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A cam-lock fastening system is designed to accommodate a tolerance stackup to fasten a pair of rigid structures. A spring allows some longitudinal motion of the pin that would not be accommodated by the rigid structures or metal cam-lock and pin. The spring-loaded pin is also suitably designed to pr

A cam-lock fastening system is designed to accommodate a tolerance stackup to fasten a pair of rigid structures. A spring allows some longitudinal motion of the pin that would not be accommodated by the rigid structures or metal cam-lock and pin. The spring-loaded pin is also suitably designed to produce a preloaded structural joint that is between specified minimum and maximum loads for any tolerance stackup that is within specification. The fastening of the structures requires no manual adjustment of the pin, and facilitates blind connection of a high-fidelity electrical connector. Further, the described cam-lock fastening system is designed for high performance applications requiring preload forces in the thousands of pounds per square inch.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system for attachment and detachment of first and second structures, said cam-lock fastening system comprising: a pin plate assembly comprising a pin plate configured for attachment to said first structure and a pin assembly comprising a pin positioned th

1. A tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system for attachment and detachment of first and second structures, said cam-lock fastening system comprising: a pin plate assembly comprising a pin plate configured for attachment to said first structure and a pin assembly comprising a pin positioned through a first through hole in the pin plate along a longitudinal axis, said pin having a shoulder positioned forward of a front surface of the pin plate that is larger than the first through hole, a stop on an aft section of the pin, and a spring captured and compressed between the stop and a back surface of the pin plate, in an unlocked position said compressed spring drawing the pin aft so that its shoulder engages the front surface of the pin plate to preload a surface between the first and second structures with an unlocked preload based on a deflection of the spring from its relaxed position; anda cam plate assembly configured for attachment to the second structure, said cam plate assembly comprising a cam-lock configured to receive the pin in an unlocked position and an engagement port configured to rotate the cam-lock to draw the pin forward along the longitudinal axis and draw the pin shoulder away from the front surface of the pin plate causing the spring to compress further and increase the preload a of the surface between the first and second structures to a nominal locked preload between specified minimum and maximum required locked preloads as the cam-lock rotates to a locked position;wherein said first through hole has a first diameter, wherein said cam plate assembly comprises a cam plate having a second through hole of a second diameter larger than said first diameter, wherein said pin has an aft section having a diameter that is equivalent to said first diameter that extends through said first through hole in the pin plate, and wherein said pin shoulder has a diameter that is equivalent to said second diameter and extends within said second through hole in said cam plate. 2. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 1, wherein the pin plate assembly comprises an electrical connector and the cam plate assembly comprises a mating electrical connector, wherein in the unlocked position the mating electrical connector is aligned to the electrical connector, wherein rotation of the cam-lock to draw the pin forward connects the electrical connector with the mating electrical connector. 3. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 1, wherein the pin plate assembly is configured to attach to an exterior surface of the first structure or for integration with the first structure with said pin extending through a hole in said first structure and wherein the cam plate assembly is configured to attach to an exterior surface of the second structure or for integration with the second structure. 4. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said pin plate assemblies for attachment to different first structures and a plurality of said cam plate assemblies for attachment to different second structures, said plurality of pin plate assemblies and cam plate assemblies configured for interchangeable attachment and detachment of different second structures to different first structures. 5. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of pin plate assemblies and cam plate assemblies are configured for interchangeable attachment and detachment of different second structures to different first structures without manual adjustment of said pins. 6. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 1, wherein said pin plate assembly comprises a hole pattern of a plurality of said first through holes formed in said pin plate and a like plurality of pin assemblies positioned there through, wherein said cam plate assembly comprises a like plurality of cam-locks. 7. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 1, wherein the stop comprises an adjustable stop threaded onto the aft section of the pin to set an initial deflection of the spring and the unlocked preload. 8. A cam-lock fastened structure, comprising: a first structure;a second structure;a pin plate assembly comprising a pin plate attached to said first structure, said pin plate haying a first through hole having a first diameter,a pin positioned through the first through hole along a longitudinal axis, said pin having an aft section with a diameter equivalent to said first diameter that extends aft through the first through hole in the pin plate, a shoulder having a second diameter greater than said first diameter and a forward section recessed to define an aft facing pin-to-cam contact surface,a stop on the aft section of the pin, anda spring around the aft section of the pin captured and compressed between the stop and a back surface of the pin plate, in an unlocked position said compressed spring drawing the pin aft so that its shoulder engages a front surface of the pin plate to preload a surface between the first and second structures with an unlocked preload based on a deflection of the spring from its relaxed position; anda cam plate assembly attached to the second structure, said cam plate assembly comprising a cam plate having a second through hole with a diameter equivalent to said second diameter to receive the shoulder of said pin, a cam-lock having a radial slot with an eccentric inner diameter sized to receive the forward section of the pin in the unlocked position and an engagement port configured for co-operating with a key to rotate the cam-lock about a rotation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that the radial slot engages the pin-to-cam contact surface and draws the pin forward along the longitudinal axis such that the pin shoulder is pulled away from the pin plate causing the spring to compress further and increase the preload a of the surface between the first and second structures to a nominal locked preload between specified minimum and maximum required locked preloads as the cam-lock rotates to a locked position. 9. The cam-lock fastened structure of claim 8, wherein said first structure is a missile body and said second structure is a missile payload. 10. The cam-lock fastened structure of claim 8, wherein the pin plate assembly is attached to an exterior surface of the first structure or integrated with the first structure with said pin extending through a hole in said first structure and wherein the cam plate assembly is attached to an exterior surface of the second structure or integrated with the second structure. 11. The cam-lock fastened structure of claim 8, wherein the pin plate assembly comprises an electrical connector and the cam plate assembly comprises a mating electrical connector, wherein in the unlocked position the mating electrical connector is aligned to the electrical connector, wherein rotation of the cam-lock to draw the pin forward connects the electrical connector with the mating electrical connector. 12. The cam-lock fastened structure of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of said pin plate assemblies for attachment to different first structures and a plurality of said cam plate assemblies for attachment to different second structures, wherein said different second structures can be interchangeably attached and detached from said different first structures. 13. The tolerance-mitigating cam-lock fastening system of claim 8, wherein the stop comprises an adjustable stop threaded onto the aft section of the pin to set an initial deflection of the spring and the unlocked preload.