US 12,228,161 B2
Self-aligning mechanical fastener
Ankit Srivastava, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Ample, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by Ample, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/056,048.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/364,074, filed on May 3, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358266 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. F16B 35/04 (2006.01); B23P 19/04 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 35/04 (2013.01) [B23P 19/04 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-aligning mechanical fastener comprising:
an active apparatus comprising:
an active housing defining a channel that extends along a first axis;
a shaft disposed in the channel and extending along the first axis, the shaft having external threads defined on a threaded region;
a motor configured to rotate the shaft about the first axis;
a plunger having a channel defined from a proximal end to a distal end of the plunger, the channel defined by an internal wall having internal threads that engage the external threads on the threaded region of the shaft, the distal end having a tapered shape;
a cap attached to the active housing and disposed at a distal end of the shaft, the cap having a proximal surface and a distal surface, the proximal surface and the active housing defining a gap; and
a locking body disposed on the proximal surface of the cap; and
a passive apparatus comprising:
an alignment housing having a hole that extends, parallel to the first axis, from a proximal end of the alignment housing towards a distal end of the alignment housing, the hole configured to receive the active housing, the proximal end of the alignment housing forming a tapered alignment guide defined by internal walls of the alignment housing such that the hole has a width that decreases from a proximal end of the alignment guide to a distal end of the alignment guide, the width measured with respect to a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and
a pressure frame disposed in a slot defined in the alignment housing, the hole extending through a hollow central region of the pressure frame, wherein:
the self-aligning mechanical fastener has a locked state and an unlocked state,
to transition the self-aligning mechanical fastener from the unlocked state to the locked state:
the active housing is inserted into the hole and the locking body is aligned with the pressure frame,
the motor causes the shaft to rotate in a first direction to advance the plunger towards the cap, and
the distal end of the plunger applies a force on the locking body that causes the locking body to mechanically engage the pressure frame to thereby mechanically secure the active apparatus to the passive apparatus,
to transition the self-aligning mechanical fastener from the locked state to the unlocked state:
the motor causes the shaft to rotate in a second direction to retract the plunger away from the cap to release the force on the locking body to thereby unlock the active apparatus from the passive apparatus.