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:
Apr. 03, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1998
Robert W. Postma, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Robert B. Pan, Torrance, CA (US);
The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A clip flexure slider washer bearing in a bolted interface assembly allows differential thermal expansion and contraction between a component mounting plate or flange fastened to a base plate by a bolt. The bearing functions as a thin lubricated spacer between the component plate and the base plate, allowing the bolted assembly to be tightened to a high preload while enabling relative sliding motion without inducing large strains and stresses in the plates or the bolt. The slider washer portions of the bearing are sandwiched between the two horizontal parallel portions of the metal clip flexure. A side portion of the clip flexure bent as a right angle to the horizontal portions and extending vertically from one edge constrains the relative sliding motion of the component and base plate to unidirectional alternating back and forth translation, thus preventing lateral motion. The full strength of the bolt remains available to support the component plate without inducing excessive friction shear forces, thus enabling differential sliding motion during thermal cycles where the component expands and contracts relative to the base plate.