Patent Publication Number: US-2011052344-A1

Title: Nut with locking assembly, and device using same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to nuts and particularly, to a nut with a locking assembly used for locking to a device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In the process of assembling members to a device, locking assemblies, including nuts and bolts, are used as fastening members. However, to screw and unscrew a nut from the corresponding bolt will depend on the length of the bolt that sticks out from the assembly. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of a nut used for a locking assembly and a device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a nut used for a locking assembly and a device, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the nut of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the locking assembly with the nut of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the device with the nut of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the device with the nut of  FIG. 1  in a first state. 
         FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing the device in a second state. 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing the device in a third state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a nut  100  in accordance with one embodiment is illustrated. The nut  100  includes a hollow body  10  and three fastening structures  20 . 
     The body  10  is substantially sleeve-shape, and includes a side wall  13 . An opening  14  is enclosed by the side wall  13 . The side wall  13  includes two opposite end surfaces  11 ,  12 . Three recesses  15  are defined in an inner surface of the side wall  13  at an equal interval. The three recesses  15  are configured for receiving the three fastening structures  20  correspondingly. Each recess  15  runs through the two end surfaces  11 ,  12 , and communicates with the opening  14 . Each recess  15  defines a first surface  151 , a second surface  153  opposite to the first surface  151 , and a third surface  155  which defines a first receiving recess  157  connected to the first surface  151 , and the second surface  153 . Three pairs of first holes  130  are defined running through the side wall  13 . Each pair of first holes  130  is opposite one of the three recesses  15 , and communicates with the corresponding recess  15 . 
     The three fastening structures  20  are received in the three recesses  15  correspondingly and are rotatably fixed to the side wall  13 . The three fastening structures  20  have a same structure. This embodiment shows one of the three fastening structures  20  described in detail. The fastening structure  20  includes a fastening member  21 , a rotating shaft  23 , and an elastic member  25 . The fastening member  21  includes a pressable part  210 , an internally threaded part  212 , and a connecting part  214 . 
     The pressable part  210  is received in the recess  15 . The pressable part  210  perpendicularly extends from one end of the connecting part  214 , and the internally threaded part  212  straightly extends from the other end of the connecting part  214 . A second receiving recess  2141  is defined in the connecting parts  214  and corresponds to the first receiving recess  157 . 
     The rotating shaft  23  passes through the pair of first holes  130  and the connecting part  214  to be rotatably fastened the side wall  13 , correspondingly. One end of the elastic member  25  is received in the first receiving recess  157 , and the other end of the elastic member  25  is received in the second receiving recess  2141 . In this embodiment, the elastic member  25  is a spring. In other embodiments, the elastic member  25  can be made of rubber. 
     Referring to the  FIG. 3 , a locking assembly  100   a  is illustrated. The locking assembly  100   a  includes the nut  100  and a bolt  200 . The bolt  200  includes an externally threaded portion  201  and a head portion  203 . The externally threaded portion  201  extends from the head portion  203  and passes through the opening  14 . The nut  100  is used to engage with the bolt  200  (as described below). 
     Further referring to the  FIG. 4 , a device  500  is illustrated. The device  500  includes the locking assembly  100   a , a first component  300 , and a second component  400 . The locking assembly  100   a  is used for fastening the first component  300  to the second component  400 . Referring to the  FIG. 5 , a second hole  301  is defined in the first component  300 . A third hole  401  is defined in the second component  400 . The bolt  200  successively passes through the third hole  401 , the second hole  301 , and the opening  14  to match the nut  100 . The three nut components  20  are loose with the bolt  200  (as shown in a first state of  FIG. 5 ) 
     Referring to the  FIG. 6 , the two pressable parts  210  of the nut  100  are resisted with the first component  300  when the nut  100  contacts with the first component  300  (as shown in a second state of  FIG. 6 ). Further referring to the  FIG. 7 , the three connecting parts are rotated relative to the hollow body  10  accordingly, so as to cause the two internally threaded parts of the fastening member  21  to engage with the bolt  200 , and the elastic member  25  is deformed. When the nut  100  is rotated, the three internally threaded parts  212  are together engaged with the bolt  200  as a common way to fasten the first component  300  and the second component  400  (as shown in a third state of  FIG. 7 ). Therefore, the device  500  is fastened by the nut  100  and the bolt  200  of the locking assembly  100   a . In the fastening process of the locking assembly  100   a , the more pressure of the three pressable parts  210 , the greater fastening ability of the locking assembly  100   a , the stronger the elasticity of the three elastic members  25 . As the bolt  200  needs not to be threaded with the nut  100  step by step, it saves time for the locking assembly  100   a  fastening the first component  300  and the second component  400  of the device  500 . 
     As described, the three fastening structures  20  are capable of being operated between a normal state and a fastening state. In the normal state, the three fastening structures  20  are in association with the hollow body  10  and are capable of being freely moved from a distal end of the externally threaded portion  201  to a joint portion where the head portion  203  and the externally threaded portion  201  are connected (as shown in the first state of  FIG. 5 ). In the fastening state, the three fastening structures  20  are pressed by either the first component  300  or the second component  400  to rotate relative to the hollow body  10 . The three internally threaded parts  212  engage with the externally threaded portion  201  for fastening the first component  300  and the second component  400  together (as shown in the second state of  FIG. 6  and the third state of  FIG. 7 ). In other embodiments, the number of the internally threaded part  212  can be two or more than three. As the three internally threaded parts  212  are rotatably fixed on the hollow body  10 , a diameter of the nut  100  can be adjustable to fit different size bolts. 
     When the nut  100  rotates in a reverse direction, a lighter pressure is put on the three pressable parts  210 ; the fastening ability of the locking assembly  100   a  is lessened. As well as the elasticity of the three elastic members  25 , the locking assembly  100   a  resets, and the three internally threaded parts  212  is not firmly attached to the bolt  200  any more. Thereby, the first component  300  is separated from the second component  400 . As the nut  100  does not need to be fully unthreaded from the bolt  200 , it saves time for releasing the locking assembly  100   a  from the first component  300  and the second component  400  of the device  500 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous has been described with reference to particular embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified, and the embodiments are capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope of the appended claims.