Non-cylindrical fastening systems and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829018-B2
Application number	US-201514637206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2015
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to non-cylindrical fastening systems and related methods, such as methods of installing a non-cylindrical fastening system. Presently disclosed non-cylindrical fastening systems may include a first fastening component and a second fastening component, where the second fastening component includes an elongate shank configured to be inserted through a hole in the first fastening component and through a hole in a structure to which the first fastening component is being secured. The holes in the first fastening component and the structure may be non-circular, and the elongate shank may be non-circular in perpendicular cross-section. Disclosed fastening systems may also include a third fastening component configured to be installed onto the elongate shank, and substantially prevent axial movement of the elongate shank with respect to the structure and/or first fastening component. Such fastening systems may lower the number of parts required in manufacturing an apparatus, such as an aircraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fastening system configured to couple a first structure to a second structure, the first structure having a first hole formed therein and the second structure having a second hole formed therein, the fastening system comprising:
a fastening component having an elongate shank, the elongate shank having a length extending from a first shank end to a second shank end, the elongate shank being sized and shaped to be inserted through the first hole and the second hole, thereby securing the first structure to the second structure and substantially preventing the first structure from rotating with respect to the second structure, wherein the first hole and the second hole are not circular, and wherein a first perpendicular cross-section of the elongate shank is elliptical along at least a first portion of the length of the elongate shank, wherein the first portion comprises a major diameter portion and a minor diameter portion, the major diameter portion having a major diameter, the minor diameter portion having a minor diameter, wherein the major diameter is greater than the minor diameter, wherein the major diameter portion is threaded, and wherein the minor diameter portion is unthreaded.

2. The fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening component is one or more of a bolt, a pin, a screw, a lockbolt, and a rivet.

3. The fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein the first perpendicular cross-section of the elongate shank is approximately equal to the size and shape of the first hole and the second hole.

4. The fastening system according to claim 1 , further comprising a retaining device, the retaining device being configured to be positioned with respect to the fastening component, first structure, and second structure such that the retaining device substantially prevents movement of the elongate shank with respect to the first structure and the second structure in an axial direction.

5. The fastening system according to claim 4 , wherein the retaining device comprises one or more of a nut, a retaining collar, a two-piece nut, and a hinged nut.

6. The fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends along only a portion of the length of the elongate shank.

7. A fastening system configured to be coupled to a structure having a first hole formed therein, the fastening system comprising:
a first fastening component having a second hole formed therethrough, wherein the first fastening component is configured to be positioned relative to the structure such that the first hole and the second hole are aligned with one another, wherein the first fastening component is asymmetrical and configured for use on an aircraft, wherein the first fastening component is configured to receive a device for a load-bearing application, and wherein the first hole and the second hole are substantially identical to each other in size and shape; and
a second fastening component having an elongate shank, the elongate shank having a longitudinal axis and being sized and shaped to be inserted through the second hole in the first fastening component and into the first hole in the structure, thereby securing the first fastening component to the structure using a single second fastening component, such that the first fastening component is substantially prevented from rotating with respect to the structure about the longitudinal axis of the elongate shank when the device is loaded in the load-bearing application, wherein the first hole and the second hole are non-circular and non-polygonal, wherein the elongate shank of the second fastening component comprises a non-circular portion extending along at least a portion of the elongate shank, and wherein the non-circular portion has a first perpendicular cross-section that is non-polygonal.

8. The fastening system according to claim 7 , wherein the first hole and the second hole are elliptical, and wherein the first perpendicular cross-section of the non-circular portion of the elongate shank is elliptical.

9. The fastening system according to claim 7 , wherein the first fastening component comprises a single projecting flange extending from a central insert portion, wherein the central insert portion is configured to receive the device for a load-bearing application, wherein the second hole is positioned through the single projecting flange, and wherein the second fastening component comprises one or more of a bolt, a lockbolt, a pin, a screw, and a rivet.

10. The fastening system according to claim 7 , wherein the non-circular portion of the elongate shank is a first portion of the elongate shank, and wherein the elongate shank comprises a second portion, the second portion having a second perpendicular cross-section that is circular.

11. The fastening system according to claim 10 , wherein the elongate shank comprises a helical threaded portion, and wherein the helical threaded portion is located on the second portion of a length of the elongate shank.

12. The fastening system according to claim 7 , further comprising a third fastening component, the third fastening component being configured to be positioned with respect to the first fastening component and the second fastening component such that the third fastening component substantially prevents movement of the second fastening component with respect to the first fastening component in an axial direction.

13. The fastening system according to claim 12 , wherein the second fastening component comprises an annular ring engaged with the elongate shank within the non-circular portion of the elongate shank, wherein the third fastening component is configured to engage the annular ring to substantially prevent movement of the second fastening component with respect to the first fastening component in the axial direction.

14. The fastening system according to claim 7 , further comprising the structure, wherein the structure is part of the aircraft.

15. The fastening system according to claim 14 , wherein the structure comprises a plurality of first holes formed therein, wherein the first fastening component comprises a plurality of first fastening components each having a respective second hole formed therethrough, wherein the second fastening component comprises a plurality of second fastening components each having a respective elongate shank, wherein a single respective second fastening component is configured to secure a respective first fastening component to the structure by inserting each respective elongate shank into each respective first hole and respective second hole wherein the first fastening component is positioned adjacent the structure such that each respective first hole is aligned with a respective second hole, thereby substantially preventing rotation of each respective first fastening component with respect to the structure about the respective axis of each respective elongate shank.

16. The fastening system according to claim 7 , wherein the first fastening component comprises a vertical insert, a self-locking insert, an axial insert, or a standoff configured for use on an aircraft.

17. A fastening system configured to be coupled to a structure having a first hole formed therethrough, the fastening system comprising:
a first fastening component having a second hole formed therethrough, wherein the first fastening component is configured to be positioned relative to the structure such that the first hole and the second hole are aligned with one another, wherein the first fastening component is asymmetrical and configured for use on an ai

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilkerson Jeffrey Alan
• Southmayd Randy Allan

Classifications

• F16B5/02 Primary

  by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00) · CPC title

• F16B35/041

  Specially-shaped shafts (shape of thread F16B33/02) · CPC title

• F16B33/002

  Means for preventing rotation of screw-threaded elements (F16B39/00 takes precedence) · CPC title