# US 8,740,204 B2 · Pin for positioning of parts made of composite material

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- Number: US 8,740,204 B2
- Document ID: US8740204B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/051,820
- Filed: 2011-03-18
- Published: 2011-09-22
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-22
- Assignees: Alenia Aermacchi S.p.A.
- Applicants: Alberto Midali; Agnellini Elio
- Inventors: Alberto Midali; Agnellini Elio
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740204B2

## CPC

- F16B 19/02: Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings
- B29C 45/00: Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor (injection blow-moulding B29C49/06)
- B29C 65/7855: {Provisory fixing}
- B29C 66/721: {Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence)}
- 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)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)

## Abstract

A pin for the production and positioning of parts made of composite material and glued together in an aircraft, the pin including an elongated body (1), which is inserted in the holes purposely provided on parts of the aircraft or of the assembly jig. The pin also includes a head (2) that limits insertion of the pin in the holes, the body and the head being integrated in a single body made of a thermoplastic material. The process of production of the pin is a molding process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of using a disposable pin for production and positioning and assembling of parts made of composite material glued together for an aircraft or an assembly jig, the pin including an elongated body and a head integrated as a single element made of reinforced thermoplastic material and produced in a single molding step; said method comprising: creating holes on the parts for the aircraft or the assembly jig; inserting the elongated body of the pin in one of the holes so that the head of the pin touches one of the parts of the aircraft or the assembly jig; polymerizing the parts of the aircraft or the assembly jig with a thermal delta; extracting said pin from the one of the holes with a drill and cleaning the one of the holes; wherein the pin defines a through-hole along a vertical axis of the pin facilitating extraction of the pin, and wherein during extracting said pin, the body of said pin reinforces a seat of the corresponding one of the holes in the part of the aircraft; the pin collapsing transversely, from external shearing loads applied to the pin, in order to safeguard structural integrity of the parts and of the aircraft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the molding process is a process of injection molding.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the hole is created during the process of production of the pin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a bottom part of the elongated body is tapered.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the elongated body is cylindrical.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the elongated body and the head comprise a monolithic element.