By Discrete Element Patents (Class 411/135)
  • Patent number: 11828446
    Abstract: A winding mechanism includes a housing, an inner cylinder and a wire. The housing is formed with an accommodating space therein. An inner surface of the housing is formed with an internal thread structure. The inner cylinder is disposed in the accommodating space and defines a central axis. An outer surface of the inner cylinder is formed with an external thread structure. The external thread structure is cooperated with the internal thread structure. The inner cylinder is capable of displacing along the central axis by rotating relative to the housing. The external thread structure includes at least two contact portions and at least two non-contact portions, and gaps are formed between the non-contact portions of the external thread structure and the internal thread structure. An end of the wire is connected to the inner cylinder and is wound along the external thread structure of the inner cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chung-Kuang Chen, Guo-Hao Huang, Chih-Hung Ju, Cheng-Ang Chang
  • Patent number: 11002303
    Abstract: A fastener-retaining system (100) is configured to securely couple a fastener (102) to a substrate (104). The fastener-retaining system (100) includes a compression-limiting bushing (106) including a tube defining a central passage (132), and a retainer (130) positioned within the central passage. The retainer (130) includes a first portion that securely connects to the bushing, and a second portion that is configured to securely connect to a portion of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald C. Owens, II, Jeremy R. D. Tuttle, Chad M. Clark
  • Patent number: 9683595
    Abstract: A metallic locking washer is configured to be mounted in a screw/nut system to engage between a nut and a bearing element. The metallic locking washer has a contact face suitable for coming into contact with one or the other of the nut and the bearing element. The contact face has a surface that is suitable for being brought along in friction against one or the other of the nut and the bearing element when the nut loosens. The contact face is coated, by thermal projection of an additive material, with a rough coating forming a rough surface, which increases the friction forces between the contact face of the metallic washer and one or the other of the nut and the bearing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: NORD-LOCK INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Pierre Chalandon, Stéphane Meunier, Christophe Delcher
  • Patent number: 9651082
    Abstract: A metallic locking washer is configured to be mounted in a screw/nut system to engage between a nut and a bearing element. The metallic locking washer has a contact face suitable for coming into contact with one or the other of the nut and the bearing element. The contact face has a surface that is suitable for being brought along in friction against one or the other of the nut and the bearing element when the nut loosens. The contact face is coated, by thermal projection of an additive material, with a rough coating forming a rough surface, which increases the friction forces between the contact face of the metallic washer and one or the other of the nut and the bearing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: NORD-LOCK INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Pierre Chalandon, Stéphane Meunier, Christophe Delcher
  • Patent number: 9587664
    Abstract: A compression limiting fastening system incorporating a spring element and cooperating compression limiting sleeve adapted for substantially coaxial receipt of a fastening element through a fastened component so as to apply a relatively light load to an outer surface of the fastened component during the fastening operation. Once fastened down, the compression limiting sleeve supports the fastening load while the spring element applies a relatively light opposing load to the fastened component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Bisset, Jason D. Holt, Ronald C. Owens, II, Daniel A. Dechant
  • Patent number: 9541118
    Abstract: A system for use in covering a portion of a fastener protruding from a surface is provided. The system includes a cap that includes an interior, a base that at least partially delimits the interior, and pawls on the interior. The system may also include a tooth configured to be associated with the fastener and configured to positively engage the pawls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Blaine Knight Rawdon, Michael Scott Cameron
  • Patent number: 9486251
    Abstract: An implantable device may comprise a barrel, the barrel having an upper portion and a lower portion. The barrel may be configured to transition from a collapsed form having a first height to an expanded form having a second height and wherein the second height is greater than the first height. The implantable device may further include an actuator assembly disposed in the barrel, the actuator assembly comprising a front ramped actuator in engagement with the barrel, a rear ramped actuator in engagement with the barrel, and a central screw that extends from the rear ramped actuator through the front ramped actuator. The implantable device may further comprise a first plate and a second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Zappacosta, Darren Clutter, Bob Rightler
  • Patent number: 8083177
    Abstract: A device for mounting a suspension member on the casing of a turbine engine is disclosed. The device includes a yoke with at least one lug, secured to the casing, a pin fixed to the yoke supporting the member via a ring surrounding the pin, and a rotation-prevention device that includes a counter-rotation plate attached to the lug. The plate and the pin include an assembly consisting of a peg and of a cutout or a hole, into which the peg fits in order to prevent the pin from rotating in the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Olivier Renon, Paul Rodrigues, Christian Ren{acute over ())}{acute over (})}e Schnell, Jean-Luc Soupizon
  • Patent number: 6676350
    Abstract: A ceiling hook (H) comprises a fastener (F) for anchoring in a support structure, and a locking ring in the form of an anti-rotation washer (W). The washer (W) includes anchoring teeth (34) for stationarily mounting the washer (W) to the ceiling. The hook member (12) and the washer (W) comprise co-operating locking ratchet elements (22, 28) for locking the fastener (F) to the washer (W) and thus preventing the fastener (F) from loosening from the ceiling. The washer (W) defines at a central opening (30) thereof at least one notch (32) with the fastener (F) defining at least one tab with (26), the notch (32) being slidable through the tab (26) for mounting the washer (W) to the fastener (F) and then allowing it to rotate between the tab (26) and the book member (12), whereby the washer (W) is prevented from being removed from the fastener (F) unless the tab (26) and notch (32) are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Cobra Anchors Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Thomas W. McSherry, Pierre R. McDuff, Lang Nguyen-Huu, André Bouchard, Michel Villagrasa
  • Patent number: 6287063
    Abstract: A securing disk for interposition between two component parts to be connected has a disk member having a first face and a second face. The disk member has positive-locking bodies projecting from the first and second faces. Securing arms are connected to a circumferential edge of the disk member and project perpendicularly relative to the first face. The securing arms have integrated abutments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Benteler AG
    Inventor: Matthias Möller
  • Patent number: 6176663
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the bending stress imparted to threaded fasteners in flanged connections is disclosed. The apparatus includes a stress reducing washer positioned between the head of the threaded fastener and a counterbore in the backface of the flange. In a first embodiment, the stress reducing washer uses a tapered upper surface oriented with respect to the flange to compensate for flange deflection as the threaded fastener is tightened to a predetermined torque value. Second and third embodiments utilizing spherical and cylindrical surfaces are also shown. A fourth embodiment eliminates the need for the stress reducing washer and machines the tapered surface in the backface of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Cooper Cameron Corporation
    Inventors: Lan T. Nguyen, Stephen J. Walker
  • Patent number: 5967724
    Abstract: A locking fastener in which coacting ramp surfaces are provided on a nut and washer assembly to generate wedging forces in response to backing off movement of the nut which urge the nut into tighter engagement with the associated bolt and the workpiece and in which a spring member disposed radially from the ramp surfaces is biased by the final relative tightening movement of the nut and washer so as to bias the ramp surfaces for movement in the direction to augment the locking action of the fastener. A torque control fastener is disclosed in which the gap between the adjacent ramp shoulders on the nut and washer is indicative of the torque and the damping force exerted by the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Sydney L. Terry
  • Patent number: 4737058
    Abstract: An arrangement for locking a nut on a spindle, e.g. for fixing roller bearings on wheel axles, comprising a lock washer with an axial pin, a lock plate and a lock ring. The lock plate has an opening with twelve corners in which a non-rotatable nut has thirteen depressions for the axial pin. The lock washer is disposed non-rotatable on the spindle, and for this purpose it can have an approximately polygonal opening for an axle portion of corresponding cross section. When the lock plate surrounds the nut and the axial pin projects into one of the depressions, the nut is fixed against turning. The lock plate is held in place by the lock ring which lies in a groove in the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: AB Volvo
    Inventors: Karl A. G. Callman, Lars R. Jonsson
  • Patent number: 4283091
    Abstract: A shock and vibration-proof fastener of general application and particularly suitable to hold dual wheels demountably assembled to a cargo vehicle hub. The fastener is designed to isolate the threads thereof from radial and torsion stresses utilizing a split collet encircling the shank of the fastener with its periphery converging toward the collet ends at angles of the order of 4 to 1 relative to the collet axis and having a nesting interference fit with a similarly tapered bore through the parts or wheels to be clamped together. The fastener shank has a threaded well in one end mateable with a cap screw having a self-aligning conical surface on the underside of its head engaging the rim edge of a loose fitting washer. The self-aligning surfaces are preferably provided with a ring of teeth and notches interengaging along helical surfaces having a pitch substantially greater than that of the fastener threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Inventor: Max L. Enders