US 2006/0130291 A1 · Method and apparatus for forming sealing devices on fasteners

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming sealing and/or retaining elements on a wide variety of fastening devices is provided. The fasteners are conveyed on fastener nests each having a chamber, a fastener lock and a fastener release that are moveable relative to each other. The fasteners then have material applied to them which is cured while the fasteners are in the nests on the conveyor. The fasteners with the sealing and/or retaining element formed thereon are then removed therefrom. A novel fixture for holding fasteners to be processed and an element sealing device having a fastener with a resilient sealing element adhered to a portion thereof with a depression formed therein in close proximity to a portion of the fastener is also provided.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of forming a sealing element on a fastening device, said method comprising the steps of:

conveying at least one fastening device nest, the fastening device nest having a chamber, a lock, and a release that are moveable relative to each other from a first position wherein the chamber is open to a second position wherein a portion of the lock is located within the chamber to a third position, wherein a portion of the release is in the chamber;
introducing a fastening device into the chamber of the fastening device nest while the fastening device nest is in the first position;
applying material to a predetermined portion of the fastening device contained in the fastening device nest;
heating the fastening device nest to a temperature sufficient to cure the material applied to the fastening device in the fastening device nest;
and
removing the fastening device from the fastening device nest.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for forming sealing devices on fasteners

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for forming sealing devices on fasteners

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20