Friction weld plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415238-B2
Application number	US-202217823285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2022
Priority date	Aug 30, 2022
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A friction weld plug includes a gasket and a stud. The stud includes a nose configured to be inserted into a first hole formed within a wall. The nose includes a cavity having female threads. The stud also includes a shoulder extending radially from the nose and including a groove configured to contain the gasket. The friction weld plug also includes a spacer including a second hole and a fastener including male threads. The fastener is configured to be inserted through the second hole, into the first hole, and into the cavity such that the male threads and the female threads form an attachment that presses the spacer against a first side of the wall and presses the gasket against a second side of the wall that is opposite the first side, thereby forming a seal between the gasket and the second side of the wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A friction weld plug comprising:
a gasket;
a stud comprising:
a nose configured to be inserted into a first hole formed within a wall, wherein the nose comprises a cavity having female threads; and
a shoulder extending radially from the nose and comprising a groove configured to contain the gasket;

a spacer comprising a second hole; and
a fastener comprising male threads, wherein the fastener is configured to be inserted through the second hole, into the first hole, and into the cavity such that the male threads and the female threads form an attachment that presses the spacer against a first side of the wall and presses the gasket against a second side of the wall that is opposite the first side, thereby forming a seal between the gasket and the second side of the wall.

2. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , wherein the groove is a first groove, the friction weld plug further comprising:
a second gasket,
wherein the shoulder further comprises a second groove configured to contain the second gasket,
wherein the fastener is configured to be inserted through the second hole, into the first hole, and into the cavity such that the male threads and the female threads form the attachment that presses the second gasket against the second side of the wall, thereby forming a second seal between the second gasket and the second side of the wall.

3. The friction weld plug of claim 2 , wherein the second groove surrounds the first groove.

4. The friction weld plug of claim 2 , wherein the shoulder comprises:
a first surface that includes the first groove and the second groove;
a second surface opposite the first surface; and
a port that provides fluid communication between the first surface and the second surface.

5. The friction weld plug of claim 4 , wherein the port includes an outlet between the first groove and the second groove.

6. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , wherein the gasket comprises a spring seal.

7. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , wherein the gasket comprises a coating configured for friction reduction.

8. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , wherein the nose comprises a surface that faces radially outward and is round.

9. The friction weld plug of claim 8 , wherein the surface is a first surface and the nose comprises a second surface that faces radially outward and is substantially flat.

10. The friction weld plug of claim 9 , wherein the spacer comprises a receptacle forming a third surface that faces radially inward and is round and forming a fourth surface that faces radially inward and is substantially flat.

11. The friction weld plug of claim 10 , wherein the nose is configured to be inserted into the receptacle such that the first surface contacts the third surface and the second surface contacts the fourth surface, thereby causing the stud to be rotationally fixed to the spacer.

12. The friction weld plug of claim 10 , wherein the nose forms a fifth surface that faces axially and that surrounds an opening to the cavity.

13. The friction weld plug of claim 12 , wherein the receptacle forms a sixth surface that faces axially and is configured to contact the fifth surface while the attachment exists between the male threads and the female threads.

14. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , further comprising a spring washer, wherein the fastener is configured to be inserted through the spring washer and the second hole, into the first hole, and into the cavity such that the male threads and the female threads form the attachment.

15. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , wherein the nose extends in an axial direction away from the shoulder.

16. The friction weld plug of claim 1 , wherein the shoulder comprises a surface that faces radially outward and is round.

17. A method for installing a friction weld plug, the method comprising:
bonding, via a friction stir welding process, a first panel to a second panel, thereby forming a wall and producing a hole in the wall;
inserting, from a first side of the wall, a fastener of the friction weld plug through a spacer of the friction weld plug and into the hole in the wall;
inserting, from a second side of the wall that is opposite the first side, a nose of a stud of the friction weld plug into the hole; and
creating, via rotating male threads of the fastener against female threads of a cavity within the nose, an attachment that presses the spacer against the first side of the wall and presses a gasket against the second side of the wall, thereby forming a seal between the gasket contained in a groove in a shoulder of the stud and the second side of the wall.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising enlarging the hole in the wall via drilling.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein enlarging the hole in the wall via drilling comprises enlarging the hole such that the hole has a first diameter that is substantially equal to a second diameter of the nose.

20. A friction weld plug comprising:
a first spring seal;
a second spring seal;
a stud comprising:
a nose configured to be inserted into a first hole formed within a wall, wherein the nose comprises a cavity having female threads; and
a shoulder extending radially from the nose and comprising a first groove configured to contain the first spring seal and a second groove configured to contain the second spring seal;

a spacer comprising a second hole; and
a fastener comprising male threads, wherein the fastener is configured to be inserted through the second hole, into the first hole, and into the cavity such that the male threads and the female threads form an attachment that presses the spacer against a first side of the wall and presses the first spring seal and the second spring seal against a second side of the wall that is opposite the first side, thereby forming a first seal between the first spring seal and the second side of the wall and a second seal between the second spring seal and the second side of the wall.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Weathers Jeffrey W
• Weathers James B

Classifications

• B23K20/1295

  Welding studs · CPC title

• B23K35/0288 Primary

  Welding studs · CPC title