Eccentric Tapered Locknut Assembly for Anti-Loosening in Tight Spaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locknuts and bolts are prone to loosening, posing a risk of equipment damage, especially in critical applications where space is limited, and existing solutions are not universally applicable or reliable.
Innovation Solution
A single ring type locknut assembly featuring a nut with a frustum-shaped internal thread concave cavity and an outer frustum-shaped annular member with an eccentric value, combined with a tapered thread structure, to prevent loosening through a comprehensive structural effect, which can be used in single or double-nut configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard nut is used for locking, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the nut is prone to loosening and lacks reliable anti-loosening effect
Solution Approach 1:
The annular member is nested inside the nut, forming an integrated assembly where the annular member is positioned within the internal thread cavity of the nut. This nesting approach allows the anti-loosening mechanism to be incorporated within the existing nut structure without adding external components, thereby improving reliability while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The annular member is designed with an eccentric structure where the central axis of the annular member does not coincide with the central axis of the nut's internal thread. This asymmetric arrangement creates a mechanical interference effect that prevents the nut from loosening, as the eccentric positioning generates a locking action through the interaction between the annular member's external threads and the nut's internal threads
2Reliability
If a double-nut anti-loosening structure is used, then the anti-loosening reliability is improved, but the usage space is limited and the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The annular member is placed inside the nut's internal thread cavity, utilizing the existing space within the nut structure. This nested configuration provides double-nut anti-loosening functionality without requiring additional axial space, effectively solving the space limitation problem associated with traditional double-nut structures
Solution Approach 2:
The annular member and nut are combined into a single integrated assembly where the annular member's external threads engage with the nut's internal threads. This merging of components achieves the anti-loosening effect of a double-nut structure while reducing the overall number of separate parts and simplifying the assembly
3Reliability
If the annular member is tightly fitted to eliminate clearance, then the anti-loosening effect is improved, but the risk of damaging the bolt increases
Solution Approach 1:
The design parameters of the annular member are optimized to achieve an appropriate fit with the nut's internal thread. The external threads of the annular member are designed with specific pitch and diameter parameters that allow for sufficient engagement to prevent loosening while maintaining clearance to avoid excessive stress concentration and bolt damage
Solution Approach 2:
The thread engagement between the annular member and nut is designed with localized contact characteristics. The thread profile and engagement length are optimized to concentrate the locking action at specific regions, achieving reliable anti-loosening effect while distributing stresses to prevent bolt damage in critical areas
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a ring type locknut, where a frustum-shaped internal thread concave cavity is arranged on a nut, inside which an annular member with frustum-shaped internal and external threads matching the concave cavity nut is provided, an eccentric value based on a specification thread fit clearance is set between internal threads and external threads of the annular member, so that when the annular member is screwed into a bolt together with the nut for locking, the expected objective that the nut will not loosen by only locking a single structure is achieved thanks to a comprehensive effect of the formed original nut structure, the eccentricity of the annular member and the structure of multiple properties of the tapered thread; the single-structure nut is used in a superposed mode, or the annular member is arranged on another nut, so that the overall anti-loosening effect is improved by the double-nut structure.