Multi-position ball lock/quick release pin bushing/retainer

• US 7,736,109 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Schmier, Mark A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US11/644,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080152457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 411/344, 411/348, 292/252, 244/137.4, 244/137.1
• US Class Current: 411/348
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/02 Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/122 Threaded inserts, e.g. "rampa bolts"
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49853 of sphere, i.e., ball, in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49934 by axially applying force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49945 by driven force fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4995 Nonthreaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/14 Ball

Abstract

An exemplary retaining assembly for a ball lock pin includes a bushing assembly configured to attachably engage an object. The bushing assembly has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines an engagement portion configured to receive locking balls urged therein in engagement. The outer surface is configured to be received within the object. The bushing assembly can include any suitable bushing member as desired, such as a press fit bushing, a serrated press fit bushing, a diamond knurl bushing, a key insert bushing, a template bushing, and the like. The bushing assembly can be a lock bushing configured to receive therein a lock ring. The lock ring can be inserted into the lock bushing and around a tapered portion of a shaft of a ball lock pin to help prevent the ball lock pin from being removed from the bushing assembly.

Claims

1. A retaining assembly for a ball lock pin, the retaining assembly comprising:

a bushing assembly to attachably engage an object, the bushing assembly having;

opposing ends of the bushing assembly, each of the opposing ends being open and sized for the ball lock pin to pass through; and

an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an engagement portion that includes a concave groove shaped to partially receive locking balls urged therein in engagement, and the outer surface being shaped to be received within an opening in the object and supporting a plurality of serrations that extend longitudinally between the opposing ends of the bushing assembly; and

a lock ring that is receivable in a first radial groove of the bushing assembly to prevent the locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly.

2. The retaining assembly of claim 1, wherein the concave groove is a second radial groove.

3. The retaining assembly of claim 1, wherein the bushing assembly includes a press fit bushing, the outer surface being further configured to be press fit into the opening in the object.

4. A retaining assembly for a ball lock pin, the retaining assembly comprising:

a bushing assembly to attachably engage an object, the bushing assembly having;

a body having a first length, the first length adapted to be shorter than a second length of a shaft of the ball lock pin;

opposing ends of the bushing assembly, each of the opposing ends being open and sized for the shaft of the ball lock pin to pass through, the shaft of the ball lock pin being configured to extend through the body of the bushing assembly and beyond the body of the bushing assembly at one or more of the opposing ends;

an inner surface, the inner surface defining an engagement portion that includes a first radial groove to receive locking balls urged therein in engagement, and further defining a second radial groove therein; and

an outer surface, the outer surface being shaped to be received within an opening in the object and supporting a plurality of serrations that extend longitudinally between the opposing ends of the bushing assembly; and

a lock ring that is receivable in the second radial groove to prevent the locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly.

5. The retaining assembly of claim 4, wherein the bushing assembly includes a press fit bushing, the outer surface being further configured to be press fit into an object.

6. An assembly for attaching objects, the assembly comprising:

a ball lock pin having a plurality of locking balls; and

a bushing assembly configured to attachably engage an object and to receive the ball lock pin, the bushing assembly having;

opposing ends, each of the opposing ends of the bushing assembly being open and sized for the ball lock pin to pass through;

an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an engagement portion configured to receive the plurality of locking balls urged therein in engagement and defining a radial lock groove, and the outer surface being shaped to be received within an opening in the object and supporting a plurality of serrations that extend longitudinally between the opposing ends of the bushing assembly; and

a lock ring that is receivable in the radial lock groove to prevent the plurality of locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the bushing assembly includes a press fit bushing, the outer surface being further configured to be press fit into the opening in the object.

8. A method comprising:

inserting a ball lock pin into a bushing assembly, the ball lock pin having a plurality of locking balls, the bushing assembly configured to attachably engage a first object and to receive the ball lock pin, the bushing assembly including;

opposing ends, each of the opposing ends of the bushing assembly being open and sized for the ball lock pin to pass through;

an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an engagement portion configured to receive the plurality of locking balls urged therein in engagement and defining a radial lock groove, and the outer surface being shaped to be received within an opening in the first object and supporting a plurality of serrations that extend longitudinally between the opposing ends of the bushing assembly; and

a lock ring that is receivable in the radial lock groove to prevent the plurality of locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly;

inserting the ball lock pin through the bushing assembly;

inserting the ball lock pin into a hole in a second object, sides of the hole defining a second engagement portion to receive the plurality of locking balls; and

withdrawing the ball lock pin until the plurality of locking balls engage with the first engagement portion, the ball lock pin being secured to the first object when the ball lock pin engages only the inner surface of the bushing assembly.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein engaging the plurality of locking balls with the second engagement portion secures the first object to the second object.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising securing the outer surface to the first object.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising, after inserting the ball lock pin through the bushing assembly, inserting the lock ring into the radial lock groove to prevent the plurality of locking balls from being removed from the bushing assembly.