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US 10,393,167 B2Granted
Self-locking plug assembly
AssigneeSPS Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNilesh Patel, Ismael Pacheco
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-locking plug assembly is provided that includes a plug, a lower clutch disposed around the plug and defining engagement features, an upper clutch disposed around the plug and defining mating engagement features, a resilient member and a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around a proximal end portion of the plug. The mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction. In one form, the engagement features of the lower clutch and upper clutch comprise a plurality of teeth arranged around a central aperture.
Claims35
A self-locking plug assembly comprising:
- a plug member defining a proximal end portion having an external flange;
- a lower clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second angled faces, wherein the first angled faces define angles that are steeper than the second angled faces, the lower clutch further disposed around a rotational axis of the plug member and against the external flange such that the plug is rotatable relative to the lower clutch and the lower clutch further comprising at least one locking feature;
- an upper clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second mating angled faces, wherein the first and second mating angled faces are configured to mate with the first and second angled faces of the lower clutch, the upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member and against the lower clutch, the upper clutch being configured for integral rotation with the plug;
- a resilient member biasing the upper clutch axially toward the lower clutch;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member,
- wherein the first angled faces of the upper clutch are configured to apply higher torque in one direction than the second angled faces in an opposite direction.
4 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a plug;
- a lower clutch disposed around a rotational axis of the plug and defining engagement features;
- an upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug and defining mating engagement features;
- a resilient member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug,
- wherein the mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction,
- wherein the cap defines an internal face and the upper clutch defines an external proximal face, and the resilient member engages the internal face of the cap and the external proximal face of the upper clutch to apply a resilient force.
5 more elements
A self-locking plug assembly comprising:
- a plug member defining a proximal end portion having an external flange;
- a lower clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second angled faces, wherein the first angled faces define angles that are steeper than the second angled faces, the lower clutch further disposed around a rotational axis of the plug member and against the external flange and further comprising at least one locking feature;
- an upper clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second mating angled faces, wherein the first and second mating angled faces are configured to mate with the first and second angled faces of the lower clutch, the upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member and against the lower clutch;
- a resilient member disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member,
- wherein the first angled faces of the upper clutch are configured to apply higher torque in one direction than the second angled faces in an opposite direction,
- wherein the cap defines an internal face and the upper clutch defines an external proximal face, and the resilient member engages the internal face of the cap and the external proximal face of the upper clutch to apply a resilient force.
5 more elements
A self-locking plug assembly comprising:
- a plug member defining a proximal end portion having an external flange;
- a lower clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second angled faces, wherein the first angled faces define angles that are steeper than the second angled faces, the lower clutch further disposed around a rotational axis of the plug member and against the external flange and further comprising at least one locking feature;
- an upper clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second mating angled faces, wherein the first and second mating angled faces are configured to mate with the first and second angled faces of the lower clutch, the upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member and against the lower clutch;
- a resilient member disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member,
- wherein the first angled faces of the upper clutch are configured to apply higher torque in one direction than the second angled faces in an opposite direction,
- wherein the proximal end portion of the plug member defines a locating feature, and the cap and the upper clutch define a mating locating feature such that when the plug member is rotated, the cap and the upper clutch are engaged.
5 more elements
A self-locking plug assembly comprising:
- a plug member defining a proximal end portion having an external flange;
- a lower clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second angled faces, wherein the first angled faces define angles that are steeper than the second angled faces, the lower clutch further disposed around a rotational axis of the plug member and against the external flange and further comprising at least one locking feature;
- an upper clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second mating angled faces, wherein the first and second mating angled faces are configured to mate with the first and second angled faces of the lower clutch, the upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member and against the lower clutch;
- a resilient member disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug member,
- wherein the first angled faces of the upper clutch are configured to apply higher torque in one direction than the second angled faces in an opposite direction,
- wherein the at least one locking feature of the lower clutch defines a protrusion, the protrusion adapted to engage recesses in an adjacent component.
5 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a plug;
- a lower clutch disposed around a rotational axis of the plug and defining engagement features;
- an upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug and defining mating engagement features;
- a resilient member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug,
- wherein the mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction,
- wherein the lower clutch comprises at least one locking feature,
- wherein the at least one locking feature of the lower clutch defines a protrusion, the protrusion adapted to engage recesses in an adjacent component.
6 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a plug;
- a lower clutch disposed around a rotational axis of the plug and defining engagement features;
- an upper clutch disposed around the rotational axis of the plug and defining mating engagement features;
- a resilient member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around the rotational axis of the plug,
- wherein the mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction,
- wherein a proximal end portion of the plug defines a locating feature, and the cap and the upper clutch define a mating locating feature such that when the plug is rotated, the cap and the upper clutch are engaged.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.