Paint drain closure and vehicle panel

Abstract

An improved closure for sealing the paint drain holes of a vehicle body, and a tool and method of use therefor, are disclosed. The closure takes the form of a one-piece sheet metal plug of inverted hat-shaped configuration having a peripheral flange with a thermoplastic sealant ring located beneath the flange to form a hermetic seal about the opening of the vehicle body. In use, the closure is supported, preferably magneticlly, by the head of an insertion tool and is directed by that tool into a floor pan opening or other panel opening of a vehicle body. Depending on the shape of the panel opening, the plug is then temporarily secured in place, with the sealant ring clamped between the flange of the plug and the body panel, either by a partial turn of the plug or by a tool with cam-driven dimpling elements that are forced outwardly within the cavity of the plug to produce a plurality of external enlargments or nubs. The same closure plug may be used for either type of attachment and, following such attachment, the entire assembly is heated (in the normal baking cycle of the painting operation) to soften and expand the sealant ring and produce a permanent adhesive bond between the parts. The use of the paint drain openings to support and position a vehicle prior to plug insertion and attachment is also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.