Sealant articles and method of applying sealant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10760609-B2
Application number	US-201615018076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2016
Priority date	Feb 8, 2016
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A method of making an assembly is disclosed. According to the method, a curable sealant is applied to a metal surface of a first article, and the curable sealant and first article are stored under conditions to maintain the curable sealant in an at least partially uncured state. The method further includes contacting the curable sealant on the first article metal surface with an electrically conductive surface of a second article, and curing the curable sealant.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making an assembly, comprising
applying a fluid curable sealant to a metal surface of a first article;
disposing the first article within an external storage environment under conditions to maintain the curable sealant in a solidified at least partially uncured state;
removing the first article from the external storage environment;
returning the curable sealant on the metal surface of the removed first article to a fluid state, and compressing the fluid curable sealant between the first article metal surface and an electrically conductive surface of a second article to displace a portion of the fluid curable sealant out of a space between the first article metal surface and the second article electrically conductive surface; and
curing the curable sealant, wherein the first article metal surface and second article electrically conductive surface have different electrode potentials.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external storage environment is maintained at a temperature below a curing temperature of the curable sealant to maintain the curable sealant in an at least partially uncured state.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external storage environment is maintained at a temperature less than or equal to 0° C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external storage environment is maintained at a temperature less than or equal to −25° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external storage environment maintains an oxygen-free or reduced oxygen environment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external storage environment maintains a moisture-free or reduced moisture environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entirety of the space between the first article metal surface and the second article electrically conductive surface is occupied by the curable sealant subsequent to compressing the curable sealant.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the first article at a temperature below a solidification temperature of the fluid curable sealant to maintain the curable sealant in an at least partially uncured state, and raising the temperature to a temperature sufficient to allow flow of the curable sealant before compressing the curable sealant.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first article comprises a fastener component.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first article metal surface comprises a washer face, a nut face, a wiring lug face, a bushing face, a bolt or screw head face, a nutplate face, a bolt or screw shaft or threads, a spacer, a pin, a rivet, a panel, or a support bracket.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second article comprises a panel component.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different electrode potentials are provided by pairings selected from stainless steel and aluminum, stainless steel and magnesium, titanium and magnesium, aluminum and low carbon steel, aluminum and carbon reinforced composites, nickel and aluminum, magnesium and low carbon steel, gold and nickel, or gold and copper.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid curable sealant comprises a curable polysulfide sealant, a curable epoxy sealant, a curable polyurethane sealant, or a curable silicone sealant.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing the first article onto a support along with one or more other articles comprising a metal surface, applying the fluid curable sealant to the metal surface of the first article and the one or more other articles on the support, and introducing the support to the external storage environment.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the curable sealant in a solidified state prevents intermixing of reactants in the curable sealant.

16. A method of making an assembly, comprising:
disposing a plurality of first articles on a support;
applying a curable sealant to metal surfaces on the plurality of first articles on the support;
disposing the plurality of first articles in an external storage environment under conditions to maintain the curable sealant on the plurality of first articles in an at least partially uncured state;
removing a first article of the plurality of first articles from the external storage environment; and
contacting the curable sealant on the metal surface of the removed first article with an electrically conductive surface of a second article; and
curing the curable sealant wherein the first article metal surfaces and second article electrically conductive surface have different electrode potentials.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising placing the support and the plurality of first articles with the curable sealant into the external storage environment.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising returning the support and first articles to the external storage environment after removing the first article of the plurality of first articles from the external storage environment.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the support includes retaining features configured to match a shape of the first articles.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Gage Marc E
• Grulke David J
• Folsom Michael E
• Smith Blair A
• Busha Mark S
• Davis Kerry L

Classifications

• F16B5/0208 Primary

  using panel fasteners, i.e. permanent attachments allowing for quick assembly · CPC title

• C09J133/00 Primary

  Adhesives based on homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by only one carboxyl radical, or of salts, anhydrides, esters, amides, imides, or nitriles thereof; Adhesives based on derivatives of such polymers · CPC title

• F16B33/004 Primary

  Sealing; Insulation (by means of washers F16B43/001) · CPC title

• B29C65/4835

  Heat curing adhesives · CPC title

• B29L2031/727

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