The Boeing Company

Peter Apolonio Coronado

Richard Philip Whitlock

Sean Dennis Morden

Randall A Rogers

Mark A Woods

Haftom Y Dessalegn

Julie M Drexler

Jeffry Glen Bickford

Daniel James Kovach

Justin H Morrill

John Richard Porter

James Patrick Irwin

Benjamin A Johnson

Thomas J Lowe

Matthew Anthony Dilligan

Michael H E Ware

Christopher Lance Newbolt

Omar J Pacheco Agosto

A method of protecting an air vehicle against lightning strikes includes inserting a fastener through a hole in conjoined structures, the fastener defining an axis along its length and having a threaded end and a sleeve, and installing a washer assembly over the threaded end and the sleeve, the washer assembly having a metallic washer and a polymer seal radially inward of the metallic washer. The seal includes a lower seal portion defining a counter-bore, and an upper seal portion extending axially from the lower seal portion. The method includes installing a counter-bored nut on the threaded end, and applying torque to the nut to compress the lower seal portion against a surface of the conjoined structures and around the sleeve at the counter-bore of the seal, and to compress the upper seal portion of the seal into a counter-bore of the nut and around the threaded end.

Washer assembly with seal for lightning-protection fasteners and method of use

A washer assembly including a metallic washer and a polymer seal. The metallic washer defines a cylindrical void and an axis therethrough. The polymer seal is attached to the metallic washer and is positioned radially inward thereof. The polymer seal includes a lower seal portion positioned at least partially within the cylindrical void and defining a counter-bore, and an upper seal portion extending axially from the lower seal portion. The lower seal portion is configured to engage, at the counter-bore, a fastener to form a seal to reduce escape of energized particles. The upper seal portion is configured to engage a counter-bore of a counter-bored nut to form a seal inside the counter-bored nut to reduce escape of energized particles.

Washer assembly with seal for lightning-protection fasteners and method of manufacture

A dual protection inner seal washer employs a radially outward metallic portion having a dielectric coating and a radially inward polymeric portion engaging the metallic portion at an interface with an interference fit. The polymeric portion has at least one tapering compression surface to engage a surface of a structure proximate a hole and further has a fastener element contact surface to engage a mating surface on a fastener system element. Torqueing of the fastener element compresses the at least one compression surface inducing a predetermined pressure in the polymeric portion in a joint created by the fastener element and structure.

Dual protection inner seal washer for electromagnetic effects (EME) fasteners

A two-piece, one-sided-installation fastener system may have an internally-threaded sleeve having a shank and a sleeve head. The fastener system may include an externally-threaded core bolt having a frangible driving provision and a core bolt head.

Method of installing a structural blind fastener

Blind inserts for use with sandwich panels and methods for manufacturing the same. A blind insert can include a nut arranged in an insert. The insert can include a cavity at an end of the nut. When a screw is screwed into the nut, the screw can enter the cavity and dig into the insert. The interference between the insert and the screw can provide friction that prevents the screw from loosening in a vibrating environment. The blind insert can be made by placing a mandrel into the nut. The mandrel includes a nose that extends past the end of the nut. When the insert is molded around the nut, the mandrel prevents mold material from entering a threaded aperture of the nut and forms the cavity in the insert. The blind insert can also be made by placing a cap that defines the cavity on the end of the nut. The insert can be molded around the cap and the nut.

Self-locking molded-in blind inserts

A fastener system for composite structure providing electromagnetic energy protection has a shank with a threaded portion on a first end of the shank terminating in a lead-in portion. A head is present on a second end of the shank. The shank is adapted for intimate conductive contact with an inner surface of an interference fit hole.

Modified shank fasteners for electromagnetic effect (EME) technology

Fasteners are inserted into a stack of members and terminated with parts having at least one of a dry dielectric coating and a dry dielectric seal at select locations to protect against electromagnetic effects (EME).

Fastener systems that provide EME protection

Fasteners are inserted into a stack of members and terminated with parts having at least one of a dry dielectric coating and an inner dry dielectric seal at select locations to protect against electromagnetic effects (EME).

Structural blind fastener and method of installation

A fastener system for composite structure providing electromagnetic energy (EME) protection incorporates a fastener having a head with an engagement surface and a shank having a threaded end. A nut is received on the threaded end of the fastener, with the nut also having an engagement surface. At least one of the head engagement surface and the nut engagement surface incorporates a reduced area portion for engagement of a first mating surface or second mating surface, respectively.

Nut, washer and fastener head for electromagnetic effect protection

A fastener system for composite structure provides electromagnetic energy protection by incorporating a self-aligning head (SAH) fastener having a head with a spherical engaging surface and a shank extending from the head for insertion through a hole in a composite structure and a self-aligning self sealing (SASS) washer having a throat receiving the shank and a spherical mating surface interfacing with the spherical engaging surface of the head.

Self-aligning sleeved protruding head fasteners with electromagnetic effect protection features

A method for directing electrical current to prevent sparking from the interaction between a composite structure and lightning or static electrical charge, the method including the steps of forming a hole in a composite structure; and positioning a bushing into the hole to create an interference fit between the bushing and the composite structure, wherein the bushing is formed of a material that has a coefficient of thermal expansion close to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite structure and the bushing provides an electrical path between a fastener disposed in the bushing and the composite structure.

Thin wall bushing for robust electrical bonding to fiber-reinforced structures

A fastening assembly for a composite structure including a washer sealing the assembly for internal lightning strike protection. The washer includes one or more concentric ribs that are dielectric rings on both sides. When used (e.g., with a nut and bolt) internal to a structure, especially a composite structure, the washer seals the fastener hole (i.e., that the bolt passes through) and contains any sparking and hot gasses that may arise in the fastener hole from entering the structure.

Fastening assembly including washer for sealing the assembly for lightning strike protection in composite structures

A washer, a fastening assembly including the washer and a composite structure including the washer sealing the assembly for internal lightning strike protection. The washer includes one or more concentric ribs that are dielectric rings on both sides. When used (e.g., with a nut and bolt) internal to a structure, especially a composite structure, the washer seals the fastener hole (i.e., that the bolt passes through) and contains any sparking and hot gasses that may arise in the fastener hole from entering the structure.

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Peter Apolonio Coronado