US 12,071,969 B2Granted

Thermally stabilized fastener system and method

OwnerJames Alan Monroe, Jeremy Sean McAllister +1inventors

InventorsJames Alan Monroe, Jeremy Sean McAllister, Jay Russell Zgarba

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Abstract

A thermally stabilized fastener system and method is disclosed. The disclosed system/method integrates a fastener (FAS) incorporating a faster retention head (FRH), fastener retention body (FRB), and fastener retention tip (FRT) to couple a mechanical member stack (MMS) in a thermally stabilized fashion using a fastener retention receiver (FRR). The MMS includes a temperature compensating member (TCM), a first retention member (FRM), and an optional second retention member (SRM). The TCM is constructed using a tailored thermal expansion coefficient (TTC) that permits the TCM to compensate for the thermal expansion characteristics of the FAS, FRM, and SRM such that the force applied by the FRH and FRR portions of the FAS to the MMS is tailored to a specific temperature force profile (TFP) over changes in MMS/FAS temperature. The TCM may be selected with a TTC to achieve a uniform TFP over changes in MMS/FAS temperature.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A thermally stabilized fastener (TSF) system comprising:

(a) fastener (FAS);
(b) fastener retention receiver (FRR);
and
(c) mechanical member stack (MMS);
wherein:
said FAS comprises a fastener retention head (FRH), a fastener retention body (FRB), and a fastener retention tip (FRT);
said FRR comprises an engaging surface conforming to said FRT;
said MMS comprises a temperature compensating member (TCM) and at least a first retention member (FRM);
said FRB of said FAS is positioned pass through an aperture in said MMS;
said FRH and said FRR are configured to mechanically couple elements within said MMS via said FRB and said aperture;
said TCM comprises a metallic material having a tailored thermal expansion coefficient (TTC);
said TTC is selected to compensate for thermal expansion characteristics of said FAS and at least said FRM within said MMS such that force applied by said FRH and said FRR portions of said FAS to said MMS is tailored to a specific temperature force profile (TFP) over changes in temperature (ΔT) of said FAS and said MMS;
said TFP exhibits a change in said force (ΔF) in response to said ΔT that is proportional to said TTC of said TCM, such that selection of said TTC of said TCM serves to increase, not change, or decrease said ΔF upon increases or decreases in said ΔT;
said TCM is constructed by manufacturing a metallic material with a tailored thermal expansion coefficient in a selected range, comprising:
plastically deforming said metallic material comprising a first phase and a first thermal expansion coefficient;
transforming, in response to said plastic deforming, at least some of said first phase into a second phase;
and
orienting said metallic material in at least one selected orientation;
wherein:
said metallic material comprises an alloy with a mixture of phases;
said mixture of phases comprises at least one phase capable of a martensitic transformation that is embedded in another phase or phases;
said second phase comprises martensite;
said plastic deforming comprises mechanical deformation;
said metallic material, subsequent to said plastic deformation, comprises a second thermal expansion coefficient;
said second thermal expansion coefficient is within a selected range;
said second thermal expansion coefficient quantifies thermal expansion of said metallic material in at least one selected direction;
and
said metallic material comprises:
FeNiCoTi, or is at least one of:
characterized by a general formula FeMnX, wherein X is at least one of Ga, Ni, Co, Al, Ta, Si;
characterized by a general formula FeNiCoAlX, wherein X is at least one of Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, W;
and combinations thereof.

29 more elements

A thermally stabilized fastener (TSF) system comprising:

(a) fastener (FAS);
(b) fastener retention receiver (FRR);
and
(c) mechanical member stack (MMS);
wherein:
said FAS comprises a fastener retention head (FRH), a fastener retention body (FRB), and a fastener retention tip (FRT);
said FRR comprises an engaging surface conforming to said FRT;
said MMS comprises a temperature compensating member (TCM) and at least a first retention member (FRM);
said FRB of said FAS is positioned pass through an aperture in said MMS;
said FRH and said FRR are configured to mechanically couple elements within said MMS via said FRB and said aperture;
said TCM comprises a metallic material having a tailored thermal expansion coefficient (TTC);
said TTC is selected to compensate for thermal expansion characteristics of said FAS and at least said FRM within said MMS such that force applied by said FRH and said FRR portions of said FAS to said MMS is tailored to a specific temperature force profile (TFP) over changes in temperature (ΔT) of said FAS and said MMS;
said TFP exhibits a change in said force (ΔF) in response to said ΔT that is proportional to said TTC of said TCM, such that selection of said TTC of said TCM serves to increase, not change, or decrease said ΔF upon increases or decreases in said ΔT;
said TCM is constructed by manufacturing a metallic material with a tailored thermal expansion coefficient in a selected range, comprising:
plastically deforming said metallic material by applying tension in a first direction;
wherein:
said metallic material prior to said plastic deformation substantially comprises a first phase;
said application of said tension transforms at least some of said first phase into a second phase;
subsequent to said tensile plastic deformation, said metallic material comprises a coefficient of thermal expansion within a selected range;
said coefficient of thermal expansion quantifies thermal expansion of said metallic material in at least one second direction;
said second direction is perpendicular or parallel to said first direction;
and
said metallic material comprises:
FeNiCoTi, or is at least one of:
characterized by a general formula FeMnX, wherein X is at least one of Ga, Ni, Co, Al, Ta, Si;
characterized by a general formula FeNiCoAlX, wherein X is at least one of Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, W;
and combinations thereof.

24 more elements

A thermally stabilized fastener (TSF) system comprising:

(a) fastener (FAS);
(b) fastener retention receiver (FRR);
and
(c) mechanical member stack (MMS);
wherein:
said FAS comprises a fastener retention head (FRH), a fastener retention body (FRB), and a fastener retention tip (FRT);
said FRR comprises an engaging surface conforming to said FRT;
said MMS comprises a temperature compensating member (TCM) and at least a first retention member (FRM);
said FRB of said FAS is positioned pass through an aperture in said MMS;
said FRH and said FRR are configured to mechanically couple elements within said MMS via said FRB and said aperture;
said TCM comprises a metallic material having a tailored thermal expansion coefficient (TTC);
said TTC is selected to compensate for thermal expansion characteristics of said FAS and at least said FRM within said MMS such that force applied by said FRH and said FRR portions of said FAS to said MMS is tailored to a specific temperature force profile (TFP) over changes in temperature (ΔT) of said FAS and said MMS;
said TFP exhibits a change in said force (ΔF) in response to said ΔT that is proportional to said TTC of said TCM, such that selection of said TTC of said TCM serves to increase, not change, or decrease said ΔF upon increases or decreases in said ΔT;
said TCM is constructed by manufacturing a metallic material with a tailored thermal expansion coefficient in a selected range, comprising:
plastically deforming said metallic material by applying compression in a first direction;
wherein:
said metallic material prior to said compressive plastic deformation substantially comprises a first phase;
said compressive plastic deformation of said metallic material transforms at least some of said first phase into a second phase using a compressive force in a first direction;
subsequent to said compressive plastic deformation of said metallic material, said metallic material comprises a coefficient of thermal expansion within a selected range;
said coefficient of thermal expansion quantifies thermal expansion of said metallic material in at least a second direction;
said second direction is perpendicular or parallel to said first direction;
and
said metallic material comprises:
FeNiCoTi, or is at least one of:
characterized by a general formula FeMnX, wherein X is at least one of Ga, Ni, Co, Al, Ta, Si;
characterized by a general formula FeNiCoAlX, wherein X is at least one of Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, W;
and combinations thereof.

24 more elements

A thermally stabilized fastener (TSF) system comprising:

(a) fastener (FAS);
(b) fastener retention receiver (FRR);
and
(c) mechanical member stack (MMS);
wherein:
said FAS comprises a fastener retention head (FRH), a fastener retention body (FRB), and a fastener retention tip (FRT);
said FRR comprises an engaging surface conforming to said FRT;
said MMS comprises a temperature compensating member (TCM) and at least a first retention member (FRM);
said FRB of said FAS is positioned pass through an aperture in said MMS;
said FRH and said FRR are configured to mechanically couple elements within said MMS via said FRB and said aperture;
said TCM comprises a metallic material having a tailored thermal expansion coefficient (TTC);
said TTC is selected to compensate for thermal expansion characteristics of said FAS and at least said FRM within said MMS such that force applied by said FRH and said FRR portions of said FAS to said MMS is tailored to a specific temperature force profile (TFP) over changes in temperature (ΔT) of said FAS and said MMS;
said TFP exhibits a change in said force (ΔF) in response to said ΔT that is proportional to said TTC of said TCM, such that selection of said TTC of said TCM serves to increase, not change, or decrease said ΔF upon increases or decreases in said ΔT;
said TCM is constructed by manufacturing a metallic material with a tailored thermal expansion coefficient in a selected range, comprising:
plastically deforming a metallic material comprising a first thermal expansion coefficient;
wherein:
said metallic material comprises an alloy;
said metallic material is comprised of a martensitic phase with or without the presence of other phases;
said plastic deforming comprises mechanical deformation;
said martensitic phase in said metallic material is oriented in at least one selected orientation in response to said mechanical deforming;
said metallic material, subsequent to said plastic deforming, comprises a second thermal expansion coefficient due to said orientation;
said second thermal expansion coefficient is within a selected range;
said second thermal expansion coefficient quantifies thermal expansion of said metallic material in at least one selected direction;
and
said metallic material comprises:
FeNiCoTi, or is at least one of:
characterized by a general formula FeMnX, wherein X is at least one of Ga, Ni, Co, Al, Ta, Si;
characterized by a general formula FeNiCoAlX, wherein X is at least one of Ta, Ti, Nb, Cr, W;
and combinations thereof.

26 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/981,406Filed 5 Nov 2022 · division
Priority: 14 Jun 2013
Published: US 2023/0060471 A12 Mar 2023
Granted: 27 Aug 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

F16B 5/0241
By means of fastening members using screw-thread: with the possibility for the connection to absorb deformation, e.g. thermal or vibrational
F16B 31/04
Screwed connections specially modified in view of tensile load; Break-bolts: for maintaining a tensile load
C22F 1/183
High-melting or refractory metals or alloys based thereon: of titanium or alloys based thereon
F16B 1/00
Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or

Family

Application61/835,289Us provisional application · filed 14 Jun 2013
PCT/US2014/042105Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Jun 2014
Application15/217,594Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Jul 2016
Application62/490,877Us provisional application · filed 27 Apr 2017
Application15/963,428Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Apr 2018
Application16/735,587Parent of this division · filed 6 Jan 2020
US 10,557,182 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Feb 2020
US 10,822,670 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Nov 2020
US 11,125,966 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 Sep 2021
US 11,506,238 B2Parent of this division · filed 22 Nov 2022
US 2023/0060471 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Mar 2023
Application16/735,587Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application14/897,904Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2016/0130677 A1Published application
US 2016/0348203 A1Published application
US 2018/0246291 A1Published application
US 2020/0149577 A1Published application
US 12,071,969 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.