US 5,678,826 AGranted

Retractable retainer and sealant assembly method

AssigneeOrbseal LLC

InventorPatrick Lee Miller

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Abstract

A vehicle body pillar has a cavity therein through which air flow creates undesirable noise and in which moisture and fluids such as water are not to be collected. An expandable sealant plug is inserted therein and retained in place by one or more extractable retainers. The sealant material forming the plug is later expanded and cured under controlled conditions, sealing the cavity so as to prevent the flow of air through it. The expanded sealant also effectively blocks the intrusion of fluids such as water, minimizing corrosion within the pillar. The extractable retainers are then removed and permanent retainers used to hold moldings or the like in place. The sealant also seals the permanent retainers. In other instances, the same type of extractable retainers used with the expandable sealant may be used with a hot melt sealant which, when melted, provides sealing for the later-installed permanent fasteners and the apertures through which they extend.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method of sealing a body member cavity against deleterious wind noise and fluid intrusion, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a shaped, heat-expandable sealant plug to a definitive form having recesses adapted to receive ends of extractable retainers so that the retainer ends are held in place relative to the sealant plug;
(b) inserting one end of each of the extractable retainers in one of the recesses of the so-formed plug so that the retainer ends are held in place relative to the sealant plug;
(c) inserting the extractable retainers into and through mating body member apertures before the body member is closed during fabrication to create the cavity;
(d) thereafter completing fabrication of the body member so as to create the cavity so that the other ends of the extractable retainers extend outwardly from the body member and the sealant plug is supported within the cavity;
(e) heating the body member and the sealant plug to a predetermined temperature and holding them substantially at that temperature for a predetermined time, the heat applied to the sealant plug for the predetermined time acting thereon to expand the sealant plug within the body member cavity and generate an expanded sealant plug which blocks and seals the body member cavity against deleterious wind noise and water intrusion and is cured;
(f) retaining the extractable retainer in mounted position within the body cavity aperture so that it keeps the aperture closed with respect to the expanding sealant plug throughout the plug's expansion and curing;
and
(g) thereafter pulling the extractable retainers on through the apertures and replacing them with permanent retainers which extend through the body member apertures and the expanded plug recesses in sealing and secured relation.

5 more elements

A method of sealing a body member cavity against deleterious wind noise and fluid intrusion, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a heat-responsive sealant plug in a definitive form having a recess adapted to receive the inner end of an extractable retainer so that the retainer inner end is held in place relative to the sealant plug;
(b) inserting the outer end of the extractable retainer in the recess of the so-formed plug so that the retainer inner end is held in place relative to the sealant plug;
(c) inserting the extractable retainer into and through a mating body member aperture before the body member is closed during fabrication to create the cavity;
(d) thereafter completing fabrication of the body member and thereby creating the cavity so that the outer end of the extractable retainer extends outwardly from the body member and the sealant plug is supported within the cavity;
(e) heating the body member and the sealant plug to a predetermined temperature and holding them substantially at that temperature for a predetermined time, the heat applied to the sealant plug for the predetermined time acting thereon to modify the sealant plug within the body member cavity and generate a modified sealant plug which blocks and seals at least a substantial portion of the body member cavity and is cured;
(f) retaining the extractable retainer in mounted position within the body cavity aperture so that it keeps the aperture closed with respect to the expanding sealant plug throughout the plug's heat-modification and curing;
(g) thereafter extracting the extractable retainer through the aperture;
and
(h) thereafter replacing the extracted retainer with a permanent retainer which extends through the body member aperture and the sealant plug recess in sealing and secured relation.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/566,481Filed 4 Dec 1995 · division
Priority: 23 Aug 1993
Granted: 21 Oct 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B62D 29/002
Characterised by combining metal and synthetic material: a foamable synthetic material or metal being added in situ
B29C 44/188
Filling preformed cavities: sealing off parts of the cavities
B29C 70/745
Moulding material on a relatively small portion of the preformed part, e.g. outsert moulding: filling cavities in the preformed part
F16D 2041/0601
With intermediate wedging coupling members between an inner and an outer surface: with a sliding bearing or spacer