Seal Cap Cleanup Tool for Excess Sealant Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of seal caps often results in excess sealant material squeezing out, which is time-consuming to remove and can increase production costs and reduce the aesthetic appeal of objects, especially when multiple fastener elements are involved, and can lead to foreign debris in sensitive environments like fuel tanks.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with projections is used to remove and smooth excess sealant material around seal caps by rotating along the interface between the seal cap and the object, either manually or with a motorized system, ensuring a specified amount and thickness of sealant remains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seal caps are installed by pressing down over fastener elements to ensure full coverage, then sealing reliability is improved, but excess sealant material squeezes out around the cap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful excess sealant material from around the seal cap using a dedicated removal tool with projections that engage and remove the squeezed-out material, resolving the contradiction by separating the sealing function from the excess material removal function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary tool (seal cap installation tool with projections) that mediates between the sealing process and the excess material problem, allowing the cap to be installed with full pressure for reliable sealing while the tool simultaneously manages the excess material
2Shape
If excess sealant material is removed and smoothed by hand, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service by designing the installation tool to automatically remove and smooth excess sealant material during the installation process itself, eliminating the need for separate manual cleanup operations and maintaining aesthetic appeal while preserving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sealing installation function with the excess material removal and smoothing function into a single integrated tool and process, allowing both tasks to be performed simultaneously during cap installation rather than as separate sequential steps
3Area of stationary object
If multiple seal caps are installed on objects with multiple fastener elements, then sealing coverage is improved, but time to remove excess sealant material increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service by designing the installation tool to automatically remove and smooth excess sealant material during the installation process itself, eliminating the need for separate manual cleanup operations and maintaining aesthetic appeal while preserving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a universal multi-functional tool that can install seal caps and remove excess material across multiple fastener elements and objects, standardizing the process and enabling efficient handling of multiple seal caps without increasing per-unit time
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for sealing a fastener element. A structure may be positioned over a seal cap that has been adhered and sealed to the fastener element. A number of projections associated with the structure may be moved along an interface formed between the seal cap and an object in which the fastener element has been installed such that the number of projections removes at least a portion of excess material around the seal cap while moving along the interface between the seal cap and the object.