SLIC Pin™ Application Examples

As the inventor and manufacture of SLIC Pins, Pivot Point has seen SLIC Pins used across a variety of industries and applications.

“SLIC” is an acronym for Self-Locking-Implanted-Cotter, and as the name implies, the SLIC Pin™ features a spring-loaded, wedge-shaped plunger that functions as a self-contained cotter pin. It’s a pin and cotter all in one! It is more secure and reliable than Hair Pin Cotters and offers faster assembly than Prong-Cotters or Retaining Clips. Other fasteners, such as Retaining Clips, can even be installed incorrectly. The SLIC Pin™ is fast & foolproof.

Hair Pin Cotters, Prong-Cotters and Retaining Clips are not foolproof
Spring-loaded plunger retracts when pin is installed and “pops” back up to automatically lock into place

SLIC Pins™ are successfully used in hundreds of applications across many different industries. Below are just a few brief examples how SLIC Pins™ have solved problems and improved applications.


APPLICATION: Hinge points on hand pumps for water wells, barrels of liquid, etc.

The SLIC Pin™ provides a cleaner design and greater simplicity for assembly and disassembly on any type of hinge-point application.

Water Pump SLIC Pins™ provided a cleaner and more user-friendly design

APPLICATION: Motor Mount on a lift-table mechanism for material handling equipment, medical beds, exam tables, rehab equipment and other lift-table applications.

The SLIC Pin™ provides an easy method to attach the motor to the mount. Space constraints make using other cotters or clips very difficult to install. The SLIC Pin™ works well in tight spaces and limited access applications.

SLIC Pins™ are easier to install in tight spaces.

SLIC Pins™ won’t fall out

APPLICATION: Retractable Tarp system for flatbeds.

Steel spreader bars both support the tarpaulin fabric and also function as the mechanism that makes it retractable. Pins are used in the numerous joints, but cotter pins can rip the fabric and even fall off - as is the case with Hair Pin Cotters. Retaining Clips are tedious to apply and can also fall off due to the constant movement from extending and retracting the tarp.


APPLICATION: Fitness equipment.

SLIC Pins™ attach the adjustable seat to a free weight machine. Quick release pins are not positively-locked into place, unlike the SLIC Pin™, and cotter pins are clumsy and can be easily lost.

SLIC Pins™ lock into place - making them more secure and reliable

SLIC Pins™ provide an aesthetically pleasing, one-piece compact design

APPLICATION: Protective cases and carrying cases.

SLIC Pins™ used as hinge pins are ideal for easy installation and provide a clean, aesthetically pleasing look compared to secondary cotters or clips. In this case, the SLIC Pin™ attaches the handle to the case, and provides for a one-piece, compact design that is simple to install.


APPLICATION: Hinge points on a collapsible stretcher.

Collapsible stretchers are used as tactical military and police gear. Grooved pins with retaining clips were previously used, but the clips could easily dislodge and fall out, rendering the stretcher unusable. Slic Pins™ are a quick and secure hinge-point pin.

SLIC Pins™ are secure in the most rugged and critical applications

SLIC Pins™ save time and cost in assembly operations - especially high volume production

APPLICATION: Adjustable chairs and beds.

Adjustable chairs and beds have numerous actuators attached to brackets using pins. Hair Pin Cotters can fall out and prong-cotters and retaining clips are tedious and time consuming to install. SLIC Pins™ are more secure and many times faster for assembly, saving a lot of time and cost- especially valuable in high-volume production environments.


APPLICATION: Food service equipment.

Removable doors and panels on food service equipment may use pins with retaining clips. Removing these for cleaning is difficult and loose clips are hazardous in food service environments! SLIC Pins™ are a one-piece pin and clip all in one, and allow for simple removal without tools.

SLIC Pins™ do not require tools to install/remove and have no loose parts

SLIC Pins™ install easily with gloved hands in outdoor assembly operations

APPLICATION: Solar panel racking.

Solar panels are often mounted using bolts and nuts, which are tedious and especially difficult to install in the field. Installation requires tools and is additionally difficult with gloved hands.


APPLICATION: Tubing.

Despite the plunger being spring-loaded, the SLIC Pin™ can also be used in tubing or other hollow applications. The body of the pin is configured with a larger and smaller diameter, which matches up to a larger and a smaller hole in the tubing.

Cross-Section view tubing example

Detailed view of standoff use

APPLICATION: Portable massage tables.

Portable massage tables use a series of stability cables that need to mount to the frame. The SLIC Pin™ serves as a standoff (post) that the cables can easily connect and disconnect to.

SLIC Pins™ may be configured as a standoff for quick connection of cables or joints.


APPLICATION: Quick-Connect System for cables, rods and more.

The SLIC Pin™ mechanism can be incorporated into a male-female quick-connect system. It can be used with cables, fiberglass rods or any other method of quick-connect. Applications include gun-cleaning kits, chimney-brush rods, fabric support rods and more.

SLIC Pins™ as a quick-connect mechanism can be used in a multitude of ways.

Example of male-female quick-connect system

SLIC Pins™ are readily customized to suit your specific application! Any configuration, material or finish is possible- in small or large quantities.

Examples of customized SLIC Pins™

Examples of customized SLIC Pins™

AVAILABLE IN TWO DIFFERENT PLUNGER OPTIONS!


Standard Plunger

 

STANDARD PLUNGER Features a more sharply angled top, affording greatest capture height of the plunger. Use for semi-permanent fastening, where the pin is seldom removed.

Removable Plunger

 

REMOVABLE PLUNGER Features a rounded top, affording easier removal in assemblies with slight gaps when the pin needs to be removed.

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