Honeycomb panel fixing device

Details Honeycomb panel fixing device Honeycomb panel fixing device

2000-01-25

2001-07-24

Wilson, Neill (Department: 3627)

Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-thr

Headed fastener element with nut, washer, securing means or cap

Metallic resilient securing means

C411S082100, C411S107000, C411S546000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06264412

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a honeycomb panel fixing device for fixing a honeycomb panel, which is used as an interior material of a manned spacecraft, to a framework and the like.
As an interior material of a manned spacecraft, a light, strong honeycomb panel is employed. If the honeycomb panel is fixed to a structure such as a framework, using a fixing bolt through the honeycomb panel in order to design the interior of the spacecraft, there occurs a drawback in which the honeycomb panel will be crushed by pressure of a head portion of the fixing bolt.
A prior art fixing device for fixing a honeycomb panel to a structure such as a framework, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,378,099, 5,240,543, 5,093,957, 5,082,405, 5,013,613, 4,941,785, 4,800,643, 4,729,705, 4,717,612, and 5,480,729.
Another prior art fixing device is shown in
FIG. 7
as a structure for fixing a honeycomb panel. Referring to
FIG. 7
, a through-hole
2
is formed through a honeycomb panel
1
in its thickness direction, and a bushing
3
is inserted into the through-hole
2
. The bushing
3
is constituted of synthetic resin and shaped like a cylinder with a bottom. A bolt hole
4
is formed in the bottom of the bushing
3
and a flange section
5
is provided at the opening thereof.
In order to design the interior by fixing the honeycomb panel
1
to a structure
6
such as a framework, an adhesive
7
or a potting material is applied to the inner surface of the through-hole
2
, and then the bushing
3
is inserted into the through-hole
2
and fixed adhesively to the honeycomb panel
1
. If a fixing bolt
8
is screwed into a screw hole
9
of the structure
6
, the flange section
5
of the bushing
3
is bonded to the honeycomb panel
1
, and the honeycomb panel
1
is fixed to the structure
6
by means of the bushing
3
.
However, the honeycomb panel
1
has an error in thickness when it is formed, though the bushing
3
is formed without any error in dimension. If the honeycomb panel
1
is thin and its level is lower than the height of the bushing
3
, a gap g will be created between the back of the honeycomb panel
1
and the structure
6
as shown in
FIG. 8
, and the honeycomb panel
1
cannot be fixed firmly to the structure
6
.
On the other hand, if the honeycomb panel
1
is thick and its level is higher than the height of the bushing
3
, as shown in
FIG. 9
, there will occur a problem in which a gap g will be created between the bottom of the bushing
3
and the structure
6
, and the flange section
5
is strongly pressed on the edge of the opening of the through-hole
2
by tightening the fixing bolt
8
, thereby deforming the honeycomb panel
1
.
If, furthermore, the flange section
5
is removed from the bushing
3
, as shown in
FIG. 10
, in order to eliminate an error in dimension of the honeycomb panel
1
, there will occur a problem in which the honeycomb panel
1
is separated from the structure
6
and floated under conditions of weightlessness, as indicated by a two-dot-one-dash line, without loosening the fixing bolt
8
, if the adhesive
7
lacks its adhesive strength.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An of the present invention is to provide a honeycomb panel fixing device capable of reliably fixing a honeycomb panel to a structure by eliminating an error in dimension of the honeycomb panel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a honeycomb panel fixing device which prevents a honeycomb panel and a bushing from being floated under conditions of weightlessness even though an adhesive portion comes off due to incomplete adhesion between the honeycomb panel and bushing or an impact.
According to the present invention, even though a honeycomb panel has a dimension error in thickness, the dimension error can be eliminated since a bushing is constituted of first and second cylindrical members.
According to the present invention, even though a honeycomb panel and a bushing come off due to a lack of adhesion, a detach-prevention member fitted to a fixing bolt prevents the bushing from being separated and thus prevents the honeycomb panel and bushing from being floated under conditions of weightlessness.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.


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patent: 5480729 (1996-01-01), Hattorl et al.
patent: 2 712 356 (1993-08-01), None

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