SEAL MOLDING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140261994A1
• Filed: 03/17/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: COFFLAND, Donald W., DOWNING, Garrett W., NGUYEN, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/245
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14459 injecting seal elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/645 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/005 characterised by the location of the parting line of the mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/0077 characterised by the configuration of the mould filling gate mixing chambers situated in the mould opening B29B7/7471; accessories for connecting the mould filling gate with the filling spout
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/30 Mounting, exchanging or centering moulds, mould parts or cores; B29C33/485 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14426 Coating the end of wire-like or rod-like or cable-like or blade-like or belt-like articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14549 Coating rod-like, wire-like or belt-like articles B29C45/14426 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14598 Coating tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/34 having venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/64 Mould opening, closing or clamping devices combined with means for plasticising or homogenising B29C45/70
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/641 Clamping devices using means for straddling or interconnecting the mould halves, e.g. jaws, straps, latches
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/00 Tubular articles B29L2024/00 takes precedence ; catheters B29L2031/7542
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/26 Sealing devices, e.g. packaging for pistons or pipe joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08

Abstract

A seal molding system may include a mold body having a mold inner geometry formed complementary to a fitting outer geometry of a fitting. The mold body may have a mold base formed complementary to a panel surface. The mold body may include an injection hole for injecting sealant into the mold cavity, and a vent hole for venting air and sealant from the mold cavity.

Claims

1. A seal molding system for forming a seal around a fitting mounted to a panel, comprising:

a mold body having a mold inner geometry formed complementary to a fitting outer geometry of a fitting;

the mold body having a mold base formed complementary to a panel surface; and

the mold body including an injection hole for injecting sealant into a mold cavity, and a vent hole for venting air and sealant from the mold cavity.

2. The seal molding system of claim 1, wherein the mold body comprises a plurality of mold body portions configured to be assembled around the fitting.

3. The seal molding system of claim 2, wherein the mold body portions comprises a pair of mold body halves configured to be assembled around the fitting.

4. The seal molding system of claim 3, wherein the mold body portions include interlocking features formed on the mold body halves.

5. The seal molding system of claim 1, wherein the mold body is comprised of:

a fixed base portion having a base portion inner geometry configured complementary to a fitting base;

a rotatably adjustable top portion being mountable on top of the fixed base portion and having a top portion inner geometry configured complementary to a fitting feature being rotatably engaged to the fitting base; and

the rotatably adjustable top portion being rotatable relative to the fixed base portion for clocking the top portion inner geometry into alignment with the fitting feature.

6. The seal molding system of claim 5, wherein:

the fixed base portion and the rotatably adjustable top portion include an alignment feature for maintaining axial alignment of the base portion and the top portion during relative rotation.

7. The seal molding system of claim 1, further including:

at least one magnet fixedly coupled to the mold body for urging the mold body against the panel surface; and

the magnet being configured to magnetically couple with an additional magnet located on an opposite side of the panel and coupled to an additional mold body.

8. The seal molding system of claim 7, wherein:

the mold body includes a pair of magnets mounted on opposite sides of the mold body.

9. The seal molding system of claim 1, further including:

a bottom plate configured complementary to a fitting flange for mating the bottom plate to an underside of the fitting flange; and

the mold body being mateable to the bottom plate to encapsulate the fitting flange and form the mold cavity for receiving sealant for forming a preformed seal.

10. The seal molding system of claim 9, wherein:

the mold body includes at least one port-forming post for forming an injection port in a perimeter edge of the preformed seal.

11. The seal molding system of claim 1, further including:

a seal skin lower plate having a lower plate outer geometry simulating the fitting outer geometry and the panel surface;

the mold body being mateable to the seal skin lower plate to define a mold cavity for forming a seal skin from sealant injected into the mold cavity; and

the seal skin lower plate and the mold body being separable from one another for removal of the seal skin for subsequent bonding to a fitting installed on a panel.

12. The seal molding system of claim 11, wherein:

the mold body includes at least one port-forming post for forming an injection port in the seal skin for bonding the seal skin to the fitting and the panel.

13. A seal molding system, comprising:

a mold body having a mold inner geometry and a mold bore formed complementary to a fitting outer geometry of an electrical connector;

the mold body having a mold base formed complementary to a fitting flange and a panel surface; and

the mold body including an injection hole for injecting sealant into a mold cavity defined at least partially by the mold inner geometry and the fitting outer geometry, and a vent hole for venting air and sealant from the mold cavity.

14. A method of forming a seal around a fitting mounted to a panel, comprising:

providing a mold body having a mold inner geometry formed complementary to a fitting outer geometry of a fitting mounted to a panel;

mounting the mold body over the fitting;

injecting sealant into an injection hole formed in the mold body until the sealant substantially fills a mold cavity enclosed by the mold inner geometry and the fitting outer geometry;

allowing the sealant to cure; and

removing the mold body from the fitting.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing the mold body comprises:

providing a pair of mold body halves configured to be assembled around the fitting.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing the mold body halves as mirror images of one another.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

coupling the mold body halves together using interlocking features formed on the mold body halves.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of mounting the mold body over the fitting includes:

mounting at least one magnet to the mold body;

magnetically coupling the magnet to an additional magnet located on an opposite side of the panel and coupled to an additional mold body; and

maintaining the mold body against a panel surface in response to the magnetic coupling.

19. The method of claim 14, further including the steps of:

providing a bottom plate configured complementary to a fitting flange and the panel;

mating the bottom plate to the fitting flange; and

coupling the mold body to the bottom plate to encapsulate the fitting flange and form the mold cavity for receiving sealant for forming a preformed seal.

20. The method of claim 19, further including the steps of:

providing the mold body with at least one port-forming post; and

forming, using the port-forming post, an injection port in a perimeter edge of the preformed seal for injecting adhesive or sealant along a perimeter edge of the preformed seal for bonding and sealing the perimeter edge to the panel.

21. The method of claim 14, further including the steps of:

providing a seal skin lower plate having a lower plate outer geometry simulating the fitting outer geometry and a panel surface;

mating the mold body to the seal skin lower plate to define a mold cavity for forming a seal skin from sealant injected into the mold cavity;

injecting the sealant into the mold cavity;

removing the mold body from the seal skin lower plate; and

removing the seal skin from the seal skin lower plate.

22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of:

bonding the seal skin to a fitting installed on a panel.