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US-20260126074-A1 - MULTI-PIECE FASTENERS AND METHODS FOR FASTENING

US20260126074A1US 20260126074 A1US20260126074 A1US 20260126074A1US-20260126074-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to multi-piece fasteners and methods for fastening. The multi-piece fastener comprises a pin, a sleeve, a first ratchet ring, and a second ratchet ring. The sleeve comprises a first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, an elongate portion extending from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end, and an inner surface extending into the elongate portion from the first sleeve end. The inner surface defines a sleeve cavity. The first ratchet ring is disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the pin. The first ratchet ring comprises a first bore configured to receive the pin. The second ratchet ring is disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the sleeve. The second ratchet ring comprises a second bore configured to receive the pin. The first ratchet ring is configured to engage the second ratchet ring.

Inventors

  • Dieter Jüling
  • Christian SCHNEPPE

Assignees

  • HOWMET AEROSPACE INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20221118

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A multi-piece fastener comprising: a pin; a sleeve comprising a first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, an elongate portion extending from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end, and an inner surface extending into the elongate portion from the first sleeve end, the inner surface defining a sleeve cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the pin; a first ratchet ring disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the pin, the first ratchet ring comprising a first bore configured to receive the pin, and a second ratchet ring disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the sleeve, the second ratchet ring comprising a second bore configured to receive the pin, wherein the first ratchet ring is configured to engage the second ratchet ring; and a spring comprising a third bore configured to receive the pin, wherein the spring urges the first ratchet ring and the second ratchet ring into contact with one another.
  2. 2 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein: the first bore of the first ratchet ring comprises a first diameter; the second bore of the second ratchet ring comprises a second diameter; and the pin comprises a shank comprising a third diameter, wherein the third diameter is less than the first diameter and the second diameter.
  3. 3 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 2 , wherein: the shank comprises a groove extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal axis of the pin extending from a first pin end of the pin toward a second pin end of the pin; the first ratchet ring comprises a first protrusion extending into the first bore; and the groove is configured to receive the first protrusion such that rotation of the shank rotates the first ratchet ring.
  4. 4 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 3 , wherein the groove comprises a first width, the protrusion comprises a second width, and the first width is greater than the second width.
  5. 5 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 3 , further comprising a retaining ring comprising a third bore and a second protrusion extending into the third bore, wherein the groove is configured to receive the second protrusion of the retaining ring.
  6. 6 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface comprises a first threaded portion and the shank comprises a second threaded portion.
  7. 7 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 6 , wherein the first ratchet ring comprises a thickness, the second threaded portion comprises a pitch, and the thickness of the first ratchet ring is greater that the pitch of the second threaded portion.
  8. 8 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 6 , wherein the first threaded portion comprises one of a single-start lead and a multi-start lead.
  9. 9 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the first ratchet ring comprises a first surface comprising first teeth, the second ratchet ring comprises a second surface comprising second teeth, and the first teeth are configured to engage the second teeth.
  10. 10 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 9 , wherein the first teeth comprise a closing angle and an opening angle, and the closing angle is greater than the opening angle.
  11. 11 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the second ratchet ring is configured to engage the inner surface of the sleeve and inhibit rotation of the second ratchet ring about a longitudinal axis extending from a first pin end of the pin to a second pin end of the pin.
  12. 12 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the second ratchet ring is integral with the sleeve and the first ratchet ring is separate from the sleeve.
  13. 13 . (canceled)
  14. 14 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the second ratchet ring is intermediate the first ratchet ring and the spring.
  15. 15 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the first ratchet ring is intermediate the second ratchet ring and the spring.
  16. 16 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve cavity extends completely through the sleeve.
  17. 17 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , further comprising a cage configured to receive the sleeve.
  18. 18 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 1 , further comprising a guiding sleeve configured to receive the pin, wherein the guiding sleeve comprises a spring ring configured to retain the pin.
  19. 19 . The multi-piece fastener of claim 18 , wherein the spring ring comprises a thickness greater than half of a pitch of the second threaded portion.
  20. 20 . A method for fastening, the method comprising: inserting a pin of a multi-piece fastener into a sleeve cavity of a sleeve of the multi-piece fastener, the multi-piece fastener comprising the pin, the sleeve comprising a first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, an elongate portion extending from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end, an inner surface extending into the elongate portion from the first sleeve end, the inner surface defining the sleeve cavity, a first ratchet ring disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the pin, the first ratchet ring comprising a first bore, and a second ratchet ring disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the sleeve, the second ratchet ring comprising a second bore, wherein the first ratchet ring is configured to engage the second ratchet ring; inserting the pin through the first ratchet ring and the second ratchet ring; and rotating the pin and forcibly contacting the first ratchet ring with the pin such that the first ratchet ring rotates while engaged with the second ratchet ring to provide resistance to rotation of the pin.

Description

FIELD OF USE The present disclosure relates to multi-piece fasteners and methods for fastening. BACKGROUND Vehicle frames, storage racks, solar panel sub-structures, aircraft parts, electrical panels, and other structures can include numerous mechanical fasteners. For example, a mechanical fastener can be installed in a bore of a structural component to secure parts together. Properly installing a mechanical fastener into a bore with a desired torque presents challenges. SUMMARY According to one non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, a multi-piece fastener is provided. The multi-piece fastener comprises a pin, a sleeve, a first ratchet ring, and a second ratchet ring. The sleeve comprises a first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, an elongate portion extending from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end, and an inner surface extending into the elongate portion from the first sleeve end. The inner surface defines a sleeve cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the pin. The first ratchet ring is disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the pin. The first ratchet ring comprises a first bore configured to receive the pin. The second ratchet ring is disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the sleeve. The second ratchet ring comprises a second bore configured to receive the pin. The first ratchet ring is configured to engage the second ratchet ring. According to another non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, a method for fastening is provided. The method comprises inserting a pin of a multi-piece fastener into a sleeve cavity of a sleeve of the multi-piece fastener. The multi-piece fastener comprises the pin, the sleeve, a first ratchet ring, and a second ratchet ring. The sleeve comprises a first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, an elongate portion extending from the first sleeve end to the second sleeve end, and an inner surface extending into the elongate portion from the first sleeve end. The inner surface defines the sleeve cavity. The first ratchet ring is disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the pin. The first ratchet ring comprises a first bore. The second ratchet ring is disposed within the sleeve cavity and configured to engage the sleeve. The second ratchet ring comprises a second bore. The first ratchet ring is configured to engage the second ratchet ring. The method comprises inserting the pin through the first ratchet ring and the second ratchet ring. The method comprises rotating the pin and forcibly contacting the first ratchet ring with the pin such that the first ratchet ring rotates while engaged with the second ratchet ring to provide resistance to rotation of the pin. It will be understood that the inventions disclosed and described in this specification are not limited to the aspects summarized in this Summary. The reader will appreciate the foregoing details, as well as others, upon considering the following detailed description of various non-limiting and non-exhaustive aspects according to this specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features and advantages of the examples, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent, and the examples will be better understood, by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is cross-sectional side view of a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the multi-piece fastener of FIG. 1 installed in a structure; FIG. 3 is a exploded view of a portion of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure with a sleeve shown in partial cross-section; FIG. 4 is a detail view of area 4 of the multi-piece fastener in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional bottom view of a second ratchet ring and a sleeve of a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a side view of a first ratchet ring and a second ratchet ring of a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional bottom view of a first ratchet ring, a sleeve, and a pin of a of a portion of a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a detail view of area 8 of the multi-piece fastener of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure in a first configuration with a structure; FIG. 10 is a detail view of area 10 of the multi-piece fastener of FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a top view of the spring ring of the multi-piece fastener of FIG. 9; FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the multi-piece fastener of FIG. 9 in a second configuration with the structure; FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a non-limiting embodiment of a multi-piece fastener according to the present disclosure; and