Floating, bottom-filled and twist insert and methods for use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702394-B2
Application number	US-201514797579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Jul 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An insert, a floating nut and methods for use thereof in a panel of an aircraft are presented. Specifically, an insert includes a housing defining a cavity. An aperture is further defined in a first end of the housing and a semi-spherical portion is defined at a second end of the housing. A pair of vent openings are also defined on opposing sides of the first end of the housing.

First claim

We claim:

1. An insert, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity;
an aperture defined in a first end of the housing;
a semi-spherical portion defined at a second end of the housing;
a pair of vent openings defined on opposing sides of the first end of the housing; and
a threaded floating nut defining a flange at a first end and defining a through-hole aligned with the aperture of the housing, wherein the threaded floating nut is disposed within the cavity of the housing, wherein the flange defines a pair of grooves on opposing sides of the threaded floating nut aligned with a pair of longitudinally extending channels of the housing.

2. The insert of claim 1 , wherein the pair of longitudinally extending channels are coupled to the pair of vent openings.

3. The insert of claim 1 , wherein threads at a second end of the threaded floating nut are deformed.

4. The insert of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of retention protuberances coupled to and extending radially from the first end of the housing.

5. The insert of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cylindrical portion at the first end of the housing.

6. The insert of claim 5 , wherein the cylindrical portion of the housing has a larger diameter than the semi-spherical portion of the housing.

7. The insert of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of receptacles coupled to the first end of the housing, wherein each of the pair of receptacles have sidewalls defining a through-hole aligned with one of the pair of vent openings.

8. The insert of claim 7 , wherein a base of each of the pair of receptacles extends radially from the first end of the housing and the sidewalls of each of the pair of receptacles extend away from the housing.

9. The insert of claim 7 , wherein the sidewalls of the pair of receptacles are cone-shaped or shallow cylindrical cups.

10. The insert of claim 7 , wherein the pair of receptacles are configured to break away from the housing.

11. The insert of claim 1 , further comprising:
a planar flat defined on the semi-spherical portion of the second end of the housing and arranged opposite to the aperture.

12. An insert, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity;
an aperture defined in a first end of the housing;
a semi-spherical portion defined at a second end of the housing; and
a pair of vent openings defined on opposing sides of the first end of the housing.

13. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a pair of longitudinally extending channels defined on opposing sides of the first end of the housing and coupled to the pair of vent openings.

14. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a threaded floating nut defining a flange at a first end and defining a through-hole aligned with the aperture of the housing, wherein the threaded floating nut is disposed within the cavity of the housing.

15. The insert of claim 14 , wherein the flange defines a pair of grooves on opposing sides of the threaded floating nut aligned with a pair of longitudinally extending channels of the housing.

16. The insert of claim 14 , wherein threads at a second end of the threaded floating nut are deformed.

17. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of retention protuberances coupled to and extending radially from the first end of the housing.

18. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a cylindrical portion at the first end of the housing.

19. The insert of claim 18 , wherein the cylindrical portion of the housing has a larger diameter than the semi-spherical portion of the housing.

20. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a pair of receptacles coupled to the first end of the housing, wherein each of the pair of receptacles have sidewalls defining a through-hole and aligned with one of the pair of vent openings.

21. The insert of claim 20 , wherein a base of each of the pair of receptacles extends radially from the first end of the housing and the sidewalls of each of the pair of receptacles extend away from the housing.

22. The insert of claim 20 , wherein the sidewalls of the pair of receptacles are cone-shaped or shallow cylindrical cups.

23. The insert of claim 20 , wherein the pair of receptacles are configured to break away from the housing.

24. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a planar flat defined on the semi-spherical portion of the second end of the housing and arranged opposite to the aperture.

25. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
an annular protuberance projecting radially from the semi-spherical portion of the housing.

26. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second aperture defined in the second end of the housing and aligned with a central axis of the semi-spherical portion.

27. The insert of claim 26 , wherein the second aperture extends into the cavity of the housing and defines a receptacle facing the first end of the housing.

28. The insert of claim 12 , further comprising:
a pair of helical grooves defined on an exterior of the semi-spherical portion of the housing.

29. The insert of claim 28 , wherein each of the pair of helical grooves is coupled to one of the pair of vent openings.

30. The insert of claim 28 , further comprising:
a rigid tab coupled to the first end of the housing.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Barney Christopher B
• True Lyle J
• Keetle Lee James

Classifications

• F16B5/01

  by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels · CPC title

• B29C66/30321

  making use of protrusions belonging to at least one of the parts to be joined · CPC title

• F16B37/044 Primary

  Nut cages · CPC title

• B32B3/12

  characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure · CPC title

• B29C65/42

  between pre-assembled parts {(B29C65/605 takes precedence)} · CPC title