Spacer grommet and method of manufacture thereof

• US 3,895,409 A
• Filed: 08/31/1973
• Issued: 07/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank Kwatonowski
• Original Assignee: Frank Kwatonowski
• Inventors: Kwatonowski, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Scanlan, Jr., Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US05/393,372
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 16/2,108 24/141,142 85/32.1 174/83,152R,152G,153R,153G,154,167 285/120,213 308/237R 29/512,523 10/27PH 72/379
• US Class Current: 16/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 67/00 Kinds or types of packaging elements not otherwise provided for B65D5/425 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4992 by flaring inserted cup or tube end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4994 Radially expanding internal tube

Abstract

A spacer grommet composed of a plurality of layers is disclosed. The spacer grommet is formed by the convolute winding of an elongated strip of material, usually sheet metal. The shoulder portions are formed from multiple layers of rock, flanges, or axial corrugations. A method of fabrication of the spacer grommet is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A spacer grommet comprising a single strip of sheet material and having a. a core composed of at least one layer of said sheet material, said core surrounding the axis of and defining an axial opening through said spacer grommet;

b. a spacer segment composed of at least one layer of said sheet material, said spacer segment i. being disposed radially outwardly from and adjacent to said core;

axial ii. cooperating with said core to form a shoulder at each axis end of said segment; and

c. said core having at each axial end thereof a locking portion, each locking portion extending axially beyond the corresponding shoulder of said spacer segment, the amount of extension being such that said locking portion when turned radially outwardly will cooperate with said shoulder to retain said spacer grommet in its operative position.

2. The spacer grommet of claim 1 further comprising means for securing said spacer segment and said core in a fixed radial configuration.

3. The spacer grommet of claim 2 wherein said means comprises at least one spot weld at the terminal point of said single strip of material at the radially outward extremity of said spacer segment.

4. The spacer grommet of claim 1 wherein said core comprises essentially a single layer of said sheet material.

5. The spacer grommet of claim 1 wherein said spacer segment comprises a single layer of said sheet material and is disposed immediately adjacent to and in contact with said core.

6. The spacer grommet of claim 5 wherein each of said shoulders of said spacer segment comprises a flange Extending radially outwardly at an axial extremity of said spacer segment.

7. The spacer grommet of claim 5 wherein said spacer segment contains axial corrugations.

8. The spacer grommet of claim 1 wherein said spacer segment comprises a plurality of layers of said sheet material.

9. The spacer grommet of claim 8 wherein the radial cross-section is a spiral.

10. The spacer grommet of claim 5 wherein the amount of extension of each of said locking portions is approximately equal to the radial width of the corresponding flange of said spacer segment.

11. A method of forming a multi-layer spacer having a core and spacer segment from a single strip of sheet material which comprises a. forming an elongate strip of sheet material having at one end thereof a core-forming section having a length at least approximately equal to the circumference of the core of the spacer grommet, and at the other end thereof a spacer segment forming section having a length at least approximately equal to the circumference of the first annular layer radially outwardly from and adjacent to said core, b. imparting transverse corrugations to said spacer segment forming section;

and c. convolutely winding said elongate strip about a mandrel to form the spacer grommet, said mandrel having an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of said spacer grommet.

12. A method of forming a multi-layer spacer having a core and spacer segment from a single strip of sheet material which comprises a. forming an elongate strip of sheet material having at one end thereof a core-forming section having a length at least approximately equal to the circumference of the core of the spacer grommet, and at the other end thereof a spacer segment forming section having a length at least approximately equal to the circumference of the first annular layer radially outwardly from and adjacent to said core, b. forming a flange at each transverse extremity of said spacer segment forming section;

and c. convolutely winding said elongate strip about a mandrel to form the spacer grommet, said mandrel having an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of said spacer grommet.