The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 28, 1994
Filed:
Sep. 21, 1992
Robert V Parenti, Roebling, NJ (US);
Peter K Homer, Newtown, PA (US);
Eric Talley, Allentown, NJ (US);
John E Close, East Windsor, NJ (US);
Joel DeStefano, Westampton, NJ (US);
Wensen Chen, Long Valley, NJ (US);
General Electric Co., East Windsor, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for fastening together spacecraft panels includes the use of fastener pairs, one of which has preformed therein an aperture which is larger in diameter than the body of a tolerance takeup piece which is to pass therethrough. A washer which takes up the clearance is adhesively fastened to one of the fastener halves, and allowed to cure while the panels are in their desired position. Thus, a high-tolerance mating pair can be finalized in position at a late state in fabrication, without undesirable drilling or reaming. In a first particular embodiment, a flat washer, having an inside diameter which closely fits the corresponding bolt, is adhesively fastened over the preformed oversize aperture of a fitting. In another embodiment, the washer has an inside diameter which loosely fits the body of the bolt, but also includes a flange or dependent portion which extends through the joint, and which closely fits the inside diameter of the corresponding aperture in the other half of the fastener arrangement. In a yet further embodiment, the washer includes a two-step flange which takes up both axial and lateral tolerances.