CONFORMAL CLEARANCE FIT FASTENER, FASTENER SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

• Main Authors: QUYNHGIAO N LE, JOHN A MITTLEIDER, BRENT A WHITING, ROBERT B GREEGOR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 12.10.2017
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; BLASTING; COSMONAUTICS; DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS ORMACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS,CLIPS, WEDGES, JOINTS OR JOINTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; HELICOPTERS; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide conformal clearance fit fasteners, fastener systems, methods that provide electrical contact and conductivity with composite structures, such as CFRP structures.SOLUTION: A fastener 10 includes an elongated shaft 14 having a first end 16, a second end 18, and a shaft body 20, a head portion 22, and a threaded portion 42. At least one inner feed channel extends through the head portion and the shaft body and terminates proximal to the threaded portion. The fastener has a plurality of flutes 80 formed along and circumferentially spaced around an outer surface 64 of the shaft body and an outer surface 32 of the head portion. Each flute has a first end 82 and extends from a first location 84 proximal to the threaded portion, along the outer surface of the shaft body, and radially outward along the outer surface of the head portion. The fastener further has one or more lateral feed channels formed laterally through the shaft body and connecting the inner feed channel to at least two opposing flutes on the outer surface of the shaft body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A 【課題】ＣＦＲＰ構造体などとの電気的接触及び伝導性をもたらす、隙間嵌め留め具、留め具システム、及び方法を提供する。【解決手段】留め具１０は、第１端部１６、第２端部１８、及び、シャフト本体部２０を有する長状シャフト１４と、ヘッド部２２と、ネジ部４２とを含む。少なくとも１つの内部供給路が、ヘッド部及びシャフト本体部を通って延び、ネジ部に隣接する位置で終結する。留め具は、シャフト本体部の外面６４及びヘッド部の外面３２に周方向に互いに離間して形成された複数の溝８０を有する。各溝は、第１端部８２を有し、ネジ部に隣接する第１位置８４から、シャフト本体部の外面に沿って延びるとともに、ヘッド部の外面に沿って径方向外方に延びる。留め具は、シャフト本体部を横切って形成されるとともに、其々が、内部供給路を、シャフト本体部の外面の少なくとも２つの対向する溝に接続している、１つ又は複数の横供給路をさらに有する。【選択図】図１Ａ