Anti-loosening fastening device

Abstract

The present invention provides an anti-loosening fastening device, which includes a bolt and an anti-loosening structure, wherein the bolt includes a connecting section for threaded connection with a to-be-connected piece and an operating section for performing a screwing operation along an axial direction, and a tooth portion extending along the axial direction is provided on the outer periphery of the operating section; the anti-loosening structure includes: a shell, the operating section is accommodated and stopped in the shell, and the connecting section extends out of the shell through a through hole; a slide rail, which is fixedly arranged in the shell; a sliding element, which can be slidably arranged on the slide rail along a miter direction, and a matching tooth portion is provided at the end of the sliding element facing the operating section, wherein the miter direction is at an angle to the axial direction; a spring element, which is configured to apply a spring force to the sliding element, and the sliding element is made to slide by means of the spring force, so as to switch between a clamped state and a disengaged state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an anti-loosening fastening device, in particular to an anti-loosening fastening bolt. Background Art

[0002] Bolts are widely used for fastening connections between various mechanical parts. During operation, if the bolts are loosened due to external impact or vibration, the connection parts will fall off and cause serious safety hazards. Taking this into consideration, there are currently the following anti-loosening measures: end face friction torque anti-loosening measures, such as adding flat washers, spring washers, serrated washers, etc.; or thread surface friction torque anti-loosening measures, such as double nut structure, eccentric nut, wedge washer, etc.; or non-removable anti-loosening measures, such as gluing, welding, riveting, etc.; in addition, there are mechanical locking anti-loosening measures, such as cotter pins. However, these anti-loosening structures cannot effectively prevent rotational loosening when the mechanical structure is in operation, and on the other hand, these anti-loosening structures make the assembly process more complicated and time-consuming. Summary of the invention

[0003] Based on this, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved anti-loosening fastening device, which can simplify the assembly process of various mechanical parts while ensuring the anti-loosening effect.

[0004] In addition, the present invention is also intended to solve or alleviate other technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by providing an anti-loosening fastening device. Specifically, the device comprises a bolt and an anti-loosening structure. The bolt comprises a connecting section for threaded connection with a member to be connected and an operating section for screwing in the axial direction. A tooth portion extending in the axial direction is provided on the outer periphery of the operating section. The anti-loosening structure comprises the following components:

[0006] a housing, in which the operating section is accommodated and stopped, and in which the connecting section protrudes from the housing through a through hole;

[0007] A slide rail fixedly arranged in the housing;

[0008] a sliding element, which is slidably arranged on the slide rail in a miter direction, and a matching toothing is provided at the end of the sliding element facing the operating section, wherein the miter direction is at an angle to the axial direction;

[0009] A spring element is configured to apply a spring force to the sliding element, so that the sliding element slides by means of the spring force for switching between a clamped state and a disengaged state, wherein in the clamped state, the tooth portion and the mating tooth portion are in engagement; in the disengaged state, the tooth portion and the mating tooth portion are out of engagement.

[0010] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed by the present invention, the spring force is a restoring force, which pushes the sliding element to slide toward the actuating section and brings the toothed portion and the mating toothed portion into engagement.

[0011] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed in the present invention, the slide rail includes an upper rail and a lower rail which are respectively fixedly arranged relative to the shell, wherein there is an accommodating gap extending along the miter direction between the upper rail and the lower rail, and the sliding element is slidably accommodated in the accommodating gap.

[0012] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed by the present invention, an external thread for threaded connection with the housing is provided on the outer wall of the lower rail, and the thread rotation direction of the external thread is opposite to the thread rotation direction of the connecting thread of the connecting section.

[0013] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed in the present invention, the sliding element includes a plurality of petal-shaped sub-sliders separated from each other, wherein the plurality of sub-sliders together form a conical shape around the axial direction, and each sub-slider has a circumferential surface extending along the miter direction, and the sub-slider slides in the accommodating gap with the circumferential surface.

[0014] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed in the present invention, each sub-slider also has a stopper connected to its circumference and extending in the axial direction, and the sliding path of the sub-slider in the miter direction is limited by the stopper.

[0015] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed by the present invention, the spring element is configured to apply a restoring force to the stop portion for pushing the sliding element to slide in the accommodating gap, and the restoring force is parallel to the axial direction or has a force component along the axial direction.

[0016] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed by the present invention, the spring element is constructed as a spiral spring and is arranged in the housing by means of the spring seat, and the restoring force is applied to the sliding element by the spring seat.

[0017] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed in the present invention, a protrusion is provided between the connecting section and the operating section, and the operating section is stopped in the housing by means of the protrusion.

[0018] According to the anti-loosening fastening device proposed by the present invention, a screwing interface is provided at the free end of the operating section, and the bolt is screwed through the screwing interface.

[0019] The anti-loosening fastening device disclosed in the present invention can realize the quick-change operation of parts in terms of ensuring the anti-loosening and stopping technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other features of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 The anti-loosening fastening device according to the present invention is shown in a sectional view in a disengaged state;

[0022] Figure 2 The anti-loosening fastening device according to the present invention is shown in a cross-sectional view in a clamped state;

[0023] Figure 3 The three-dimensional diagram shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 Sliding element of the anti-loosening fastening device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] It is easy to understand that according to the technical solution of the present invention, without changing the essential spirit of the present invention, a person skilled in the art can propose a variety of interchangeable structural modes and implementation modes. Therefore, the following specific implementation modes and drawings are only exemplary descriptions of the technical solution of the present invention, and should not be regarded as the whole of the present invention or as a limitation or restriction to the technical solution of the present invention.

[0025] The directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, back, front, back, top, bottom, etc. mentioned or may be mentioned in this specification are defined relative to the structures shown in the drawings. They are relative concepts and may change accordingly according to their different positions and different usage states. Therefore, these or other directional terms should not be interpreted as restrictive terms. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. or similar expressions are only used for description and distinction purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance of the corresponding components.

[0026] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2, which shows a cross-sectional view of an anti-loosening fastening device 100 according to the present invention, which as a whole includes a bolt 110 and an anti-loosening structure 120 for starting and stopping. The bolt 110 has a connecting section 111 and an operating section 112 along its axial direction, wherein a connecting thread (not shown) is provided on the outer periphery of the connecting section 111 for threaded connection with the part to be connected, and the operating section 112 is used for an operator to use or cooperate with a power tool to perform a screwing operation so as to establish or eliminate the threaded connection between the bolt 110, especially the connecting section 111 and the part to be connected. The axial direction mentioned here is parallel to the length direction of the bolt 110 and the thread rotation direction of the connecting thread of the connecting section 111 refers to the axial direction. The connecting thread of the connecting section 111 can be constructed as an external thread for matching with the part to be connected, and of course, it can also be constructed as an internal thread for matching with the part to be connected. The connection section 111, especially the part thereof provided with the connection thread, can be but not limited to be configured as a column in a simple manner; and the operating section 112 can also be but not limited to be configured as a column in a simple manner. In addition, the operating section 112 can instead have a cross section similar to a hexagonal nut for use with a power tool, and the cross section can match the screwing head of the power tool. The shape of the operating section 112 can be designed as required and is not limited to the forms listed above.

[0027] In order to prevent the threaded connection established by means of the bolt 110 from loosening when subjected to external force impact, the bolt 110 is equipped with a special anti-loosening structure 120, which includes a housing 121, and a sliding element 122, a slide rail 123 and a spring element 124 contained therein. The connecting section 111 of the bolt 110 protrudes out of the housing 121 through the through hole of the housing 121 for threaded connection with the part to be connected, while the operating section 112 of the bolt 110 is contained and stopped in the housing 121. This stopping effect of the anti-loosening structure 120 can be related to the screwing period of the bolt 110 and the working period after the screwing operation is completed. The locking action of the anti-loosening structure 120 is realized in a tooth-matching manner, that is, a tooth portion 1121 extending in the axial direction is provided at the end of the operating section 112 accommodated and stopped in the housing 121, especially at the end thereof away from the connecting section 111 (shown as the lower end in the drawings), and correspondingly, a matching tooth portion 1221 is provided at the end of the sliding element 122, which can be engaged with the tooth portion 1121 of the operating section 112. The sliding element 122 is fixed on the slide rail 123 in such a way that the sliding element 122 can slide along a miter direction at a certain angle, especially an acute angle, to the axial direction by means of a spring element 124, wherein the slide rail 123 is relatively fixedly arranged in the housing 121.

[0028] If the sliding element 122 slides along the miter direction with its end provided with the mating tooth portion 1221 toward the operating section 112, its mating tooth portion 1221 engages with the tooth portion 1121 at the operating section 112 (i.e., the sliding element reaches a clamped state, see Figure 2 ); On the contrary, if the sliding element 122 slides along the miter direction with its end provided with the mating tooth portion 1221 away from the operating section 112, its mating tooth portion 1221 is disengaged from the tooth portion 1121 at the operating section (i.e., the sliding element reaches the disengaged state, see Figure 1 ). The engagement of the toothed portion 1121 and the mating toothed portion 1221 can prevent the entire bolt 110 from being twisted in the axial direction, that is, this engagement produces an anti-twist effect. In addition, the combination of the toothed portion in the axial direction and the sliding in the miter direction can achieve motion conversion in a simple manner, which is more advantageous for small connectors such as bolts.

[0029] It should be pointed out here that the term "extending in the axial direction" means that the toothing and the mating toothing have a certain length in the axial direction, for example, as shown in the drawings, the toothing can extend in the axial direction over the entire length of the actuating section. Instead of this, the toothing can also extend only over a part of the length of the actuating section in the axial direction, for example, the toothing is arranged in the lower end region of the actuating section. In addition, a "toothing" or "mating toothing" can be understood as a combination of grooves and projections arranged side by side, that is, its cross section perpendicular to the axial direction presents a combined arrangement of grooves and projections, and thus achieves a positive locking effect; more specifically, the cross-sectional shape containing grooves and projections arranged side by side can be realized in the form of a common tooth. In addition, the term "mitered direction" refers to the axial direction, which in the case of a conical sliding element to be explained below should be understood as a set of spatial directions that are at a fixed angle to the axial direction, in particular parallel to the cone surface. It should also be noted that the directional terms "inside" and "outside" in a relative sense used here refer to the central axis of the bolt (i.e., the axial direction), that is, if it is closer to the central axis, it is expressed as "inside", and vice versa; the directional terms "upper" and "lower" in a relative sense refer to the connecting section of the bolt after it is screwed into the part to be connected, that is, if it is closer to the connecting section, it is expressed as "upper", and vice versa.

[0030] Here, the spring element 124 can automatically stop the bolt 110 by means of its restoring force. Specifically, the spring element 124 is in a compressed state during the screwing process, and this compressed state can be achieved by means of a power tool or an operator. After the screwing process is completed, after the external compression force disappears, the spring element 124 uses its own restoring force to push the sliding element 122 to slide in the direction of the clamping state, and thus automatically brings the tooth portion 1121 and the matching tooth portion 1221 into engagement. As shown in the accompanying drawings, the spring element 124 pushes the sliding element to slide toward the operating section with its restoring force, and in particular, slides its end with the tooth portion 1121 toward the area of ​​the operating section 112 with the matching tooth portion 1221. With the help of the spring restoring force, the tooth portion and the matching tooth portion can automatically enter the clamping state and can be kept in the clamping state more reliably. This also provides the possibility for quick-change operation of mechanical parts.

[0031] Optionally, the slide rail 123 includes an upper rail 1231 and a lower rail 1232, which are respectively fixed in the housing 121 and there is a receiving gap between the two, in which the sliding element 122 can be slidably clamped. Since the sliding element 122 can slide along the slide rail in the miter direction, this means that the receiving gap forms a passage in the miter direction. As shown in the accompanying drawings, when the operating section 112 of the bolt 110 is configured as a column and the housing is configured as a hollow column with one side open, the lower rail 1232 can be configured as a hollow cone and has a trapezoidal cross section in a plane parallel to the axial direction. Similarly, the upper rail 1231 has a conical section formed around the axial direction in the miter direction, and the conical section faces the operating section 112 of the bolt 110 with its inner wall. The outer wall of the upper rail 1231 and the inner wall of the lower rail 1232 jointly limit the receiving gap. In this design, the sliding element 122 slides in the miter direction until it protrudes from the receiving gap, and thereby engages with the toothed portion 1121 of the operating section 112 with its mating toothed portion 1221; in contrast, in the disengaged state, the sliding element 122 can be completely accommodated in the receiving gap, in particular, its end with the mating toothed portion 1221 is flush with the ends of the upper rail 1231 and the lower rail 1232. This double-rail design simplifies the fixing structure of the sliding element relative to the slide rail and avoids interference with the movement of the sliding element.

[0032] Further optionally, in this double track design, the sliding element 122 is also provided with a stopper to prevent it from completely falling out of the receiving gap. The stopper can be implemented as a component separated from the sliding element, for example, it can be fixed at the upper side of the lower track, and the sliding element stops at the upper side when the toothed portion and the mating toothed portion are engaged.

[0033] In a simpler embodiment, the stop portion can be a component of the sliding element. Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the sliding element 122 includes a main body 1223 extending in the miter direction and a stopper 1224 extending in the axial direction and located at the upper end adjacent to the main body, and the above-described matching toothed portion 1221 is provided at the lower end of the main body. When the matching toothed portion 1221 and the toothed portion 1121 of the operating section 112 are in engagement, the stopper 1224 just reaches the entrance of the receiving gap, thereby limiting the sliding path of the sliding element 122, especially its main body 1223. In addition, in the non-use stage, the stopper can also prevent the sliding element as a whole from sliding out of the receiving gap and thereby achieve an anti-loss effect.

[0034] Further preferably, the main body 1223 of the sliding element 122 can be designed in a cone-like shape, or it can include a plurality of sub-sliders designed in a petal-like shape, and the plurality of sub-sliders together form a cone-like shape, especially a more accurate truncated cone-like shape. Figure 3 , which has a circumferential surface formed in a miter direction around the axial direction at a preset circumferential angle (e.g., 120° or 90°), which is a part of the main body 1223 described above for sliding in the receiving gap. Connected to the circumferential surface is an axial section of the petal-like structure extending in the axial direction, which can serve as the stopper 1224 described above.

[0035] For example, in Figure 3 In the sliding element shown in , it includes four petal-shaped sub-slide blocks each having a circumferential angle of 90°, and the sub-slide blocks can be accommodated in the accommodation gap independently of each other. It should be noted here that the number of sub-slide blocks and the circumferential angle of each sub-slide block can be selected and designed according to needs.

[0036] Here, in order to prevent the relative movement between the sub-sliders, a retaining element (not shown) can be provided, and the retaining element can be configured as a part of the lower track. Specifically, the lower track is provided with a recessed portion for accommodating each sub-slider, and the outer wall of the recessed portion can be used to stop the sub-slider and prevent it from moving in the circumferential direction. Of course, the retaining element can also be configured as a component separated from the lower track.

[0037] Correspondingly, the spring element 124 is configured to cause the sliding element 122 to slide along in the receiving gap and apply a restoring force to the stopper, and the restoring force can be parallel to the axial direction. In this case, the spring element 124 can be constructed as a coil spring as shown in the accompanying drawings and arranged in the housing 121 by means of a spring seat 125, wherein the spring seat 125 directly contacts the stopper 1224 with one end. Each sub-slider moves obliquely downward under the action of the restoring force in the axial direction and thus enters a clamping state, during which a combined movement of the axial movement of the sliding element and the lateral movement perpendicular to the axial direction is involved. Compared with the motion conversion structure additionally provided in the prior art, it is undoubtedly simpler to achieve the above-mentioned motion conversion by relying solely on the structure of the sliding element itself.

[0038] Alternatively, the restoring force of the spring element 124 can also be a restoring force having a force component in the axial direction, that is, the spring element can be arranged obliquely to the axial direction and arranged according to spatial design requirements while taking into account the self-locking angle with respect to the sub-slide.

[0039] Of course, this does not exclude the possibility that the slide rail is designed in a single-track manner. For example, the sliding element can be slidably attached to the lower track and have its own stop portion, which can extend in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction and abut against the upper side of the lower track when the tooth portion and the mating tooth portion enter into engagement.

[0040] Further optionally, if Figure 1 and 2 As shown, a protrusion 113 is also provided between the connecting section 111 and the actuating section 112 of the bolt 110, which is accommodated in the housing 121 and is designed in such a way that the cross-sectional dimension of the protrusion 113 perpendicular to the axial direction near the connecting section 110 is at least larger than the dimension of the through hole and thus the actuating section 112 of the bolt 110 can be stopped in the housing 121 by means of the protrusion 113 and thus the bolt 110 can be prevented from completely passing out of the housing 121 during the tightening process.

[0041] according to Figure 1 and 2To elaborate on the size design of the protrusion 113, the diameter of the disc-shaped protrusion 113 may be determined by the size defined by the upper rail 1231 and / or the lower rail 1232 when the mating toothed portion 1221 of the sub-slider is disengaged from the toothed portion 1121 of the operating section 112, that is, the diameter of the protrusion 113 is less than or equal to the size and greater than the diameter of the through hole. In this case, during the assembly process of the parts, the bolt 110 can be placed in the housing 121 in advance without disassembly, wherein the exterior of the housing 121 can be riveted, welded or glued to the part to be connected for better positioning; then, each sub-slider is pushed into the receiving gap manually or with the help of additional accessories to overcome the spring force; and then, the connecting section 111 of the bolt is screwed into the part to be connected by the operator or with the help of a power tool; finally, the toothed portion 1121 and the mating toothed portion 1221 are automatically placed in engagement with the help of the restoring force of the spring element 124, thereby achieving the anti-loosening stop effect on the bolt 110. This type of anti-loosening fastening device can be widely used in quick-change operations of parts due to the presence of the spring element. In addition, the anti-loosening structure can be reused, and only the bolts placed therein need to be replaced, which reduces the production cost to a certain extent compared with the common stop washers in the prior art.

[0042] In a similar embodiment, the projection 113 can be regarded as a part of the actuating section 112, that is, the geometric dimensions of the actuating section 112 of the bolt are designed so that it can itself serve as the projection 113. For example, the diameter of the actuating section 112 (which is perpendicular to the axial direction) over the entire length, especially only over a partial length close to the connecting section, is larger than the diameter of the through hole for the connecting section 111 to pass through, so that the actuating section 112 can abut and stop on the housing 121 by itself after the screwing is completed.

[0043] Instead, in order to achieve a better stopping effect, the protrusion 113 can also be designed with a larger size as possible. In this case, the slide rail 123 (including the upper rail and the lower rail), the spring element 124, and the sliding element 122 are detachably fixed so that the bolts can be inserted by removing other parts when preparing to start assembly. For example, the lower rail 1232 is fixed to the housing 121 in a threaded connection; the spring element 124 is movably arranged in the housing 121 by means of a spring seat 125; and the upper rail 1231 is positioned and fixed by means of the spring seat 125.

[0044] Optionally, when the lower rail 1232 is threadedly connected to the housing 121, the thread direction of the external thread at the outer wall of the lower rail 1232 is opposite to the thread direction of the connecting thread of the connecting section 111 of the bolt, that is, one of the two is configured as a left-handed thread and the other is configured as a right-handed thread. In this way, the lower rail can be prevented from rotating and the bolt can thereby be prevented from turning.

[0045] Optionally, in order to facilitate the operator or the power tool to perform the screwing operation on the bolt, the operating section can also be provided with a screwing interface (not shown) at its free end (that is, the lower end in the accompanying drawings). On the one hand, the screwing interface can be simply designed as a grip for the operator to grasp, such as a convex or concave grip. On the other hand, instead of this, the screwing interface can be configured to match the screwing head of the power tool. For example, the screwing interface is configured as a recessed portion of an internal hexagonal structure, in which case the screwing head is inserted into the recessed portion and the screwing operation is performed. In addition, the free end of the operating section 112 with an external hexagonal structure can also serve as a screwing interface, in which case the screwing head of the power tool is externally sleeved on the screwing interface.

[0046] In summary, the anti-loosening and fastening device according to the present disclosure can realize the quick-change operation of parts on the basis of ensuring anti-loosening and stopping. In one embodiment of the present invention, the double-track design can simplify the fixing method of the sliding element relative to the slide rail and also avoid interference with the movement of the sliding element. In another embodiment of the present invention, by optimizing the geometric shape of the sliding element, the conversion between axial movement and lateral movement and the state switching of the sliding element relative to the operating section can be realized in a simpler way. In another embodiment of the present invention, the anti-loosening and fastening effect can be further improved by providing a protrusion or optimizing the size design of the bolt. In another embodiment of the present invention, by designing the thread rotation direction of the lower track to be opposite to the thread rotation direction of the connecting section of the bolt, the anti-loosening structure can be prevented from rotating.

[0047] It should be understood that all the above preferred embodiments are illustrative rather than restrictive, and various modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art to the specific embodiments described above under the concept of the present invention should be within the legal protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An anti-loosening fastening device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a bolt and an anti-loosening structure, wherein the bolt comprises a connecting section for threaded connection with a connected member and an operating section for screwing in the axial direction, and a toothed portion extending in the axial direction is provided on the outer periphery of the operating section; the anti-loosening structure comprises the following components: a housing, in which the operating section is accommodated and stopped, and in which the connecting section protrudes from the housing through a through hole; A slide rail fixedly arranged in the housing; a sliding element, which is slidably arranged on the slide rail in a miter direction, and a matching toothing is provided at the end of the sliding element facing the operating section, wherein the miter direction is at an angle to the axial direction; a spring element configured to apply a spring force to the sliding element, so that the sliding element slides by means of the spring force, so as to switch between a clamped state and a disengaged state, wherein in the clamped state, the toothed portion and the mating toothed portion are in engagement; and in the disengaged state, the toothed portion and the mating toothed portion are out of engagement, The spring force is a restoring force which pushes the sliding element in the direction of the actuating section in a sliding movement and brings the toothing and the mating toothing into engagement.

2. The anti-loosening fastening device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slide rail comprises an upper rail and a lower rail respectively arranged fixedly relative to the housing, wherein an accommodation gap extending along the miter direction exists between the upper rail and the lower rail, and the sliding element is slidably accommodated in the accommodation gap.

3. The anti-loosening fastening device according to claim 2, characterized in that: An external thread for threaded connection with the housing is provided on the outer wall of the lower rail, and the thread rotation direction of the external thread is opposite to the thread rotation direction of the connecting thread of the connecting section.

4. The anti-loosening fastening device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sliding element includes a plurality of petal-shaped sub-sliders separated from each other, wherein the plurality of sub-sliders together form a conical shape around the axial direction, and each sub-slider has a circumferential surface extending along the miter direction, and the sub-sliders slide in the accommodating gap with the circumferential surface.

5. The anti-loosening fastening device according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each sub-slider also has a stopper portion connected to a circumferential surface thereof and extending in the axial direction, and the sliding path of the sub-slider in the miter direction is limited by the stopper portion.

6. The anti-loosening fastening device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The spring element is provided for applying a restoring force to the stop portion for urging the sliding element to slide in the receiving recess, wherein the restoring force is parallel to the axial direction or has a force component in the axial direction.

7. The anti-loosening fastening device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The spring element is designed as a helical spring and is arranged in the housing by means of the spring seat, via which a restoring force is exerted on the sliding element.

8. The anti-loosening fastening device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A projection is provided between the connecting section and the actuating section, by means of which the actuating section is stopped in the housing.

9. The anti-loosening fastening device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A screw connection is provided at the free end of the actuating section, via which the screw is screwed.

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