Fastener with clutch mechanism and fastener operating method
AssigneeCentrix Aerospace LLC
InventorsKelly Childers, Cameron Ralphs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for a fastener. The fastener, in one example, includes a clutch mechanism configured to transition to a disengaged configuration responsive to a clamping force of the fastener exceeding a threshold value. The clutch mechanism includes a drive nut that is configured to mate with a head of a screw in an engaged configuration and a spring configured to interact with the screw head and where in the disengaged configuration of the clutch mechanism, rotation of the drive nut in a first direction does not induce rotation of the screw and rotation of the drive nut in a second direction induces rotation of the screw in an unclamping direction.
Claims11
A fastener, comprising:
- a clutch mechanism configured to transition to a disengaged configuration responsive to a clamping force of the fastener exceeding a threshold value;
- wherein the clutch mechanism comprises:
- a drive nut that is configured to mate with a head of a screw in an engaged configuration;
- a spring configured to interact with the screw head;
- and
- a clamping assembly that includes:
- a movable clamping jaw;
- and
- a fixed clamping jaw coupled to a housing;
- wherein rotation of the screw causes axially translation of the movable clamping jaw;
- and
- wherein in the disengaged configuration of the clutch mechanism, rotation of the drive nut in a first direction does not induce rotation of the screw and rotation of the drive nut in a second direction induces rotation of the screw in an unclamping direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.