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US 11,890,728 B2Granted
Concentrated longitudinal acoustical/ultrasonic energy fastener design and manipulation system
AssigneeNextgen Aerospace Technologies, LLC
InventorsGary Lee Ward, David Scott Diwinsky, David Joseph Stone, Marc Alan Metz, Tom Lawrence Clutter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method and fastening tool that utilizes ultrasonic or acoustic energy and a horn that focuses the energy into the fastener at a predetermined location in order to facilitate tightening or loosening the fastener.
Claims76
A fastener tool for loosening or tightening a fastener mounted on a structure, said fastener tool comprising:
- a tool body;
- a horn adapted and sized to apply an acoustic or ultrasonic energy into said fastener;
- an acoustic/ultrasonic generator for generating said acoustic or ultrasonic energy that passes through said horn and into said fastener to facilitate fastening or loosening said fastener;
- and
- wherein the fastener comprising fastener threads that mate with mating structure threads of said structure at a thread-engagement area of said structure and a first end that is directly or indirectly engaged by said horn during loosening or fastening when said acoustic or ultrasonic energy is applied thereto, said acoustic/ultrasonic generator generating said acoustic or ultrasonic energy that travels into said fastener and becomes concentrated or focused at a predetermined target location in said fastener;
- wherein said horn is adapted to apply a rotational torque substantially simultaneously as said acoustic or ultrasonic energy passes into said fastener in response to a rotational torque being applied to said horn;
- wherein said first end comprises a head and/or nut that becomes situated at a head and/or nut engagement area of said structure when said fastener is mounted to said structure;
- said predetermined target location being along a length of said fastener so that when said horn is caused to rotate, a friction or pressure between the head and/or nut and said head and/or nut engagement area and also between said fastener threads and said structure threads is at least partly reduced;
- said predetermined target location of concentrated or focused energy being along a length of said fastener between said head and/or nut and a second end of said fastener that is opposite of said first end of said fastener.
6 more elements
A system for rotating a fastener that is fastened to a structure;
- said system comprising:
- an acoustic/ultrasonic wave generator for generating an acoustic/ultrasonic signal that passes longitudinally through said fastener to elongate said fastener and to introduce a cyclic strain and heating within said fastener to reduce a frictional force between threads on said fastener and mating threads on said structure;
- a tool having a horn for transmitting said acoustic/ultrasonic signal into said fastener;
- and
- wherein said acoustic/ultrasonic wave generator and said horn cooperate to focus or apply said acoustic/ultrasonic signal to a predetermined distance into said fastener in order to reduce a coefficient of friction between said fastener and said structure when said horn is in operative relationship with fastener and said acoustic/ultrasonic signal is applied thereto;
- wherein said fastener comprises a first end that is directly or indirectly engaged by said horn during loosening or fastening when said acoustic/ultrasonic signal is applied thereto and said fastener further comprising fastener threads that mate with structure threads of said structure, said acoustic/ultrasonic wave generator generating said acoustic/ultrasonic signal that travels into said fastener and becomes concentrated or focused at a predetermined location in said fastener;
- wherein said first end comprises a head and/or nut that becomes situated at a head and/or nut engagement area of said structure when said fastener is mounted to said structure;
- said predetermined location being along a length of said fastener so that when said acoustic/ultrasonic signal is applied to said fastener, a friction or pressure between the head and/or nut and said head and/or nut engagement area and between said fastener threads and said structure threads is at least partly reduced;
- wherein said predetermined location of concentrated or focused energy being along a length of said fastener between said head and/or nut and a second end of said fastener that is opposite of said first end of said fastener.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.