Integrated Foam-Sealed Fastener Extrusion for Lower Assembly Cost
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing sealed plastic fasteners, such as those used in automotive applications, are costly due to the manual installation and separate manufacturing of foam sealing elements, which increase production and tracking expenses.
Innovation Solution
A method involving extruding a continuous strip of material with a base, tip, and stem portion, where flexible tabs are displaced during a foaming process to form a sealing element around the stem, allowing for the simultaneous production of sealed fasteners with integrated foam sealing, reducing manual installation and manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual installation of foam sealing elements is used, then sealing effectiveness is achieved, but production cost and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fastener and sealing element into a single integrated component. The foam material is injected directly into the fastener body during manufacturing, creating a unified structure where the sealing element is embedded within the fastener. This eliminates the need for separate foam installation and reduces production costs while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is pre-formed within the fastener body during the manufacturing process. The foam material is injected and cured before the fastener is installed, ensuring the sealing element is already in place and properly positioned. This preliminary action eliminates the need for separate sealing installation steps during assembly.
2Reliability
If manual installation of foam sealing elements is used, then sealing effectiveness is achieved, but installation time and tracking complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener and sealing element are merged into a single integrated component manufactured in one process. The foam is injected and cured within the fastener body, creating a unified part that requires only single-step installation. This eliminates the time required for separate foam installation and simplifies tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is pre-formed and integrated into the fastener during manufacturing. When the fastener is installed, the sealing element is already in its final position and configuration, eliminating the need for separate sealing installation steps and reducing overall installation time.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate manufacturing of foam sealing elements is used, then sealing quality is maintained, but manufacturing complexity and tracking expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing processes for the fastener and sealing element are merged into a single integrated process. The foam material is injected directly into the fastener body using the same manufacturing equipment, eliminating the need for separate foam manufacturing operations and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single manufacturing process produces both the fastener structure and the sealing element simultaneously. The injection molding equipment performs multiple functions by forming both the rigid fastener body and the flexible foam sealing element in one operation, reducing the need for multiple specialized manufacturing processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method reduces production costs by integrating the foam sealing process into the fastener manufacturing, eliminating the need for manual foam installation and separate tracking, while ensuring effective moisture sealing.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible tabs are elastically displaced away from the base portion during a foaming process
Implementation Method 2
a foam material fills a cavity of the foaming die to form a sealing element around the stem portion
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a plurality of fasteners includes extruding a continuous strip of material, the continuous strip defining a base portion, a tip portion, and a stem portion extending between the base portion and the tip portion. A portion of material is removed from the continuous strip of material along the tip portion such that a plurality of tip portions are separated from each other and spaced apart, each tip portion having at least one flexible tab. The continuous strip of material is then extruded through a foaming die, wherein the flexible tabs are elastically displaced away from the base portion during a foaming process such that a foam material fills a cavity of the foaming die to form a sealing element around the stem portion. Portions of the continuous strip between each of the tip portions are separated to produce a plurality of individual sealed fasteners.