Clinch nut bolt hole geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9951624-B2
Application number	US-201514617594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A fastener assembly includes a first component including a first fastener opening that has a cylindrical portion and a conical portion. A second component includes a second fastener opening. A fastener for extending through the first fastener opening and the second fastener opening and a clinch nut for attaching to the fastener is included.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fastener assembly comprising:
a first component including a first contact surface and a first fastener opening having a cylindrical portion and a conical portion;
a second component including a second contact surface and a second fastener opening, wherein the first contact surface is configured to directly contact the second contact surface;
a fastener for extending through the first fastener opening and the second fastener opening; and
a clinch nut for attaching to the fastener, wherein the clinch nut includes a clinch nut flange that extends into the second fastener opening.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clinch nut includes an anti-rotation tab that engages a portion of the second component.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first component is an inner frame case and the second component is a tie rod.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is made of a dissimilar material from the first component.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical portion includes a first diameter and the conical portion extends from the first diameter to a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second diameter at the first contact surface is smaller than a diameter of the second fastener opening at the second contact surface.

7. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second fastener opening includes a second conical portion.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the second fastener opening includes a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion defined by the second component and the second conical portion is located axially between the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion.

9. A mid-turbine frame assembly comprising:
a mid-turbine frame located axially between a first turbine and a second turbine, the mid-turbine frame comprising:
an inner frame case including a first fastener opening having a cylindrical portion and a conical portion;
a tie rod including a second fastener opening;
a fastener for extending through the first fastener opening and the second fastener opening; and
a clinch nut for attaching to the fastener, wherein the clinch nut directly contacts the tie rod and includes a clinch nut flange that extends into the second fastener opening.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the cylindrical portion includes a first diameter and the conical portion extends from the first diameter to a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second fastener opening includes a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion, and a second conical portion defined by the tie rod and the second conical portion is located axially between the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the inner frame case includes a first contact surface and the tie rod includes a second contact surface and the first contact surface directly contacts the second contact surface.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second diameter at the first contact surface is smaller than a diameter of the second fastener opening at the second contact surface.

14. A method of assembling a portion of a gas turbine engine comprising:
locating a tie rod adjacent an inner frame;
aligning a first fastener opening in the inner frame case with a second fastener opening in the tie rod, wherein the first fastener opening includes a cylindrical portion and a conical portion, wherein the inner frame case includes a first contact surface and the tie rod includes a second contact surface and the first contact surface directly contacts the second contact surface;
inserting a fastener through the first fastener opening and the second fastener opening;
attaching a clinch nut to the fastener.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the clinch nut directly contacts the tie rod and includes a clinch nut flange that extends into the second fastener opening.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cylindrical portion includes a first diameter and the conical portion extends from the first diameter to a second diameter greater than the first diameter.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second fastener opening includes a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion, and a second conical portion defined by the tie rod and the second conical portion is located axially between the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Broulidakis Alexander
• Lemoine Jonathan
• Sedor Joseph J
• Nadeau Patrick Michael

Classifications

• Y02T50/676

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F01D25/125

  of bearings · CPC title

• F01D9/065

  Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26) · CPC title

• F01D25/162

  Bearing supports · CPC title

• Y02T50/673

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic