Shearing fastener for sealing a fastener hold

• US 10,422,367 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Graham, Curtis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cigna, Jacob J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holly, Lee A
• Application Number:
  US15/375,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20180163762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/008 with sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/021 by means of a frangible part F16B31/025, F16B31/028 take precedence; break members in torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers B25B23/1415
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps

Abstract

A shearing fastener for sealing a fastener hole in a work piece includes a shank, a plug, and a fastener head. The fastener head is disposed along the upper end of the shank, while the lower end of the shank further includes a transition section that tapers inward and intersects with an upper surface of the plug at a neck. The plug has a threaded outer surface and an outer diameter greater than the shank. The plug engages the threaded bore of the fastener hole when inserted therein. The shank is configured to shear across the neck and separate the shank from the plug when the fastener head is torqued above a threshold torque. The plug is retained within the threaded bore of the fastener hole to seal the lower end of the fastener hole, forming a repaired work piece.

Claims

1. A shearing fastener for sealing a fastener hole, comprising:

a plug having an upper surface and a threaded outer surface;

a shank having an upper end, a lower end, and a diameter;

a transition section along the lower end of the shank that tapers inwardly and intersects the upper surface of the plug at a neck; and

a fastener head disposed along the upper end of the shank,

wherein the plug has an outer diameter that is greater than the diameter of the shank, and

wherein the upper surface of the plug further includes a recess, and the transition section intersects the plug below an upper extent of the plug.

2. The shearing fastener of claim 1, further including:

a radius extending around a periphery of the neck at the intersection between the transition section and the upper surface of the plug.

3. The shearing fastener of claim 2, wherein the radius further includes an acute angle between the transition section and the upper surface of the plug.

4. The shearing fastener of claim 1, wherein the plug is configured to engage female threads of a fastener hole, and the shank is configured to shear across the neck to separate the shank from the plug when the fastener head is torqued above a threshold torque.

5. The shearing fastener of claim 1, wherein:

the outer surface of the plug further includes an upper corner and a lower corner that are chamfered.

6. The shearing fastener of claim 1, wherein:

the neck has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the upper end of the shank.

7. A shearing fastener for sealing a fastener hole, comprising:

a plug having an upper surface and a threaded outer surface;

a shank having an upper end, a lower end, and a diameter;

a transition section along the lower end of the shank that tapers inwardly and intersects the upper surface of the plug at a neck; and

a fastener head disposed along the upper end of the shank,

wherein the plug has an outer diameter that is greater than the diameter of the shank,

wherein the upper surface of the plug further includes a recess, and the transition section intersects the plug below an upper extent of the plug,

wherein the plug is configured to engage female threads of a fastener hole, and the shank is configured to shear and form a fracture surface across the neck to separate the shank from the plug when the fastener head is torqued above a threshold torque, and

wherein the fracture surface being below the upper extent of the plug.

8. The shearing fastener of claim 7, further comprising:

a radius extending around a periphery of the neck at the intersection between the transition section and the upper surface of the plug.

9. The shearing fastener of claim 8, wherein the radius further includes an acute angle between the transition section and the upper surface of the plug.

10. The shearing fastener of claim 7, wherein the outer surface of the plug further includes an upper corner and a lower corner that are chamfered.

11. The shearing fastener of claim 7, wherein the neck has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the upper end of the shank.

12. A shearing fastener for sealing a fastener hole, comprising:

a plug having an upper surface and a threaded outer surface;

a shank having an upper end, a lower end, and a diameter;

a transition section along the lower end of the shank that tapers inwardly and intersects the upper surface of the plug at a neck;

a fastener head disposed along the upper end of the shank; and

a radius extending around a periphery of the neck at the intersection between the transition section and the upper surface of the plug,

wherein the plug has an outer diameter that is greater than the diameter of the shank, and

wherein the upper surface of the plug including a recess extending around the periphery of the neck such that at least a portion of the neck is disposed below an upper extent of the plug, the recess including an angled surface extending downward from the upper extent of the plug to the radius.

13. The shearing fastener of claim 12, wherein the plug is configured to engage female threads of a fastener hole, and the shank is configured to shear across the neck to separate the shank from the plug when the fastener head is torqued above a threshold torque.

14. The shearing fastener of claim 12, wherein the radius further includes an acute angle between the transition section and the upper surface of the plug.

15. The shearing fastener of claim 12, wherein the outer surface of the plug further includes an upper corner and a lower corner that are chamfered.

16. The shearing fastener of claim 12, wherein the neck has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the upper end of the shank.