Method and Apparatus for Installing a Seal Cap

• US 20150014933A1
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Pajel, Carissa Ann, Burgess, Robert Marshall
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 277/312
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/004 Sealing; Insulation by means of washers F16B43/001
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/02 between relatively-stationary surfaces F16J15/46, F16J15/48 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/04 without packing between the surfaces, e.g. with ground surfaces, with cutting edge

Abstract

A method and apparatus for installing a seal cap. The seal cap may be adhered to a fastener element using a material. A portion of the material may be squeezed out as excess material in response to adhering the seal cap to the fastener element. A number of projections associated with the seal cap may be moved along an interface formed between the seal cap and an object in which the fastener element has been installed. The excess material may be faired using the number of projections as the number of projections is moved along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a seal cap configured to be adhered to and sealed to a fastener element; and

at least one projection attached to and extending radially outward from an outer surface of the seal cap in which the number of projections is configured to fair excess material around the seal cap when the number of projections is moved along an interface formed between the seal cap and an object in which the fastener element has been installed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one projection is moved along the interface by rotating the seal cap such that the at least one projection is rotated along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seal cap is configured to be rotated using a tool configured to be operated by one of a human operator and a robotic operator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seal cap is adhered to the fastener element using a material and wherein the excess material is a portion of the material that squeezes out around the seal cap when the seal cap is adhered to the fastener element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the material is selected from one of a sealant material and an adhesive material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one projection has a shape selected such that the excess material is smoothed out when the at least one projection is moved along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shape is a cross-sectional shape that is a curved shape.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one projection is configured to extend away from a center axis through the seal cap to a distance relative to the center axis that is different from another projection in the number of projections.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a projection in the at least one projection comprises:

a surface configured to contact the excess material as the at least one projection is moved along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface has a texture configured to smooth out any portion of the excess material in contact with the surface as the at least one projection is moved along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface has a shape configured to ensure that the excess material is faired to have a desired thickness.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seal cap comprises:

an outer surface, wherein the at least one projection extend from the outer surface of the seal cap.

13. A unitary seal cap comprising:

an inner surface defining a hollow portion within the seal cap configured to receive a fastener element, the inner surface configured to be adhered to and sealed to the fastener element using a sealant material in which at least a portion of the sealant material squeezes out and around the seal cap as excess sealant material;

an outer surface defining an exterior surface of the seal cap; and

at least one helical projection attached to and extending from the outer surface of the seal cap in which the at least one projection is configured to fair the excess sealant material around the seal cap when the at least one projection is moved along an interface formed between the seal cap and an object in which the fastener element has been installed.

14. A method for installing a seal cap, the method comprising:

adhering the seal cap to a fastener element using a material;

squeezing out a portion of the material as excess material in response to adhering the seal cap to the fastener element;

moving a number of projections associated with the seal cap along an interface formed between the seal cap and an object in which the fastener element has been installed; and

fairing the excess material using the number of projections as the number of projections is moved along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein moving the number of projections comprises:

rotating the seal cap such that the number of projections associated with the seal cap is rotated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein rotating the seal cap comprises:

rotating the seal cap using a tool such that the number of projections associated with the seal cap is rotated, wherein the tool is configured to be operated by one of a human operator and a robotic operator.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein fairing the excess material comprises:

fairing the excess material to a desired thickness.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein fairing the excess material comprises:

fairing the excess material to eliminate any voids in the excess material.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein fairing the excess material comprises:

fairing the excess material to produce a gradual slope between the excess material and a surface of the object.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein fairing the excess material comprises:

fairing the excess material using a surface of each of the number of projections as the number of projections is moved along the interface between the seal cap and the object.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein adhering the seal cap to the fastener element using the material comprises:

adhering the seal cap to the fastener element using a sealant material as the material in which at least a portion of the sealant material squeezes out around the seal cap as excess sealant material.

22. A method for sealing a fastener element, the method comprising:

adhering a seal cap to the fastener element using a sealant material;

squeezing out a portion of the sealant material as excess sealant material in response to adhering the seal cap to the fastener element;

rotating the seal cap such that a number of projections associated with the seal cap rotate along an interface between the seal cap and an object in which the fastener element has been installed; and

fairing the excess sealant material around the seal cap to a desired thickness using the number of projections as the number of projections is rotated along the interface between the seal cap and the object.