IP Library Granted Patent US 11,466,719
Granted Patent B2
US 11,466,719 · App. 16/722,150 · Granted Oct 11, 2022

Cap for temporary fastener

Inventors: Jeremy Michael Bodecker (Wichita, KS); Jennifer Lyn Wilson (Wichita, KS); Rodney Eugene Bahr (Wichita, KS)
Assignee: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
F16B19/109B21J15/42F16B5/04B33Y80/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,466,719
App. No.
16/722,150
Granted
Oct 11, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cap for a temporary fastener comprises a hollow, cup-shaped body and an inwardly tapered neck. The hollow body fits over a workpiece-engaging portion of the temporary fastener, and the neck extends from the hollow body. The tapered neck terminates in a hollow tip that is sized and configured to fit over aligned holes in the joined workpieces and to contact a minimal surface area of the outermost workpiece to reduce surface damage to the workpieces such that any damage will be removed when the holes are countersunk in the normal course of assembly.

Claims (19)

1. A cap configured to protect an outermost one of two or more workpieces having aligned holes from a temporary fastener configured to be inserted in the aligned holes to temporarily hold the two or more workpieces together, the outermost workpiece having a 120 degree flush shear head countersunk hole surface, the cap comprising:

a hollow body configured to fit over a portion of the temporary fastener;

an inwardly tapered neck extending from the hollow body; and

a vertically extending flange forming a hollow tip sized and configured to contact a minimal exterior surface area of the outermost one of the workpieces, the inwardly tapered neck terminating at the vertically extending flange, the vertically extending flange including a lower edge and tapering inwardly at the lower edge at sixty degrees from a vertical axis to engage the 120 degree flush shear head countersunk hole surface.

2. The cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the hollow tip has an external diameter no greater than 0.5 inches.

3. The cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the hollow tip has an internal diameter of approximately 0.19 inches and an external diameter of approximately 0.24 inches.

4. The cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the outermost workpiece includes a countersunk hole, the hollow tip being configured to be inserted into the countersunk hole.

5. The cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the hollow body and the inwardly tapered neck are integrally formed via injection molding or three dimensional printing.

6. The cap as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the inwardly tapered neck tapers inwardly relative to the hollow body at an angle of between 40 and 50 degrees from a vertical axis.

7. A cap configured to protect an outermost one of two or more workpieces having aligned holes from a temporary fastener configured to be inserted in the aligned holes to temporarily hold the two or more workpieces together, the outermost workpiece having a 120 degree flush shear head countersunk hole surface, the cap comprising:

a hollow body configured to fit over a portion of the temporary fastener, the hollow body including an outer wall including an outer surface and an inner surface having an inner diameter;

an inwardly tapered neck extending from the outer surface of the outer wall, the inwardly tapered neck tapering to a tapered diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the inner surface of the outer wall of the hollow body; and

a vertically extending flange forming a hollow tip sized and configured to contact a minimal exterior surface area of the outermost one of the workpieces, the vertically extending flange including a lower edge and tapering inwardly at the lower edge at sixty degrees from a vertical axis to engage the 120 degree flush shear head countersunk hole surface.

8. The cap as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the inwardly tapered neck tapers inwardly relative to the hollow body at an angle of between 40 and 50 degrees from a vertical axis.

9. A cap configured to protect an outermost one of two or more workpieces having aligned holes from a temporary fastener configured to be inserted in the aligned holes to temporarily hold the two or more workpieces together, the cap comprising:

a hollow body configured to fit over a portion of the temporary fastener;

an inwardly tapered neck extending inwardly from the hollow body at an angle of between 40 and 50 degrees from a vertical axis; and

a vertically extending flange forming a hollow tip having an external diameter no greater than 0.5 inches to contact a minimal exterior surface area of the outermost one of the workpieces, the vertically extending flange including a lower edge and tapering inwardly at the lower edge at approximately 60 degrees from a vertical axis, the inwardly tapered neck terminating at the vertically extending flange,

the hollow body, the inwardly tapered neck, and the vertically extending flange being integrally formed via injection molding or three dimensional printing.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 073932/0669 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 073900/0356 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2025
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 073916/0346 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 8, 2024
From: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 068217/0456 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2023
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.; SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS HOLDINGS, INC.; SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS NORTH CAROLINA, INC.
Reel/Frame 065772/0456 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT (SECOND LIEN NOTES) Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065659/0585 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Nov 23, 2022
From: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 061993/0847 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061995/0281 →