Plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025387981-A1
Application number	US-202519243473-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2025
Priority date	Jun 21, 2024
Publication date	Dec 25, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a plug for covering a hole in a component, comprising a cover body, a support portion and a connecting member. The cover body has a thickness direction. The support portion is connected to a side of the cover body in the thickness direction and has a support portion central axis. The connecting member is connected to the support portion and comprises at least two engagement portions arranged around the support portion central axis. The connecting member has elasticity to enable the at least two engagement portions to move toward and away from the support portion central axis with elastic deformation of the connecting member. The plug in the present disclosure has a relatively small thickness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A plug for covering a hole in a component, the plug comprising:
a cover body having a thickness direction; a support portion connected to a side of the cover body in the thickness direction and having a support portion central axis; and a connecting member connected to the support portion and comprising at least two engagement portions arranged around the support portion central axis,
wherein the connecting member has elasticity to enable the at least two engagement portions to move toward the support portion central axis with elastic deformation of the connecting member.

2 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the at least two engagement portions comprise at least two protrusions and the protrusions are connected to an end of the connecting member away from the cover body and extend in a direction away from the support portion central axis, the protrusions having a distance from the cover body.

3 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the connecting member extends in a direction substantially parallel to the cover body and has a distance from a circumferential edge of the cover body.

4 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein a maximum distance from the engagement portions of the connecting member to the support portion central axis is greater than a maximum distance from an outer side of the support portion to the support portion central axis.

5 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the connecting member has at least two connecting arms, the at least two connecting arms connecting the engagement portions to the support portion.

6 . The plug of claim 5 ,
wherein the support portion comprises a support block, and the at least two connecting arms comprise at least two first connecting arms and at least two second connecting arms, and wherein the at least two first connecting arms are connected in sequence, each of the engagement portions is arranged at a joint of adjacent first connecting arms, and the second connecting arms connect corresponding first connecting arms to the support block.

7 . The plug of claim 6 , wherein each of the first connecting arms comprises a concave portion recessed toward the support block, the concave portion being located in the middle of the corresponding first connecting arm.

8 . The plug of claim 6 , wherein a connection line connecting two ends of each of the second connecting arms is staggered from a central axis of the support block.

9 . The plug of claim 7 , wherein a joint of the second connecting arm and the first connecting arm and a joint of the second connecting arm and the support block are respectively close to two adjacent concave portions in a circumferential direction, and the second connecting arm is bent toward the corresponding engagement portion.

10 . The plug of claim 5 ,
wherein the support portion comprises at least two support blocks, and the at least two connecting arms comprise at least two pairs of connecting arms, and wherein respective first ends of each of the pairs of connecting arms are connected to each other, respective second ends of each of the pairs of connecting arms are connected to the corresponding support blocks, and the engagement portion is arranged at a joint of the first ends of one of the pairs of connecting arms.

11 . The plug of claim 5 , wherein each of the at least two pairs of connecting arms comprises a concave portion recessed toward the support portion central axis.

12 . The plug of claim 11 , wherein a minimum distance from the concave portion to the central axis is less than a distance from the support block to the support portion central axis.

13 . The plug of claim 5 ,
wherein the connecting member is arranged separately from the cover body, and wherein the connecting member comprises an abutting portion, the abutting portion abutting against a surface of a second side of the cover body and being slidable relative to the cover body when subjected to a force in a direction toward or away from the support block.

14 . The plug of claim 13 , wherein the abutting portion is arranged close to the engagement portions.

15 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein positioning marks are provided on a side of the cover body away from the support block in the thickness direction, and each of the positioning marks is located between the adjacent engagement portions in a circumferential direction.

16 . The plug of claim 5 , wherein a distance from a side of the connecting member away from the cover body to a second side of the cover body is not more than twice the thickness of the cover body.

17 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the plug further comprises a sealing portion connected to the cover body and close to a circumferential edge of the cover body, and at least a portion of the sealing portion is located at a side of the cover body connected to the support block, the sealing portion comprising a hot melt adhesive.

18 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the support portion has a side portion, the connecting member is connected to the side portion of the support portion, and the connecting member overlaps at least a portion of the support portion in the thickness direction of the cover body.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• He Jiahui
• Li Zhilin
• Liu Xiaojin

Classifications

• B29C65/565

  involving interference fits, e.g. force-fits or press-fits (B29C65/66 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C65/72

  by combined operations {or combined techniques}, e.g. welding and stitching · CPC title

• B29L2031/3005

  Body finishings · CPC title

• B29C65/4815 Primary

  Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives · CPC title

• B62D25/24 Primary

  Superstructure sub-units with access {or drainage} openings having movable or removable closures; {Sealing means therefor}(inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05) · CPC title