Fastener systems that provide eme protection

Abstract

Fasteners are inserted into a stack of members and terminated with parts having at least one of a dry dielectric coating and a dry dielectric seal at select locations to protect against electromagnetic effects (EME).

1 . A method of fastening a stack of members, comprising:
 inserting fasteners into the stack of members; and   terminating the fasteners with a part, the part including:
 a fastener termination body having a central opening and a washer; 
 a dry dielectric coating on the fastener termination body; and 
 a first dielectric seal secured to the fastener termination body and partially covering the central opening at one of a distal and proximal location; 
 wherein each of the dry dielectric coating and the first dielectric seal has a thickness and composition for inhibiting lightning current. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric seal is configured to protect against arcing, sparking and hot particle ejection, and wherein the dry dielectric coating is configured to protect against arcing and sparking. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stack of members comprises a stack of aircraft members, and wherein at least one member of the stack of aircraft members comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stack of members includes an aircraft skin and a metal member. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting at least one of the fasteners includes fitting a fastener shaft into a through-hole in the stack, the method further comprising coating the fastener shaft with a dry resin including electrically conductive particles. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting at least one of the fasteners includes fitting a fastener shaft into a through-hole in the stack, the fastener including a head and a dielectric seal at a proximal location on the head. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting at least one of the fasteners includes inserting a fastener head having an upper surface with multiple mechanical interlocking sites that are configured to retain a dielectric layer, the dielectric layer covering the upper surface of the head, the dielectric layer mechanically interlocked with the interlocking sites. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding a conductive layer to an upper surface of the stack prior to inserting fasteners into the stack of members. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric seal is positioned at an inner proximal location of the washer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising positioning a second dielectric seal at the distal location, wherein the first and second dielectric seals are separated by a gap. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coating the washer with a dielectric coating. 
     
     
         12 . A method of fastening a stack of members, comprising:
 inserting fasteners into the stack of members;   terminating the fasteners with a part, the part including:
 a fastener termination body having a central opening and including a washer; 
 a dry dielectric coating on the fastener termination body; and 
 a first dielectric seal secured to the fastener termination body and partially covering the central opening at an inner proximal location of the washer; 
 wherein each of the dry dielectric coating and the first dielectric seal has a thickness and composition for inhibiting lightning current; and 
   coating the washer with a dielectric coating.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first dielectric seal is configured to protect against arcing, sparking and hot particle ejection, and wherein the dry dielectric coating is configured to protect against arcing and sparking. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the stack of members comprises a stack of aircraft members, and wherein at least one member of the stack of aircraft members comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the stack of members includes an aircraft skin and a metal member. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising adding a conductive layer to an upper surface of the stack prior to inserting fasteners into the stack of members. 
     
     
         17 . A method of fastening a stack of members, comprising:
 inserting fasteners into the stack of members;   terminating the fasteners with a part, the part including:
 a fastener termination body having a central opening and including a washer; 
 a dry dielectric coating on the fastener termination body; 
 a first dielectric seal secured to the fastener termination body and partially covering the central opening at an inner proximal location of the washer; and 
 a second dielectric seal secured to the fastener termination body at a distal location, the first and second dielectric seals being separated by a gap; 
 wherein each of the dry dielectric coating, the first dielectric seal, and the second dielectric seal has a thickness and composition for inhibiting lightning current; and 
   coating the washer with a dielectric coating.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first dielectric seal is configured to protect against arcing, sparking and hot particle ejection, and wherein the dry dielectric coating is configured to protect against arcing and sparking. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the stack of members comprises a stack of aircraft members, and wherein at least one member of the stack of aircraft members comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the stack of members includes an aircraft skin and a metal member.