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US 11,692,467 B2Granted
Oil pan assembly including laminate and clinch nut
AssigneeMaterial Sciences Corporation
InventorsBryan Joseph Tullis, Jason Schoonover
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The teachings herein are related to assemblies, such as oil pan assemblies, including a laminate bottom portion and a nut attached to the laminate bottom portion. The nut may provide a sealable opening to a cavity of the assembly. The laminate bottom portion preferably includes a polymeric layer sandwiched between two metallic layers. The nut preferably is a clinch nut.
Claims20
A container assembly comprising:
- i) a container having a cavity for holding a fluid and including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion includes a laminate material including a first aluminum sheet having a surface facing the cavity of the container, a second aluminum sheet having a surface facing an outside of the container, and a polymeric layer interposed between the first and second metal sheets;
- ii) an opening in the bottom portion extending through the first and second aluminum sheets for draining the fluid from the container;
- iii) a clinch nut attached to at least one of the first and second aluminum sheets extending only into the cavity, and being configured for receiving a drain plug that seals the opening and provides a primary seal to prevent flow of the fluid;
- iv) the drain plug, wherein the drain plug has a threaded shaft for sealing the opening and a flange surface;
- and
- v) an elastomeric seal contacting the flange surface of the drain plug and the outside surface of the second aluminum sheet;
- wherein the container assembly is an oil pan assembly;
- wherein the elastomeric seal includes a sealing portion and a spacer portion connected to the sealing portion, wherein the spacer portion spaces and positions the sealing portion away from a region under the clinch nut.
5 more elements
A container assembly comprising:
- i) a container having a cavity for holding a fluid and including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion includes a laminate material including a first aluminum sheet having a surface facing the cavity of the container, a second aluminum sheet having a surface facing an outside of the container, and a polymeric layer interposed between the first and second metal sheets;
- ii) an opening in the bottom portion extending through the first and second aluminum sheets for draining the fluid from the container;
- iii) a clinch nut attached to at least one of the first and second aluminum sheets extending only into the cavity, and being configured for receiving a drain plug that seals the opening and provides a primary seal to prevent flow of the fluid;
- iv) the drain plug, wherein the drain plug has a threaded shaft for sealing the opening and a flange surface;
- and
- v) an elastomeric seal contacting the flange surface of the drain plug and the outside surface of the second aluminum sheet;
- wherein the container assembly is an oil pan assembly;
- wherein an attachment of the clinch nut to the first aluminum sheet forms a seal around an entire circumference of the opening, and the elastomeric seal forms a seal away from an area affected by the clinch nut.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.