Self-forming fuel tank sealant system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288924-A1
Application number	US-201514676105-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A self-forming sealant system forms a seal between two parts or between a fastener and a part of a structure. In forming the seal, a first finish having a high surface energy is applied to the joint between the two parts or is applied to the fastener and the part. A second finish having a low surface energy is then applied adjacent to the area where the first finish was applied. A sealant is then applied to the joint between the two parts or the fastener and the part, where the sealant migrates to the joint or fastener coated with the first finish having the high surface energy and away from the areas adjacent the joint or the fastener coated by the second finish having the low surface energy.

First claim

1 . A sealed structure comprising:
a first surface area on the structure, the first surface area having a high surface energy; a second surface area on the structure, the second surface area having a low surface energy, the low surface energy being less than the high surface energy; and, a sealant on the first surface area on the structure, the sealant being substantially absent from the second surface area on the structure.

2 . The sealed structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
the first surface area on the structure and the second surface area on the structure being juxtaposed.

3 . The sealed structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
the second surface area on the structure surrounding the first surface area on the structure.

4 . The sealed structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third surface area on the structure, the third surface area having the low surface energy; and, the second surface area on the structure and the third surface area on the structure being on opposite sides of the first surface area on the structure.

5 . The sealed structure of claim 4 , further comprising:
the second surface area on the structure and the third surface area on the structure being juxtaposed to the first surface area on the structure.

6 . The sealed structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first part of the structure; a second part of the structure; a joint line between the first part of the structure and the second part of the structure; and, the joint line being in the first surface area on the structure.

7 . The sealed structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fastener on the first surface area on the structure; the fastener having a fastener surface that is part of the first surface area on the structure; and, the sealant being on the fastener.

8 . A sealed structure comprising:
a first surface area on the structure; a first finish coating the first surface area on the structure, the first finish having a high surface energy; a second surface area on the structure; a second finish coating the second surface area on the structure, the second finish having a low surface energy, the low surface energy being less than the high surface energy; and, a sealant on the first finish, the sealant being substantially absent from the second finish.

9 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
the first finish and the second finish being juxtaposed.

10 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
the second finish surrounding the first finish.

11 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
a third surface area on the structure; the second finish coating the third surface area on the structure; and, the second surface area on the structure and the third surface area on the structure being on opposite sides of the first surface area on the structure.

12 . The sealed structure of claim 11 , further comprising:
the second surface area on the structure and the third surface area on the structure being juxtaposed to the first surface area on the structure.

13 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
the sealed structure having a first part;
the sealed structure having a second part;
the first surface area on the structure being on a portion of the first part and a portion of the second part; the second surface area on the structure being on a further portion of the first part and a further portion of the second part; the first part and the second part being joined together along a joint line; the joint line being in the first surface area on the structure; and, the first finish coating the joint line.

14 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
a fastener on the first surface area on the structure; and, the first finish coating the fastener.

15 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
the sealed structure being constructed of composite materials.

16 . The sealed structure of claim 8 , further comprising:
the sealed structure being constructed of metallic materials.

17 . A method of sealing a structure comprising:
coating a first surface area on the structure with a first finish, the first finish having a high surface energy; coating a second surface area on the structure with a second finish, the second finish having a low surface energy that is less than the high surface energy; and, applying a sealant on the first finish coating the first surface area on the structure, the sealant being substantially absent from the second finish coating the second surface area on the structure.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
coating the first surface area on the structure with the first finish juxtaposed to the second finish coating the second surface area on the structure.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
coating a joint line in the first surface area on the structure with the first finish.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
coating a fastener in the first surface area on the structure with the first finish.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Humfeld Keith D
• Badgley Richard S

Classifications

• B64F5/45

  Repairing leakages in fuel tanks · CPC title

• B64D37/06 Primary

  Constructional adaptations thereof · CPC title

• F16J15/04 Primary

  without packing between the surfaces, e.g. with ground surfaces, with cutting edge · CPC title

• B64F5/009 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic