Compensation nut fastener assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829021-B2
Application number	US-201314758259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2013
Priority date	Jan 2, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A compensation nut fastener assembly to connect first and second panels includes first and second nuts. The first nut includes a shaft having an outer threaded portion and a fastener-receiving channel. The first nut is connected to the first panel through the fastener, and the fastener is threadably secured to the first nut within the fastener-receiving channel. The second nut threadably retains the first nut, and includes a retaining wall having an internal threaded portion defining a central passage configured to threadably engage the outer threaded portion of the shaft of the first nut. The second nut is connected to the second panel, and the first nut is moveable within the central passage toward the first panel when the fastener threadably engages the first nut in order to compensate for a gap between the first panel and the second panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A compensation nut fastener assembly configured to securely connect a first panel to a second panel, the compensation nut faster assembly comprising:
a first nut configured to receive a fastener, wherein the first nut includes a shaft having an outer threaded portion and a fastener-receiving channel, wherein the first nut is configured to connect to the first panel through the fastener, and wherein the fastener is configured to threadably secure to the first nut within the fastener-receiving channel; and
a second nut configured to threadably retain the first nut, wherein the second nut includes a retaining wall having an internal threaded portion defining a central passage configured to threadably engage the outer threaded portion of the shaft of the first nut, wherein the second nut is configured to connect to the second panel, and wherein the first nut is configured to move within the central passage toward the first panel when the fastener threadably engages the first nut in order to compensate for a gap between the first panel and the second panel, wherein the second nut further comprises at least one tube-engaging member outwardly extending from a retaining wall, wherein the at least one tube-engaging member is configured to securely connect the second nut to a retaining tube, and wherein the at least one tube-engaging member comprises at least one cantilevered tab that is configured to be retained within at least one reciprocal opening of the retaining tube.

2. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the retaining tube, wherein the second nut is configured to secure to the second panel through the retaining tube.

3. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one reciprocal opening comprises one or more slots connected to one or more perpendicular channels extending through a terminal edge.

4. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one cantilevered tab comprises one or more fixed tabs connected to one or more necks, wherein the second nut is configured to be rotated within the retaining tube so that the one or more necks are trapped within the one or more slots and the one or more fixed tabs hook over outer surfaces of the retaining tube to prevent the retaining tube from outwardly flowering.

5. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tube-engaging member comprises opposed tube-engaging members.

6. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 5 , wherein each tube-engaging member comprises a flexible root having the at least one cantilevered tab extending therefrom, wherein the at least one reciprocal opening includes a reciprocal slot, and wherein the at least one cantilevered tab is configured to be retained within the reciprocal slot of the retaining tube.

7. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 6 , wherein each tube-engaging member further comprises a flange connected to the root through an extension beam, wherein the flange is configured to be engaged to move the at least one cantilevered tab towards the retaining wall.

8. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second nut further comprises one or more stanchions configured to be retained by one or more openings formed in the second panel.

9. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second nut further comprises one or more retainer barbs configured to dig into a retaining tube to prevent the second nut from dislodging from the retaining tube.

10. The compensation nut fastener assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an O-ring between the first nut and the second nut, wherein the O-ring is configured to prevent the first nut from disconnecting from the second nut during shipping.

11. A system comprising:
a first component;
a second component;
a fastener including a solid threaded shaft; and
at least one compensation nut fastener assembly that securely connects the first component to the second component, the at least one compensation nut faster assembly comprising:
a first nut that receives the solid threaded shaft of the fastener, wherein the first nut includes a hollow shaft having an outer threaded portion and a fastener-receiving channel, wherein the first nut connects to the first component through the fastener, and wherein the fastener threadably secures to the first nut within the fastener-receiving channel; and
a second nut that threadably retains the first nut, wherein the second nut includes a retaining wall having an internal threaded portion defining a central passage that threadably engages the outer threaded portion of the hollow shaft of the first nut, wherein the second nut connects to the second component, and wherein the first nut moves within the central passage toward the first component when the fastener threadably engages the first nut in order to compensate for a gap between the first component and the second component, wherein the second nut further comprises opposed tube-engaging members that securely connect the second nut to a retaining tube, wherein the second nut further comprises at least one tube-engaging member outwardly extending from a retaining wall, wherein the at least one tube-engaging member is configured to securely connect the second nut to a retaining tube, and wherein the at least one tube-engaging member comprises at least one cantilevered tab that is configured to be retained within at least one reciprocal opening of the retaining tube.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the compensation nut fastener assembly further comprises the retaining tube, wherein the second nut secures to the second component through the retaining tube.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one reciprocal opening comprises one or more slots connected to one or more perpendicular channels extending through a terminal edge, wherein the at least one cantilevered tab comprises one or more fixed tabs connected to one or more necks, wherein the second nut is configured to be rotated within the retaining tube so that the one or more necks are trapped within the one or more slots and the one or more fixed tabs hook over outer surfaces of the retaining tube to prevent the retaining tube from outwardly flowering.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one tube-engaging member comprises opposed tube-engaging members.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein each tube-engaging member comprises a flexible root having the at least one cantilevered tab extending therefrom, wherein the at least one reciprocal opening includes a reciprocal slot, and wherein the at least one cantilevered tab is retained within the reciprocal slot of the retaining tube.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each tube-engaging member further comprises a flange connected to the root through an extension beam, wherein the flange is configured to be engaged to move the at least one cantilevered tab towards the retaining wall.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second nut further comprises one or more stanchions configured to be retained by one or more openings formed in the second component.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second nut further comprises one or more retainer barbs that dig into a retaining tube to prevent the second nut from dislodging from the retaining tube.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the compensation nut fastener assembly further comprises an O-ring between the first nut and the second nut, wherein the O-ring is configured to pre

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Johnson Lawrence W
• Seaman Jr Richard

Classifications

• F16B5/025 Primary

  specially designed to compensate for misalignement or to eliminate unwanted play · CPC title

• F16B5/0233 Primary

  allowing for adjustment perpendicular to the plane of the plates · CPC title

• F16B37/043

  with snap action · CPC title

• F16B5/0283

  with an externally threaded sleeve around the neck or the head of the screw-threaded element for adjustably fastening a plate or frame or the like to a fixed element · CPC title