Clip Nut Assembly With Elastic Walls And Cavities

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fastener components, such as clip nuts, face challenges in securely mounting items to panels while accommodating varying panel thicknesses and preventing material failure under torque, especially when large numbers are required in applications like aircraft assembly.

Innovation Solution

A non-metallic clip nut assembly featuring first and second arms with transversely extending walls and cavities designed to receive nut tabs, including central posts and sloping surfaces to distribute loading and prevent material failure, allowing for flexible insertion and secure retention of nuts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a clip nut is designed to securely mount items to panels and withstand torque, then the strength and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple walls, cavities, and posts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetorque resistanceVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clip nut is divided into multiple functional segments: first and second walls with cavities for tab reception, central posts for load distribution, and upper walls for retention. Each segment performs a specific function in securing the nut and distributing torque, allowing the complex structure to be managed through modular functional decomposition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The nut with its tabs is nested within the cage formed by the first and second walls. The tabs fit into the cavities, creating a nested configuration where the nut is contained within the protective cage structure, allowing secure retention while maintaining a compact overall form

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the clip nut structure is made complex with multiple walls and cavities to prevent material failure, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial failure preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The first and second walls are designed as flexible elements that can elastically deform during nut insertion. This flexibility allows the walls to yield as the nut is forced into the cage, reducing manufacturing precision requirements and allowing for more robust, easier-to-manufacture designs that still provide reliable torque distribution and failure prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The cavities and posts are pre-configured to distribute loading forces before material failure can occur. The posts are positioned to intercept and distribute torque loads across multiple contact points, providing built-in load paths that prevent stress concentration and material failure under operational conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If the clip nut is designed with secure retention features like posts and cavities, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficult nut insertion and removal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenut retention securityVSAvoidnut insertion ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The first and second walls are designed with elastic flexibility, allowing them to dynamically deform during nut insertion and then return to their original position to provide retention. This dynamic behavior enables easy nut insertion through elastic yielding while maintaining secure retention through elastic recovery, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Weight of moving object

If the clip nut uses a non-metallic material to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the strength and torque resistance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclip nut weightVSAvoidtorque resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The clip nut employs a composite structure combining non-metallic material with strategic metallic or reinforced elements at critical stress points such as the posts and cavity walls. This composite approach maintains the overall weight advantage of non-metallic construction while providing localized strength enhancement for torque resistance and preventing material failure under operational loads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS10648499B2Clip nut and method of assembling a clip nut and nut combination

Publication Date: 2020.05.12 LISI AEROSPACE

AI summary

A clip nut 100 has first and second opposed arms 202, 204 extending longitudinally and the second arm 204 includes first and second walls 222, 224 extending transversely of the clip nut, and the first wall 222 includes a first plurality of cavities 234, 236 and the second wall 224 includes a second plurality of cavities248, 250. A nut 102 includes legs 112, 114 extending into respective cavities. The nut is assembled with the clip nut by putting a leg into a cavity in the first wall and moving the nut toward the second arm to engage a cavity in the second wall.