Unitary Push-Pin Cavity Sealer With Integrated Fastener
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation industry faces challenges in reducing weight, cost, and installation time for baffling, reinforcement, and sealing methods, as separate metal or plastic fasteners are often required for attaching expandable materials, increasing costs and installation time.
Innovation Solution
A unitary structure comprising a sealing body made of non-rigid expandable material with an integrated fastener, where the fastener is made of rigid material, allowing for a lightweight, cost-effective sealing solution without the need for additional fastening means, formed through injection molding or extrusion processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate metal or plastic fasteners are utilized to attach expandable materials, then the sealing body can be securely attached to cavity walls, but the overall weight, cost, and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fastener and sealing body into a single integrated unitary structure. The fastener is formed as an integral part of the sealing body, eliminating the need for separate fastening components. This merging reduces the overall number of parts, decreases weight, and simplifies installation while maintaining secure attachment capability through the integrated fastening mechanism.
2Reliability
If separate metal or plastic fasteners are utilized to attach expandable materials, then the sealing body can be securely attached to cavity walls, but the overall cost and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the fastener and sealing body into one unitary structure eliminates the need for separate assembly steps. The single-piece construction allows for immediate installation without requiring additional fasteners to be attached separately, thereby reducing installation time and labor costs while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener is pre-formed as an integral part of the sealing body during manufacturing. This preliminary integration means that no additional fastening components need to be assembled or attached during installation, streamlining the installation process and reducing on-site assembly time.
3Strength
If the sealing body is made entirely of rigid material, then structural strength is improved, but the ability to expand and seal cavities effectively is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing body is constructed from composite materials that combine rigid and expandable properties. The material formulation allows the sealing body to maintain structural integrity during installation while simultaneously providing the ability to expand and conform to cavity walls, achieving both strength and adaptability in a single material system.
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 solution enables effective baffling and sealing of cavities with a lightweight structure, simplifying insertion through small openings and eliminating the need for additional fastening, while providing a strong mechanical connection that remains intact until the expandable material expands.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing body may include a plurality of surfaces formed from a non-rigid expandable material
Data Source
AI summary
A method for baffling and/or sealing a vehicle structure by providing a unitary structure including a sealing body with an integrated fastener.