Systems and methods for blind-mate connector alignment
View Patent ↗In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, systems and methods for aligning blind-mate connectors are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises an avionics processing canister that is coupled to a mounting block. The avionics processing canister comprises a first portion of a first blind-mate connector, and a face plate with a surface that defines a pin-hole and a slot. The slot has a short dimension substantially equal to the diameter of the pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension. The long dimension is longer than the short dimension. The system also comprises a first fastener that is received through the pin-hole and then into a first hole defined by a surface of the mounting block. The pin-hole has a diameter that is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the first fastener. The system also comprises a second fastener that is received through the slot and then into a second hole defined by a surface of the mounting block. The slot is oriented such that the second fastener constrains rotation of the face plate about a center of the pin-hole to align the first portion of the first blind-mate connector to a second portion of the first blind-mate connector.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
an avionics processing canister coupled to a mounting block, the avionics processing canister comprising:
a face plate with a surface that defines a pin-hole and a slot, the slot having a short dimension substantially equal to a diameter of the pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension, the long dimension being longer than the short dimension; and
a first portion of a first blind-mate connector;
a first fastener received through the pin-hole and then into a first hole defined by a surface of the mounting block, the diameter of the pin-hole being substantially equal to an outer diameter of the first fastener; and
a second fastener received through the slot and then into a second hole defined by the surface of the mounting block, the slot being oriented such that the second fastener constrains rotation of the face plate about a center of the pin-hole to align the first portion of the first blind-mate connector to a second portion of the first blind-mate connector.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the pin hole and the long dimension are each less than or equal to 0.5 inches.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second avionics processing canister coupled to the mounting block, the second avionics processing canister comprising a second face plate having a surface that defines a second pin-hole and a second slot, the second avionics processing canister further comprising a first portion of a second blind-mate connector.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the second portion of the first blind-mate connector coupled to a display head, the second portion of the first blind-mate connector being coupled to the first portion of the first blind-mate connector.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mounting block comprises a pre-existing mounting block of an aircraft.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slot is fully surrounded by material of the faceplate.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the pin-hole is substantially equal to an outer diameter of a threaded portion of the first fastener.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first blind-mate connector is in a fixed position relative to the faceplate.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the first blind-mate connector is constrained to move linearly relative to the faceplate to engage the first portion of the first blind-mate connector.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the avionics processing canister is constrained to move linearly relative to the mounting block.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display head coupled to the second portion of the first blind-mate connector;
wherein the faceplate is between the mounting block and the display head.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the display head is constrained to move linearly relative to the faceplate, when the display head is engaged with the mounting block.
13. An apparatus, comprising:
an avionics processing canister coupled to a mounting block, the avionics processing canister comprising:
a face plate with a surface that defines a pin-hole and a slot, the slot having a short dimension substantially equal to a diameter of the pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension, the long dimension being longer than the short dimension; and
a first portion of a first blind-mate connector;
a first fastener received through the pin-hole and then into a first hole defined by a surface of the mounting block, the diameter of the pin-hole being substantially equal to an outer diameter of the first fastener;
a second fastener received through the slot and then into a second hole defined by the surface of the mounting block, the slot being oriented such that the second fastener constrains rotation of the face plate about a center of the pin-hole to align the first portion of the first blind-mate connector to a second portion of the first blind-mate connector; and
a display adapter mount positioned between the mounting block and the face plate.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 ,
wherein the display adapter mount has a surface that defines a display adapter mount pin hole and a display adapter mount slot; and
further comprising:
a first screw inserted through the display adapter mount pin hole and then into a first threaded hole defined by the surface of the mounting block; and
a second screw inserted through the display adapter mount slot and then into a second threaded hole defined by the surface of the mounting block, the display adapter mount slot having a short dimension substantially equal to a diameter of the display adapter mount pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension, the display adapter mount slot being oriented such that the second screw constrains rotation of the display adapter mount about a center of the display adapter mount pin-hole.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the first blind-mate connector is constrained to move linearly relative to the faceplate to engage the first portion of the first blind-mate connector.
16. An apparatus, comprising:
an avionics processing canister coupled to a mounting block, the avionics processing canister comprising:
a face plate having a surface that defines a pin-hole and a slot, the slot having a short dimension substantially equal to a diameter of the pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension, the long dimension being longer than the short dimension; and
a first portion of a first blind-mate connector;
a display adapter mount positioned between the mounting block and the face plate;
a first fastener received through the pin-hole and then into a first hole defined by a surface of the mounting block, the pin-hole having a diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the first fastener;
a second fastener received through the slot and then into a second hole defined by the surface of the mounting block, the slot being oriented such that the second fastener constrains rotation of the face plate about a center of the pin-hole to align the first portion of the first blind-mate connector to a second portion of the first blind-mate connector; and
a second avionics processing canister coupled to the mounting block and comprising a first portion of a second blind-mate connector.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the diameter of the pin hole and the long dimension are each less than or equal to 0.5 inches.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the display adapter mount has a surface that defines a display adapter mount pin hole and a display adapter mount slot, and further comprising:
a first screw inserted through the display adapter mount pin hole and then into a first threaded hole defined by the surface of the mounting block; and
a second screw inserted through the display adapter mount slot and then into a second threaded hole defined by the surface of the mounting block, the display adapter mount slot having a short dimension substantially equal to a diameter of the display adapter mount pin-hole and a long dimension perpendicular to the short dimension, the display adapter mount slot being oriented such that the second screw constrains rotation of the display adapter mount about a center of the display adapter mount pin-hole.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising the second portion of the first blind-mate connector coupled to a display head, the second portion of the first blind-mate connector being coupled to the first portion of the first blind-mate connector.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the mounting block comprises a pre-existing casting of an aircraft.