Radome Fastener Assembly with Compression Pre-load
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of radome panels requires extensive man-hours due to the need for precise torqueing of nut-and-bolt fasteners, which can loosen over time, and often requires access to both sides of the fastener, complicating maintenance and re-torqueing processes.
Innovation Solution
A fastener assembly comprising a fastener pin with a tee portion, an insert with a seat, and a compression member that allows for quick installation and secure connection of radome panels without the need for calibrated torqueing, enabling one-sided access and maintaining pre-load without re-torqueing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nut-and-bolt fasteners are used to connect radome panels, then secure connection is achieved, but extensive man-hours are required for installation and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener assembly is divided into separate components: a fastener pin with tee portion, an insert with internal cavity and seat, and a compression member. This segmentation allows for simplified installation where components are inserted and compressed sequentially, eliminating the need for complex torqueing operations while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the torqueing operation from the fastening process by using a compression member that provides pre-load through direct compression rather than rotational torque. This eliminates the need for calibrated torqueing devices and extensive tightening procedures.
2Ease of operation
If adhesive is applied to hold the nut in place during tightening, then one-sided access is enabled, but the fastener may loosen over time requiring re-torqueing
Solution Approach 1:
The compression member provides continuous pre-load on the fastener pin through elastic compression, creating a self-maintaining mechanism that does not require external adhesive or periodic re-torqueing. The compression member's elastic properties allow it to maintain constant force, preventing fastener loosening over time.
3Reliability
If multiple fasteners are installed in radome panels, then secure panel connection is achieved, but over 100 man-hours are required for fastener installation alone
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the time-consuming torqueing operation from the fastening process. By using a compression member that provides pre-load through direct compression rather than rotational torque, the installation process is dramatically simplified, allowing multiple fasteners to be installed quickly without requiring calibrated torqueing devices or extensive tightening procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the rotational mechanical system of nut-and-bolt torqueing with a linear compression system. The compression member applies pre-load through direct axial compression, substituting the complex rotational torqueing mechanism with a simpler compression-based fastening approach that is much faster to install.
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener assembly includes an insert having a head and a sleeve extending from a bottom surface of the head, with the insert further defining an internal cavity. The head of the insert abuts a first panel with the sleeve extending through a first preformed hole in the first panel. A second panel with a second preformed hole is aligned with the first panel, and a shaft of a fastener pin is inserted through the second preformed hole and into the internal cavity of the insert. Upon rotating the fastener pin, a tee portion at the end of the shaft engages a seat positioned in the internal cavity of the insert. The fastener assembly also includes a compression member positioned around the shaft of the fastener pin that biases the tee portion of the fastener pin into engagement with the seat of the insert.