Inset panel fastener

• US 4,902,180 A
• Filed: 12/27/1988
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard F. Gauron
• Original Assignee: Richard F. Gauron
• Inventors: Gauron, Richard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US07/290,519
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 411/82, 411/69, 411/180, 411/178, 411/258, 411/257, 52/698, 52/704
• US Class Current: 411/82.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/42 between pre-assembled parts B29C65/605 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72525 comprising honeycomb cores
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/141 Fixing plugs in holes by the use of settable material
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/122 Threaded inserts, e.g. "rampa bolts"
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/01 by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels

Abstract

A fastener element is ejection molded from an engineering resin of a type that will bond to potting resin used for securing the fastener element within a cavity formed within a panel of composite material. The fastener element includes flow control disks spaced apart along a stem portion between end portions. Flats are formed on opposite sides of the flow control disks, below fill and vent openings. Resin introduced into the fill hole travels down to the bottom of the cavity and around the fastener element and fills the cavity from the bottom up, so that the presence of resin at the vent opening will indicate that the cavity has been filled with resin and does not include an airspace or void.

Claims

1. For molded-in installation by use of a potting resin, into a cavity formed in a sandwich panel of composite material, inwardly of a skin opening that is smaller in diameter than the cavity, a fastener element including a portion to which a screw fastener or the like is secured for in that manner connecting an object to the panel, said fastener element further comprising:

an outer end disk sized to be snugly received within the skin opening;

a circular stem extending inwardly from the outer end disk, said stem being substantially smaller in diameter than the outer end disk;

a plurality of axially spaced apart flow control disks on the stem, defining flow passageways around the stem axially between adjoining flow control disks and axially between the outer end disk and an adjacent flow control disk, each flow control disk having an axial dimension which is substantially smaller than the stem diameter in said flow passageways;

each said flow control disk having flat chord surfaces on diametrically opposite sides of the fastener element, and, circumferentially between the chord surfaces, being circular and of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the outer end disk;

wherein when the fastener element is positioned within the cavity with the outer end disk within the skin opening, first and second cavity spaces exist on opposite sides of the fastener element, laterally outwardly from the chard regions of the fastener element;

said outer end disk having a fill opening which is in substantial alignment with said cavity space on a first side of the fastener element;

said outer end disk having a vent opening diametrically across the fastener element from the fill opening, and in substantial alignment with the cavity space on the second side of the fastener element; and

said fastener element being constructed from a resin material to which the potting resin will make a cohesive bond;

whereby when potting resin is injected through the fill opening it will first flow into the first cavity space, and then around the fastener element, including through the flow passageways and around the stem, to the second cavity space, and then axially through said second cavity space to the vent opening.

2. A fastener element according to claim 1, constructed from a poly (amide-imide) resin.

3. A fastener element according to claim 1, wherein the flow control disks include inward side surfaces which slope axially outwardly as they extend radially outwardly, so that the passageways between the flow control disks are larger in cross-section than the passageway defined between the end disk and the adjoining flow control disk.

4. For molded-in installation, by use of a potting resin, into a cavity formed in a sandwich panel of composite material, inwardly of a skin which includes an opening that is smaller in diameter than the cavity, a fastener element insertable into the cavity through said opening and including a portion to which a screw fastener or the like is secured for in that manner connecting an object to the panel, said fastener element further comprising:

an outer end disk sized to be snugly received within the skin opening;

a steam extending inwardly from the outer end disk, said stem being substantially smaller in diameter than the outer end disk;

flow control surface portions of said stem having boundaries on diametrically opposite sides of the fastener element so positioned that when the fastener element is within the cavity there are distinct cavity spaces defined laterally outwardly from said boundaries;

said outer end disk having a fill opening which is in substantial alignment with a first said cavity space on a first side of the fastener element;

said outer end disk having a vent opening diametrically across the fastener element from the fill opening, and in substantial alignment with the second cavity space on the second side of the fastener element;

said flow control surface portions functioning to cause potting resin which is injected through the fill opening to first flow into the first cavity space, and then from such space substantially uniformly around the fastener element to the second cavity space, and then axially through the second cavity space to the vent opening; and

said fastener element being constructed from a resin material to which the potting resin will make a cohesive bond.

5. A fastener element according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of flow control disks on the stem, defining flow passageways around the steam axially between adjoining flow control disks and axially between the outer end disk and an adjacent flow control disk, each said flow control disk having boundary surfaces defining the boundaries on the diametrically opposite sides of the fastener element.

6. A fastener element according to claim 5, molded from a poly (amide-imide) resin.

7. A fastener element according to claim 4, comprising a helical flow control rib on the stem, defining flow passageways around the stem between turns of the flow control rib, said flow control rib having boundary surfaces on diametrically opposite sides of the fastener element defining said opposite side boundaries of the fastener element.

8. A fastener element according to claim 7, wherein each turn of said rib has an axial dimension substantially smaller than the stem diameter, said boundary surfaces include flat chord surfaces, and said flow control rib has regions circumferentially between said chord surfaces having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the outer end disk.

9. A fastener element according to claim 8, molded from a poly (amide-imide) resin.