EP0739056B1 - Components with anti rotation securing system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a component with rotatable part elements, in particular in aircraft, the releasable screwed connection can be locked with a rotation lock. With her unintentional release of the bolted connection is ensured due to external influences.

It is known that a coupling is used as a connecting element for portable connection or extension lines in the execution of electromechanical installations. Electrical cable guides are connected by couplings with other electrical systems or routed to device or device groups. A coupling usually has a bolting mechanism which secures against unintentional release coupled line connections or coupled line connections with suitable latch members. Since one does not want a system failure for reasons of reliability of supply and mechanical and electrical safety in these couplings, because an interruption of the coupled or coupled components means a complete system failure, the securing mechanism of a circuit protection system is a threat to the reliability of the entire system due to unintentional self-solution of the components exclude external mechanical effects. Clutches for the specified purpose are also included in the electrotechnical protective measure, which includes ensuring the protection against lightning strikes on airplanes. When power line transitions between the coupling elements of such components lowest electrical contact resistance are required so as not to jeopardize the reliability of the lightning protection measure. Type-wise inserted couplings usually have no or insufficient safety mechanism against accidental release of the locked elements. The known securing mechanisms disadvantageously have only a rough step protection of the screw connection of the component. A fine anti-rotation of the screw in coordination with the specified tightening torques of the screw is not possible. This anti-rotation device leads to greater electrical contact resistance values at the transition points or to a mechanical overstressing of the screw connection, since the latter have unfavorable contact transitions due to a lack of fine adjustment of their anti-rotation device.

In aircraft, the known couplings with the criticized Drehsicherungsart not meet the requirements of lightning protection. The unfavorable adjustment of the tightening torque of the screw also leads to an estimated unintentional solvability of the safety mechanism of the electrical system in case of sudden external mechanical effects ect by vibration, vibration ect. inevitably occur in the takeoff or landing or travel mode of an aircraft. Such backups are just as cumbersome to handle.
The high standards of electrical or information technology supply reliability and safety in aircraft require solutions that preclude an unintended impairment of the electrical current flow in coupled components of the line protection system. They only partially meet the requirements of lightning protection.

The solution of US 4,291,933 presents a screw connection with a union nut, which is a threadlocker for electrical connectors. The locking mechanism is functionally designed with spring elements that are not visible in the area of two chambers of a union nut. They engage in a toothing, which lies below the union nut on a socket. The toothing consists of oblique tooth flanks, through the steepness of each of the required adjustment force is set. From an in each case determined by the edge steepness and the spring force an adjustment of the nut takes place both in the tightening and in the release direction. A guarantee against unintentional release of the safety mechanism can not be recognized. A visual inspection does not provide any information as to whether the plug connector is in the secured state. Due to the rough setting, the union nut with the socket can not be clamped tight, as a result, the local contact resistance component increases due to the unfavorable coupling mechanism.

From DE 40 41 629 a similar solution is known, in which a resilient locking element, which is connected via a U-shaped locking lever with a union nut, engages in the screening of a designated connector part socket. The area of the grid is covered with teeth which have tooth flanks. The tooth flanks are designed as leading edges and locking flanks. Relative to the direction of the unscrewing movement of the union nut, the leading edges have a low rise angle and the blocking edges on a steep slope angle, wherein the locking edges are arranged substantially perpendicular to the voltage applied to the grid tangent. The locking lever fixed on the locking lever has a right-angled and designated as taper wedge approach, which engages radially in the region of the grid.

In this threadlocker, the rotatable connecting parts can not be locked with a defined torque, so that no direct positive clamping of these round parts occurs. Due to the spring properties of a structurally integrated locking lever in the safety mechanism of the arrangement, only a small mechanical (spring) pressure moment can be produced and transmitted to the circumference of the knurling. It can only be used the lavishly realizable teeth for locking the round parts, because the tension of the wedge approach to the teeth due to the lower (spring) pressure torque on the teeth only a conditional (certain) security locking the nut - not without residual risk - granted , The above-described disadvantages of the US publication are predominantly equally true. Both solutions have the additional disadvantage that the introduction of a toothed screening requires a complex machining surface treatment.

According to the US 4,834,667 a screw connection between a support body and a union nut is disclosed, which are held rotatably to each other with a snap ring. At the inner diameter of the union nut is a toothing with coarse pitch, in which a first free end of a (form) spring, which is formed with the shape of the toothing, engages to lock the two bodies. The spring is loosely fixed with its second free end in a groove. With this (by means of the spring) locking teeth working no step or stepless fine adjustment of the rotation lock can be done. The arrangement is nowhere to refer to an indication, after the implementation of a stepless or stepless fine adjustment of the rotation is ensured. Alone by the formation of the free end of the spring, a step fine adjustment or stepless fine adjustment can not be realized because the engagement surface between the adjacent teeth of the toothing, in which the first free end of the spring engages, according to the shape is large.

EP 0 311 338 discloses a solution in which parts of an electrical plug form a mechanical plug lock fuse. The (combined) arrangement is formed of the main components: female and male connector, wherein by means of various functional sub-elements (ring-shaped corrugated strip with teeth, several on the inner diameter of a union coaxially distributed Ratcher pins, ring with internal teeth, rings) one on the female connector Coaxially mounted union nut is secured against rotation.

By means of the invention, the release of the union nut on a coupled connector (socket and male connector) to be prevented. For this purpose, a strip which is provided with a corrugated toothing, arranged on the circumference of the outer diameter of the pin connector. In this case, the union nut, which receives the mentioned Ratcher pins, secured by means of a ring (referred to as annular) ring and (this ring downstream) retaining ring at its right (free) end. This combination secures the union nut against twisting. After this solution can (just) no Stufenfeineinstellung or stepless fine adjustment of a secured against turning nut to realize. With the distributed on the inner circumference of the nut Ratcher pins, which are in (located between the teeth of the strip) engagement surfaces (circular) circumferentially fixed (roller principle), no fine adjustment of the nut is achieved or fine adjustment is excluded.

Accordingly, the invention has the object, a generic component with a rotation of their screwed parts in such a way that the setting of the predetermined torque of the mutually rotatable connecting parts is ensured by a fine adjustment of the rotation, wherein the screwed connection parts at the common point of contact a low electrical Achieve contact resistance. It is intended to improve the anti-rotation devices of known arrangements and to considerably increase the safety of the line protection system, especially in lightning protection systems. Likewise, it ensures that the screwed connection parts of the component are reliably protected against unintentional loosening during operation.

This object is achieved by the measures in claim 1. In the further claims expedient embodiments of these measures are given.

Fig. 1

die Komponente, bestehend aus einem abgestuften Stützkörper und einer Überwurfmutter, die durch eine Drehsicherung mit einer Blattfeder zueinander gesperrt sind, wobei auf dem abgestuften Bereich des Stützkörpers eine ihm drehbeweglich gelagerte Buchse zum Anschluß eines Abschirmgeflechtes ruht;

Fig.1a

die Komponente nach Fig.1 ohne drehbewegliche Buchse;

Fig.1b

einen Griff, der auf dem frei beweglichen Teil der Blattfeder nach Fig.1 sitzt;

Fig.2

die Komponente nach Fig.1 mit je einem am Stützkörper und an der Überwurf-mutter außen angeformten Flansch, die sich stirnseitig gegenüberstehen und zwischen denen eine Blattfeder liegt;

Fig.2a

die Komponente nach Fig.2 mit einer zwischen den Flanschen liegenden Schenkelfeder, die ein Kontermoment zur Drehsicherung erzeugt;

Fig.2b

die Komponente nach Fig.2 mit einer zwischen den Flanschen liegenden Zugfeder, die ein Kontermoment zur Drehsicherung erzeugt;

The invention is described in more detail in an embodiment with several embodiments with reference to the drawings. Show it

Fig. 1

the component consisting of a stepped support body and a union nut, which are locked to each other by a rotation lock with a leaf spring, wherein on the stepped portion of the support body a rotatably mounted sleeve rests for connecting a Abschirmgeflechtes;

1a

the component of Figure 1 without rotatable sleeve;

1b shows

a handle which sits on the freely movable part of the leaf spring according to Fig.1;

Fig.2

the component of Figure 1, each with a on the support body and on the union nut externally molded flange, which face the front side and between which a leaf spring is located;

2a

the component according to FIG. 2 with a leg spring located between the flanges, which generates a counter-torque for the rotation lock;

2b

the component according to Figure 2 with a lying between the flanges tension spring which generates a counter torque for rotation safety;

In Figure 1 , the component 8 is shown in its basic structure. It consists of a support body 2 and a screw-on part 16 designed as a union nut, which are both arranged rotationally symmetrically along a central axis 6 of the component 8 and support each other in a rotationally movable manner. The two bodies 2, 16 have the shape of an open hollow cylindrical body, which are coupled to one another captive with a holding element 4 designed as a snap ring. They are made of metal and electrically conductively connected via the snap ring 4. The wall of the support body 2 basically has a stepped shape, wherein the union nut 16 on the outer surface of the wall of the support body 2 with the larger outer diameter (non-stepped portion of the support body 2) superimposed. The snap ring 4 is located vertically in a recessed groove, which results from two mutually congruent grooves in the axially closed areas of the two body walls (the support body 2 and the union nut 16). The union nut 16 is further used for receiving a screwable electrical or mechanical subcomponent 7, for example, an end housing, branch or a connector. The subcomponent 7 can be screwed with an internal thread 23 which is located on the inner surface of the wall of the union nut 16. The internal thread 23 is located between the free end of the fixed union nut 16 and extends into the vicinity of the end face of the non-stepped portion of the support body 2. This partially limited part of the wall of the (generally designated) Aufschraubteiles 16 is defined as a dome area.
It is additionally mentioned that on the outer surface of the wall of the support body 2 with the smaller outer diameter (stepped portion of the support body 2) a rotatable sleeve 1 is mounted, whose function is not described in detail. It is also fixed in the manner described above by a snap ring 4 on the support body 2 in the aforementioned range.

The bush 1 consists of two zones, an axially closed zone 1.1 and an axially slotted zone 1.2, wherein the slit is formed by electrical contact springs. At the free end of the axially closed zone 1.1 is a projection element 5, which is composed of an attached flange with a horizontally attached to the flange edge protective edge 15. A receiving zone 3, which is spatially radially formed by both, is provided for receiving a conductive protective hose (not shown).

Fig. 1 additionally shows a scuff protection 10, which lines the inner shell of the wall of the support body 2 as a whole. It is designed as a plastic coating and protects (not shown) insulated electrical leads, which are axially guided by the support body 2 to (not shown) contact elements of the component part 7 and connected to the latter.

The wall of the union nut 16 has a recess 11, which is excluded her circle. It extends outside of said dome area on the lateral surface of the union nut 16. A certain part of the outer shell of the wall of the support body 2 is provided in the area (below) of the recess 11 with a non-slip surface, which is preferably formed as a knurling 12 with axially parallel grooves. In the vicinity of the demarcated area of the recess 11, a locking element 9 is fixedly attached to the union nut 16, which is transverse to the central axis 6 of the component 8 and is secured as a pawl with resilient tongue shape on the union nut 16. The pawl, for which the use of a leaf spring, which is guided by said recess 11, engages with the prestressed freely movable and prestressed spring leg in the knurling 12 or presses there. The union nut 16 and the support body 2 thus lock each other against rotation and are then locked against each other. The movable part of the pawl may consist of two tongue-shaped spring legs, which attack the knurling 12. The production of the knurling 12 takes place - in comparison to the toothing - without chip removal and has a very narrow pitch. As a result, a cost-effective production is achieved and achieved a fine adjustment of the specified torque of the bolted parts. It is thus achieved by a static pitch-dependent anti-rotation 13 (level protection), in which a designed as a leaf spring and stationary fastened locking element 9 by means of said leaf spring with the freely movable part in a grippy surface with axially parallel grooves (grooves) in the form of knurling 12th attacks.

The working range of the achieved rotation lock 13 refers to the locking element 9 and the non-slip surface, which is designed as a knurling 12 with axially parallel grooves and having a narrow groove pitch and sufficient groove depth to achieve a reliable backup of the rotatable parts. The unlocking of the locked parts can for example be done with a sharp tool or with a screwdriver, which frees the pawl (leaf spring) from the screening in the mentioned recess 11 of the nut 16 by lifting.

1a shows the component 8 without representation of the rotatably mounted bushing 1 on the support body 2. From her can be seen that the rectangular (top) surface of the leaf spring 9, which spans across the central axis 6 of the component 8, a - According to Fig. 1b designed as a handle gripping element 14 is placed. The handle 14 is to facilitate the lifting of the (spring) leg (s) of the leaf spring 9 of the knurling 12 of the support body 2, wherein the freely movable part of the leaf spring 9 is formed, for example, with two spring legs. The handle 14, which sits within the visible range of said spring legs, manually unlocks the movable part of the spring leg (s) of the leaf spring 9 from the knurling 12.

A modified solution with respect to Figure 1 can be found in the solution according to FIG . According to the Fig.2 is on the support body 2 and the union nut 16 each have a flange 17a, 17b formed. The one flange 17a sits on the non-stepped portion of the support body 2 - just before the beginning of the onset gradation - on. The sleeve 1 rotatably supports on the support body 2 in the manner previously described. The other flange 17b is formed at the free end of the cap nut 16, which is located in the vicinity of the flange 17a of the support body 2 and outside the aforementioned dome region. Both flanges 17a, 17b thus face each other frontally, wherein between the end faces of which a leaf spring 9 is located. This spring is fixedly mounted on the flange 17a of the support body 2 and engages with its freely movable part in a radially arranged knurling 12.1, which is located on the end face of the flange 17b of the union nut 16. In this case, the freely movable part of the leaf spring 9 is pressed axially into the knurling 12.1, whereby it locks the two rotatable body 2, 16.
It is in this type achieved rotation lock 13 is a fuse in which the locking by means of leaf spring 9 in the knurling 12.1 also happens statically.
The unlocking of the union nut 16 relative to the support body 2 can be solved by lifting the spring leg of the leaf spring 9 of the knurling 12.1 of the flange 17b of the nut 16.

2 shows a somewhat different design of the component 8. This modified arrangement consists - in contrast to Figure 1 - from a support body 2 and a Aufschraubteil 16 as a union nut, where each outside a flange 17a, 17b is formed. Both flanges 17a, 17b face each other at the front, wherein the flange end face of the union nut 16 has a knurling 12.1. Between the flanges 17a, 17b is the locking element 9, which is designed as a leaf spring with a spring leg on the flange 17a of the support body 2 is stationary and engages with its biased freely movable spring leg in the knurling 12.1 of the end face of the flange 17b. A lifting of the spring leg from the knurling 12.1 unlocks the two rotatably mounted parts of this component 8 to each other.

The component 8 of Figure 2a also has the molded flange lugs on the two rotatable parts. In contrast to the solution according to FIG. 2, this modified type is a dynamic anti-rotation device 13 whose flanges 17a, 17b are knurlless. Between the two flanges 17a, 17b is circumferentially the support body 2, the locking element 9, which is designed as a leg spring 9b. This leg spring 9b represents a combined compression spring with two spring legs. One leg of the leg spring 9b with an integrally formed, axially parallel nose 24 is captively fixed in a hole 25 which is located in the flange 17f of the union nut 16. The other spring leg is fixed in one of the slots 17a of the support body 2 radially machined slots 19a with a (not shown) notch 26, which is located immediately below the slot 19a. This spring presses axially against the flange 17e of the support body 2 and the flange 17f of the screw 16 and thus holds the nose 24 in the hole 25. This is a divisionless or stepless fine adjustment of the dynamic anti-rotation 13 of the screwed parts. Dynamic rotation assurance means that the leg spring 9b exerts a tightening predetermined counter moment during operation. It is particularly advantageous that within the bolted parts in operation, the drop in the biasing force is kept as small as possible. In addition, the resulting during relative movements inner loose torque is blocked or prevented. Thus, the screwed parts are secured against loosening. The lifting of the screw of the component 8 is done by lifting the handle 14 by hand from the notch 26 and the slot 19 a, whereby the lock torque is released and the nut 16 can be solved.

The component 8 of FIG. 2b has a property similar to that shown in FIG. 2a, because it likewise generates a dynamic counter-torque. In contrast to the previous solution is located between the two knurleless flanges 17c, 17d a tension spring 9c, which is circumferentially the support body 2. This tension spring 9c, which constitutes a blocking element 9, is fastened with a respective hook or eyelet 18, 18a to the flange 17c, 17d of the rotatable parts of the component 8, wherein one side can be fixed captively by an eyelet 18a on the flange 17d , The tension spring 9c is guided between the flanges 17c and 17d and is located at radial pressure due to the tensile force circular on the support body 2 by attaching the hook 18 in the slot 19b with latch 26 of the flange 17a.

As a result, a lock torque is generated on the union nut 16 and again ensures a stepless fine adjustment of the dynamic rotation lock. The lifting of the anti-rotation of the screwed parts of the component 8 is done by removing the hook 18 from the slot 19b by hand, whereby the lock torque is released and the nut 16 can be solved.

reference numeral

1

Bush, rotatable; Hollow body; cylindrical, open

1.1

Zone; axially closed

1.2

Zone; slotted axially

2

Supporting body; Hollow body, cylindrical

3

receiving zone

4

Holding member; snap ring

5

projection member

6

Center axis of the component

7

Body; Connectors, branch, end housing

8th

component

9

blocking element

9a, 9aa, 27

Spring corrugated ring

9b

Leg spring

9c

mainspring

10

Chafer; Plastic coating

11

recess

12, 12.1, 12.2

non-slip surface; knurling

13

rotation

14

Handle member; handle

15

protective edge

16

screw-; Union nut, rotatable

16a

Hex nut

17a, 17aa, 17c, 17e

Flange of the support body

17b, 17d, 17f,

Flange of the screw-on part

18, 18a

Hook; eyelet

19, 19a, 19b, 19c

slot

21

ring

22

claw

23

Internal thread of the screw-on part.

24, 24a

nose

25

hole

26

notch

Claims (5)

1. Component having an anti-turning device for a releasable mechanical connection, particularly in aircraft manufacture, which secures two partial elements of the component (8), which are defined by a supporting body (2) and a screw-on part (16) which are mounted axially and so as to be rotationally movable in relation to one another about a central axis (6) of said component and are coupled to one another in a positionally fixed manner in relation to one another by means of a spring ring (4), mechanically against twisting with the aid of a blocking element (9); wherein the partial elements are held in a captive manner in relation to one another by means of the spring ring (4) and wherein the supporting body (2) is constructed as a cylindrical hollow body and the screw-on part (16) is constructed as a cap nut; in which the supporting body (2) receives a body in a screwable manner within a section defined as the coupling region; wherein said coupling region corresponds to a region which is limited by an internal thread which extends between the end face of the screw-on part (16) and the beginning, which is disposed below it, of the supporting body (2); and in which the blocking element (9) associated with the anti-turning device (13) is a spring (9b, 9c) which is fixed to the screw-on part (16) and to the supporting body (2) in a stationary manner,
   characterised in that, outside or close to the coupling region, a flange (17c, 17d, 17e, 17f) is mounted on each of the two partial elements, circumferentially to their sidewall surface, and the blocking element (9), whose continuous fine adjustment is realised by a counter-moment with the pre-tensioned blocking element (9) between the two partial elements, is disposed between the two flanges (17c, 17d, 17e, 17f) in a manner resting circumferentially against the sidewall surface of the supporting body (2).
2. Component according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the blocking element (9) is a draw spring (9c) which is fixed, by one of its free ends, to a first flange (17d) on the screw-on part (16) and, by its other, hook-shaped free end (18), to one of the slots (19b) which are disposed in a radial manner on a second flange (17c) on the supporting body (2), the individual slot (19b) being equipped with a catch (26) which is manufactured in the form of a bore and is provided for the purpose of receiving said hook-shaped free end (18).
3. Component according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the blocking element (9) is a leg spring (9b), one leg (24) of which is fixed, as a result of axial pressure, in a hole (25) which is located in a third flange (17f) on the screw-on part (16), and the other end of which, which is constructed, at the end, as a handle (14), is fixed in one of the other slots (19a) which are disposed in a radial manner on a fourth flange (17e) on the supporting body (2), the individual other slot (19a) being equipped with a catch (26) which is manufactured in the form of a bore and is provided for the purpose of receiving the hand grip (14).
4. Component according to claim 2,
   characterised in that the one free end of the draw spring (9c) is fixed by means of an eye (18a) to the first flange (17d) in a captive manner.
5. Component according to claim 3,
   characterised in that the leg (24) having a formed-on, axially parallel nose, is fixed in the hole (25) in the third flange (17f) in a captive manner.

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