A support member is for supporting a conductive member such as an electrical wire and is for installation in an automatic transmission, and includes a main body portion made of a resin and plates that are made of a metal and are to be fixed to the body of the automatic transmission via bolts. The main body portion has attachment portions to which the plates are attached, and elastic lock portions that project within the attachment portions and have elasticity capable of restricting removal of the plates from the attachment portions.

An apparatus configured to structurally replace a cracked weld in a nuclear plant may include: a first body portion that includes a first gripping portion; a second body portion that includes a second gripping portion; a wedge portion between the first and second body portions; and/or an adjustment portion. The first body portion may be configured to slidably engage the second body portion. The wedge portion may be configured to exert force on the slidably engaged first and second body portions. The adjustment portion may be configured to increase or decrease the force exerted by the wedge portion on the slidably engaged first and second body portions. When the adjustment portion increases the force exerted by the wedge portion on the slidably engaged first and second body portions, a distance between the first and second gripping portions may decrease.

A thermal expansion joint is disclosed. In one non-limiting example the thermal expansion joint includes a bottom portion extending between a support structure and a trailing edge and the support structure is positioned proximate to a heat source. Furthermore, the thermal expansion joint includes a side portion. In some embodiments, the thermal expansion joint includes an overlapping portion coupled to the bottom portion and extending from a flange portion towards the side portion. Moreover, the overlapping portion overlays and is biased against the side portion to enable thermal expansion during heating by extending towards the flange portion and sliding along a top surface of the side portion.

Sliding fastener systems can include a fastener configured to fixedly attach to a first component having a first thermal expansion coefficient, a tray configured to fixedly attach to a second component having a second thermal expansion coefficient different from the first thermal expansion coefficient, the tray defining a sliding surface, and at least a portion of a locking element configured to engage with the fastener, the locking element having a base with a contact surface that movably contacts the sliding surface of the tray when the tray, the fastener, and the locking element fasten the first component and the second component together. The fastener and the locking element are configured to move with the first component and the tray is configured to move relative to the fastener and the locking element with the second component when there is a differential thermal expansion between the first and second components.

An apparatus configured to structurally replace a cracked weld in a nuclear plant may include: a first body portion that includes a first gripping portion; a second body portion that includes a second gripping portion; a wedge portion between the first and second body portions; and/or an adjustment portion. The first body portion may be configured to slidably engage the second body portion. The wedge portion may be configured to exert force on the slidably engaged first and second body portions. The adjustment portion may be configured to increase or decrease the force exerted by the wedge portion on the slidably engaged first and second body portions. When the adjustment portion increases the force exerted by the wedge portion on the slidably engaged first and second body portions, a distance between the first and second gripping portions may decrease.

A component assembly includes a first component, such as an optical component, and a second component, such as a support component, having different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). The component assembly also includes a spacer having a CTE matched to that of the first component, disposed between the first component and the second component. When the CTE of the first component is greater than that of the second component, the second component includes a protrusion, and the spacer includes a complementary opening for receiving the protrusion, such that a joint between the protrusion and the complementary opening is under compressive stress. The spacer also includes a mounting area for receiving the first component, and an air gap disposed between the first component and the protrusion.

A component assembly includes a first component, such as an optical component, and a second component, such as a support component, having different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). The component assembly also includes a spacer having a CTE matched to that of the first component, disposed between the first component and the second component. When the CTE of the first component is greater than that of the second component, the second component includes a protrusion, and the spacer includes a complementary opening for receiving the protrusion, such that a joint between the protrusion and the complementary opening is under compressive stress. The spacer also includes a mounting area for receiving the first component, and an air gap disposed between the first component and the protrusion.

A Z-pin including a first bi-metal structure having a first metal strip and a second metal strip bonded together, where the first and second metal strips have different coefficients of thermal expansion, and a second bi-metal structure having a third metal strip and fourth metal strip bonded together, where the third metal strip and the fourth metal strip have different coefficients of thermal expansion. The first and third metal strips are selectively secured together at at least one discrete location so that heating of the Z-pin causes the first and second bi-metal structures to deform relative to each other. The Z-pin is inserted into a composite laminate structure while it is in its uncured state, where curing of the composite structure causes the first and second bi-metal structures to deform relative to each other to lock the laminate layers together.

An apparatus configured to structurally replace a cracked weld in a nuclear plant may include: a first body portion that includes a first gripping portion; a second body portion that includes a second gripping portion; a wedge portion between the first and second body portions; and/or an adjustment portion. The first body portion may be configured to slidably engage the second body portion. The wedge portion may be configured to exert force on the slidably engaged first and second body portions. The adjustment portion may be configured to increase or decrease the force exerted by the wedge portion on the slidably engaged first and second body portions. When the adjustment portion increases the force exerted by the wedge portion on the slidably engaged first and second body portions, a distance between the first and second gripping portions may decrease.

A dissimilar material joining structure includes: a plate-shaped resin member; a plate-shaped metallic member; and a metallic rivet. The rivet includes a shaft, and a head integral with a first end of the shaft, and disposed outside a hole of the resin member hole. The shaft includes: a pillar; an enlarged diameter portion; and a punching portion that is joined to the metallic member via a weld. The hole of the resin member includes: a small-diameter hole portion adjacent to the pillar, and having an inner diameter equal to a diameter of the enlarged diameter portion; and a large-diameter hole portion adjacent to an outer circumference of the punching portion, and having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the enlarged diameter portion.