Segmented Nut Sidewall for Hinge Pin Torque Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Variations in production and excessive torque during installation can lead to damage or breakage of conventional nuts and threaded pins in vehicle components, causing unreliable reinstallation of removable components like vehicle doors.
Innovation Solution
A nut design with a non-circumferentially continuous sidewall featuring voids that allow for radial extension and bending, enabling threaded engagement with a hinge pin while distributing torque and reducing the risk of breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional nut with a circumferentially continuous sidewall is used, then the nut provides structural strength, but it is prone to damage or breakage when the threaded pin is longer than the nut cavity or when overly torqued during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The nut's sidewall is segmented into discrete sections separated by voids, transforming the continuous circumferential structure into a multi-segmented one. This segmentation allows the sidewall sections to flex and deform independently under torque or misalignment conditions, preventing catastrophic failure while maintaining structural integrity for securing the hinge pin
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter of the sidewall from continuous to discontinuous by introducing voids. This parameter change enables the nut to accommodate variations in pin length and torque application without breaking, as the voids allow for controlled deformation and stress distribution
2Reliability
If the threaded portion of the pin is longer than the nut cavity, then the pin can be securely attached, but the nut or pin may be damaged or broken during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The voids in the sidewall act as pre-designed cushioning zones that absorb excess stress and deformation energy during installation. When the pin is longer than the cavity or excessive torque is applied, the voids allow the sidewall sections to flex and compress, cushioning the structure against damage before failure occurs
3Reliability
If the nut or pin is overly torqued during installation, then secure attachment is achieved, but the nut or threaded pin portion may be damaged or broken
Solution Approach 1:
The nut transitions from a rigid, static structure to a dynamic one where the sidewall sections can move and flex relative to each other. The voids enable this dynamic behavior, allowing the nut to adapt to varying torque levels during installation and prevent catastrophic failure under excessive torque while maintaining secure attachment
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 design enhances the reliability of reinstallation by distributing torque and preventing breakage, allowing for secure attachment of vehicle components even under stress conditions, with the added benefit of being less costly to replace than the hinge pin.
Implementation Method 1
The voids may extend from a free end of the sidewall portion to the head so that the sidewall sections are spaced apart from each other along their full axial length and may bend relative to each other
Data Source
AI summary
In at least one implementation, a nut for a hinge pin includes a head and a sidewall portion extending from the head to a free end. The sidewall portion includes at least one void that defines part of at least one sidewall section. The void extends radially through the sidewall portion and along at least part of the axial extent of the sidewall portion including the free end so that the free end of the sidewall portion is not circumferentially continuous.