Blind Bolt Receiver and Tooling for One-Side Torque Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blind bolt and tool combinations for securing structures, particularly in demanding environments like cell phone towers, are not sufficiently fast, durable, or easy to use, requiring improvements for efficient reinforcement and equipment installation.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, fast, and simple blind bolt and tool combination featuring a bolt with a receiver and splines for engagement with a tension control wrench, along with a tool that applies torque opposite to the nut rotation, allowing for quick and secure fastening and featuring a shear sleeve and spring-loaded components for protection against shear forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional blind bolt and tool combinations are used, then the fastening process can be completed, but the operation is not fast or easy to use
Solution Approach 1:
The blind bolt is segmented into distinct functional components: a receiver at the tip end for tool engagement, splines for torque control, and a bolt shaft for fastening. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving both ease of operation and installation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The blind bolt system incorporates self-aligning and self-contained features where the receiver and splines automatically engage with the tension control wrench, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures or additional tools, thereby improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If traditional blind bolt designs are used, then fastening can be achieved, but durability and protection against shear forces are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The blind bolt incorporates a shear sleeve and spring-loaded components that are pre-positioned to absorb and protect against shear forces before they can damage the bolt or surrounding structure, enhancing durability and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The blind bolt system uses composite construction with different materials optimized for specific functions: the bolt shaft for fastening strength, the shear sleeve for shear protection, and the spring components for cushioning, collectively improving reliability and strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple blind bolt designs are used, then the design is easy to manufacture, but consistent torque application cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The tension control wrench with splines provides mechanical feedback during tightening, ensuring that a predetermined and consistent torque is applied to the blind bolt. The splines engage with the receiver to control and indicate when the correct torque is reached, maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The blind bolt design incorporates specific geometric parameters in the receiver and spline configuration that are optimized to work with the tension control wrench, ensuring consistent torque application while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A blind bolt and tool is used for fastening a bolt through a hole in a structure when only one side of the structure is accessible. A receiver is formed on the tip end of a bolt shaft opposite from a bolt head. Internal threads are formed within the receiver proximate an outward end, and a hex socket is formed in the inward end of the receiver. External threads and a guide are formed on a tip of the tool, and the external threads mate with the internal threads in the receiver to hold the bolt during installation. A hex key on one end of the tool engages the hex socket in the receiver so that the tool may impose a torque on the bolt when a nut is being tightened on the bolt. In another embodiment, a splined tip is formed on the end of the bolt. The tip is designed to shear off when a sufficient torque is applied. Also, a shim is configured to fit between structures held together by the blind bolt.