Self-Sealing Mounting and Fastening Element

A sealing fastening member comprising:

• a main body that has
• a central bore for receiving a fastener;
• a bottom contact surface;
• a protruding portion protruding from the bottom contact surface;
• whereby,
• during an initial liquification phase:
• the fastener extends through the central bore and at least partially into an underlying surface;
• the protruding portion is in contact with the underlying surface, the bottom contact surface thereby being at a distance from the underlying surface;
• the protruding portion is caused to at least partially liquify under the force of an installation action carried out on the fastener and, in an at least partially liquified state, to seal around a point of penetration of the underlying surface by the fastener;
• during a second phase:
• the bottom contact surface is in contact with the underlying surface;
• and
• the fastener is secured in the underlying surface;
• in which:
• the main body also forms a spacer between a first item and a second item;
• the fastener is a threaded screw, whereby the installation action is screwing the screw through the central bore, whereby the force of the installation action has a primary component of rotational frictional between the protruding portion and the underlying surface;
• and
• the protruding portion is annular;
• the sealing fastening member is made of at least one material chosen from the group of natural rubber and synthetic rubber;
• said main body further including a groove in the bottom contact surface located radially outward of the protruding portion, whereby the partially liquified protruding portion may at least partly flow into the groove as the bottom contact surface comes into contact with the underlying surface, whereby the bottom contact surface may seat securely on the underlying surface.