction of the blocked state.

6 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the blocking mechanism being configured to be locked in the unblocked state.

7 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the threaded fastener body being configured as a nut with an internal thread, the fastening element being configured to be screwed into the thread.

8 . The threaded fastener according to claim 1 , the blocking mechanism having an operating element which is coupled operatively to the blocking element with at least one or precisely one further part, the operating element being configured to be moved along an axial direction of the threaded fastener body, to transfer the blocking mechanism from the blocked state into the unblocked state or from the unblocked state into the blocked state.

9 . A fastener arrangement comprising:
a threaded fastener according to claim 1 , and a fastening element configured to be screwed to the threaded fastener body, the fastening element having a blocking groove which runs along an axial direction of the fastening element, and at least one of
the blocking element engaging in a positively locking manner into the blocking groove in the blocked state, or
the blocking element being configured to be pushed out of the blocking groove in the unblocked state by way of relative rotation between the fastening element relative to the threaded fastener body,
to make the relative rotation possible.

10 . A fastening rail for an aircraft cabin, the fastening rail comprising:
on an upper side, a threaded bolt, and a threaded fastener according to claim 1 which is configured to engage the threaded bolt, in order to fix a fastening means on the threaded bolt releasably.

11 . The fastening rail according to claim 10 further comprising a supporting surface for a floor panel, onto which supporting surface the floor panel can be placed, the threaded fastener being configured such that, when the threaded fastener is installed on the floor panel and is situated in the blocked state, upper end surfaces of the threaded fastener are arranged flush with or below a surface of the floor panel.

12 . A cabin floor region of an aircraft cabin of an aircraft, the cabin floor region comprising a fastening rail according to claim 10 and a fastening means for a cabin interior component, the fastening means being fixed on the fastening rail in the blocked state, and configured to be moved in at least one spatial direction with simultaneous tilting in the unblocked state.

13 . An aircraft comprising a fastening rail according to claim 10 .

14 . An aircraft comprising a cabin floor region according to claim 12 .

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Benthien Hermann
• Poppe Andreas

Classifications

• B64C1/18

  Floors · CPC title

• F16B39/02 Primary

  in which the locking takes place after screwing down (F16B39/01 takes precedence; split-pins, circlips, or the like for preventing relative axial movement only F16B21/10; fastening nuts by welding or riveting F16B37/06) · CPC title

• B64D11/0696

  Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails · CPC title

• F16B39/04 Primary

  with a member penetrating the screw-threaded surface of at least one part, e.g. a pin, a wedge, cotter-pin, screw · CPC title