Self-sealing fastener
AssigneeSystems and Materials Research Corporation
InventorsAlan V. Bray, Denise Deppe, Gary Schmidt, David J. Irvin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for making and using a fastener suitable for use in airplane manufacture or repair that is coated with a pre-mixed moisture cure sealant. The sealant layer is coated with a frangible moisture barrier that will break apart when the fastener is installed, thus exposing the sealant to a moisture source. Once exposed to moisture, the sealant will begin to cure. Preferred embodiments also provide a premature cure indicator that provides a visual indication that the outer moisture resistant layer has been damaged.
Claims22
A fastener covered with a self-sealing coating, said self-sealing coating comprising:
- one or more layers of a one-part moisture-curable sealant;
- and
- a first layer of a frangible moisture barrier coating covering said one or more layers of one-part curable sealant, such that when the fastener is installed into a pre-drilled hole in a workpiece the frangible moisture barrier will break apart, thereby allowing moisture from a moisture source to reach the sealant so that the sealant will cure and form a seal between the faster and the workpiece, and at least a portion of said moisture barrier coating will be extruded rather than mixing with the portion of the sealant forming the seal between the fastener and the workpiece.
A fastener covered with a self-sealing coating, said self-sealing coating comprising:
- one or more layers of a one-part moisture-curable sealant;
- one or more layers of a frangible moisture barrier coating on top of said one or more layers of the one-part curable sealant, such that when the fastener is installed the frangible moisture barrier layers will break apart allowing moisture to reach the sealant so that the sealant will cure;
- and
- in which the frangible moisture barrier coating layers comprise a non-solvent based size coat curable by actinic radiation.
A method of producing a fastener covered with a self-sealing coating, the method comprising:
- applying one or more layers of a one-part moisture-curable sealant to a fastener;
- and
- applying a layer of a frangible moisture barrier coating covering said one or more layers of the one-part curable sealant, such that when the fastener is installed into a pre-drilled hole in a workpiece the frangible moisture barrier will break apart, thereby allowing moisture from a moisture source to reach the sealant so that the sealant will cure and form a seal between the fastener and the workpiece, and at least a portion of the frangible moisture barrier will be extruded rather than mixing with the portion of the sealant forming the seal between the fastener and the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.