Blind fastener for securing a workpiece

• US 8,920,063 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitee-Bite Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitee-Bite Products LLC
• Inventors: Easley, Gregory Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): KENNEDY, JOSHUA T
• Application Number:
  US13/664,081
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 403/322.2, 403/327, 403/328, 403/343, 403/408.1, 403/DIG.6, 411/348, 269/43, 269/45, 269/254.CS
• US Class Current: 403/328
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/165 with balls or rollers for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1409
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/604 Radially sliding catch

Abstract

A blind fastener for securing a workpiece to a machining fixture includes an externally threaded housing, a pusher member and translating elements. The pusher member translates relative to the housing from an extended position to a retracted position. As the pusher member retracts, it urges the translating elements from an inboard position to an outboard position. The fixture has a closed ended tool hole that is threaded to receive the blind fastener. The workpiece has a corresponding tool hole with a radial groove. The workpiece tool hole receives the upper end of the blind fastener and the radial groove receives the translating elements when they extend. When the blind fastener is threaded into the fixture tool hole, the pusher member retracts and causes the translating elements to extend. The translating elements engage the radial groove of the workpiece tool hole and clamp the workpiece to the fixture.

Claims

1. A blind fastener for securing a workpiece to a workpiece holding fixture, comprising:

a housing, a pusher member and translating elements,

the housing having an inside wall and an outside wall, the housing presenting external threads extending from a lower end thereof suitable for registering with a threaded hole of the workpiece holding fixture, the housing slidably receiving the pusher member for movement between an extended position and a retracted position, the housing having channels extending between the inside wall and the outside wall thereof, the translating elements nested in the channels, and being able to move between an inboard position and an outboard position, an upper end of the pusher member also being able to urge the translating elements from the inboard position toward the outboard position when the pusher member moves from the extended position toward the retracted position,

whereby when the blind fastener is able to be inserted through a workpiece tool hole which has a radially extending groove spaced from the lower surface of the workpiece, and when the blind fastener is threaded into the threaded hole of the workpiece holding fixture having a closed bottom and which is aligned with the workpiece tool hole, the pusher member contacts the closed bottom of the threaded hole and remains stationary as the housing continues to thread into threaded hole and translates down relative to pusher member which causes the upper end of the pusher member to contact the translating elements and thereby urge the translating elements toward the outboard position and into the radially extending groove of the workpiece tool hole, and, as the blind fastener is further threaded into the threaded hole, the translating elements contact the lower surface of the workpiece tool hole radially extending groove such that the workpiece is clamped to the workpiece holding fixture as additional torque is applied to the blind fastener.

2. The blind fastener of claim 1, wherein;

the pusher member is biased toward the extended position.

3. The blind fastener of claim 1, wherein;

the translating elements have rounded ends.

4. The blind fastener of claim 1, wherein;

the translating elements have rounded ends and the upper end of the pusher member is tapered.

5. The blind fastener of claim 1, wherein;

the translating elements are sphere shaped.

6. The blind fastener of claim 1, wherein;

the translating elements are sphere shaped and the upper end of the pusher member is tapered.

7. A blind fastener for securing a workpiece to a workpiece holding fixture, comprising:

(a) a fastener housing presenting external threads extending from a lower end thereof suitable for registering with the internal threads of a workpiece holding fixture tool hole, the fastener housing also having an axial bore and channels located which communicate between the axial bore and the outside surface of the fastener housing, the fastener housing also having a feature at its upper end for engaging a tool,

(b) a pusher member slidably received by the axial bore of the fastener housing, the pusher member movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position,

(c) translating elements received by the channels of the fastener housing, each translating element being able to move between an inboard position and an outboard position, the translating elements and the pusher member arranged such that when the pusher member translates relative to the fastener housing from the extended position to the retracted position, the pusher member urges the translating elements from the inboard position toward the outboard position,

whereby when the blind fastener is inserted into a workpiece tool hole which presents a radially extending groove in the wall thereof, the radially extending groove presenting at least a lower surface and threaded into a threaded closed bottom workpiece holding fixture tool hole which is aligned with the workpiece tool hole, the pusher member contacts the closed bottom of the workpiece holding fixture tool and remains stationary as the housing continues to thread into the workpiece holding fixture tool hole and translates down relative to pusher member which causes the pusher member to contact the translating elements and thereby urge the translating elements toward the outboard position, the translating elements being received by the radially extending groove of the workpiece tool hole, and, as the blind fastener is further threaded into the workpiece holding fixture tool hole, the translating elements contact the lower surface of the radially extending groove of the workpiece tool hole and apply a downward clamping force on the workpiece thus clamping the workpiece to the holding fixture as torque is applied to the blind fastener.

8. The blind fastener of claim 7, wherein;

the pusher member is biased toward the extended position.

9. The blind fastener of claim 7, wherein;

the translating elements have rounded ends.

10. The blind fastener of claim 7, wherein;

the translating elements have rounded ends and the upper end of the pusher member is tapered.

11. The blind fastener of claim 7, wherein;

the translating elements are sphere shaped.

12. The blind fastener of claim 7, wherein;

the translating elements are sphere shaped and the upper end of the pusher member is tapered.

13. A blind fastener for securing a workpiece to a workpiece holding fixture, comprising:

(a) a cylindrical fastener housing having an upper end and a lower end, an outside surface and an inside surface, the housing having external threads extending from the lower end thereof, the external threads being suitable for registering with corresponding internal threads presented by a threaded tool hole of a workpiece holding fixture,

(b) the fastener housing further defining an axial bore extending to the lower end thereof, the upper end of the housing presenting a tool receiving feature suitable for receiving a tool for rotating the fastener housing and for applying torque to the fastener housing,

(c) the fastener housing further presenting radial channels communicating between the axial bore of the fastener housing and the outside surface of the fastener housing,

(d) a pusher member slidably received by the axial bore of the fastener housing, the pusher member operable for axial movement between a first extended position and a second retracted position,

(e) translating elements nested in the channels of the fastener housing, each translating element being able to move between a first retracted position and a second extended position, the translating elements and the pusher member arranged such that when the pusher member translates from the extended position to the retracted position, the upper end of the pusher member contacts the translating elements and urges the translating elements from the retracted position to the extended position,

(f) the fastener housing, the channels, the translating elements, and the pusher member arranged such that the blind fastener is able to be inserted into the aligned tool holes of a workpiece and a workpiece holding fixture wherein the workpiece tool hole presents a wider portion having a lower limit and wherein the workpiece holding fixture tool hole presents a closed bottom and internal threads and wherein the blind fastener is able to be threaded into the workpiece holding fixture tool hole until the pusher member contacts the closed bottom of the workpiece holding fixture tool hole and remains stationary as the housing continues to thread into the workpiece holding fixture tool hole and translates down relative to the pusher member which causes the upper end of the pusher member to contact the translating elements and thereby urge the translating elements to the extended position, the wider portion of the workpiece tool hole located such that the wider portion is able to receive the translating elements as the translating elements move to the extended position, the workpiece tool hole wider portion also located, such that, as the blind fastener is further threaded into the fixture tool hole the translating elements contact the lower limit of the workpiece tool hole wider portion such that the workpiece is clamped to the workpiece holding fixture as additional torque is applied to the blind fastener.

14. The blind fastener of claim 13, wherein;

the pusher member is biased toward extended position.

15. The blind fastener of claim 13, wherein;

the pusher member has a collar at its lower end and the pusher member is biased in the extended position by a compression spring positioned between the collar and the fastener housing.

16. The blind fastener of claim 13, wherein;

the translating elements have rounded ends.

17. The blind fastener of claim 13, wherein;

the translating elements have rounded ends and the upper end of the pusher member is tapered.

18. The blind fastener of claim 13, wherein;

the translating elements are sphere shaped.

19. The blind fastener of claim 13, wherein;

the translating elements are sphere shaped and the upper end of the pusher member is tapered.