# US 2025/0092902 A1 · Ball lock pin with fail-safe locking mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0092902 A1 - Document ID: US20250092902A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/664,418 - Filed: 2024-05-15 - Published: 2025-03-20 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-14 - Assignees: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Johannes HOMMEL; Stefan GOERLICH; Fabian SCHMEDLER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250092902A1 ## CPC - F16B 19/109: {Temporary rivets, e.g. with a spring-loaded pin (special clamping devices for workpieces to be riveted together, e.g. operating through the rivet holes B21J15/42; hand tools for temporarily connecting sheets before or during assembly operations B25B31/005)} - F16B 21/165: {with balls or rollers (for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1409)} - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A ball lock pin comprising a pin body with an inner accommodation and at least one locking ball accommodation; a blocking pin at least partly arranged in the inner accommodation and movable between a blocking position and a releasing position; at least one locking ball movably arranged in the at least one locking ball accommodation and biased into a locking position by the blocking pin, if the blocking pin is in the blocking position, wherein the at least one locking ball is released for moving into an unlocking position if the blocking pin is in the releasing position; a primary spring element arranged in the inner accommodation and biasing the blocking pin into the blocking position; and a redundant spring element arranged in the inner accommodation and biasing the blocking pin into the blocking position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ball lock pin comprising: a pin body with a length axis, an inner accommodation, and at least one locking ball accommodation; a blocking pin that is at least partly arranged in the inner accommodation and movable along the length axis between a blocking position and a releasing position; at least one locking ball that is movably arranged in the at least one locking ball accommodation, wherein the at least one locking ball is biased into a locking position by the blocking pin if the blocking pin is in the blocking position, and wherein the at least one locking ball is released for moving into an unlocking position if the blocking pin is in the releasing position; a primary spring element that is arranged in the inner accommodation and biases the blocking pin into the blocking position; and a redundant spring element that is arranged in the inner accommodation and biases the blocking pin into the blocking position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ball lock pin of claim 1, wherein the pin body comprises an enlarged cup-shaped end section, and wherein the primary spring element is arranged in the enlarged cup-shaped end section, in particular between the blocking pin and the enlarged cup-shaped end section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ball lock pin of claim 2, further comprising a closure cap that closes the enlarged cup-shaped end section, wherein the closure cap comprises an opening, and wherein the blocking pin comprises an actuatable end section that extends through the opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ball lock pin of claim 3, wherein the blocking pin comprises a collar that delimits the actuatable end section on the blocking pin, and wherein the primary spring element biases the collar in the blocking position of the blocking pin against the closure cap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ball lock pin of claim 4, wherein the blocking pin comprises at least one notch for reception of the at least one locking ball in the releasing position of the blocking pin, and wherein the at least one notch and the collar are arranged on opposed axial ends of the blocking pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ball lock pin of claim 1, wherein the redundant spring element abuts against the blocking pin close to the at least one notch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ball lock pin of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional blocking pin. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ball lock pin of claim 7, wherein the blocking pin is tube-shaped and comprises an inner through hole, and wherein the at least one additional blocking pin is at least partly accommodated in the inner through hole. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The ball lock pin of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional blocking pin comprises a collar that abuts against the blocking pin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ball lock pin of claim 9, wherein the redundant spring element biases the collar of the at least one additional blocking pin against the blocking pin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ball lock pin of claim 10, further comprising at least one additional locking ball, wherein the pin body comprises at least one additional locking ball accommodation, wherein the at least one additional locking ball is movably arranged in the at least one additional locking ball accommodation, wherein the at least one additional locking ball is biased into an associated locking position by the at least one additional blocking pin if the at least one additional blocking pin is in an associated blocking position, wherein the at least one additional locking ball is released for moving into an associated unlocking position if the at least one additional blocking pin is in an associated releasing position, and wherein the at least one locking ball and the at least one additional locking ball form separate locking levels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The ball lock pin of claim 7, wherein the blocking pin and the at least one additional blocking pin are simultaneously actuatable via an associated actuation tool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ball lock pin of claim 1, wherein the blocking pin is rotatable about the length axis and comprises at least one lateral flange that is at least lockable in one first angular position or one second angular position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ball lock pin of claim 13, wherein the blocking pin is in the releasing position if the blocking pin is locked in the second angular position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An aircraft comprising a ball lock pin according to claim 1.