RECEPTACLE FOR FASTENERS AND AN ASSOCIATED INSTALLATION METHOD
A receptacle for a fastener is provided that may be relatively light weight and compact, may reduce the number of parts required for mounting an object to a surface, and may allow for greater flexibility in positioning the fastener. Additionally, a corresponding method for installing a receptacle and mounting an object is provided. The receptacle has an outer housing and a floating insert, and the floating insert is positioned within an internal cavity of the outer housing. A fastener may be inserted into an internal cavity of the floating insert through apertures in the outer housing and the floating insert. The floating insert is configured such that it is movable within the outer housing. As a result, the location of the aperture of the floating insert is adjustable, providing greater tolerances during the installation process.
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Embodiments of the present invention are related to a receptacle for mounting objects on a surface and a method for installing the receptacle and mounting objects. In particular, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a receptacle for mounting objects on an aircraft interior surface using fasteners and an associated method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn aircraft and other structures, it is often desirable to mount objects, such as magazine display racks or control panels, to various surfaces. One common method of mounting objects is by using Nylatch® or other expandable fasteners. Nylatch® fasteners are designed to attach a removable member, such as a magazine display rack, to a fixed member, such as the interior wall or other interior surface of an aircraft, by expanding latching members of a fastener, such as a grommet end of a Nylatch® fastener, to lock the two members together.
Another common method of mounting objects is by using pegs or other fasteners having a head portion and a shank portion, the head being wider than the shank. With these types of fasteners, the shank portion of the fastener is attached or integral to the object to be mounted, such as the magazine rack. The object is mounted by hooking the head of the fastener into an appropriately shaped aperture in the fixed member, such as the interior surface of the aircraft.
In at least some instances, the construction of a wall or other surface to which an object is to be mounted makes it difficult or impossible to mount a fastener directly to the wall or other surface, at least with the surety that is desired. For example, some interior surfaces of aircraft consist of honeycomb panels. As a result, mounting an object to the honeycomb panel with a Nylatch® or other expandable fastener currently requires the use of a sheet metal plate which defines a hole to receive the grommet end of the fastener. The metal plate is attached to the honeycomb panel using one or more potted inserts that, in turn, are mounted within the honeycomb panel. The object to be mounted is attached to the metal plate by inserting the fastener into the hole defined by the metal plate and expanding the grommet end.
Mounting an object with a fastener such as a peg to a honeycomb panel similarly requires supplemental parts to prepare the mounting surface. A sheet metal plate with a keyhole-shaped aperture is required to receive the head portion of the fastener. The keyhole aperture consists of two intersecting apertures, one larger than the other. The larger portion of the keyhole is configured to receive the wider head portion of the fastener, and the smaller portion of the keyhole is configured to retain the head in the installed position and is thus smaller than the width of the head. The object is installed by inserting the head into the larger portion of the keyhole and sliding the peg into the smaller portion. However, this requires that the honeycomb panel be cut behind both portions of the keyhole before installing the metal plate to allow enough clearance for the head to slide from one portion of the keyhole to the other.
The current method of mounting objects to such interior surfaces has several disadvantages. It requires the manufacture of multiple parts, such as the metal plates and the potted inserts. The use of multiple parts increases the manufacturing and shipping costs, the cost of labor for installing the metal plates and mounting the objects, as well as the overall weight of the structure, which is a particularly acute concern for aircraft and other vehicles. Aesthetic concerns also factor in when the object to be mounted is smaller than the metal plate used for mounting, and the choice of location of the fasteners on the object to be mounted becomes limited. These disadvantages are further magnified by the large quantities of fasteners commonly utilized on board aircraft and other structures. In addition, the fixed nature of the holes in the metal plates provides small tolerances and does not allow for minor changes in the position of the fasteners, making small miscalculations in the mounting process costly.
Thus, there is a need for a simpler, more cost effective way of mounting objects using Nylatch® or other fasteners that requires fewer, lighter parts, allows greater flexibility in placement, and provides greater mounting tolerances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the present invention are directed to a receptacle for a fastener that is relatively light weight and compact, reduces the number of parts required for mounting an object to a surface, and allows greater flexibility in the placement of the object to be mounted. Additionally, a corresponding method for installing a receptacle and mounting an object is provided. As a result, embodiments of the present invention address at least some of the concerns with the use of expandable fasteners.
A receptacle of one embodiment of the present invention has an outer housing forming an internal cavity and an aperture opening into the internal cavity. The internal cavity is configured to receive at least part of a fastener, such as the latching members of a Nylatch® fastener. The outer housing has a rim extending circumferentially out from the internal cavity. In some embodiments, the rim forms one or more openings to allow the application of adhesive when installing the receptacle in or on a surface. The rim of one embodiment serves as an integral spacer having increased thickness to allow for the installation of fasteners in certain types of surfaces where the depth of the mounting surface is less than the length of the shank or latching members of the fastener, such as with shallow panels.
In another embodiment, the outer housing has two rims. The first rim may extend circumferentially out from an end of the outer housing that defines the aperture, and the second rim may extend circumferentially out from an end of the outer housing opposite the first rim. In one embodiment, the second rim is larger than and extends beyond the first rim. The larger, second rim may define one or more openings to allow for the application of adhesive during installation of the receptacle directly onto a surface. The second rim may also have a plurality of pins extending away from the aperture. These pins may be used to locate the proper positioning of the receptacle with respect to holes configured to receive the pins in the mounting surface.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the aperture of the receptacle is configured to receive and hold in place the head portion of a fastener. In this case, the aperture has a keyhole shape formed by two intersecting aperture portions in the outer housing. The first aperture portion is sized to receive the head portion of a fastener. The second aperture portion is smaller than the first aperture portion and is sized to allow the fastener, e.g., a shaft of the fastener, to be moved from the first aperture portion to the second aperture portion. As a result, the head portion of a fastener may be inserted into the first aperture portion and moved into the second aperture portion of the keyhole aperture. Positioned in the second aperture portion, the head portion of the fastener is held in place by the outer housing. To facilitate the orientation of receptacles with respect to the mounting surface and the object to be mounted, the outer housing may be marked or notched, such as by forming a flat portion in a generally circular outer housing to mark the top of the receptacle for installation purposes.
A receptacle of another embodiment of the present invention has an outer housing and a floating insert. The outer housing defines an internal cavity and forms an aperture that opens into the internal cavity. The floating insert also defines an internal cavity and forms an aperture that opens into the internal cavity of the floating insert. The floating insert is sized to be smaller than the internal cavity of the outer housing and is configured to fit within the outer housing, such that the floating insert is movable within the internal cavity of the outer housing.
The aperture of the floating insert is configured to receive at least part of a fastener, such as the latching member of a Nylatch® fastener. In one embodiment, the aperture of the floating insert is smaller than the aperture of the outer housing. However, the floating insert of one embodiment is configured such that the aperture of the floating insert is within the aperture of the outer housing in all positions. The mobility of the floating insert within the outer housing provides the ability to make minor adjustments in the position of the fastener, thereby increasing mounting tolerances.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the receptacle may include a cap which mates with the outer housing to at least partially close the internal cavity of the outer housing. The cap may be configured to be press fit around the outer wall of the outer housing, it may be configured to fit inside the internal cavity of the outer housing, or it may be bonded to a surface of the outer housing, among other options.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of mounting an object using a receptacle. As described above, the receptacle may include an outer housing and a floating insert fitting within an internal cavity of the outer housing such that the floating insert is movable within the outer housing. The receptacle is configured to receive a fastener and may be installed on a surface, such as the interior surface of an aircraft, for mounting an object. In one embodiment, the receptacle may be installed by forming a hole in the surface, inserting the receptacle into the hole, and bonding the receptacle within the hole. In another embodiment, the receptacle may be installed by forming a hole in the surface, inserting the receptacle at least partially into the hole, bonding the receptacle within the hole, and bonding the rim to the surface, such that the receptacle in the installed position is not flush with the surface but rather extends in part beyond the surface. In yet another embodiment, the receptacle may be bonded directly to the surface.
The fastener with the object to be mounted may then be at least partially inserted into the internal cavity of the outer housing or, if the receptacle includes a floating insert, into the internal cavity of the floating insert within the outer housing. In the case of a receptacle having a floating insert, if the fastener is not aligned exactly with the internal cavity of the floating insert, the floating insert may be moved within the outer housing to allow a better fit between the fastener and the receptacle.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Embodiments of the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The receptacle 10 of one embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Referring to
In another embodiment of the present invention, shown in
The receptacle 10 of another embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Referring to
Another embodiment of the receptacle 10 of the present invention is shown in
As indicated above, the floating insert 34 is configured to fit within the internal cavity 14 of the outer housing 12 and is therefore sized to be smaller than the internal cavity 14 of the outer housing 12. For example, in an embodiment including a cylindrical receptacle 10 and a cylindrical floating insert 34, the circumference (or diameter) of the outer wall 36 of the floating insert 34 is smaller that the circumference (or diameter) of the inner wall 24 of the outer housing 12. In this way, the floating insert 34 is movable within the outer housing 12, providing a maximum tolerance of 2Y for mounting objects 62. This characteristic is illustrated in
Referring again to
As noted above, in some embodiments of the present invention, the receptacle 10 includes a cap 22 that mates with the outer housing 12, as shown in
Methods of installing a receptacle 10 in accordance with another aspect of the claimed invention will now be described. In embodiments that utilize a receptacle 10 that includes a floating insert 34, the floating insert 34 is initially positioned within the internal cavity 14 and the cap 22 is attached to the outer housing 12, partially closing the internal cavity 14 of the outer housing 12, to retain the floating insert 34 within the internal cavity 14. See, for example,
An assembled receptacle 10 may be mounted to a surface 60 in several ways. Referring to
Although the receptacle 10 may be flush mounted in some situations, in other situations, such as when the surface 60 is a shallow panel, the receptacle 10 may be only be partially inserted into the hole, as shown in
An object 62 to be mounted onto a surface 60 may then be attached to the receptacle 10 using a fastener 40. In embodiments having a floating insert 34, the fastener 40 may be partially inserted into the internal cavity 35 of the floating insert 34 through the aperture 16 of the outer housing 12 and the aperture 37 of the floating insert 34. If necessary, the location of the aperture 37 of the floating insert 34 may be adjusted relative to the outer housing 12 to obtain better alignment with the location of the fastener 40 being used to mount the object 62 to the surface 60, as shown in
For example, a fastener 40, such as a Nylatch® fastener, may have a plurality of latching members 42. The latching members 42 of the fastener 40 may first be inserted through an opening defined by the object 62 to be mounted to the surface 60. The latching members 42 of the fastener 40 are then inserted into the internal cavity 35 of the floating insert 34 through the apertures 16, 37 of the outer housing 12 and the floating insert 34, respectively. In a fastener 40 in which the latching members 42 are expandable, the latching members 42 may be compressed while being fit through the aligned apertures 16, 37 and then expanded within the internal cavity 35 of the floating insert 34 to secure the fastener 40 and the object 62 in place. An installed receptacle 10 having a floating insert 34 and a mounted object 62 are shown in
In an embodiment wherein the receptacle 10 does not include a floating insert 34 and wherein the aperture 16 is in the shape of a keyhole, a fastener 40 such as the one shown in
The receptacle 10 of embodiments of the present invention may be utilized to mount a variety of objects 62 to various surfaces 60. For example, the receptacle 10 may be employed onboard an aircraft or other vehicle in which an object 62, such as a magazine rack, is desirably mounted to an interior surface 60, such as a wall, a partition or the like.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Claims
1. A receptacle comprising:
- an outer housing having a first rim extending circumferentially thereabout, said outer housing defining: an internal cavity configured to receive a plurality of latching members of a fastener; and an aperture defined by the first rim, said aperture opening into the internal cavity.
2. A receptacle according to claim 1 further comprising a cap configured to mate with the outer housing to at least partially close the internal cavity of the outer housing.
3. A receptacle according to claim 1 wherein the outer housing further comprises at least one opening for the application of adhesive to engage the receptacle to a mounting surface.
4. A receptacle according to claim 1 wherein the outer housing further comprises a second rim disposed at an end of the outer housing opposite the first rim, and wherein the second rim extends radially outwardly beyond the first rim.
5. A receptacle according to claim 4 wherein the second rim has at least one pin extending therefrom to orient the receptacle and engage the mounting surface.
6. A receptacle according to claim 1 wherein the aperture has a keyhole shape defined by a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion intersect, and wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion.
7. A receptacle according to claim 1 wherein the outer housing defines a notch to facilitate orientation of the receptacle with respect to the mounting surface.
8. A receptacle comprising:
- an outer housing defining an internal cavity; and an aperture that opens into the internal cavity; and
- a floating insert positioned within the internal cavity of the outer housing, said floating insert defining an internal cavity configured to receive latching members of a fastener and an aperture that opens into the internal cavity of the floating insert, said floating insert sized to be smaller than the internal cavity of the outer housing so as to be movable therewithin.
9. A receptacle according to claim 8 further comprising a cap configured to mate with the outer housing to at least partially close the internal cavity of the outer housing.
10. A receptacle according to claim 8 wherein the aperture of the floating insert is smaller than the aperture of the outer housing.
11. A receptacle according to claim 8 wherein the outer housing defines a longitudinal axis extending through the aperture of the outer housing and a lateral axis extending orthogonally thereto, and wherein the floating insert is sized to move laterally within the internal cavity of the outer housing.
12. A receptacle according to claim 11 wherein the floating insert is sized such that in all positions the aperture of the floating insert is within the aperture of the outer housing.
13. A receptacle according to claim 8 wherein the outer housing forms a rim extending away from the internal cavity of the outer housing and disposed at an end of the outer housing opposite the aperture, said rim defining at least one opening for application of adhesive to engage the receptacle to a mounting surface.
14. A receptacle according to claim 13 wherein the rim defines at least one pin extending therefrom to orient the receptacle and engage the mounting surface.
15. A method comprising:
- providing a receptacle comprising an outer housing and a floating insert, said outer housing defining an internal cavity and an aperture that opens into the internal cavity of the outer housing; and said floating insert defining an internal cavity and an aperture that opens into the internal cavity of the floating insert;
- positioning the floating insert within the internal cavity of the outer housing such that the floating insert is moveable therewithin;
- mounting the receptacle to a surface; and
- inserting a fastener at least partially into the internal cavity of the floating insert.
16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising attaching a cap to the outer housing after positioning the floating insert therein.
17. A method according to claim 15 wherein mounting the receptacle to the surface comprises forming a hole in the surface, inserting the receptacle therein, and bonding the receptacle within the hole.
18. A method according to claim 15 wherein the outer housing further defines a rim disposed around the aperture that extends away from the internal cavity of the outer housing, and wherein mounting the receptacle to the surface comprises forming a hole in the surface, inserting the receptacle at least partially therein, bonding the receptacle within the hole, and bonding the rim to the surface, such that the receptacle is not flush with the surface.
19. A method according to claim 15 wherein mounting the receptacle to the surface comprises bonding the receptacle to the surface.
20. A method according to claim 15 wherein inserting the fastener comprises moving the floating insert relative to the outer housing to receive the fastener.
21. An aircraft interior assembly comprising:
- an aircraft interior surface;
- a receptacle mounted to said aircraft interior surface comprising an outer housing defining an internal cavity and an aperture that opens into the internal cavity;
- a fastener sized to partially fit within the receptacle; and
- an interior component affixed to the aircraft interior surface by said fastener.
22. An aircraft interior assembly according to claim 21 wherein the receptacle further comprises a cap attached to the outer housing to at least partially close the internal cavity of the outer housing.
23. An aircraft interior assembly according to claim 21 wherein the outer housing of the receptacle forms a rim extending away from the internal cavity of the outer housing, disposed at an end of the outer housing opposite the aperture, and defining at least one opening for the application of adhesive to engage the receptacle to the aircraft interior surface.
24. An aircraft interior assembly according to claim 23 wherein the rim defines at least one pin extending therefrom, and wherein the receptacle is oriented relative to the aircraft interior surface such that the at least one pin engages therein.
25. An aircraft interior assembly according to claim 21 wherein the receptacle further comprises a floating insert positioned within the internal cavity of the outer housing, said floating insert defining an internal cavity configured to receive a plurality of latching members of the fastener and an aperture that opens into the internal cavity of the floating insert.
26. An aircraft interior assembly according to claim 25 wherein the aperture of the floating insert is smaller than the aperture of the outer housing.
27. An aircraft interior assembly according to claim 25 wherein the outer housing defines a longitudinal axis extending through the aperture of the outer housing and a lateral axis extending orthogonally thereto, and wherein the floating insert is sized to move laterally within the internal cavity of the outer housing such that in all positions the aperture of the floating insert is within the aperture of the outer housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 17, 2006
Publication Date: May 22, 2008
Applicant:
Inventors: Hoi Truong (Bothel, WA), Harold G. Erickson (Mukilteo, WA)
Application Number: 11/561,027
International Classification: B65D 85/24 (20060101); B64C 1/00 (20060101);