Sealed fastener cap and related method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228165-B2
Application number	US-202318133710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2023
Priority date	Apr 20, 2021
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A fastener cap system can include a rigid cap and a sealing member which forms a liquid barrier so moisture is impaired from entering a space under the rigid cap and/or around a fastener installed through it. The sealing member can include a central seal disposed on an upper surface of the cap, the seal extending beyond a head of a fastener, which extends through the cap and sealing member, so that moisture is impaired from entering the cap under the head. The sealing member can be above and below respective lowermost and uppermost cap surfaces so the cap system can be fed cleanly and efficiently through a cap feeder during installation via a tool. The sealing member, which can have a higher coefficient of friction than the rigid cap, thereby does not drag along a cap feeder and cause feeding issues. Related methods of manufacture and use are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a fastener cap system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of rigid caps, each rigid cap including a cap uppermost surface and a cap lowermost surface, each rigid cap bounded by a cap rim, each cap rim joined with an adjacent cap rim of an adjacent rigid cap via a cap connector, each rigid cap joined with a sealing member, the sealing member being disposed above the cap lowermost surface and below the cap uppermost surface in a pre-installation mode; and
moving the plurality of rigid caps along a cap feeder toward a driving station such that at least one of the cap lowermost surface and the cap uppermost surface slidably engages the cap feeder, but the sealing member does not engage the cap feeder, in the pre-installation mode.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:
sequentially penetrating each of the rigid caps and the respective sealing members with a respective fastener, thereby pressing each cap rim and each sealing member against a substrate in an installed mode,
wherein the rigid caps are constructed from a first material having a first coefficient of friction relative to a reference surface,
wherein the sealing member is constructed from a second material having a second coefficient of friction relative to the reference surface,
wherein the second coefficient of friction is greater than the first coefficient of friction.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:
installing each rigid cap relative to a substrate by penetrating each rigid cap and respective sealing member with a respective fastener,
wherein each sealing member includes a secondary seal disposed on a lower surface of each rigid cap, but above the cap lowermost surface in the pre-installation mode,
wherein the rigid cap is deformed during the installing so that the secondary seal is moved to be flush with the cap lowermost surface when the rigid cap is in an installed mode, thereby forming a seal around the respective fastener extending through the rigid cap and the sealing member adjacent the substrate.

4. The of method of claim 3 ,
wherein each sealing member includes a central seal disposed on an upper surface of each rigid cap, but below the cap uppermost surface in the pre-installation mode,
wherein each rigid cap is deformed during the installing, but the central seal remains below the cap uppermost surface in the installed mode, the central seal forming another seal around the fastener extending through the rigid cap and the central seal adjacent a head of the fastener in the installed mode.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the cap feeder includes a ramp extending toward the driving station,
wherein the cap lowermost surface contact and slide along the ramp, but the sealing member remains a first distance from the ramp as the rigid cap slides along the ramp, inside a cap rim of the rigid cap.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the sealing member is disposed a distance above a surface of the cap feeder while the cap lowermost surface engages the surface in the pre-installation mode.

7. The method of claim 6 ,
wherein each rigid cap includes a cap rim,
wherein the cap rim circumferentiates the sealing member,
wherein the sealing member is disposed radially inward from the cap rim, closer to a longitudinal axis of the rigid cap than the cap rim.

8. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the cap rim is constructed from a rigid polymer,
wherein the sealing member is constructed from an elastomeric material.

9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the seal member includes a secondary seal having a thickness that extends downward from a lower interior surface of each rigid cap,
wherein the thickness is less than a height of each rigid cap, the height extending from the lower interior surface to the cap lowermost surface.

10. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein each rigid cap is concave upward and forms a void between the rigid cap and a surface of the cap feeder as the plurality of rigid caps move along the cap feeder.

11. A method of using a fastener cap system, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of rigid caps, each rigid cap including a cap uppermost surface and a cap lowermost surface, each rigid cap joined with a sealing member, the sealing member being disposed above the cap lowermost surface in a pre-installation mode; and
moving the plurality of rigid caps along a cap feeder such that at least one of the cap lowermost surface and the cap uppermost surface slidably engages the cap feeder, but the sealing member does not engage the cap feeder in the pre-installation mode as the plurality of rigid caps move along the cap feeder.

12. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the sealing member includes a secondary seal joined a lower cap surface disposed above the cap lowermost surface,
wherein the secondary seal is bounded by a secondary seal perimeter and includes a secondary seal lowermost surface,
wherein a cap rim of each rigid cap forms the cap lowermost portion,
wherein the secondary seal lowermost surface is disposed a distance above the lowermost portion of the cap along the cap rim in a pre-installation mode.

13. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the cap rim slides relative to and contacts a ramp of the cap feeder in the pre-installation mode, with the secondary seal lowermost surface being disposed above and out of contact with the ramp during the moving step.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
driving a fastener through the sealing member of a first rigid cap of the plurality of rigid caps and into a substrate,
wherein the first rigid cap deforms so that a sealing member lower surface moves toward and is disposed at a same level as the cap lowermost portion.

15. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the sealing member lower surface engages the substrate simultaneously with the cap lowermost surface, thereby forming a seal around the fastener adjacent the substrate.

16. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the cap rim is constructed from a rigid polymer,
wherein the sealing member is constructed from an elastomeric material.

17. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
holding down the cap lowermost surface against a ramp of the cap feeder with a hold down arm,
wherein the hold down arm does not contact the sealing member, but does contact a cap uppermost surface.

18. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
pushing the plurality of rigid caps with a reciprocating pusher.

Assignees

• Nat Nail Corp

Inventors

• Colyn Christopher M
• Schwartzkopf Todd E A
• Vandenberg Roger A

Classifications

• B25C7/00

  Accessories for nailing or stapling tools, e.g. supports (for tools operated by detonation of a cartridge B25C1/18) · CPC title

• F16B41/00

  Measures against loss of bolts, nuts, or pins; Measures against unauthorised operation of bolts, nuts or pins ({locking of screws, bolts or nuts F16B39/00;} seals G09F3/00) · CPC title

• E04D12/002

  Sheets of flexible material, e.g. roofing tile underlay · CPC title

• E04D5/145

  Discrete fastening means, e.g. discs or clips · CPC title

• F16B41/005 Primary

  Measures against unauthorised operation of bolts, nuts or pins (F16B23/0007, F16B23/0061, F16B23/0069, F16B23/0076 and F16B31/02 take precedence; locks, keys E05B; for valves, taps or cocks F16K35/00; for pipe-joints with swivel-nuts F16L19/005) · CPC title