Auxetic locking pin
AssigneeRolls-Royce Canada, Ltd.
InventorsMiklos Gerendas, Ali Shanian, Carl Carson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An auxetic locking structure can be used as a mechanism for securing two or more members in an assembly or other system. The locking structure has void patterns on its exterior surface which permit the locking structure to reduce its outer diameter upon loading in an axial direction. Once the structure has been sufficiently loaded and the diameter has been sufficiently reduced, the locking structure may be positioned within a bore of an article, the axial load is then reduced, thus causing the locking structure to expand and engage the bore of the article. The locking structure and article are now secured to one another creating an improved assembly.
Claims20
A hollow pin comprising:
- a hollow body having an outside surface, a thickness, a length, an end, and an axially extending internal bore;
- and
- a void structure located on the outside surface of the hollow body, the void structure extends through the thickness of the hollow body, the void structure provides for lateral contraction under an axial load.
An assembly of an article comprising:
- a bore in an article;
- and
- a pin having an outside diameter and an end, the pin having a hole pattern on the outside diameter, the hole pattern engages the bore of the article.
A method of inserting a pin in a bore of an article comprising the steps of:
- providing an article with a bore, the bore having an inside diameter;
- providing a pin having a hollow body, the hollow body having a diameter with a profile with a pattern of voids, the hollow body having an end;
- applying an axial force on the end of the hollow body to cause the diameter of the pin to reduce in size to a point where the diameter of the pin is less than the inside diameter of the article;
- aligning the pin inside of the bore of the article;
- and
- removing the axial force on the end of the hollow body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.