US 12,135,052 B2
Rivetless nut plate
Raymond Disantis, Willoughby Hills, OH (US)
Assigned to BPC LG 2, LLC, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by BPC LG 2, LLC, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/382,794.
Application 18/382,794 is a continuation of application No. 17/379,488, filed on Jul. 19, 2021, granted, now 11,795,987.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/053,796, filed on Jul. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0052872 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. F16B 31/04 (2006.01); F16B 37/04 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 37/044 (2013.01) [F16B 37/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rivetless nut plate for attachment to a panel (P) via a panel bore (PB), comprising:
a nut (100), a washer (500), and a cage (600) that retains the nut (100) and washer (500);
the nut (100) having a nut distal end (102), a nut proximal end (104), and a nut length (106) measured from the nut distal end (102) to the nut proximal end (104), wherein the nut (100) includes:
(A) a main nut section (200) adjacent the nut proximal end (104) and having a MNS distal end (202), a MNS proximal end (204), a MNS length (206) measured from the MNS distal end (202) to the MNS proximal end (204), and a MNS wall thickness (208), wherein the main nut section (200) includes:
(i) a tool engagement portion (210);
(ii) a MNS flange (220);
(iii) a MNS bore (230) extending from the MNS distal end (202) toward the MNS proximal end (204) and having a MNS bore distal end (232), a MNS bore proximal end (234), a MNS bore length (236) measure from the MNS bore distal end (232) to the MNS bore proximal end (234), a MNS bore width (237), and a plurality of MNS bore threads (238);
(iv) a MNS rotation prevention interface;
(B) a nut axial protrusion section (300) adjacent the nut distal end (102) and having a NAPS distal end (302), a NAPS proximal end (304), a NAPS length (306) measure from the NAPS distal end (302) to the NAPS proximal end (304), and a NAPS section wall thickness (308), wherein the nut axial protrusion section (300) includes:
(i) a NAPS threaded portion (320) having a plurality of external NAPS threads (332), a NAPS threaded portion distal end (322), a NAPS threaded portion proximal end (324), a NAPS threaded portion length (326) measured from the NAPS threaded portion distal end (322) to the NAPS threaded portion proximal end (324), and a NAPS threaded portion width;
(ii) a NAPS bore (340) extending through the nut axial protrusion section (300) and having a NAPS bore distal end (342), a NAPS bore proximal end (344), a NAPS bore length (346) measured from the NAPS bore distal end (342) to the NAPS bore proximal end (344), and a NAPS bore diameter (347);
(C) a nut flangible section (400) located between the main nut section (200) and the nut axial protrusion section (300), and having a NFS distal end (402), a NFS proximal end (404), a NFS length (406) measured from the NFS distal end (402) to the NFS proximal end (404), and a NFS wall thickness (408);
the washer (500) having a washer distal end (502), a washer proximal end (504), and a washer length (506) measure from the washer distal end (502) to the washer proximal end (504);
the cage (600) having a cage distal end (602) and a cage proximal end (604), wherein the cage (600) includes:
(A) a cage locking projection (620) extending toward the cage distal end (602) and having a CLP distal end (622), a CLP proximal end (624), a CLP length (626) measured from the CLP distal end (622) to the CLP proximal end (624), and a CLP outer width (628), wherein the cage locking projection (620) includes a CLP bore (640) extending through the cage (600) and having a CLP distal end (642), a CLP proximal end (644), a CLP length (646) measured from the CLP distal end (642) to the CLP proximal end (644), a plurality of CLP threads (652), and a CLP bore width;
(B) at least one nut locking prong (660) having a NLP distal end (662) and a NLP proximal end (664), wherein a portion of the at least one locking prong (660) entraps a portion of the main nut section (200) to prevent separation from the cage (600);
(C) a cage rotation prevention interface;
wherein in a nonactivated state a portion of the plurality of external NAPS threads (332) engages a portion of the plurality of CLP threads (652), and a portion of the nut (100) is in contact with the washer (500), and upon further rotation of the nut (100), through a separation rotation angle, additional engagement of the plurality of external NAPS threads (332) and the plurality of CLP threads (652) occurs until the nut frangible section (400) releases to achieve an activated state with the main nut section (200) separated from the nut axial protraction section (300) and the main nut section (200) constrained by the cage (600) and biased toward the cage proximal end (604) by the washer (500) to engage the MNS rotation prevention interface and the cage rotation prevention interface and thereby limit rotation of the main nut section (200) relative to the cage (600) to a constrained angular rotation range, wherein in the activated state the main nut section (200) is movable throughout a constrained degree of freedom including a constrained X-direction translation distance of at least 2% of the NAPS bore diameter (347), and a constrained Z-direction translation distance of at least 2% of the NAPS bore diameter (347).