| 摘要 |
A fastener (100, 40) for highly curved access panels on aircraft (10) or other structures is disclosed. The fastener (100, 40) features a bottom-grasping design which allows for an unblemished outer panel (20, 300) surface, simple and rapid pneumatic fastener (100, 40) actuation for both latching and unlatching, high reliability, built-in clamping pre-load of the access panel (20) onto the structure, and full retractability of the fastener (100, 40) inside the supporting structure (30). The fastener (100, 40) includes a Belleville spring (230) with a piston centrally disposed therein, where the piston and spring deflect outward upon application of pneumatic pressure. A pneumatic valve (244) opens upon application of a higher pressure, allowing locking dogs (254) in the piston to deploy radially into a cavity in the access panel (20). When pressure is removed, the Belleville spring (230) relaxes, the locking dogs (254) grasp a lip of the cavity, and the access panel (20) is latched onto the structure with a clamping pre-load. A pneumatic sequence for unlatching is also provided. |
