Barrel Nut Retainer for Pre-Alignment in Restricted Bores
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Barrel nuts in aerospace applications are difficult to align with fasteners due to unrestricted rotation and translation when not attached, leading to time-consuming assembly and risk of loss in restricted access areas.
Innovation Solution
A barrel nut retainer that securely holds a barrel nut in place within a component's bore, allowing pre-installation and alignment with a fastener, featuring a head portion for positioning and a clip for secure fit, preventing debris ingress and facilitating rotational alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If barrel nut is freely movable in bore, then barrel nut can be inserted at any position, but barrel nut may be lost in restricted access areas
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is pre-installed in the bore to create a retention structure before the barrel nut is placed. The aperture is positioned at the correct depth within the bore, and the retainer body extends along the bore to physically prevent the barrel nut from being accidentally dislodged or lost, while still allowing it to be inserted at the appropriate position
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer serves as an intermediary retention structure that secures the barrel nut within the bore. It provides both the alignment function and the retention function, mediating between the need for position flexibility and the need to prevent loss in restricted access areas
2Productivity
If barrel nut is pre-installed in component, then assembly time is reduced, but barrel nut alignment with fastener becomes critical
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is pre-installed in the bore with its aperture positioned at the exact depth where the fastener will intersect the bore. This preliminary positioning creates a fixed alignment reference that ensures when the barrel nut is inserted, its threaded through-hole will automatically align with the fastener, enabling pre-installation without compromising alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer acts as an intermediary alignment device that transfers the precise fastener location to the barrel nut position. The head portion references the open end of the bore while the aperture references the fastener intersection point, mediating the alignment between the pre-installed barrel nut and the subsequently inserted fastener
Data Source
AI summary
A barrel nut retainer for retaining a barrel nut in a bore of a component is disclosed having a body adapted to fit within a bore and extending between a first end and a second end, and wherein the body has an aperture between the first end and second end configured to receive a barrel nut, and a head portion at the first end of the body, the head portion adapted to sit over an open end of the bore.