Eccentric Bolt-Nut Fastener for Vibration-Resistant Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing threaded fasteners often loosen or come off easily, leading to inaccurate and potentially damaged equipment operation, as they fail to effectively resist vibrations and ensure secure fastening.
Innovation Solution
An anti-vibration anti-loosening threaded fastener design featuring a bolt and nut with an eccentrically arranged post and through hole, where the post and through hole are mated to generate vertical and horizontal forces for secure connection, and a sensor is mounted to detect any loosening by monitoring the contact force between the post and sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional threaded fasteners are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the fasteners loosen or come off easily under vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The inner fastener is nested inside the outer fastener, with the inner fastener's outer surface threaded portion engaging with the inner threaded hole of the outer fastener. This nested configuration creates a compound fastening system where the inner fastener provides additional anti-loosening capability while being contained within the outer fastener structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener head is designed with an asymmetric structure featuring a recessed portion that receives a protruding portion of the inner fastener head. This asymmetric connection between the outer fastener head and inner fastener head creates a mechanical interlock that prevents relative rotation and loosening, while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fasteners are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but they fail to resist vibrations effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of inner and outer fasteners creates a multi-layered vibration resistance system. The inner fastener is positioned within the outer fastener such that both threaded portions engage with the workpiece, providing redundant fastening that resists vibrational forces from multiple directions and prevents loosening under dynamic loading conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener system combines two distinct fastener components (outer and inner) with different geometric configurations into a composite fastening system. This composite structure leverages the strengths of both fasteners to provide superior vibration resistance compared to a single conventional fastener, while the modular design allows for standardized manufacturing processes.
3Loss of information
If a single fastener is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot provide real-time detection of loosening conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed portion of the outer fastener head and the protruding portion of the inner fastener head create a mechanical feedback mechanism. When the fasteners are properly tightened, the protruding portion fits into the recessed portion, establishing a definite positional relationship that can be used to monitor fastening status. Any relative movement or loosening would disrupt this engagement, providing detectable feedback on the fastening state.
4Force
If conventional fasteners are used, then the fastening force is sufficient for static conditions, but they cannot generate the vertical and horizontal forces needed for secure connection under vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric engagement between the recessed portion of the outer fastener head and the protruding portion of the inner fastener head creates mechanical constraints that generate both vertical (axial) and horizontal (radial) forces. This asymmetric interlock prevents relative movement in multiple directions, ensuring that the fastening system can resist vibrational forces that act in various orientations, thereby maintaining secure connection under dynamic conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An anti-vibration anti-loosening threaded fastener is revealed. The threaded fastener includes a bolt and a nut. The bolt consists of a head, a stud disposed on a bottom surface of the head, and a through hole mounted axially in the stud. The nut is composed of a threaded slotted portion provided with an opening facing upward and fastened to the stud by threaded connection, and a post protruding from central area of a bottom of the threaded slotted portion. The post and the through hole are disposed eccentrically to each other so that forces that pull the bolt and the nut together are generated when the bolt and the nut are threaded and fastened with each other and the post is mounted into the through hole. Thereby the bolt and the nut are fastened more tightly and the threaded fastener is vibration resistant and anti-loosening.