Circular Pin Clip With Fixed Spreader for Tight Hole Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fixed spreader pin clips have large outer diameters and lengths due to the presence of six-sided nuts, making them difficult to insert into closely spaced holes and disrupting robotic operations such as drilling or installing fasteners.
Innovation Solution
A pin clip design with a tubular main body, a clamp with flexible branches and catching spurs, and a spreader that maintains the clamp in a cylindrical configuration, eliminating the need for six-sided nuts and allowing for a more compact and efficient assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If six-sided nuts are used to block rotation of the clamp, then the clamp can be prevented from rotating, but the outer diameter and length of the body increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the six-sided nut component entirely and extracts the anti-rotation function to be performed by the spreader's transverse end locked in a locking groove within the body, thereby reducing the overall volume while maintaining the anti-rotation stability
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-rotation function previously performed by a separate six-sided nut is merged into the spreader-body interface, where the transverse end of the spreader locks directly into a groove in the body, combining multiple functions into fewer components and reducing overall size
2Stability of the object's composition
If six-sided nuts are used to block rotation of the clamp, then the clamp can be prevented from rotating, but the insertion difficulty into closely spaced holes increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the protruding six-sided nut, the overall envelope dimensions of the pin clip are reduced, allowing easier insertion into closely spaced holes while the anti-rotation function is maintained through the spreader's transverse end locking mechanism
3Stability of the object's composition
If large length bodies are used with six-sided nuts, then the anti-rotation function is achieved, but the disruption to robotic stroke increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the six-sided nut that extended the body length, thereby reducing the overall length of the pin clip and eliminating interference with robotic stroke while maintaining anti-rotation through the integrated spreader locking mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp is designed to rotate during operation to spread the branches apart, with the anti-rotation function only engaging at specific positions through the spreader locking mechanism, allowing dynamic operation without compromising stability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The new design allows for easier insertion into closely spaced holes and reduces the overall length of the assembly, improving usability and compatibility with robotic systems, while maintaining effective clamping force.
Implementation Method 1
a tie rod (40) provided with a tapped bore (41) cooperating with a threaded end (21) of the clamp (20), the clamp being movable in translation along the longitudinal axis, driven by rotation about said axis of the tie rod
Implementation Method 2
a spring (50) arranged in a space inside the main body (10) around the clamp (20), so as to exert a longitudinal force between a bearing surface (12) of the main body (10) and an annular edge of the threaded end (21) of the clamp (20)
Data Source
AI summary
A clip, for use with structural parts, includes a main tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a bearing face intended contact a first face of the structural parts, a clamp able to pass through opposite perforations, in the parts, and being movable along the longitudinal axis, driven by the rotation of a tie rod having a tapped bore engaging a threaded end of the clamp, the clamp further including branches that are radially and progressively separable along a separator, placed between the branches and fixed relative to the main body, under the effect of the recoil of the clamp, the separator including a transverse part introduced into a longitudinal groove of the clip and rotationally blocked in a groove provided in an element that is fixed relative to the main body.