Self-locking plug assembly
AssigneeSPS Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNilesh Patel, Ismael Pacheco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-locking plug assembly is provided that includes a plug, a lower clutch disposed around the plug and defining engagement features, an upper clutch disposed around the plug and defining mating engagement features, a resilient member and a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around a proximal end portion of the plug. The mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction. In one form, the engagement features of the lower clutch and upper clutch comprise a plurality of teeth arranged around a central aperture.
Claims20
A self-locking plug assembly comprising:
- a plug member defining a proximal end portion having a tool engagement feature and an external flange;
- a lower clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second angled faces, wherein the first angled faces define angles that are steeper than the second angled faces, the lower clutch further disposed around the plug member and against the external flange and further comprising at least one locking feature;
- an upper clutch defining a central aperture and a plurality of teeth arranged around the central aperture, each of the plurality of teeth having first and second mating angled faces, wherein the first and second mating angled faces are configured to mate with the first and second angled faces of the lower clutch, the upper clutch disposed around the plug member and against the lower clutch;
- a resilient retaining member disposed around the proximal end portion of the plug member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient retaining member and disposed around the proximal end portion of the plug member,
- wherein the first angled faces of the upper clutch are configured to apply higher torque in one direction than the second angled faces in an opposite direction.
An assembly comprising:
- a plug;
- a lower clutch disposed around the plug and defining engagement features;
- an upper clutch disposed around the plug and defining mating engagement features;
- a resilient member;
- and
- a cap surrounding the resilient member and disposed around a proximal end portion of the plug,
- wherein the mating engagement features are configured to apply higher torque to the engagement features in one direction than in an opposite direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.