Shims having guided fracture lines
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorAaron Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Shims having guided fracture lines are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a shim to be positioned between a first component and a second component, the first component to be fastened to the second component, and a guided fracture line positioned in the shim, the guided fracture line defining a joint portion of the shim and a removable portion of the shim, the removable portion of the shim to extend outside of a peripheral edge of one of the first component or the second component, the guided fracture line to enable removal of the removable portion after the first component is fastened to the second component.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a shim including a joint portion of uniform thickness to be positioned between a first component and a second component, the first component to be fastened to the second component;
- and
- a guided fracture line including at least one curved portion positioned in the shim, the guided fracture line defining the joint portion of the shim and a removable portion of the shim, the removable portion of the shim to extend outside of a peripheral edge of one of the first component or the second component, the guided fracture line to enable removal of the removable portion after the first component is fastened to the second component.
A method comprising:
- providing a guided fracture line in a surface of a shim, the guided fracture line to define a joint portion of the shim having uniform thickness and a removable portion of the shim having the same uniform thickness;
- positioning the shim on a first component;
- positioning a second component on the joint portion of the shim;
- fastening the second component and the joint portion to the first component;
- and
- removing the removable portion from the shim.
A shim including a first portion of uniform thickness to be fastened between a first component and a second component, the shim including an elongate recess in a surface of the shim, the elongate recess defining the first portion of the shim and a second portion of the shim, the second portion having the same uniform thickness as the first portion, the elongate recess positioned outside of a contact area at which one of the first component or the second component is to contact the shim, the first portion including the contact area, the elongate recess to enable separation of the second portion from the first portion after the shim is fastened between the first component and the second component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.