Mechanically fastened joint with in-situ thermally cured seal
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAmanda Kay Freis, Garret Sankey Huff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of installing and sealing a friction fastener to at least an upper substrate and a lower substrate includes providing an expandable sealant to an underhead volume of the friction fastener, installing the friction fastener through the upper substrate and into the lower substrate using a joining device, and applying heat in-situ to the expandable sealant such that the friction fastener is sealed to at least the upper substrate. The heat in-situ is applied to the expandable sealant via installing the friction fastener and/or with an external heating source disposed downstream from the joining device.
Claims20
A method of installing and sealing a friction fastener to at least an upper substrate and a lower substrate, the method comprising:
- providing an expandable sealant to an underhead volume of the friction fastener;
- installing the friction fastener through the upper substrate and into the lower substrate using a joining device;
- and
- applying heat in-situ to the expandable sealant such that the friction fastener is sealed to at least the upper substrate.
A method of installing and sealing a friction fastener to at least an upper substrate and a lower substrate, the method comprising:
- providing an expandable sealant to an interface between the friction fastener and the upper substrate;
- installing the friction fastener through the upper substrate and into the lower substrate using a joining device;
- and
- applying heat in-situ to the expandable sealant by the friction fastener.
A structural assembly comprising at least an upper substrate, a lower substrate, a friction fastener extending through the upper substrate and into the lower substrate, the friction fastener having a head portion defining an underhead volume, and an expanded sealant disposed within the underhead volume and extending along at least a portion of a threaded shank of the friction fastener,
- wherein the structural assembly is formed by:
- providing an expandable sealant to the underhead volume of the friction fastener;
- installing the friction fastener through the upper substrate and into the lower substrate using a joining device;
- and
- applying heat in-situ to the expandable sealant by the friction fastener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.