US 12,601,364 B1 · Expandable insert based mounting assembly

Abstract

A mounting assembly couples a separate mechanical component to a separate mechanical asset and includes an expansion subassembly and a locking subassembly. The expansion subassembly includes an expandable insert having expansion features, an expander that actuates the expansion features, and an anchoring feature. The expansion subassembly is placed within a threadless opening of the mechanical asset with the anchoring feature outside. The expander actuates the expansion features into sidewall(s) of the threadless opening to fasten the expansion subassembly to the mechanical asset. The locking subassembly includes an outer base, a locking component, and a threaded inner opening that accepts rotational insertion of a threaded portion of the mechanical component. The locking component couples to the anchoring feature to lock the locking subassembly in place against the expansion subassembly and mechanical asset. Inserting the mechanical component threaded portion into the threaded inner opening mounts the mechanical component to the mechanical asset.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A mounting assembly, comprising:

an expansion subassembly including an expandable insert having one or more expansion features, an expander configured to actuate the one or more expansion features, and an anchoring component having an anchoring feature coupled to the expandable insert and expander, wherein the expansion subassembly is configured to be placed within a threadless opening in a separate mechanical asset such that the anchoring feature remains outside the threadless opening while the expander actuates the one or more expansion features into one or more sidewalls of the threadless opening to fasten the expansion subassembly to the separate mechanical asset;
and
a locking subassembly including an outer base, a locking component, and a threaded inner opening at a fixed location relative to the outer base and configured to accept a rotational insertion therein of a threaded portion of a separate mechanical component, wherein the locking component is configured to couple to the anchoring feature and to lock the locking subassembly in place relative to the anchoring feature and separate mechanical asset such that insertion of the separate mechanical component threaded portion into the threaded inner opening mounts the separate mechanical component to the separate mechanical asset.

A method of mounting a mechanical component to a mechanical asset using an expandable insert based mounting assembly, the method comprising:

placing an expansion subassembly into a threadless opening in a mechanical asset, the expansion subassembly including an expandable insert having one or more expansion features, an expander, and an anchoring component having an anchoring feature that remains outside the threadless opening while the expansion features are within the threadless opening;
actuating the one or more expansion features into one or more sidewalls of the threadless opening to fasten the expansion subassembly to the mechanical asset;
positioning a locking subassembly over the anchoring feature of the expansion subassembly, the locking subassembly including an outer base, a locking component, and a threaded inner opening at a fixed location relative to the outer base;
locking the locking component of the locking subassembly to the anchoring feature of the expansion subassembly to finish forming an expandable insert based mounting assembly including the locking subassembly and the expansion subassembly;
and
coupling the mechanical component to the mounting assembly by rotatably inserting a threaded portion of the mechanical component into the threaded inner opening of the locking subassembly.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Expandable insert based mounting assembly

Life of this patent

Expandable insert based mounting assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13