# US 2017/0284110 A1 · Sealing Plug for Closing Holes in Walls and the Like

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- Number: US 2017/0284110 A1
- Document ID: US20170284110A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/621,721
- Filed: 2017-06-13
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-16
- Assignees: 20 Emma 20 S.L.; Hegain 2100 Consulting S.L.
- Applicants: 20 Emma 20 S.L.; Hegain 2100 Consulting S.L.
- Inventors: Juan Andrés ELDUAYEN MADARIAGA; Javier SANCHEZ GARDUÑO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284110A1

## CPC

- E04G 17/0644: {Plug means for tie-holes}
- F16B 19/008: {with sealing means}
- F16B 19/1054: {the pull-mandrel or the like being frangible}
- F16L 55/1141: {the plug being made of elastic material}
- F16B 2013/006: {with sealing means}
- F16L 17/10: the packing being sealed by the pressure of a fluid other than the fluid in or surrounding the pipe
- E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL

## Abstract

According to one embodiment a sealing plug is provided that includes an elastic body and a stem assembled coaxially with respect to one another. The elastic body is suitable for being expanded radially by pulling on the free end of the stem, which projects out of the elastic body, once it is inserted into the hole to be plugged, the elastic body applying a closing pressure against the hole. The sealing plug also comprises an empty space, arranged between the elastic body and the stem, which is communicated with the outside, such that the entrance of fluid into the elastic body is allowed so that the fluid applies pressure against the elastic body, thereby increasing the closing pressure applied by the elastic body against the hole.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plug for closing a hole in a wall that holds a fluid, the wall having an inner surface that defines the hole, the plug comprising:
an elastic body having a central axis, a first end, a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining at least in part an internal cavity; and
a stem having a first part that resides inside the internal cavity and a second part that resides external to the elastic body protruding from the first end of the elastic body, the first part being operatively coupled to the elastic body so that a pulling on the second part causes the elastic body to axially compress and radially expand to exert a first pressure on the inner surface of the wall that defines the hole when the plug is located inside the hole;
the first end of the elastic body having a through opening that fluidly communicates the internal cavity with the fluid held by the wall so that when the plug is located inside the hole the fluid applies pressure against the inner surface of the elastic body to cause the pressure applied to the inner surface of the wall that defines the hole to be greater than the first pressure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plug according to claim 1, further comprising a first stop washer located at or near the first end of the elastic body, and a second stop washer located at or near the second end of the elastic body, each of the first and second stop washers including a passage through which the stem passes, the elastic body being compressible between the first and second stop washers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plug according to claim 2, wherein the second stop washer is located inside the elastic body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The plug according to claim 2, wherein the first stop washer abuts the first end of the elastic body and has one or more through openings that communicates with the through opening of the elastic body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The plug according to claim 4, wherein the first stop washer includes a plurality of through openings that are arranged equidistantly around a center of the first stop washer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The plug according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of through opening are arranged at the same radial distance with respect to the center of the first stop washer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The plug according to claim 2, wherein the stem is located inside a rivet sleeve that has a first end and a second end, the rivet sleeve extending through the passage of the first stop washer and the passage of the second stop washer, the stem having a head that is supported on the second end of the rivet sleeve.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The plug according to claim 7, wherein the first end of the rivet sleeve includes a protuberance that is supported on the first stop washer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The plug according to claim 7, wherein by pulling on the second part of the stem the head of the stem applies compression pressure against the second end of the rivet sleeve such that at least part of the rivet sleeve deforms, in turn enabling a deformed part of the rivet sleeve to apply compression pressure against the second stop washer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The plug according to claim 7, wherein the internal cavity of the elastic body is arranged between the inner surface of the elastic body and the rivet sleeve.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The plug according to claim 7, wherein the first stop washer, the second stop washer, the stem and the rivet sleeve are made of rigid materials.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The plug according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body comprises a main body and a head at the first end of the elastic body, the main body having a first diameter and the head having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, the head configured to abut against the wall to apply an axial closing pressure against the wall.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The plug according to claim 12, wherein the main body and the head are of a single piece construction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The plug according to claim 12 wherein the main body and the head are two independent parts attached to one another.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The plug according to claim 7, wherein the stem is a rivet.

### Claim 16

A system comprising:
a wall that holds a fluid, the wall having a hole defined by an inner surface of the wall,
a plug for closing the hole in the wall, the plug comprising:
an elastic body having a central axis, first end, a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining at least in part an internal cavity; and
an elongate stem having a first part that resides inside the internal cavity and a second part that resides external to the elastic body protruding from the first end of the elastic body, the first part being operatively coupled to the elastic body so that a pulling on the second part causes the elastic body to axialy compress and radially expand to exert a first pressure on the inner surface of the wall that defines the hole when the plug is located inside the hole;
the first end of the elastic body having a through opening that communicates the internal cavity with the fluid so that when the plug is located inside the hole the fluid applies pressure against the inner surface of the elastic body to cause the pressure applied to the inner surface of the wall that defines the hole to be greater than the first pressure.
that extends through the inner surface to allow the internal cavity to communicate with the fluid held by the wall

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The plug according to claim 16, further comprising a first stop washer located at or near the first end of the elastic body, and a second stop washer located at or near the second end of the elastic body, each of the first and second stop washers including a passage through which the stem passes, the elastic body being compressible between the first and second stop washers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The plug according to claim 17, wherein the stem is located inside a rivet sleeve that has a first end and a second end, the rivet sleeve extending through the passage of the first stop washer and through the passage of the second stop washer, the stem having a head that is supported on the second end of the rivet sleeve.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The plug according to claim 18, wherein the first end of the rivet sleeve includes a protuberance that is supported on the first stop washer, wherein by pulling on the second part of the stem the head of the stem applies compression pressure against the second end of the rivet sleeve such that at least part of the rivet sleeve deforms, in turn enabling a deformed part of the rivet sleeve to apply compression pressure against the second stop washer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The plug according to claim 16, wherein the elastic body comprises a main body and a head at the first end of the elastic body, the main body having a first diameter and the head having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, the head configured to abut against the wall to apply an axial closing pressure against the wall.