GB2362195A - A device for sealing an aperture in a plate - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a closure member 12 disposable on one side of a plate 30 for closing an aperture 32 and for locating a sealing material 34 relative to the plate 30 to seal the aperture 32. Prior to installation solid sealing material is deposited in the region of the circumference of the closure means 12. Engagement arms 16 are provide for engaging with an edge portion 36 of the aperture at an opposing side of said plate 30 for maintaining the closure means 12 in position relative to the plate 30. The engagement arms each have a series of detents 22 each detent 22 being for engaging with said edge portion 36, the series of detents 22 being spaced from said closure means 12 over a range of distances to enable the device to be fitted to plates of any one of a plurality of thicknesses.

Description

2362195 A DEVICE FOR SEALING AN APERTURE IN A PLATE The present invention

relates to a device for sealing an aperture in a plate.

Particularly, although not exclusively, in the automobile industry, apertures are provided in plates (for instance metal panels) for ease of handling and to allow access for tools. It is subsequently desirable or required to seal the apertures.

One device for sealing an aperture in a plate that is known hereto comprises closure means disposable on one side of the plate for closing the aperture and for locating a sealing material relative to the plate to seal the aperture, and engagement means for engaging with an edge portion of the aperture at an opposing side of said plate for maintaining the closure means in position relative to the plate.

In this prior art device the engagement means is capable of maintaining the closure means in position relative to a plate of a single given thickness and therefore various sizes of device are required to seal plates of any one of a plurality of thicknesses.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for sealing an aperture in a plate of any one of a plurality of thicknesses.

The present invention provides a device for sealing an aperture in a plate, comprising: closure means disposable on one side of the plate for closing the aperture and for locating a sealing material relative to the plate to seal the aperture; and engagement means for engaging with an edge portion of the aperture at an opposing side of said plate for maintaining the closure means in position relative to the plate; wherein the engagement means has a series of detents each detent being for engaging with said edge portion, the series of detents being spaced from said closure means over a range of distances to enable the device to be fitted to plates of any one of a plurality of thicknesses.

The engagement means may be pivotally mounted to said closure means such 1:1 _n 1 that the enRa-,ement means is biased into an engaged condition in which in use the engagement means is engaged with said edge portion.

Preferably, pivotal movement of said engagement means away from said engaged condition is limited by contact between said engagement means and said closure means.

Such an arrangement can be adopted to prevent the elastic limit from being exceeded which is useful if for instance the device is made from a material having a low modulus of elasticity or from a relatively thin blank.

-)o a plurality of arm means extending The engagement means may compri =1 1- from said closure means, each of said arm means comprising a said series of detents.

Preferably, each of said arm means has two arms. 25 Said two arms may be circumferentially adjacent to provide mutual lateral support, Alternatively, said two arms may not be circumferentially adjacent and be sufficiently strong so that mutual lateral support is not required.

It is also preferred that successive detents in a said series of detents are alternately located on the arms of a respective said arm means.

In order that the present invention may be well understood, two embodiments thereof, which are given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cut out blank for forming into a first device for scaling an aperture in a plate; Figure 2 shows part of the blank in more detail; Figure 3 shows a first forming stage of the first device; Figure 4 shows the first forming stage in more detail; Figure 5 shows a second forming stage of the first device; Figure 6 shows the second forming stage in more detail; Figure 7 shows a third forming stage of the first device; Figure 8 shows the third forming stage in more detail; Figure 9 shows a fourth forming stage of the first device; Figure 10 shows the fourth forming stage in more detail; Figure 11 shows a finished form of the first device; Figure 12 shows the finished form of the first device in more detail; Figure 13 shows a side view of the first device sealing an aperture in a plate; Figure 14 shows the device in use in more detail; Figure 15 shows a perspective view of a cut out blank for forming into a second device for sealing an aperture in a plate; 4 Figure 16 shows part of the blank of Figure 15 in more detail; ID Figure 17 shows a first forminc, staae of the second device; Figure IS the first forming stage in more detail; Figure 19 shows a second forming stage of the second device; Figure 20 shows the second forming stage in more detail; Figure 21 shows a finished forin of the second device; and Figure 22 shows the finished forin of the second device in more detail.

Forming of a device will first be explained with reference to Figures I to 12.

A metal blank 10 is produced having the shape shown in Figures I and 2. The blank has a substantially circular central portion 12 which forms closure means in the finished forin. Four channels 14 run radially outwardly at right angles to each other from the middle of the central portion 12 on the underside thereof as viewed in Figure 1. Extending from the radially outermost portion of each of the channels 14 is an essentially T-shaped arm means 16. The arm means 16 has a radially extending stalk IS and two arms 20 which extend perpendicularly to the stalk IS. Each arm 20 is provided with a plurality of detents 22 on an edge thereof facing radially inwardly. In the finished form, the plurality of detents 22 on both anns together form a series of detents on the arm means 16.

In forming stages one, two and three (shown in Figures 3 to 8), each arm 20 is bent along two axes. The first axis 24 is about a third of the way along the length of the arm from the intersection with the stalk. The second axis 26 is at the intersection with the stalk. In the first forming stage each arm 20 is bent downwardly along the first axis 24 through 90' as viewed in Figures 3 and 4.

In the second and third forming stages as viewed in Figures 5 and 6, and 7 and :1 8, respectively, each arm 20 is bent upwardly through about 1 SO' about the second axis 26 so that, as viewed in Figures 7 and 8, the arms 20 of each arm means 16 are circumferentially adjacent and extend vertically upwardly relative to a horizontal central portion 12. 5 In the fourth forming stage, the stalk 18 of each arm means 16 is bent downwardly about 160' as viewed in Figures 9 and 10 along the intersection 28 between the stalk 18 and the central portion 12.

Figures 11 and 12 show the finished form of the device for sealing an aperture in a plate. Extending away from the central portion 12, successive detents 22 are located alternately on the arms 20 of each arm means 16. With this arrangement, the device may be formed from a relatively thin blank 10 whilst retaining sufficient strength in each detent 22 to permit satisfactory 15 engagement with edge portion means of an aperture. The arms 20 of each arm means 16 are circumferentially adjacent to provide mutual lateral support against bending and/or buckling. Each arm means is pivotal relative to the central portion about the intersection 20 28 and in a neutral position the stalk lies at an angle of about 160' to the plane of the central portion. This allows the arm means 16 to be pivotal radially inwardly to its limit of travel in which the stalk 18 abuts the central portion 12 and is received at least partially in the channel 14. When released the arm means 16 moves under internal bias to its neutral position which bias, when 25 the device is in use, causes the arm means 16 to move towards an engaged condition.

In the finished form of the device, the closure means 12 is formed by the central portion 12 of the blank and is disposable on one side of a plate 30 (Figures 133 and 14) for closing an aperture 32 and for locating a sealing material -334 relative to the plate 30 to seal the aperture 32. Prior to installation solid sealing matenal is deposited in the region of the circumference of the closure means 12. Engagement means is formed by the an-n means 16 of the blank 10 and is for engaging with an edge portion 36 of the aperture at an ng side of said plate 30 for maintaining the closure means 12 in oppos] 1 1 1 1 ZD position relative to the plate 30. The engagement means has a series of detents 22 each detent 22 being for engaging with said edge portion 36, the series of detents 22 being spaced from said closure means 12 over a range of distances to enable the device to be fitted to plates of any one of a plurality of thicknesses. The engacrement means may comprise a plurality of arm means 16 each of which has a series of detents 22. As shown the engagement means comprises four arm means 16.

Prior to installation, the solid sealing material 34 is positioned as shown in the region of the circumference of the closure means 12 and the closure means 12 is lined up with an aperture so that a tapered portion 38 of each arm means 16 abuts the edge ,, portion means of the aperture -336. When the closure means 12 is pressed towards the plate 30, each arrn means 16 is pivoted radially inwardly away from an engaged condition to allow insertion into the aperture 32. The closure means 12 is pressable towards the plate 30 until the sealing material 34 is squeezed between the closure means 12 and the plate 30. Any 2 5 one detent 22 of the series of detents 22 is capable of engaging the edge portion means 36 of the aperture 32 when the closure means 12 is pressed fully home thereby locating the closure means 12 and sealing material 34 in position relative to a plate of any one of a plurality of thicknesses.

Travel of each of the arm means 16 radially inwardly during insertion of the arm means 16 away from the engaged condition is limited by contact between the arm means 16 and the closure means 12 as described above. Such limitation prevents the elastic limit being exceeded even if the device is made from a material with a relatively low coefficient of elasticity such as mild steel or from a relatively thin blank.

As indicated above each of the arm means 16 is formed by two arms 20 and successive detents 22 in a series of detents 22 are alternately located on the arms 20 of a respective arm means 16. Such an arrangement increases the strength of each individual -detent 22 without requiring a commensurate increase in either the strength of the material or the thickness of the blank from which the device is manufactured. The arrangement also allows successive detents 22 in a series of detents to be closely spaced so that the closure means 12 can be accurately located relative to the plate during installation. 20 The panel 30 is usually primed in advance and once the device has been installed as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the assembly is heated, preferably by baking, to melt the sealing material 34 which on cooling seals between the closure means 12 and the plate 30.

Forming of a second device for sealing an aperture in a plate will now be described with reference to Figures 15 to 22. The second device is currently 8 preferred and is distinguished from the first device in that the arms of each arm means are not circumferentially adjacent. The second device is particularly preferred when a relatively thicker material is used for the blank in which case the arms are sufficiently strong so that they do not require mutual lateral support. The arrangement permits the number of forming stages of the device to be reduced and therefore increases overall efficiency.

Other features of the second device remain the same as the first device and will not be described again. For convenience, like reference numerals have been adopted for like features.

The second device is formed from the blank shown in Figure 15 and 16.

Forming stages one, two and three of the first device are replaced with forming stage one of the second device as shown in Figures 17 and 18, in which arms 40 are each bent upwardly along a respective axis 42.

As seen in Figures 19 and 20, in the second forming stage of the second device, the stalk 18 of each arm means 16 is bent downwardly about 160' along the intersection 44 between the stalk 18 and the central portion 12. The second formin- stage of the second device is similar to the fourth forming stage of the first device.

Figures 21 and 2222 show the finished form of the second device for scaling an aperture in a plate. Extending away from the central portion 12, successive detents 22 are located alternately on the arms 20 of each arm means 16. With this arrangement, the device may be formed from a relatively thin blank 10, although somewhat thicker than that of the first device, whilst retaining sufficient strength in each detent 222 to permit satisfactory engagement with cl 1 w 9 edge portion means of an aperture. However, with the second device, each arm 40 of each arm means 16 is self-supporting and therefore may be spaced one from the other as shown.

Otherwise, the operation of the second device remains the same as that of the first device.

Claims (9)

1. A device f-or sealing an aperture in a plate, comprising: closure means disposable on one side of the plate for closing the aperture and for locating a sealing material relative to the plate to seal the aperture; and engagement means for engaging with an edge portion of the aperture at an opposing side of 1:1 Z1 W id plate for maintaining the closure means in position relative to the plate; sai Z:1 wherein the engagement means has a series of detents each detent being for engaging with said edge portion, the series of detents being spaced fom said closure means over a range of distances to enable the apparatus to be fitted to plates of any one of a plurality of thicknesses.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement means is pivotally mounted to said closure means such that the engagement means is biased into an engaged condition in which in use the engagement means is W 11. W engaged with said edge portion.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein pivotal movement of said engagement means away from said engaged condition is limited by contact 1 C> between said engagement means and said closure means.

11

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the engagement means comprises a plurality of arm means extending from said closure means, each of said arm means comprising a said series of detents.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said arm means is formed by two arms.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said two arms are circumferentially adjacent to provide mutual lateral support. 10

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said two arms are not circumferentially adjacent and are sufficiently strong so that mutual lateral support is not required. 15

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein successive detents in a said series of detents are alternately located on the arms of a respective said arm means.

9. A device substantially as herein before described with reference to 20 Figures 1 to 14, or Figures 13 and 14 as modified by Figures 15 to 22 of the accompanying drawings.