Plug

Abstract

To provide a plug.SOLUTION: The present disclosure provides a plug for plugging a hole of a component, comprising a cover body, a supporting portion and a connecting member. The cover body has a thickness direction. The support portion is connected to a side surface of the cover body in the thickness direction and has a support portion central axis. The connecting member is connected to the supporting portion and comprises at least two engaging portions arranged around the supporting portion central axis. The connecting member has an elasticity allowing the at least two engaging portions to be moved towards and away from the supporting portion central axis by elastic deformation of the connecting member. The closure of the present disclosure has a relatively small thickness.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to plugs, and more particularly to plugs for closing holes in vehicle sheet metal. [Background technology]

[0002] During the vehicle machining process, holes are made in the vehicle sheet metal. Once the vehicle machining process is completed, these holes are no longer needed. At a later stage of the vehicle machining process, these holes need to be closed using plugs to achieve waterproof and dustproof effects. Generally, plugs are first inserted into the holes in the sheet metal, and then the plugs are sealed to the sheet metal by a hot melt adhesive process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides a plug for covering (blocking) a hole in a component, the plug 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 surface 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 engaging portions arranged around the support portion central axis. The connecting member has elasticity that allows the at least two engaging portions to move toward the support portion central axis due to elastic deformation of the connecting member.

[0004] According to the plug described above, the at least two engagement portions include at least two protrusions, which are connected to the ends of the connecting member away from the cover body and extend in a direction away from the support portion central axis, and the protrusions have a certain distance from the cover body.

[0005] According to the plug described above, the connecting member extends in a direction substantially parallel to the cover body and has a certain distance from the peripheral edge of the cover body.

[0006] According to the plug described above, the maximum distance from the engagement portion of the connecting member to the central axis of the support portion is greater than the maximum distance from the outer surface of the support portion to the central axis of the support portion.

[0007] According to the plug described above, the connecting member has at least two connecting arms connecting the engaging portion to the supporting portion.

[0008] According to the plug described above, the support portion comprises a support block, and the at least two connecting arms include at least two first connecting arms and at least two second connecting arms, the at least two first connecting arms are connected in sequence, each of the engaging portions is disposed at a joining portion of an adjacent first connecting arm, and the second connecting arm connects the corresponding first connecting arm to the support block.

[0009] According to the plug described above, each of the first connecting arms has a recessed portion recessed toward the support block and located in the center of the corresponding first connecting arm.

[0010] According to the plug described above, the connecting line connecting the two ends of each of the second connecting arms is offset from the central axis of the support block.

[0011] According to the plug described above, the joint between the second connecting arm and the first connecting arm, and the joint between the second connecting arm and the support block are respectively adjacent to two adjacent recessed portions in the circumferential direction, and the second connecting arm is bent toward the corresponding engaging portion.

[0012] According to the plug described above, the support portion includes at least two support blocks, and the at least two connecting arms include at least two connecting arm pairs, each of which has a first end connected to each other and a second end connected to a corresponding support block, and the engagement portion is disposed at a joint of the first end of one of the connecting arm pairs.

[0013] According to the plug described above, each of the at least two pairs of connecting arms includes a recessed portion recessed toward the central axis of the support portion.

[0014] According to the plug described above, the minimum distance from the recessed portion to the central axis is smaller than the distance from the support block to the central axis of the support portion.

[0015] According to the plug described above, the connecting member is positioned independently from the cover body, and the connecting member has an abutment portion that abuts against the surface of the second side of the cover body and is slidable relative to the cover body when subjected to a force toward or away from the support block.

[0016] According to the plug described above, the abutting portion is disposed adjacent to the engaging portion.

[0017] According to the plug described above, positioning marks are provided on one side of the cover body that is distant from the support block in the thickness direction, and each of the positioning marks is located between adjacent engaging portions in the circumferential direction.

[0018] According to the plug described above, the distance from one side of the connecting member remote from the cover body to the second side of the cover body is not more than twice the thickness of the cover body.

[0019] According to the plug described above, the plug further includes a sealing portion connected to the cover body and adjacent to the peripheral edge of the cover body, at least a portion of the sealing portion being located on one side of the cover body connected to the support block, and the sealing portion includes a hot melt adhesive.

[0020] According to the plug described above, the support portion has a side portion, and the connecting member is connected to the side portion of the support portion. The connecting member overlaps at least a portion of the support portion in the thickness direction of the cover body.

[0021] The stopper of the present disclosure has a cover body, a support portion, and a connecting member. The connecting member can enter a hole in the sheet metal so that the stopper is connected to the sheet metal. The support portion is connected to one side of the cover body, and the connecting member is connected to the support portion and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the cover body. The connecting member is elastic and can deform in a direction toward the central axis of the support portion. The stopper of the present disclosure has a relatively small thickness and can fit into a small installation space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view of a plug according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the stopper of FIG. 1A from another perspective. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1B is a top view of the plug of FIG. 1A. [Figure 1D] FIG. 1B is a bottom view of the stopper of FIG. 1A. [Figure 1E] FIG. 1B is a side view of the stopper of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1E is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 1D taken along line AA. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the plug of FIG. 2A. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1B is an exploded schematic view of the plug and fitting of FIG. 1A. [Figure 3B] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a plug partially inserted into a mounting portion. [Figure 4A] 1B is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 1A properly attached to the attachment portion. [Figure 4B] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the plug and fitting of FIG. 3A. [Figure 5A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a plug according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the stopper of FIG. 5A. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5B is a top view of the plug of FIG. 5A. [Figure 5D] FIG. 5B is a side view of the stopper of FIG. 5A. [Figure 6A] FIG. 1E is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 1D taken along line BB. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the plug of FIG. 6A. [Figure 7] 5B is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 5A properly attached to the attachment portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Various specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings that form a part of this specification. In this disclosure, directional terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," and "bottom" are used to describe structural parts and elements in various examples of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that these terms are used in this application (herein) only for ease of illustration and are determined based on the exemplary orientation shown in the accompanying drawings. Because the arrangements in the embodiments disclosed in this disclosure can be in various directions, these directional terms are merely exemplary and should not be considered limiting. Where possible, the same or similar reference numbers in the drawings used in this disclosure refer to the same components.

[0024] Figure 1A is a perspective view of a stopper according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1B is a perspective view of the stopper from another perspective, Figure 1C is a top view of the stopper from Figure 1A, Figure 1D is a bottom view of the stopper from Figure 1A, and Figure 1E is a side view of the stopper from Figure 1A. Figures 1A to 1E show the structure of the stopper from different perspectives, with Figures 1A and 1B being views from above and below, respectively.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1E, the plug 100 includes a cover body 110, a support portion 150, a connecting member 160, and a sealing portion 118, and has an axial direction and a radial direction. The cover body 110 is substantially disk-shaped. The cover body 110 has a first side surface 111 and a second side surface 112 arranged opposite each other in the axial direction. The first side surface 111 and the second side surface 112 extend in the radial direction. The support portion 150 is connected to the second side surface 112 of the cover body 110 and extends in the axial direction. The support portion 150 has a support portion central axis C1. The central axis C1 passes through the center of the support portion 150 and extends in the axial direction of the plug 100. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support portion 150 is a substantially cylindrical support block. The support portion 150 has a proximal end 198 connected to the cover body 110, a distal end 199 remote from the cover body 110, and a side portion 197 located between the proximal end 198 and the distal end 199 and extending in the circumferential direction. The connecting member 160 is connected to the side portion 197 of the support portion 150 and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the cover body 110. The connecting member 160 has three engaging portions 144, 145, and 146 on its outer surface. The engaging portions 144, 145, and 146 can cooperate with the cover body 110 to connect the plug to a corresponding portion. The dimension of the connecting member 160 in the radial direction is smaller than the dimension of the cover body 110 in the radial direction. The plug 100 has a certain thickness in the axial direction of the plug 100. The thickness direction of the plug 100 coincides with the axial direction of the plug 100.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support portion central axis C1 passes through the center of the cover body 110. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the support portion central axis C1 is offset from the center of the cover body 110.

[0027] The sealing portion 118 is connected to the cover body 110 and extends in the thickness direction of the plug 100. The sealing portion 118 is adjacent to the peripheral edge of the cover body 110. At least a portion of the sealing portion 118 is located on the second side 112 of the cover body 110. The sealing portion 118 is made of a hot melt adhesive, and the sealing portion 118 is connected to the cover body 110 by an overmolding process.

[0028] The connecting member 160 is disposed independently from the cover body 110 and can be deformed radially to reduce the size of the outer contour of the connecting member 160. The connecting member 160 includes first connecting arms 154, 155, and 156 and second connecting arms 164, 165, and 166. The first connecting arms 154, 155, and 156 are connected in sequence and disposed around the support portion 150. There is a distance between the first connecting arms 154, 155, and 156 and the support portion 150. The second connecting arms 164, 165, and 166 connect the first connecting arms 154, 155, and 156 to the support portion 150. The two ends of each of the second connecting arms 164, 165, and 166 are not on the same diameter of the cover body, i.e., the connecting line connecting the two ends of each of the second connecting arms 164, 165, and 166 is offset from the central axis of the support portion 150.

[0029] Connecting member 160 has a plurality of engagement sections 173, 174, and 175, which are portions of connecting member 160 further away from support portion 150. Engagement sections 173, 174, and 175 are on substantially the same circumference. Engagement portions 144, 145, and 146 are disposed in engagement sections 173, 174, and 175, respectively.

[0030] The central portion of each of the first connecting arms 154, 155 and 156 is recessed towards the support part 150 to form recessed portions 181, 182 and 183. The two ends of each of the first connecting arms 154, 155 and 156 are provided with bent sections 168 and 169 that bend towards the support part 150. Each of the engagement sections 173, 174 and 175 is formed by the connection of the bent section 168 or 169 of the respective first connecting arm 154, 155 and 156 with the bent section 168 or 169 of the adjacent connecting arm.

[0031] The first connecting arms 154, 155 and 156 have the same structure and are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction.

[0032] Each of the second connecting arms 164, 165, and 166 includes a first section 191 and a second section 192. The first section 191 has one end connected to the recessed portion of one of the first connecting arms and the other end connected to the second section 192, and the second section 192 has one end connected to the first section 191 and the other end connected to the support portion 150, and is adjacent to the recessed portion of the adjacent first connecting arm. Each of the second connecting arms 164, 165, and 166 protrudes toward its respective engagement section, and the joint between the first section 191 and the second section 192 is adjacent to its respective engagement section. The first section 191 and the second section 192 are each substantially arc-shaped and curved in the same direction to facilitate deformation of the connecting member 160. For example, as shown in FIG. 1D , one end of the second section 192 of the second connecting arm 164 is connected to the support portion 150 and is adjacent to the recessed portion 182 of the first connecting arm 155, and the other end of the second section is connected to the first section 191. One end of the first section 191 is connected to the recessed portion 181 of the first connecting arm 154, and the other end of the first section is connected to the second section 192. The first section 191 and the second section 192 of the second connecting arm 164 both extend toward the engagement section 174 and are connected to each other, i.e., the central portions of the second connecting arms are curved toward their respective engagement portions. The first section 191 and the second section 192 are substantially arc-shaped, and together they form a substantially arc in the direction of the first connecting arm 155 and curve toward the same direction.

[0033] The second connecting arms 164, 165 and 166 have the same structure and are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of second connecting arms form a substantially spiral shape.

[0034] The first side 111 of the cover body 110 has alignment marks 137, 138, and 139. The alignment marks 137, 138, and 139 are uniformly distributed circumferentially and substantially radially aligned with the centers of the respective first connecting arms 154, 155, and 156. That is, the alignment marks 137, 138, and 139 are each located substantially between two adjacent engagement portions. The dashed lines in FIG. 1D indicate the relative positions of the alignment marks 137, 138, and 139. It should be understood that alignment marks are not visible on the second side 112 of the cover body 110. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the alignment marks 137, 138, and 139 are ribs protruding from the surface of the first side 111. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the alignment marks can be any recognizable mark, including a three-dimensional shape or pattern.

[0035] A plurality of ribs 149 for increasing friction of the first side surface 111 of the cover body 110 are further provided between the positioning marks 137, 138, and 139 on the first side surface 111 of the cover body 110. The ribs 149 may have other shapes that can increase friction.

[0036] The engagement portions 144, 145, and 146 are protrusions 194, 195, and 196 extending from the engagement sections 173, 174, and 175 of the connecting member 160 in a direction away from the support portion 150. Each of the protrusions 194, 195, and 196 is proximate the end of the respective engagement section 173, 174, and 175 that is remote from the cover body 110, and thus has a certain distance from the cover body 110. The protrusions 194, 195, and 196 extend radially outward and gradually decrease in thickness. The protrusions 194, 195, and 196 have the same structure, and the shape of the protrusion 194 will be described below as an example. Referring to FIG. 1E, the protrusion 194 includes a guide surface 188 and an engagement surface 189. The guide surface is farther away from the cover body 110 than the engagement surface 189. The guide surface 188 extends obliquely in the radial direction toward the cover body 110 to guide the protrusion 194 into the hole in the mounting portion. The engagement surface 189 is arranged to face the cover body 110, and the engagement surface 189 may extend horizontally in the radial direction or at a slight angle away from the cover body 110. The engagement surface 189 cooperates with the cover body 110 and the sealing portion 118 to position the mounting portion between the cover body 110 and the engagement surface 189. The sealing portion 118 and the protrusion contact two side surfaces of the mounting portion 301, respectively, so that the plug 100 does not easily come off the mounting portion.

[0037] When the protrusions 194, 195 and 196 of the connecting member 160 are subjected to external pressure, the connecting member 160 can be deformed, so that the protrusions 194, 195 and 196 move toward the support part 150, and the size of the outer contour of the connecting member 160 decreases so that it can enter the holes of the corresponding parts.

[0038] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the shape of the cover body 110 may be other than circular, and the shape may be determined according to the shape of the hole of the attachment portion.

[0039] 2A is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 1D taken along line AA, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the plug of FIG. 2A.

[0040] 2A and 2B , the connecting member 160 is disposed independently from the cover body 110, and there is a gap between the first and second connecting arms of the connecting member 160 and the cover body 110. The connecting member includes an abutting portion 231. The abutting portion 231 is connected to the engagement section 175 and can abut against the second side surface 112 of the cover body 110. The abutting portion 231 prevents the connecting member 160 from moving axially toward the cover body 110, or reduces the distance the connecting member 160 moves toward the cover body 110 while the connecting member 160 is entering the hole in the mounting portion.

[0041] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the abutment portion is located at other positions on the connecting member 160. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the connecting member 160 contacts the cover body 110, and there is no need to provide any additional abutment portion 231.

[0042] 2A, in the thickness direction of the plug, the connecting member 160 overlaps at least a portion of the support portion 150. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the thickness direction of the plug, the connecting member 160 does not extend beyond the end of the support portion 150 remote from the cover body 110.

[0043] Figure 3A is an exploded schematic view of the plug and mounting portion of Figure 1A, and Figure 3B is a perspective view of the plug partially inserted into the mounting portion. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the mounting portion 301 is a thin plate having a first surface 311 and a second surface 312 facing each other, and a hole 302 penetrating the first surface 311 and the second surface 312. The plug 100 can close the hole 302.

[0044] When attaching the plug 100 to the mounting part, the connecting member 160 is aligned with the hole 302, a positioning mark, for example, the positioning mark 138, is selected, the plug 100 is tilted so that the positioning mark 138 is at its lowest position, and then part of the connecting member 160 is inserted into the hole 302. The protrusions 194 and 196 adjacent to the positioning marks are inserted through the hole 302, and the engagement surfaces 189 of the protrusions 194 and 196 are brought into contact with the second surface 312 of the mounting part 301. In this case, the side of the cover body 110 away from the positioning mark 138 is higher than the surface of the mounting part 301, and the higher side of the cover body 110 corresponds to the protrusion 195. Pressing the higher side of the cover body 110 so that the guide surface 188 of the protrusion 195 abuts the end of the hole 302 and continuing to press the side of the cover body 110 away from the positioning mark 138 will subsequently press the protrusion 195, thereby deforming the connecting member 160. During deformation of connecting member 160, the edges of the holes push against protrusions 194, 195 and 196, causing them to move towards support part 150, reducing the size of the outer contour of connecting member 160. In this way, protrusion 195 can pass through hole 302 and reach below second surface 312.

[0045] When connecting member 160 deforms, first connecting arms 154 , 155 and 156 bend towards their respective recessed portions so that protrusions 194 , 195 and 196 can move towards support portion 150 .

[0046] 4A is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 1A properly attached to a mounting portion, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the plug and mounting portion of FIG. 3A.

[0047] 4A and 4B, when the plug 100 is properly attached to the mounting portion 301, the mounting portion is clamped between the sealing portion 118 of the cover body 110 and the protrusions 194, 195, and 196, and the plug 100 is connected to the mounting portion 301. The sealing portion 118 abuts against the first surface 311 of the mounting portion 301. In this case, the plug 100 cannot easily move relative to the mounting portion 301. The sealing portion 118 is heated using a hot melt tool. After the hot melt and condensation process, the sealing portion 118 forms a seal with the first surface 311, thereby sealing and closing the hole 302 in the mounting portion 301.

[0048] The connecting member 160 of the plug of the present disclosure can deform in the radial direction, has good elasticity, and is easily attached to the hole 302 of the attachment portion. Furthermore, the connecting member 160 can be set to be shorter in the axial direction. That is, since the thickness of the connecting member 160 is relatively small, the overall thickness of the plug 100 is relatively small. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the distance from the side of the connecting member 160 away from the cover body 110 to the second side of the cover body 110 is no more than twice the thickness of the cover body 110. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the distance from the side of the connecting member 160 away from the cover body 110 to the second side of the cover body 110 is no more than 1.8 times the thickness of the cover body 110.

[0049] In the application of the present disclosure, the mounting portion 301 is a sheet metal of a vehicle, and the hole 302 is a hole created during the machining process and needs to be sealed after the vehicle machining process. The design of the vehicle is relatively compact, and the mounting space for the plug 100 is small, so the plug 100 needs to have a relatively thin thickness. The design of the connecting member 160 of the present disclosure allows the plug 100 to have a relatively thin thickness and can be easily connected to the mounting portion 301.

[0050] 5A is a perspective view of a stopcock according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the stopcock of FIG. 5A, FIG. 5C is a top view of the stopcock of FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5D is a side view of the stopcock of FIG. 5A.

[0051] The structure of the plug shown in FIG. 5A is similar to that of the plug shown in FIG. 1A, except for the configuration of the support portion 550. As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the plug 500 includes a cover body 510, a support portion 550, a connecting member 560, and a sealing portion 518, and has an axial direction and a radial direction. The cover body 510 is substantially disk-shaped. The cover body 510 has a first side surface 511 and a second side surface 512 arranged opposite each other in the axial direction. The first side surface 511 and the second side surface 512 extend in the radial direction. The support portion 550 is connected to the second side surface 512. The support portion 550 includes a first support block 564, a second support block 565, and a third support block 566. The first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566 are connected to the second side surface 512 of the cover body 510 and are arranged circumferentially. The support portion 550 has a center, and the first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566 are equidistant from the center. The support portion 550 has a support portion central axis C2. The central axis C2 extends in the axial direction of the plug 500 and passes through the center of the support portion 550, i.e., through the center of the circumference on which the first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566 are located. Each of the first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566 extends from the second side surface 512 of the cover body 510 in a direction away from the cover body 510. Each of the first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566 has a proximal end connected to the cover body 510, a distal end remote from the cover body 510, and a side portion located between the proximal end and the distal end. The side portion includes a pair of opposing side walls 568 and 569.

[0052] The sealing portion 518 is connected to the cover body 510 and extends in the thickness direction of the plug 500. The sealing portion 518 is adjacent to the periphery of the cover body 510. At least a portion of the sealing portion 518 is located on the second side 512 of the cover body 510. The sealing portion 518 is made of a hot melt adhesive, and the sealing portion 518 is connected to the cover body 510 by an overmolding process.

[0053] The connecting member 560 is connected to the support portion 550 and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the cover body 510. The dimension of the connecting member 560 in the radial direction is smaller than the dimension of the cover body 510 in the radial direction. The connecting member 560 is arranged independently from the cover body 510 and can deform in a direction substantially parallel to the cover body 510 to reduce the size of the outer contour of the connecting member 560. The connecting member 560 has three engaging portions 544, 545, and 546 on its outer surface. The engaging portions 544, 545, and 546 can cooperate with the cover body 510 to connect the plug 500 to a corresponding portion.

[0054] The connecting member 560 has a plurality of engagement sections 593, 594, and 595 that are portions of the connecting member 560 further from the support portion central axis C2. The engagement sections 593, 594, and 595 are on substantially the same circumference. The engagement portions 544, 545, and 546 are disposed in the engagement sections 593, 594, and 595, respectively.

[0055] The engagement portions 544, 545, and 546 are arranged circumferentially, and a first circumference on which the engagement portions 544, 545, and 546 are located is larger in size than a second circumference on which the first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566 are located. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the centers of both the first circumference and the second circumference lie on the support portion central axis C2.

[0056] Connecting member 560 includes a first pair of retaining arms 573 and 574, a second pair of retaining arms 575 and 576, and a third pair of retaining arms 577 and 578. Each of the three pairs of retaining arms has the same structure but different positions. Each retaining arm has a first end connected to the adjacent retaining arm and a second end connected to a respective support block. For example, first end 581 of retaining arm 573 is connected to first end 583 of retaining arm 574, second end 582 of retaining arm 573 is connected to support block 564, and second end 584 of retaining arm 574 is connected to support block 565.

[0057] The central portions of the holding arms 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, and 578 are recessed toward the support portion 550 to form recessed portions 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, and 558. The bottoms of the recessed portions 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, and 558 are closer to the support portion central axis C2 than the first support block 564, the second support block 565, and the third support block 566.

[0058] A first end of each connecting arm has a bent section bent toward the support portion central axis C2. Adjacent bent sections are connected to each other to form an engagement section. For example, retaining arm 573 has bent section 548 at first end 581, and retaining arm 574 has bent section 547 at first end 583. Bent section 548 and bent section 547 are connected to each other to form engagement section 593. Each connecting arm is connected to side walls 568 and 569 of the support block, respectively, and each recess is located between the respective engagement portion and the support block. When an external force is applied to the engagement section toward the support portion central axis C2, the recess facilitates deformation of the retaining arm, allowing the engagement section to move toward the support portion central axis C2.

[0059] The first side 511 of the cover body 510 has positioning marks 537, 538, and 539. The positioning marks 537, 538, and 539 are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction and substantially aligned with the support blocks 564, 565, and 566 in the radial direction. That is, the positioning marks 537, 538, and 539 are each located substantially between two adjacent engagement portions. The dashed lines in FIG. 5B indicate the relative positions of the positioning marks 537, 538, and 539. It should be understood that no positioning marks are visible on the second side 512 of the cover body 510. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the positioning marks 537, 538, and 539 are ribs protruding from the surface of the first side 511. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the positioning marks may be any recognizable mark, including a three-dimensional shape or pattern.

[0060] A plurality of ribs 549 for increasing friction of the first side surface 511 of the cover body 510 are further provided between the positioning marks 537, 538, and 539 on the first side surface 511 of the cover body 510. The ribs 549 may have other shapes that can increase friction.

[0061] Engagement portions 544, 545, and 546 are protrusions 534, 535, and 536 extending from engagement sections 593, 594, and 595 of connecting member 560 in a direction away from support portion 550. Each of protrusions 534, 535, and 536 is proximate the end of its respective engagement section 593, 594, and 595 that is remote from cover body 510, and thus has a certain distance from cover body 510. Protrusions 534, 535, and 536 extend radially outward and gradually decrease in thickness. Protrusions 534, 535, and 536 have the same structure, and the shape of protrusion 536 will be described below by way of example. Referring to FIG. 5D , protrusion 536 includes guide surface 528 and engagement surface 529. The guide surface is farther away from cover body 510 than engagement surface 529. The guide surface 528 extends obliquely in the radial direction toward the cover body 510 to guide the protrusion 536 into the hole in the mounting portion. The engagement surface 529 is arranged to face the cover body 510, and the engagement surface 529 may extend horizontally in the radial direction or extend slightly obliquely away from the cover body 510. The engagement surface 529 cooperates with the cover body 510 and the sealing portion 518 to position the mounting portion between the cover body 510 and the engagement surface 529. The sealing portion 518 and the protrusion contact two side surfaces of the mounting portion, respectively, so that the plug 500 does not easily come off the mounting portion.

[0062] When the protrusions 534, 535 and 536 of the connecting member 560 are subjected to external pressure, the connecting member 560 can be deformed, so that the protrusions 534, 535 and 536 move toward the support part central axis C2, and the size of the outer contour of the connecting member 560 decreases so that it can enter the holes of the corresponding parts.

[0063] 6A is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 1D taken along line BB, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the plug of FIG. 6A.

[0064] 6A and 6B , the connecting member 560 is disposed independently from the cover body 510, and there is a gap between the connecting arm of the connecting member 560 and the cover body 510. The connecting member 560 includes an abutting portion 631. The abutting portion 631 is connected to the engagement section 595 and can abut against the second side surface 512 of the cover body 510. The abutting portion 631 prevents the connecting member 560 from moving axially toward the cover body 510, or reduces the distance that the connecting member 560 moves toward the cover body 510 while the connecting member 560 is entering the hole of the mounting portion.

[0065] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the abutment portion is located at other positions on the connecting member 560. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the connecting member 560 contacts the cover body 510, and there is no need to provide any additional abutment portion 631.

[0066] In the thickness direction of the plug, the connecting member 560 overlaps at least a portion of the support portion 550. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the thickness direction of the plug, the connecting member 560 does not extend beyond the end of the support portion 550 remote from the cover body 510.

[0067] The cross-sectional shape of the support block 565 is substantially triangular, with a width gradually decreasing in the radial direction from the proximal end to the distal end, and the support block 565 has a certain thickness in the circumferential direction.

[0068] The plug attachment process in this embodiment is the same as that in the embodiment shown in Figures 1A-3B and will not be repeated here.

[0069] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the plug of FIG. 5A properly installed in the mounting portion.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 7 , when the plug 500 is properly attached to the mounting portion 301, the mounting portion is clamped between the sealing portion 518 of the cover body 510 and the protrusions 534, 535, and 536, and the plug 500 is connected to the mounting portion 301. The sealing portion 518 abuts against the first surface of the mounting portion 301. In this case, the plug 100 cannot easily move relative to the mounting portion 301. The sealing portion 518 is heated using a hot melt tool. After the hot melt and condensation process, the sealing portion 518 forms a seal with the first surface 311, thereby sealing and closing the hole 302 in the mounting portion 301.

[0071] The plug of this embodiment can achieve the same technical effect as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A. The connecting member 560 of the plug 500 can deform in a direction parallel to the cover body, has good elasticity, and is easily attached to the mounting portion 301. Furthermore, the connecting member 560 can be set shorter in the axial direction. That is, since the thickness of the connecting member 560 is relatively small, the overall thickness of the plug 500 is relatively small. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the distance from the side of the connecting member 560 away from the cover body 510 to the second side of the cover body 510 is no more than twice the thickness of the cover body 510. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the distance from the side of the connecting member 560 away from the cover body 510 to the second side of the cover body 510 is no more than 1.8 times the thickness of the cover body 510.

[0072] Compared with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the connecting member 560 of this embodiment has a simpler structure and is easier to manufacture.

[0073] While the present disclosure has been described in terms of the example embodiments outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and / or substantial equivalents that are known, current, or anticipated in the near future may be apparent to at least those skilled in the art. In addition, the technical effects and / or technical problems described herein are exemplary and not limiting. Thus, the disclosure herein can be used to solve other technical problems, can have other technical effects, and / or can solve other technical problems. Thus, the example embodiments of the present disclosure described above are intended to be exemplary and not limiting. Various changes can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all known or previously developed alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and / or basic equivalents.

Claims

1. A plug for covering a hole in a part, a cover body having a thickness direction; a support portion connected to one side surface of the cover body in the thickness direction and having a support portion central axis; a connecting member connected to the support portion and including at least two engaging portions arranged around the support portion central axis; It is equipped with The connecting member has elasticity that allows the at least two engaging portions to move toward the support portion central axis by elastic deformation of the connecting member. plug.

2. 2. The plug of claim 1, wherein the at least two engagement portions include at least two protrusions connected to ends of the connecting member remote from the cover body and extending in a direction away from the support portion central axis, the protrusions having a certain 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 is at a distance from a peripheral edge of the cover body.

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

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

6. the support portion comprises a support block, and the at least two connecting arms include at least two first connecting arms and at least two second connecting arms; the at least two first connecting arms are connected in sequence, each of the engagement portions is disposed at a joint of an adjacent first connecting arm, and the second connecting arm connects the corresponding first connecting arm to the support block; The stopper of claim 5.

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

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

9. 8. The plug according to claim 7, wherein a joint between the second connecting arm and the first connecting arm and a joint between the second connecting arm and the support block are respectively adjacent to two circumferentially adjacent recessed portions, and the second connecting arm is bent toward the corresponding engaging portion.

10. the support portion includes at least two support blocks, and the at least two connecting arms include at least two connecting arm pairs; a first end of each of the pair of connecting arms connected to one another, a second end of each of the pair of connecting arms connected to a corresponding one of the support blocks, and the engaging portion disposed at a joint of the first end of one of the pair of connecting arms; The stopper of claim 5.

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

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

13. The connecting member is disposed independently from the cover body, the connecting member has an abutment portion that abuts against a surface of the second side of the cover body and is slidable relative to the cover body when subjected to a force toward the support block or a force away from the support block. The stopper of claim 5.

14. The stopper of claim 13, wherein the abutment portion is disposed adjacent to the engagement portion.

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

16. 6. The plug of claim 5, wherein the distance from a side of the connecting member remote from the cover body to a second side of the cover body is no more than twice the thickness of the cover body.

17. 2. The plug of claim 1, further comprising a sealing portion connected to the cover body and proximate a periphery of the cover body, at least a portion of the sealing portion being located on one side of the cover body connected to the support block, and the sealing portion including 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.

Images