Systems and methods for making and using a fitted cap for applying a shaped sealant shroud to a portion of a fastener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458455-B2
Application number	US-201715853006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A system ( 200 ) for making a fitted cap ( 300 ) comprises a fastener template ( 202 ), dimensionally identical to a portion ( 106 ) of a fastener ( 100 ) and extending from a support plate ( 210 ), and a first plurality of through-openings ( 212 ) penetrating the support plate ( 210 ) and arranged about the fastener template ( 202 ). The system ( 200 ) also comprises a precursor cap ( 320 ) that is geometrically complementary to the fastener template ( 202 ), first means ( 217 ) for heating a first polymer sheet ( 270 ), and second means ( 219 ) for applying suction to the first polymer sheet ( 270 ) through the first plurality of through-openings ( 212 ) to vacuum-form the first polymer sheet ( 270 ) over the precursor cap ( 320 ). After vacuum-forming the first polymer sheet ( 270 ) over the precursor cap ( 320 ), at least a portion of the first polymer sheet ( 270 ) forms the fitted cap ( 300 ). The fitted cap ( 300 ) is configured to apply a shaped sealant shroud ( 590 ) to the portion ( 106 ) of the fastener ( 100 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for making a fitted cap, the fitted cap configured to apply a shaped sealant shroud to a portion of a fastener, the system comprising:
a support plate, comprising:
a first side;
a second side, opposite the first side; and
a first plurality of through-openings, penetrating the support plate from the first side through to the second side;
a fastener template, dimensionally identical to the portion of the fastener and extending from the first side of the support plate such that the first plurality of through-openings is arranged about the fastener template;
a precursor cap, comprising a first surface, geometrically complementary to the fastener template, and a second surface, opposite the first surface and parallel to the first surface;
first means for heating a first polymer sheet to a specified temperature; and
second means for applying suction to the first polymer sheet, positioned a predetermined distance from the first side of the support plate and heated to the specified temperature by the first means, through the first plurality of through-openings from the second side of the support plate to vacuum-form the first polymer sheet over the precursor cap, wherein the second means is configured to apply the suction such that:
after vacuum-forming the first polymer sheet over the precursor cap, at least a portion of the first polymer sheet forms the fitted cap and
a first inner surface of the fitted cap is geometrically complementary to the second surface of the precursor cap.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the fastener template comprises:
a central axis and
a fastener-template outer surface that has a rotational symmetry about the central axis.

3. The system according to claim 2 , further comprising an insert, wherein at least a portion of the insert is positioned between the fastener template and the precursor cap and extends away from the first side of the support plate, and wherein the precursor cap further comprises:
a third surface, contiguous with the first surface and geometrically complementary to the insert and
a fourth surface, contiguous with the second surface, opposite the third surface, and parallel to the third surface and
wherein the second means is further configured to apply the suction, such that a second inner surface of the fitted cap is geometrically complementary to the fourth surface of the precursor cap, and wherein the second inner surface of the fitted cap is contiguous with the first inner surface of the fitted cap.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein at least the portion of the insert comprises a tapered portion, having a direction of taper oriented parallel to the central axis of the fastener template.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the insert comprises a piercing member that penetrates the precursor cap from the third surface through to the fourth surface and the piercing member is oriented parallel to the central axis of the fastener template.

6. The system according to claim 2 , further comprising an insert, positioned such that the precursor cap is between the fastener template and the insert and wherein:
the insert extends away from the first side of the support plate and comprises an insert outer surface;
the fitted cap further comprises a second inner surface, contiguous with the first inner surface of the fitted cap; and
the second means is further configured to apply the suction such that the second inner surface of the fitted cap is geometrically complementary to the insert outer surface.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein:
the insert further comprises a tapered portion, positioned such that the precursor cap is between the fastener template and the tapered portion and
a direction of taper of the tapered portion is parallel to the central axis of the fastener template.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the insert further comprises a piercing member, oriented parallel to the central axis of the fastener template, such that the piercing member extends away from the precursor cap.

9. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a frame, coupleable to the first polymer sheet such that the first polymer sheet is positionable with respect to the first side of the support plate by manipulating the frame.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the frame comprises:
an opening, extending therethrough, and
a perimeter, enclosing the opening and shaped to secure the first polymer sheet such that the first polymer sheet extends across the opening.

11. A method of making a fitted cap, the fitted cap configured to apply a shaped sealant shroud to a portion of a fastener, the method comprising steps of:
covering a fastener template with a precursor cap, wherein:
the fastener template extends from a first side of a support plate;
the support plate comprises a second side, opposite the first side, and a first plurality of through-openings, penetrating the support plate from the first side through to the second side and arranged about the fastener template;
the precursor cap comprises a first surface, geometrically complementary to the fastener template, and a second surface, opposite the first surface and parallel to the first surface; and
the fastener template is dimensionally identical to the portion of the fastener;
heating a first polymer sheet to a specified temperature; and
applying suction to the first polymer sheet, positioned a predetermined distance from the first side of the support plate and heated to the specified temperature, through the first plurality of through-openings from the second side of the support plate to vacuum-form the first polymer sheet over the precursor cap, wherein:
after vacuum-forming the first polymer sheet over the precursor cap, at least a portion of the first polymer sheet forms the fitted cap and
a first inner surface of the fitted cap is geometrically complementary to the second surface of the precursor cap.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising applying a release agent to at least one of the precursor cap and the first polymer sheet and wherein the release agent is configured to facilitate separation of the fitted cap from the precursor cap after the step of applying suction to the first polymer sheet to vacuum-form the first polymer sheet over the precursor cap.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising, before covering the fastener template with the precursor cap, a step of forming the precursor cap.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of forming the precursor cap comprises steps of:
heating a second polymer sheet to a second specified temperature and
applying suction to the second polymer sheet, positioned a second predetermined distance from the first side of the support plate and heated to the second specified temperature, through the first plurality of through-openings from the second side of the support plate to vacuum-form the second polymer sheet over the fastener template and
wherein, after vacuum-forming the second polymer sheet over the fastener template, at least a portion of the second polymer sheet forms the precursor cap.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the step of applying suction to vacuum-form the second polymer sheet over the fastener template further comprises forming the precursor cap, having a precursor-cap thickness, equal to a second-sheet thickness of the second polymer sheet.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising preselecting the precursor-cap thickness to be within a

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pillay Ganesh R

Classifications

• B29L2031/727

  Fastening elements (bolts B29L2001/002; nuts B29L2001/005; screws B29L2001/007; slide fasteners B29L2005/00; buttons for haberdashery B29L2019/00) · CPC title

• B29L2031/56

  Stoppers or lids for bottles, jars, or the like {, e.g. closures} · CPC title

• B29L2001/00

  Articles provided with screw threads · CPC title

• B29C51/421

  of preforms, specially adapted for thermoforming (preheating sheets in general B29B13/023; B29C51/427 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C51/36

  specially adapted for vacuum forming {, Manufacture thereof} · CPC title