Self-locking pin

• US 7,147,420 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pivot Point Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pivot Point Incorporated
• Inventors: Swenson, Harry III, Baus, Romy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherin
• Assistant Examiner(s): REESE, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US11/034,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20050158147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 411/33, 411/338, 411/347
• US Class Current: 411/347
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/109 Temporary rivets, e.g. with a spring-loaded pin special clamping devices for workpieces to be riveted together, e.g. operating through the rivet holes B21J15/42; hand tools for temporarily connecting sheets before or during assembly operations B25B31/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/125 radially resilient or with a snap-action member, e.g. elastic tooth, pawl with spring, resilient coil or wire

Abstract

A self-locking pin having a shaft, a headed end, and detent means biased in a bore in the pin. The portion of the detent or plunger that extends outwardly from the bore is wedge-shaped, while the portion of the plunger disposed inside the bore is cylindrical. A transitional angle is formed at the point where the configuration of the plunger changes from cylindrical to wedge-shaped. The transitional angle defines shoulders on either side of the plunger. The shaft is staked at points along the perimeter of the bore so that the inwardly extending surface created by the staking abuts the shoulders and prevents the plunger from rotating or being removed from the bore. In an alternate embodiment, the plunger may be rotated to a locked depressed position.

Claims

1. A self-locking pin comprising:

an elongated shaft;

at least one cylindrical re-entrant bore intersecting said shaft;

at least one plunger slidably disposed in said bore said plunger having an extended and a retracted position, a recess being formed in said plunger, said plunger including a wedge-shaped portion extendable outwardly of said bore, said wedge-shaped portion including a laterally extending, substantially planar surface;

biasing means disposed in said re-entrant bore, and biasing said plunger outwardly of said bore to its extended position;

said shaft being staked on at least one side of the entrance of said re-entrant bore to provide a marginal surface extending angularly inwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of said shaft, and further being engagable with said planar surface of said plunger when said plunger is in its extended position to thereby restrain said plunger from rotation within said bore;

said bore being deep enough that when the plunger is in its retracted position, the top of the plunger is located below the surface of the marginal surface;

a means for rotating said plunger;

a means for rotating said plunger whereby said plunger may be retained within said bore by moving said plunger to its retracted position and rotating said plunger.

2. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recess is sized to receive a tool.

3. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaft has a first end and a second end.

4. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of said re-entrant bore extends radially inwardly and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shaft.

5. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 3 wherein said second end comprises an enlarged headed portion.

6. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a helically wound compression spring.

7. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a leaf spring.

8. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a compressible material.

9. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises an elastic material.

10. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 6 wherein said plunger includes a spring-retaining cavity in the bottom surface thereof.

11. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 7 wherein said plunger includes a spring-retaining cavity in the bottom surface thereof.

12. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plunger includes a material-retaining cavity in the bottom surface thereof.

13. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plunger includes a material-retaining cavity in the bottom surface thereof.

14. A self-locking pin to be inserted through an aperture in at least one object wherein said object terminates in a restraint surface to retain the pin in the aperture, said pin comprising:

an elongated shaft including a first end and a second end;

at least one cylindrical re-entrant bore intersecting said shaft, said bore extending radially inwardly towards the axis of said shaft;

at least one plunger slidably disposed in said bore, said plunger having an extended and a retracted position, said plunger having a cylindrical portion and a wedge-shaped portion, a leading edge of said wedge-shaped portion being positioned closest to the first end of said shaft, said leading edge of said wedge-shaped portion being proximate to said shaft surface and said wedge-shaped portion extending angularly upwardly of said shaft surface to define a ramped engaging surface adapted for engagement with the object aperture surface, said ramped engaging surface having a recess formed therein, said ramped engaging surface terminating in laterally extending, substantially planar surface engagable with said object restraint surface and facing the direction of the second end of said shaft;

biasing means disposed in said re-entrant bore biasing said plunger outwardly of said bore to its extended position;

said shaft being staked on at least one side of the entrance of said re-entrant bore to provide an inwardly extending marginal portion in an abutting relationship with said shoulder, said marginal portion further being engagable with said planar surface of said plunger when said plunger is in its extended position to thereby restrain said plunger from rotation within said bore;

said bore being deep enough that when the plunger is in its retracted position, the top of the plunger is located below the surface of the marginal surface;

whereby said plunger may be retained within said bore by moving said plunger to its retracted position and rotating said plunger.

15. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 14 wherein said recess is sized to receive a tool.

16. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 14 wherein said biasing means comprises a helically wound compression spring.

17. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 14 wherein said biasing means comprises a leaf spring.

18. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 14 wherein said biasing means comprises a compressible material.

19. A self-locking pin as claimed in claim 14 wherein said biasing means comprises an elastic material.