Plug locking assembly

• US 5,340,255 A
• Filed: 04/26/1993
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avibank Manufacturing Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avibank Manufacturing Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Duran, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US08/053,184
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 411/371, 411/372, 411/373, 411/377, 411/348, 411/429, 411/431, 411/910
• US Class Current: 411/373
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/165 with balls or rollers for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1409
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/91 Antitamper means

Abstract

A plug locking assembly for installation in an aircraft panel or the like. The plug assembly is coupled to a receptacle mounted in a recess in the panel. A spring biased detent locking mechanism is reciprocally mounted in the plug assembly movable from a first position wherein the detents of the detent locking mechanism are trapped in the plug assembly to a second position wherein the detents lock the plug assembly within a chamber in the receptacle. The upper surface of the plug assembly is flush with the upper surface of the panel and can be unlocked automatically therefrom.

Claims

1. An assembly for closing off a cavity in a panel having an inner configuration with an opening leading therein and an opening at bottom through said panel comprising:

a plug assembly having a main body portion having an outer configuration generally related to the configuration of at least the opening leading into said cavity;

a receptacle having a top, a bottom, and an inner hollow chamber therein with an opening at top leading into said chamber, said receptacle also having an opening at bottom aligned with both the opening at top of said receptacle and an opening at the bottom of said cavity through said panel;

a fastener extending through the opening at bottom of said receptacle and the opening at bottom of said cavity through said panel thereby holding said receptacle to said panel;

first locking means mounted in said plug assembly releasably locking to said receptacle; and

including second locking means fixedly locking said plug assembly to said receptacle.

2. In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said second locking means is a flexible tether.

3. In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said first locking means is a spring biased detent assembly having a plurality of detents therein movable from a first position disposed internally of said first locking means to a second position extending out of aid first locking means whereby, when said first locking means extends through the opening at top of said receptacle into the inner chamber thereof, said detents move to said second position extending out of said first locking means into the interior of said chamber locking said first locking means to said receptacle.

4. In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body portion has an upper surface flush with the area of the panel surrounding said cavity.

5. In the assembly of claim 4 wherein said main body portion has a peripheral flange surrounding the upper surface thereof with a resilient 0-ring associated therewith sealing off the upper surface of said main body portion from the opening leading into said cavity.

6. In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said first locking means is reciprocal within a passageway extending through said main body portion and having a plunger at the upper end therein, said plunger being normally flush with the area of said main body portion surrounding said passageway when said plug assembly is mounted in said cavity.

7. In the assembly of claim 7 wherein said first locking means includes a plunger body having a first upper portion of a diameter conforming to the diameter of said passageway and a second lower portion of a diameter greater than said first upper portion disposed in a chamber in said main body portion below said passageway of a greater diameter than that of said passageway.

8. In the assembly of claim 7 wherein said first locking means includes a third portion integral with said second lower portion, said locking means including a plurality of detents mounted in a cavity formed in said third portion.

9. In the assembly of claim 8 wherein said first locking means includes a detent biasing portion integral with said plunger disposed in said cavity in said third portion.

10. In the assembly of claim 9 wherein said third portion includes a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, and said detent biasing portion abuts against said detents forcing the same into said last-mentioned openings.

11. In the assembly of claim 10 wherein said last-mentioned openings are peened about the outer surfaces therein forming a restricted opening of a diameter less than the greater diameter of said detents.

12. In the assembly of claim 11 including a spring retainer sleeve encircling said plunger body and a spring encircling said sleeve.

13. In the assembly of claim 12 wherein said sleeve has a first upper flange extending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said plunger body and a second lower flange extending outwardly away from said plunger body.

14. In the assembly of claim 13 wherein said chamber in said main body portion has an upper wall and said spring abuts against both said lower flange and the upper wall of said chamber in said main body portion.

15. An assembly for closing off a cavity in a panel having an inner configuration with an opening leading therein and an opening at bottom through said panel comprising:

a plug assembly having a main body portion having an outer configuration generally related to the configuration of at least the opening leading into said cavity;

a receptacle having a top, a bottom, and an inner hollow chamber therein with an opening at top leading into said chamber, said receptacle also having an opening at bottom aligned with both the opening at top of said receptacle and an opening at the bottom of said cavity through said panel;

a fastener extending through the opening at bottom of said receptacle and the opening at bottom of said cavity through said panel thereby holding said receptacle to said panel; and

a releasable locking means mounted in said plug assembly releasably locked to said receptacle, said releasable locking means comprising a spring biased detent assembly having a plurality of detents therein movable from a first position disposed internally of said releasable locking means to a second position extending out of said releasable locking means whereby, when said releasable locking means extends through the opening at top of said receptacle into the inner chamber thereof, said detents move to said second position extending out of said releasable locking means into the interior of said chamber locking said locking means to said receptacle.

16. In the assembly of claim 15 wherein said main body portion has an upper surface flush with the area of the panel surrounding said cavity and further has a peripheral flange surrounding the upper surface thereof with a resilient O-ring associated therewith sealing off the upper surface of said main body portion from the opening leading into said cavity.

17. In the assembly of claim 15 wherein said releasable locking means is reciprocal within a passageway extending through said main body portion and having a plunger at the upper end therein, said plunger being normally flush with the area of said main body portion surrounding said passageway when said plug assembly is mounted in said cavity.

18. In the assembly of claim 17 wherein said locking means includes a plunger body having a first upper portion of a diameter conforming to the diameter of said passageway and a second lower portion of a diameter greater than said first upper portion disposed in a chamber in said main body portion below said passageway of a greater diameter than that of said passageway.

19. In the assembly of claim 18 wherein said locking means includes a third portion integral with said second lower portion, said locking means including a plurality of detents mounted in a cavity formed in said third portion.

20. In the assembly of claim 19 wherein said locking means includes a detent biasing portion integral with said plunger disposed in said cavity in said third portion.

21. In the assembly of claim 20 wherein said third portion includes a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, and said detent biasing portion abuts against said detents forcing the same into said last-mentioned openings.

22. In the assembly of claim 21 wherein said last-mentioned openings are peened about the outer surfaces therein forming a restricted opening of a diameter less than the greater diameter of said detents.

23. In the assembly of claim 22 including a spring retainer sleeve encircling said plunger body and a spring encircling said sleeve.

24. In the assembly of claim 23 wherein said sleeve has a first upper flange extending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said plunger body and a second lower flange extending outwardly away from said plunger body.

25. In the assembly of claim 24 wherein said chamber in said main body portion has an upper wall and said spring abuts against both said lower flange and the upper wall of said chamber in said main body portion.