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:
Mar. 05, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 07, 2009
Brad L. Kirkwood, Kent, WA (US);
Lee C. Firth, Renton, WA (US);
Richard D. Widdle, Carnation, WA (US);
Wesley B. Crow, Bellevue, WA (US);
Brad L. Kirkwood, Kent, WA (US);
Lee C. Firth, Renton, WA (US);
Richard D. Widdle, Carnation, WA (US);
Wesley B. Crow, Bellevue, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
In one embodiment a method to join a first structure to a second structure, comprises aligning a first hole in the first structure with a second hole in the second structure and inserting a fastener into the first hole and the second hole. The fastener comprises a shape memory alloy which was formed into a first shape having a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of the first hole and the second hole when the shape memory alloy was in an austenite state and reduced to a second shape having a diameter less than the diameter of the first hole and the second hole when the shape memory alloy was in a martensite state. The method further comprises heating the fastener above an austenite start transition temperature, such that the fastener initiates free expansion from the second shape back to the first shape and establishes physical contact with the surface of the first hole and the second hole and continuing to heat the fastener such that first structure and the second structure proximate the holes and the fastener undergo plastic deformation.