Alignment device and methods of using the same
AssigneeFatigue Technology, Inc.
InventorDouglas W. Glenn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alignment device is located on a mandrel of an installation tool and is used to align a structural member in an opening of a workpiece while seating a radial flange of the structural member against a first surface of the workpiece. The alignment device comprises a disk-shaped device having an outer surface, an inner surface forming an opening through the alignment device, and where the opening is sized to be at least slightly smaller than a major diameter of an expansion portion of the mandrel. In one embodiment, the alignment is nylon to allow the inner surface of the alignment device to be repeatedly, radially expanded and yet the opening formed by the inner surface returns to its original size.
Claims9
An installation kit for installing a structural member in an opening of a workpiece with a mandrel including an expansion portion dimensioned to expand the structural member the kit comprising:
- the structural member, the structural member including a radial flange on a first end, the radial flange sized to abut at least a portion of a first surface of the workpiece;
- and
- an alignment device that is separate and distinct from the structural member, the alignment device including
- an outer surface;
- an inner surface defining an opening that has a cross sectional area perpendicular to a direction of passage of the mandrel that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a portion of the expansion portion of the mandrel, wherein material forming the inner surface is deformable and is sufficiently resilient to align the mandrel with the structural member as the expansion portion of the mandrel passes through and expands the opening of the alignment device;
- and
- a contacting surface extending substantially from the inner surface to the outer surface, the contacting surface sized to abut at least a portion of a second surface of the workpiece, the second surface of the workpiece opposing the first surface of the workpiece.
An installation kit for installing a structural member in an opening of the workpiece with a mandrel coupled to an installation tool, the mandrel including an expansion portion dimensioned to expand the structural member, the installation kit comprising:
- the structural member, the structural member including
- an elongate body extending from a first end to a second end, the elongate body including an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, wherein the outer perimeter is smaller than the opening prior to passage of the mandrel and the inner perimeter defines a first passage that extends from the first end to the second end of the elongate body, and
- a flange that extends from the first end of the structural member and that is larger than the opening in the workpiece;
- and
- an alignment device including:
- a first surface;
- a second surface;
- and
- an inner surface defining a passage extending between the first surface and the second surface, wherein material forming the inner surface is deformable and is sufficiently resilient to align the mandrel with the structural member as the expansion portion passes through and expands the passage of the alignment device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.