Coupling device for a connecting rod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565301-B2
Application number	US-202318157435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2023
Priority date	Jan 26, 2022
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A connecting rod coupling device for attaching a component to an aircraft fuselage and/or stiffening the fuselage has a first coupler, and a second coupler couplable to the first coupler. The first coupler has an elongate body with a first channel on a lateral surface along a first longitudinal axis. The second coupler has a hollow-cylindrical portion, which, on an inner face along a second longitudinal axis, has a second channel complementing the first channel. The hollow-cylindrical portion has a radial cutout through which the elongate body is radially insertable into the second channel from outside the hollow-cylindrical portion. The second coupler has a closure body, which closes the radial cutout, and can be positioned removably in the cutout to complete the second channel on a radially internal face. The second coupler also has an element, pushable onto the hollow-cylindrical portion to secure the closure body on the hollow-cylindrical portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A coupling device for a connecting rod for at least one of attaching a component to a fuselage structure of an aircraft or stiffening the fuselage structure, the coupling device comprising:
a first coupling element, and a second coupling element, which can be coupled to the first coupling element, wherein the first coupling element has an elongate body, which has a first channel structure on a lateral surface along a first longitudinal axis, wherein the second coupling element has a hollow-cylindrical portion having a first axial length, which, on an inner face along a second longitudinal axis, has a second channel structure complementing the first channel structure, the first axial length extending from a first end of the hollow-cylindrical portion to a second end of the hollow-cylindrical portion along the second longitudinal axis, wherein the hollow-cylindrical portion has a radial cutout through which the elongate body can be inserted into the second channel structure from outside the hollow-cylindrical portion in a radial direction, wherein the second coupling element has a closure body, which is configured to close the radial cutout, can be positioned removably in the cutout and completes the second channel structure on a radially internal face, the closure body having a second axial length, the second axial length extending from a first end of the closure body to a second end of the closure body along the second longitudinal axis, wherein the second coupling element also has a securing element, which can be pushed onto the hollow-cylindrical portion to secure the closure body on the hollow-cylindrical portion, and wherein the first axial length is greater than the second axial length.

2 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the first channel structure has an external thread, and wherein the second channel structure has an internal thread.

3 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the first channel structure has an arrangement of multiple, spaced-apart, parallel channels around the circumference, and wherein the second channel structure has an arrangement of multiple, spaced-apart, parallel grooves around the circumference.

4 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the securing element comprises a sleeve, which is mounted on the second coupling element so as to be axially displaceable.

5 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the securing element comprises a compression spring, which forces the sleeve over the closure body.

6 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a stop element which can be attached to the second coupling element and is configured to abut the securing element in a securing position.

7 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the closure body is configured to be plugged into the radial cutout in a form-fitting manner in at least one of a radial or axial direction.

8 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the closure body comprises a ring portion, which can be plugged onto the elongate body, and wherein the ring portion has a diameter which exceeds a diameter of the elongate body, such that at least one end, remote from the ring portion, of the closure body is movable in a radial direction in relation to the elongate body, or with the result that the closure body is rotatable around the elongate body.

9 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cutout extends over a segment or a sector of the hollow-cylindrical portion.

10 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the radial cutout has a first toothset, wherein the closure body has a second toothset which complements the first toothset, and wherein teeth of the first toothset and of the second toothset are spaced apart along the first longitudinal axis and second longitudinal axis, respectively.

11 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hollow-cylindrical portion has a radial viewing bore, arranged at a predefined distance from an end face of the second coupling element to check a minimum plug-in depth of the elongate body in the mounted state of the coupling device.

12 . The coupling device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first coupling element comprises a flange extending radially from the elongate body.

13 . An aircraft comprising:
an aircraft fuselage with a fuselage structure formed therein; and a coupling device attached to the fuselage structure, the coupling device comprising:
a first coupling element, and
a second coupling element, which can be coupled to the first coupling element,
wherein the first coupling element has an elongate body, which has a first channel structure on a lateral surface along a first longitudinal axis,
wherein the second coupling element has a hollow-cylindrical portion having a first axial length, which, on an inner face along a second longitudinal axis, has a second channel structure complementing the first channel structure, the first axial length extending from a first end of the hollow-cylindrical portion to a second end of the hollow-cylindrical portion along the second longitudinal axis,
wherein the hollow-cylindrical portion has a radial cutout through which the elongate body can be inserted into the second channel structure from outside the hollow-cylindrical portion in a radial direction,
wherein the second coupling element has a closure body, which is configured to close the radial cutout, can be positioned removably in the cutout and completes the second channel structure on a radially internal face, the closure body having a second axial length, the second axial length extending from a first end of the closure body to a second end of the closure body along the second longitudinal axis,
wherein the second coupling element also has a securing element, which can be pushed onto the hollow-cylindrical portion to secure the closure body on the hollow-cylindrical portion, and
wherein the first axial length is greater than the second axial length.

14 . The aircraft as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the fuselage structure comprises a former.

15 . The aircraft as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising at least one connecting rod, connected to the fuselage structure by means of the coupling device.

16 . The aircraft as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising at least one component coupled to the at least one connecting rod.

17 . A coupling device for a connecting rod for at least one of attaching a component to a fuselage structure of an aircraft or stiffening the fuselage structure, the coupling device comprising:
a first coupling element, and a second coupling element, which can be coupled to the first coupling element, wherein the first coupling element has an elongate body, which has a first channel structure on a lateral surface along a first longitudinal axis, wherein the second coupling element has a hollow-cylindrical portion, which, on an inner face along a second longitudinal axis, has a second channel structure complementing the first channel structure, wherein the hollow-cylindrical portion has a radial cutout through which the elongate body can be inserted into the second channel structure from outside the hollow-cylindrical portion in a radial direction, wherein the second coupling element has a closure body, which is configured to close the radial cutout, can be positioned removably in the cutout and completes the second channel structure on a radially internal face, wherein the second c

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Benthien Hermann
• Poppe Andreas

Classifications

• F16B37/0892

  in two or more pieces, e.g. assemblies made by two C-shaped nuts mutually interlocked, or retained by an additional member (F16B37/0885 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B9/054

  the intermediate member being threaded · CPC title

• F16B39/02

  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

• F16B35/005

  Set screws; Locking means therefor · CPC title

• F16B9/056

  the intermediate member extending through the flat surface; the rod or tubular part extending through the flat surface · CPC title