Foam plug for engine cover fastener pocket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10260414-B2
Application number	US-201615363770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2016
Priority date	Nov 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

An engine cover assembly including a fastener concealing plug is disclosed. The plug includes a conical wall having upper and lower ends. A lower circumferential ring is spaced apart from the upper ring. The lower end of the concealing plug includes a fastener-receiving recessed area. The fastener pocket of the engine cover includes upper and lower grooves having a ring area formed therebetween. The upper circumferential ring of the plug nests with the upper groove of the pocket, the recessed area of the plug nests with the ring area, and the lower circumferential ring of the plug nests with the lower groove of the pocket. The engine cover is positioned on the engine such that a cover attaching stud passes through a stud-passing aperture of the cover. A fastening nut is threaded onto the cover-attaching stud until it comes into contact with a compression-limiting spacer. The plug conceals the fastener.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A removable plug for use with an engine cover having a fastener pocket, the engine cover being attachable to an engine with a fastener, the plug comprising:
an upper end and a lower end, said lower end having a fastener-receiving recessed area;
an upper circumferential ring;
a conical wall formed between said upper circumferential ring and said lower end; and
a lower circumferential ring formed on said conical wall thereby dividing said conical wall into an upper conical wall and a lower conical wall, said upper conical wall having a taper and said lower conical wall having a taper, said tapers being the same, said lower circumferential ring having an upper ramped surface immediately adjacent said upper conical wall, a lower ramped surface immediately adjacent said lower conical wall, and a radial surface formed between said upper and lower ramped surfaces.

2. The removable plug of claim 1 wherein said upper end includes an outer top surface, said outer top surface being substantially planar.

3. The removable plug of claim 1 wherein said lower end has an outer surface and said fastening-receiving recessed area is formed in said outer surface.

4. The removable plug of claim 3 wherein said outer surface of said lower end has a center and said fastener-receiving recessed area is formed in said center.

5. The removable plug of claim 1 , the plug being formed from a polymerized material.

6. The removable plug of claim 5 wherein said polymerized material is a polyurethane.

7. A removable plug for an engine cover fastener pocket, the cover being attached to the engine by a fastener, the plug comprising:
upper and lower ends, said lower end having a fastener-receiving recessed area;
a conical wall formed between said upper end and said lower end;
a circumferential ring formed on said conical wall defining said upper end; and
a retention ring formed on said conical wall between said circumferential ring and said lower end, said retention ring dividing said conical wall into an upper conical wall and a lower conical wall, said upper conical wall and said lower conical wall being collinear.

8. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 7 wherein said upper end includes an upper surface, said upper surface being substantially planar.

9. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 8 , wherein said circumferential ring is adjacent said outer surface of said upper end, said circumferential ring being continuous with said planar surface.

10. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 7 wherein said retention ring comprises a first circumferential recessed area, a second circumferential recessed area, and a circumferential ring formed between said first and second recessed areas.

11. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 10 wherein said first circumferential recessed area is a circumferential groove.

12. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 10 wherein said first circumferential recessed area is formed adjacent said circumferential ring.

13. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 7 wherein said lower end has an outer surface and said fastener-receiving area is formed on said outer surface.

14. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 13 wherein said lower area has a center and said fastener-receiving recessed area is formed in said center.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Newman Christopher William
• Nola Gary

Classifications

• Y10T428/24008

  including fastener for attaching to external surface · CPC title

• A61F2/446

  having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones · CPC title

• F02B77/005 Primary

  Plugs · CPC title

• F16B35/00

  Screw-bolts; Stay-bolts; Screw-threaded studs; Screws; Set screws ({F16B33/008 takes precedence; joining sheets or plates using screws with two separate threads F16B5/0275; using screws with adjustment sleeves F16B5/0283}; thread cutting screws F16B25/00) · CPC title