Threaded adjustable-height inserts and related methods

• US 10,228,003 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Nipper, Karina R., Osborn, Hayden S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette E
• Application Number:
  US15/966,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20180245613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/40 Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 Aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/01 by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/02 by means of fastening members using screw-thread F16B5/0004 takes precedence; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00

Abstract

A threaded adjustable-height insert may be installed in a bore of a sandwich panel, such that the insert may be configured to transfer a load to the sandwich panel. The threaded adjustable-height insert may include a first insert part and a second insert part that may be selectively operatively positioned with respect to each other. The overall height of the threaded adjustable-height insert may be adjusted by longitudinally sliding the second insert part with respect to the first insert part and rotating the second insert part with respect to the first insert part. Presently disclosed threaded adjustable-height inserts may be configured for flush installation in a sandwich panel. Methods of installing such threaded adjustable-height inserts and adjusting the height of the same are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of installing a threaded adjustable-height insert into a bore formed in a sandwich panel, the method comprising:

installing a threaded adjustable-height insert into the bore, wherein the threaded adjustable-height insert comprises;

a first insert part comprising;

a first flange having a first upper surface and a first lower surface;

a first neck extending from the first upper surface of the first flange to a first neck end region; and

a first hole extending at least through the first neck and defined at least partially by a first inner surface of the first neck, wherein the first neck comprises a first outer surface opposite the first inner surface; and

a second insert part comprising;

a second flange having a second upper surface and a second lower surface;

a second neck extending from the second lower surface of the second flange to a second neck end region; and

a second hole extending through the second neck and the second flange, wherein the second hole is partially defined by a second inner surface of the second neck, and wherein the second neck comprises a second outer surface opposite the second inner surface;

wherein the second insert part is configured to be selectively operatively positioned with respect to the first insert part such that the second neck has a threaded engagement with at least a portion of the first neck, wherein the threaded adjustable-height insert is configured to have a selectively adjustable overall height such that moving the second insert part with respect to the first insert part such that the second flange is moved towards the first flange reduces the overall height of the threaded adjustable-height insert, wherein the overall height of the threaded adjustable-height insert is defined as a perpendicular distance between the second upper surface of the second flange and the first lower surface of the first flange, wherein the first hole and the second hole are at least substantially concentric when the second insert part is operatively positioned with respect to the first insert part, and wherein the first insert part and the second insert part are configured to both longitudinally slidably translate relative to each other and rotate relative to each other when the second insert part is operatively positioned with respect to the first insert part; and

adjusting a height of the threaded adjustable-height insert until the second upper surface of the second flange is at least substantially flush with an outer surface of the sandwich panel, wherein the adjusting the height comprises;

longitudinally sliding one of the second insert part and the first insert part with respect to the other of the second insert part and the first insert part; and

rotating one of the first insert part and the second insert part with respect to the other of the first insert part and the second insert part.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a plurality of bores in the sandwich panel, the sandwich panel having a first skin having a first inner surface and an opposite first outer surface, a second skin opposite the first skin, the second skin having a second inner surface and an opposite second outer surface, the first outer surface of the first skin and the second outer surface of the second skin facing away from one another, and a core sandwiched between the first inner surface of the first skin and the second inner surface of the second skin, wherein the forming the plurality of bores comprises forming the plurality of bores such that each bore extends through at least one of the first skin and the second skin and into the core, and wherein the installing the threaded adjustable-height insert comprises installing a plurality of threaded adjustable-height inserts, each respective threaded adjustable-height insert of the plurality of threaded adjustable-height inserts being installed into a respective bore of the plurality of bores.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the installing the threaded adjustable-height insert into the bore comprises positioning the first flange adjacent a second skin of the sandwich panel, such that the first neck extends into the bore towards a first skin of the sandwich panel, and positioning the second insert part such that the second neck is positioned between the first flange of the first insert part and the second flange of the second insert part.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the installing the threaded adjustable-height insert is performed before the adjusting the height of the threaded adjustable-height insert.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising operatively positioning the second insert part with respect to the first insert part such that the second inner surface of the second neck is at least partially positioned on the first outer surface of the first neck and such that the first hole and the second hole are substantially concentric, wherein the operatively positioning is performed before the installing the threaded adjustable-height insert in the bore of the sandwich panel.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the installing the threaded adjustable-height insert into the bore comprises first inserting the first insert part into the bore and then inserting the second insert part into the bore such that the second inner surface of the second neck is at least partially positioned on the first outer surface of the first neck and such that the first hole and the second hole are substantially concentric.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the height of the threaded adjustable-height insert comprises sliding a thread engagement clip of the first insert part along a longitudinally-extending slot formed within a second threaded portion of the second inner surface of the second neck of the second insert part.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the adjusting the height of the threaded adjustable-height insert comprises rotating the second insert part with respect to the first insert part such that the thread engagement clip of the first insert part engages the second threaded portion within the second neck of the second insert part.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the thread engagement clip extends radially outwardly from the first outer surface of the first neck of the first insert part.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first neck of the first insert part comprises a longitudinally-extending channel extending from the first neck end region towards the first flange, wherein the longitudinally-extending channel is formed radially outward from the first inner surface of the first neck towards the first outer surface of the first neck, wherein the longitudinally-extending channel is configured to engage a tool that is configured to substantially prevent rotation of the first insert part as the second insert part is rotated with respect to the first insert part.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinally-extending channel comprises a plurality of longitudinally-extending channels, wherein the thread engagement clip comprises a plurality of thread engagement clips, and wherein each respective longitudinally-extending channel of the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels is positioned to be staggered with respect to each respective thread engagement clip of the plurality of thread engagement clips.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

engaging the tool with the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels;

rotating the second insert part with respect to the first insert part while the tool is engaged with the longitudinally-extending channels of the first insert part; and

preventing rotation of the first insert part with respect to the bore, via the tool, during the rotating the second insert part with respect to the first insert part.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the engaging the tool with the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels comprises inserting the tool through the second hole of the second insert part and the first hole of the first insert part to access the plurality of longitudinally-extending channels when the second insert part is operatively positioned with respect to the first insert part.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the height of the threaded adjustable-height insert comprises radially expanding one or more radially-expandable tabs of the second insert part such that one or more thread engagement clips of the second insert part are longitudinally passed over one or more threads of a first threaded portion on the first outer surface of the first neck of the first insert part.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adjusting the height of the threaded adjustable-height insert comprises rotating the second insert part with respect to the first insert part such that the one or more thread engagement clips of the second insert part engage the first threaded portion on the first outer surface of the first neck of the first insert part.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bore comprises a blind bore that extends only partially into a thickness of a core of the sandwich panel, wherein the method further comprises forming the blind bore in the sandwich panel, and wherein the installing the threaded adjustable-height insert into the blind bore comprises positioning the first flange adjacent a base of the blind bore, such that the first neck extends into the blind bore from within the blind bore.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising preventing rotation of the first insert part with respect to the blind bore while the second insert part is operatively positioned with respect to the first insert part and rotated with respect to the first insert part, wherein the preventing rotation of the first insert part with respect to the blind bore comprises engaging the first insert part with a tool through the first hole of the first insert part and the second hole of the second insert part.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinally sliding the second insert part with respect to the first insert part coarsely adjusts the overall height of the threaded adjustable-height insert, and wherein the rotating the first insert part with respect to the second insert part finely adjusts the overall height of the threaded adjustable-height insert.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inserting at least one secondary object within the first hole and the second hole of the threaded adjustable-height insert, the at least one secondary object being configured to transfer a localized load to the sandwich panel via the threaded adjustable-height insert.