Centrix Inc.

Other

Centrix Aerospace LLC

Centrix Aero, LLC

Mcclure, Travis

Travis D McClure

Zarko Baic

Edward Avetisian

Expandable collet bodies with sectional finger-based anti-rotation features are disclosed. The collet body comprises not only a plurality of gripping finger as a first part of a two-part anti-rotation means (ARM), but also a first part of a two part translation arresting means (TAM), which may or may not be sectional in nature and the TAM prevents over translation of a collet body within the work piece(s), and cooperates with a second part of the TAM associated with a work piece or an auxiliary structure. In this manner, a collet body inserted into a work piece or auxiliary structure will not accidentally be pushed beyond the blind side of the work piece(s) during insertion or initial clamp-up.

Expandable collet bodies with sectional finger-based anti-rotation feature, clips inserts and systems thereof

A fastener assembly is provided. The fastener assembly comprises, in one example, a sleeve in an enclosure, the sleeve including an interior threaded section and a sleeve opening with a periphery forming a closed shape. The fastener additionally includes a collet body at least partially enclosed within the sleeve, the collet body comprises at least one flexible leg including a foot mating with the sleeve opening, where the sleeve opening extends around the foot and a stud including a threaded section engaging the interior threaded section.

Fastener assembly and method for operation of said assembly

Fastener embodiments of the invention comprise a freely translatable collet body, which at least partially translates within an auxiliary structure, and further comprise a captive threaded screw for rotationally engaging with the collet body to transform rotational movement into translational movement through substantial arresting of collet body rotation by way of an anti-rotation means. The screw comprises a free-spin feature that functionally, but not physically, decouples a drive tool from the collet body.

One piece screws for, and methods for making and using, blind side fasteners and systems with free spin feature

A fastener system shifting shear stresses away from a collet body and provides clamping action to targeted structures. The fastener system includes feet in the collet body that mate with openings in a sleeve at least partially surrounding the collet body. The sleeve or the collet body includes interior threads that engage with a stud that is configured to extend through the collet body and bend the feet such that they project outward from the sleeve openings in an engaged configuration.

Fastener system

A fastener is provided herein. The fastener includes, in one example, a block fixedly coupled to an interior spindle and mated with a slot in a threaded retaining spindle as well as a drive nut is threadingly engaged with the threaded retaining spindle and an unthreaded collet is coupled to the threaded retaining spindle. The fastener further includes a body that circumferentially surrounds the block and the threaded retaining spindle and the block, body, and threaded retaining spindle of the fastener are configured to axially translate in relation to one another and are substantially prevented from rotation in relation to one another, during different stages of fastener operation.

Fastener and method for operation of said fastener

A fastener is provided. The fastener includes a housing with a housing opening and a collet body at least partially enclosed within the housing, the collet body includes a crown having a crown opening with a threaded section and a leg that extends from the crown and including a foot. The fastener further includes a screw with a head positioned in the housing opening, an upper threaded section, and a lower unthreaded section, where the housing opening and the crown include a set of splined protrusions and a set of splined recesses mated with one another, where the sets of splined protrusions and recesses include ramps and are designed to permit the collet body and the screw to transition into a free-spin configuration, and where a spring is designed to exert a return force on the collet body or the screw when the fastener is in the free-spin configuration.

Expandable collet bodies with sectional finger-based anti-rotation feature, clips, inserts and systems thereof

Expandable collet bodies with sectional finger-based anti-rotation features are disclosed. The collet body comprises not only a plurality of gripping finger as a first part of a two-part anti-rotation means (ARM), but also a first part of a two part translation arresting means (TAM), which may or may not be sectional in nature. The TAM prevents over translation of a collet body within the work piece(s), and cooperates with a second part of the TAM associated with a work piece or an auxiliary structure. In this manner, a collet body inserted into a work piece or auxiliary structure will not accidentally be pushed beyond the blind side of the work piece(s) during insertion or initial clamp-up.

A temporary fastener a plunger having a distal portion including a plurality of plunger fingers, where depressing the plunger causes axial translation of a collet body to place the temporary fastener in an activated state where a plurality of flexible fingers in the collet body radially converge and where releasing the plunger places the temporary fastener in a clamped state in which the plurality of flexible fingers in the collet body are outwardly displaced. The temporary fastener further includes a web element positioned at a proximal end of a rod and including a plurality of opening permitting the plurality of plunger fingers to axially translate there through during depression and release of the plunger. The temporary fastener further includes a spring positioned within a case and exerting a restorative force on the collet body and the plunger in response to depression of the plunger.

Biased blind side temporary fasteners, systems and methods

A single side temporary fastener (SSTF) capable of maintaining a clamping force in a material stack subject to material creep or adjunct extrusion during clamp up processes is disclosed. The SSTF comprise a rotationally constrained but freely translatable collet body that is disposed within an auxiliary structure such as a fastener housing. A fastener comprises the aforementioned collet body, which at least partially translates within the aforementioned auxiliary structure, and further comprises a threaded screw for rotationally engaging with the collet body, which by way of an antirotation means associated therewith and with the auxiliary structure, is rotationally constrained but is free to axially translate. Constant clamping pressures are made possible in such embodiments by the inclusion of at least one biasing element between compression force transmitting elements and/or assemblies of the fasteners.

Single side temporary fastener with constant pressure feature

A fastener is provided that includes a housing body including a bore extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end of the housing body, a housing body anti-rotation part, and a reduced diameter opening at a distal end of the housing body, a collet body partially translating within the housing body bore, having a collet body anti-rotation part positioned at least partially within the housing body, and a plurality of clamping fingers axially extending from a wall portion of the collet body, and a removable bushing positioned at least partially in the housing body bore. Rotation of the collet body is substantially prevented by an interaction between the housing body anti-rotation part and the collet body anti-rotation part during fastener clamping and unclamping and the removable bushing and the reduced diameter opening in the bore prevent escapement of the collet body anti-rotation part from the housing body.

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Travis D McClure