MXPA97000216A

MXPA97000216A - Auto-working threaded connection device

Info

Publication number: MXPA97000216A
Application number: MXPA/A/1997/000216A
Authority: MX
Inventors: W Vanderdrift Richard
Original assignee: W Vanderdrift Richard
Priority date: 1994-07-01
Filing date: 1997-01-07
Publication date: 1998-01-01

Abstract

A self-treatable threaded connection device comprising a male component (11) with a recess lock threading type (31) and a female component (12) with a flexible tapping segment (21). Tension from the alignment of the internal flexible tapping segment drives the projections (22) of the flexible tapping segment within the recesses (32) of the recess locking thread and therefore prevents the threaded fastener from loosening and separating in response to axial pressure optionally combined with vibration, expansion, contraction or other movement. The projections (22) and the recesses (32) are formed so that the faces slide together and unlock with the application of the appropriate torque. The two threads are designed to work together. The female component (12) when used with a standard male component (11) without recesses (32) provides resistance to inadvertent accommodation

Description

AUTO-TRABABLE THREADED CONNECTION DEVICE Background of the Invention 1 . Field of the Invention The present invention relates to threaded connections and self-locking threads and, more particularly to self-drilling threaded connection devices which may be discrete fasteners intended to secure two or more work pieces together and comprised of a combination of threaded pin , cylinder, spindle, spigot or screw coupled with a complementary threaded nut or hole, or which may also be an integral part of some other device, such as the threads on the end of the arm that are threaded into the threaded complementary hole in the torso of a toy soldier. 2. Description of Related Art Threaded threaded fasteners and threaded connecting devices of a wide variety of types are available which reduce the tendency of threaded components, generally indrical cylindrical, to alter their position in relation to their female threaded component, thereby reducing the tendency of such threaded fasteners and threaded connection devices to loosen and separate in response to vibration, , '"" expansion, contraction and other movements. Many such fasteners function in this regard by increasing the friction between the threads otherwise coupled to the male and female components or between the fastener and the parts joined by the fastener. fastener. Examples include: pressure washers, toothed washers, blind threaded holes filled with elastic inserts as described in US Patent No. 5,078,562 issued to DeHaitre on January 7, 1992, and screw threaded profiles that become clogged or deformed when they adjust as describes in US Patent No. 5,242,252 issued to Harle on September 7, 1993. Other fasteners and connections work by increasing the friction between the coupling surfaces of the head of the male component and the workpiece, or between the female component and the piece of work as it discloses in U.S. Patent No. 4,290,469 issued for "-, - Nakae on September 22, 1981. In all those arrangements, the increased friction makes rotation between the male and female components more difficult, thus preventing the release or unnoticed loosening of the male and female components.

The disadvantage of all these approaches is that the male and female components can be loosened at any axial pressure or tension less than that required to disassemble the male component from the female component. Since the threads in each case are inclined in the direction of axial pressure or tension, a portion of the pressure or tension moves within a rotational force that ~ tends to loosen the components, also, fasteners that use those approaches generally require a high or increased torque for installation, or damage the joint surface, or are not re-usable, or, require higher loads to be 5 effective than those that it is desirable to apply to the same unions. Self-locking fittings such as split pins, set-up wires and nut assemblies comprising a first work nut and a second work nut as described in US Patent No. 5, 154, 560 issued to Copito the 13 October 0, 1992, has the disadvantage of requiring additional installation effort. Therefore, there is a need for threads, threaded fasteners, and threaded devices: (i) that will not loosen under equal or less loads than the fastener supports, (ii) that can be easily installed using conventional tools, (iii) ) ^ that employ torsion values appreciably closer to those torsion values required only to hold the work pieces together (as opposed to requiring higher torque values to provide increased resistance against loosening), and (iv) that can be installed as easily as standard fasteners. The present invention addresses those disadvantages in previously known threaded fasteners and threaded devices and meets those needs with a novel screw-in design that can be forged, rolled, stamped or otherwise applied to threaded fasteners and devices.

• Threaded using conventional techniques. Improved threaded fasteners and threaded devices can therefore be manufactured close to the cost of traditional threaded fasteners and devices.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 A is a side view of the invention in the assembled state. Figure 1 B is a bottom plan view of the invention in an assembled state showing the flexible threaded projections of the female component interacting with the threaded recesses of the male component. Figure 2A is a side view of the adjacent threaded revolutions of the invention in an assembled state and showing "* ',' a flexible threaded projection in a unlocked state as applied to the male and female fastening components. 2A is a side view of the adjacent revolutions of the invention in an assembled state of size enlarged to show the details of a flexible threaded projection of the female component fitted with a recess in the male component. Figure 3A is a top view of the flexible threading of the female fastening component in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3B is a side view of the flexible threading of the female fastening component in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3C is a bottom plan view of the female fastening component with its flexible threading in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3D is a side view cut away in the middle of the female fastening component with its flexible threading according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4A is a side view of the adjacent revolutions of an alternative embodiment of the invention in an assembled and unlocked state, where the recesses are located at the beginning of the recess lock threading and extend into the core of the male fastening component between the adjacent tapping revolutions of the male component and, the projections are located on the crest of the internal flexible tapping segment. Figure 4B is a side view of the adjacent revolutions of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in an assembled and unlocked state as applied to the male and female fastening components where the projections of the flexible threaded segment press axially against the recesses of the male threaded r S Reference Numbers for Drawings 1 1 male component 12 female component 21 flexible female thread segment 22 projections of the flexible tapping segment 25 recesses in the flexible tapping segment 26 tapping tabs of the flexible tapping segment 31 tapping recess switch 10 32 recesses of the tapping screw of recess Detailed Description of the Preferred Modality Figure 1 A shows a side view of a threaded connection self-locking, in an assembled state, comprising a , ~ "male component (1 1) having a first thread formed in a novel way (31) (hereinafter referred to as the" recess lock threading ") and a female component (12) having a second thread applied thereto formed in a novel way (31) (hereinafter referred to as the "threaded projection lock", shown more fully in Figure 2A). The threaded projection lock is aligned on the female component so that its flexible projection (22) presses against the threading of the male component. Threaded projection lock is attached to the female component in a way that allows its projections flex axially or radially, or the projections are formed in a manner that allows them to flex axially or radially. The female component is typically a nut, hole or threaded hole. The male component 5 is typically a pin, cylinder, spindle, spigot or screw. The threaded projection lock and the recess lock threading are designed to work together so that, the male component is screwed into or out of the female component, the two threaded fit together in a novel manner (hereinafter referred to as " embedded ") and thus lock. In the drawings, dotted lines indicate that a characteristic appears only intermittently from the given perspective. Figure 1 B shows an end view of the self-locking threaded connection of Figure 1 A in a nested state. The embedded occurs when any of the projections (22) of the segment of ,; = * - flexible thread (21) is aligned with any of the recesses (32) of the recess lock thread (31). When such alignment occurs, the tension that presses the projections of the female internal flexible thread segment against the male thread (21) forces the aligned projection into the corresponding aligned recess thus fitting the threads. Once engaged, a sufficient additional torque in the direction of loosening or adjustment disengages the threads. The sides of the projections and recesses have a moderate enough inclination so that the torque can propel the projections to '* slide up and out of the recesses and, in this way, disengage the threads. When the torque is sufficient to overcome the friction between the faces of the projections and coupled recesses and to overcome the tension that presses the segment of female internal flexible threading against the recess lock threading (in addition to overcoming the friction between the standard threading of the female component and the threading of the male component as with the standard threading configurations), the threads are disengaged and the fastener is in a state unlocked until a projection and a recess align and fit again. In Figures 1A and 1B, the flexible tapping segment (21) flexes perpendicularly to the axis of the fastener. Figure 2A is a side view of a projection of the flexible tapping segment in an unlocked state. In the Figure 2B, the projection shown in Figure 2A is shown with greater _r- detail and fitted with a recess of the recess lock threading. In the drawings, dotted lines indicate that a characteristic appears only intermittently from a given perspective. 20 Traditional threaded fasteners subjected to dynamic loads, stress reversal or vibration are susceptible to loosening. The adjustment of such fasteners develops axial tension stress that creates frictional resistance to loosening between the engaged threads and between the bolt and nut surfaces that support against the bonded materials. The same stress effort in the bolt it also favors that the coupled surfaces slide due to the "downward" inclination of their helix angle. In the present invention, in order for the coupled surfaces to slide, although as vibration reduces the resistance, the axial tension stress must also raise or force the projections of the flexible thread segment out of the recesses of the male thread and to overcome any remaining friction. . To push or raise a projection out of a recess, the loosening torque that results from the tensile stress must be large enough to overcome the natural spring return action that pushes the flexible threaded segment projections into the projections of threaded male component. To ensure that the loosening torque is less than the resistance forces, the combination of the tension of the projection of the flexible tapping segment, the inclination of the sides of the recesses and, the shape of the projections are in combination designed to create sufficient strength to prevent inadvertent loosening of the fastener. In the alternative embodiments, the faces of the recesses and the projections may be formed such that the projections sink into the recesses when the torque is applied in any of the adjustment or loosening directions. In such embodiments, the fasteners can not be adjusted or loosened once the engagement occurs without damaging the projection or recess. When the female component is used with a traditional bolt or other male component without recesses, the flexible tapping segment presses against the male thread creating additional resistance to loosening. When the flexible threading is designed to press with enough force against the threading of the male component, the additional strength prevents inadvertent loosening in the same way as the prevailing clamping nuts such as those with nylon inserts. Figure 3A is a bottom plan view and Figure 3B is a side view of the flexible tapping segment of the female component (21 of Figure 1 B). In the preferred embodiment, the flexible threading segment of the female component is not solid from its beginning to its crest for its entire length. A series of recesses in the flexible tapping segment (25), formed extending from the tapping crest to the beginning of the tapping, facilitates that each projection (22) fits independently and completely with any recess (32 in Figure 1 B) when they are aligned without taking into account the embedding state and the position of the other projections and recesses. In the preferred embodiment, the individual projections are radially aligned with the recesses, although the projections as a whole do not need to be symmetrically placed with the recesses. In the preferred embodiment there is a prime number of recesses on each threading revolution, seventeen and six projections on the flexible tapping segment. The flexible tapping segment can be connected to a female component (12) in any manner as long as the flexible tapping segment rotates always with the female component and can not rotate independently of the female component. In the preferred embodiment, the positioning tabs (26 of Figure 3A and 3C) prevent the flexible thread segment from rotating in relation to the rest of the female component (12) and the positioning of the flexible thread segment so that its projections continue. in the helix path formed by the standard threading of the threading of the female component. Figure 4A is a side view of the adjacent revolutions of an alternative embodiment of the invention in an assembled and unlocked state. The recesses (32) are positioned at the beginning and extend into the core of the male component (11) between the adjacent tapping revolutions of the recess locking thread (31). Figure 4B is a side view of the adjacent revolutions of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in an assembled and unlocked state wherein the projections of the internal flexible thread segment press against the recesses of the male component thread. In the embodiment shown, the recesses (32) and the projections are on the following flanks. In the alternative modalities they can be on the entrance flanks. While the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various embodiments may be provided. modifications. For example, there are many other modalities that have a variety of configurations for the shape, angle and size of the projections and recesses. The recesses can be located in the center of the tapping flange instead of at or near the beginning. Instead of the recesses on the external thread, the projections on the external thread can be used to fit the projections of the flexible thread segment. The flexible tapping segment may be larger or smaller than a full revolution. These and other variations and modifications on and for the preferred embodiment are provided by the present invention which is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 . A threaded fastening device comprising: a. a first generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and an external helical thread having a beginning, b. a second body having an internal helical thread, a segment of the internal thread defined by at least one projection carried by an elastic arm mounted on the second body with the projection extending radially towards the axis of the first body when assembled in a manner that when the first body and the second body are screwed together, the projection is driven radially towards the external screwing, c. the external thread having a continuous principle and a series of at least one means of engagement with the projection when the means for fitting and projection align axially and radially, said at least one means for engagement being confined between the revolutions of external threaded axially adjacent to the external threading and profiling to allow the projection to move past it in any direction of rotation without damage to either the embedding medium or the projection. 2. The threaded fastening device of claim 1, wherein the engagement means is a series of at least one projection between the threaded revolutions. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one engaging means comprises individual recesses formed in the principle of external threading, each individual recess being confined to a location between the axially threaded revolutions adjacent without opening axially through a flexible threading location. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one projection is driven both axially and radially relative to the external threading. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each elastic arm extends in a direction generally parallel to the external threading. 6. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 5, wherein there are a plurality of elastic arms each carrying a separate one of said at least one projection. 7. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the elastic arms extend all in the same direction. 8. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 6, wherein each projection is located at an outer end of an elastic arm. 9. A threaded fastening device comprising: a. a first generally cylindrical body having an external thread, b. a second body having an internal thread, a segment of the internal thread having at least one projection with spring return action and extending towards the axis of the first body when assembled so that when the first body and the second body are driven radially towards the beginning of the external threading and axially towards the flank of the external threading through the action of return of spring, c. the external thread having a series of at least one means for engaging the projections of the internal thread when the means and the projections are axially and radially aligned and wherein the means for engagement are on the side and the principle of the external thread. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the engagement means comprises individual recesses formed at the beginning of the external threading, each individual recess being confined to a location between the axially adjacent threading revolutions without axially opening through a revolution of individual threading.

1. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the projections are transported on elastic arms extending in a direction generally parallel to the external threading. 1

2. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the elastic arms carries a separate one of said at least one projection. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the elastic arms extend in the same direction. A threaded fastening device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the engagement means includes recesses formed between adjacent threading revolutions with each recess having a portion at the beginning and the flank of the threading.