CAP AND FIXING STRUCTURE USING THE SAME

• US 20130223951A1
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Soichiro Umemoto, Wataru Nishimura
• Inventors: Bessho, Masahiro, Himeno, Takamitsu, Watanabe, Yasunori, Yamakoshi, Hideo, Nishimura, Wataru, Kamino, Yuichiro, Ishikawa, Naomoto, Kamihara, Nobuyuki, Takasu, Toru, Umemoto, Soichiro, Moriya, Fumitoshi, Aoshima, Yoshiro
• Application Number:
  US13/880,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20130223951A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 411/337
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/02 Lightning protectors; Static dischargers in general H01T
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps

Abstract

A cap (9) that is used in a fixing structure (1) for fixing a plurality of overlaid structural members (3) by means of a fastener (5) inserted into through-holes (3a) formed in the overlaid structural members and a collar (7) fastened onto a distal end (5a) of the fastener protruding from a surface of the structural members and that is disposed so as to surround the distal end of the fastener and the collar. The cap is attached, in a non-engaged state, to the distal end of the fastener and the collar, and a concave groove (9d) that accommodates a sealant (11) to be filled in a space formed between an inner peripheral surface (9e) and the surface of the structural members is formed in the inner peripheral surface.

Claims

1. A cap that is used in a fixing structure for fixing a plurality of overlaid structural members by means of a fastener inserted into through-holes formed in the overlaid structural members and a collar fastened onto a distal end of the fastener protruding from a surface of the structural members and that is disposed so as to surround the collar and the distal end of the fastener,

wherein the cap is attached, in a non-engaged state, to the collar and the distal end of the fastener, and

an engagement part that engages with a filling material to be filled in a space formed between an inner peripheral surface of the cap and the surface of the structural members is formed in the inner peripheral surface thereof.

2. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is formed of a concave part that accommodates the filling material.

3. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is formed of a convex part that protrudes into the filling material.

4. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is formed in an endless manner along an annular track whose center axis line is the same as a center axis line of the fastener.

5. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is formed of multiple separate engagement parts that are discretely formed along an annular track whose center axis line is the same as a center axis line of the fastener.

6. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is provided at multiple stages at different positions in the direction of a center axis line of the fastener.

7. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part is formed along a spiral shape whose center axis line is the same as a center axis line of the fastener.

8. A cap according to claim 7, wherein the spiral shape is provided at multiple locations.

9. A cap according to claim 7, wherein the spiral shape is formed so as not to reach a bottom of the cap.

10. A cap according to claim 2, wherein a bottom of the concave part or a distal end of the convex part has substantially an round shape.

11. A cap according to claim 2, wherein a bottom of the concave part or a distal end of the convex part has a chamfered shape.

12. A cap according to claim 1,

wherein the fastener has, at substantially a center of the distal end thereof, a positioning hole that is used to position the fastener when the collar is fastened onto the fastener;

and

a projecting part that projects toward the fastener and that is inserted into the positioning hole to perform positioning is formed on the inner peripheral surface at a position facing the distal end of the fastener.

13. A cap according to claim 3, wherein the inner peripheral surface is formed in a shape for supporting the collar via part of the convex part such that a center axis line of the fastener becomes a common center axis line.

14. A cap according to claim 1, wherein the engagement part has a turn restricting shape for restricting, by engaging with the filling material that has been solidified, turning of the cap about a center axis line of the fastener with respect to the fastener and the collar.

15. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the turn restricting shape engages with the filling material at a position eccentric with respect to a center axis line of the fastener.

16. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of a through-hole that is formed so as to penetrate the cap at least one position in an outer peripheral portion thereof.

17. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of at least one through-hole that is formed so as to penetrate the cap at a position in a bottom thereof, the position being located eccentrically with respect to a center axis line of the fastener.

18. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of a vertical groove that extends on the inner peripheral surface along the center axis line.

19. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of a dimple that is cut in the inner peripheral surface.

20. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed through post-processing with a cutting tool after molding of the cap.

21. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of a protrusion that extends from an outer peripheral portion at an open end of the cap along a surface direction of the structural members.

22. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of a notch that is formed at an open end of the cap.

23. A cap according to claim 14, wherein the engagement part having the turn restricting shape is formed of a polygonal frame that is formed on an outer surface of a bottom of the cap and a through-hole that is formed in the bottom so as to be located inside the frame.

24. A cap according to claim 1,

wherein a shape of an inner surface of a bottom of the cap is a cone in which a distance to the distal end of the fastener is increased from an outer peripheral portion of the bottom toward a center thereof;

and

a through-hole is formed in the bottom.

28. A cap according to claim 3, wherein a distal end of the convex part has substantially an round shape.

29. A cap according to claim 3, wherein a distal end of the convex part has a chamfered shape.

25. A fixing structure comprising:

a fastener that is inserted into through-holes formed in a plurality of overlaid structural members;

a collar that is fastened onto a distal end of the fastener protruding from a surface of the structural members; and

a cap that is disposed so as to surround the collar and the distal end of the fastener,

the structural members being fixed to each other by means of the fastener and the collar,

wherein the cap is attached, in a non-engaged state, to the collar and the distal end of the fastener; and

an engagement part that engages with a filling material to be filled in a space formed between an inner peripheral surface of the cap and the surface of the structural members is formed in the inner peripheral surface thereof.

26. A fixing structure according to claim 25, wherein the engagement part has a turn restricting shape for engaging the cap with the filling material filled between an outer peripheral surface of the cap and the surface of the structural members, at a position eccentric with respect to a center axis line of the fastener.

27. A fixing structure according to claim 25, wherein the filling material is provided between an outer peripheral surface of the cap and the surface of the structural members.