Deformable self-adhering fastener cover and installation method

• US 6,086,972 A
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herbert Rayburn, Susan Rayburn
• Original Assignee: Herbert Rayburn, Susan Rayburn
• Inventors: Rayburn, Susan, Rayburn, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmad, Nasser
• Application Number:
  US09/084,488
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 428/40.1, 428/40.9, 428/41.1, 428/41.3, 428/41.8, 428/42.1, 428/42.2, 428/42.3, 428/64.1, 428/66.3, 428/66.4, 411/377, 411/373, 411/430, 411/431, 411/910
• US Class Current: 428/40.1
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/00 Details of, or accessories for, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers bolt tensioners B25B29/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/02 in which the locking takes place after screwing down F16B39/01 takes precedence; split-pins, circlips, or the like for preventing relative axial movement only F16B21/10; fastening nuts by welding or riveting F16B37/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/91 Antitamper means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1438 Metal containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1443 Aluminum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1452 Polymer derived only from ethylenically unsaturated monomer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/149 Sectional layer removable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1495 Adhesive is on removable layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/21 Circular sheet or circular blank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/214 End closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/215 Seal, gasket, or packing

Abstract

A pliable flat disk of laminated construction having a thin top layer of deformable material bonded to a relatively thicker intermediate layer of pliable adhesive sealant material and a removable bottom layer of release paper covering the exposed surface of the sealant material is deformed during installation to cover and seal the head of a fastener protruding from a surface. The disk is installed and deformed by a tool having an end with a recess slightly deeper than the height of the head of the fastener and an interior slightly larger than the outer periphery of the head of the fastener. The release paper is removed to expose the adhesive sealant material and the flat disk is generally centered and stuck, adhesive side down, onto the fastener head. The tool is then centered above the disk and fastener head and pressed downwardly with a twisting motion to deform the flat disk to encompass and conform substantially to the shape of the head of the fastener and cover a surface radially surrounding the fastener head such that the deformed disk is adhered to the fastener head and to the radially surrounding surface to provide an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between the fastener head and the radially surrounding surface and to prevent relative movement therebetween. It will also cover and seal a washer if one is used with the fastener.

Claims

1. A flat deformable self-adhering fastener cover deformable onto a fastener head and a surface radially surrounding the fastener head to conform to the shape of the fastener head and radially surrounding surface, comprising:

a pliable flat planar disk of laminated construction having a thin flat planar top layer of deformable material bonded to a thicker flat planar layer of pliable adhesive sealant material, and a thin flat layer of release paper covering a bottom surface of said sealant material so that said flat disk can be removed from said release paper;

said flat planar disk characterized by having an initial flat configuration that is deformed onto a fastener head and surface radially surrounding said fastener head by adhering said flat planar adhesive layer onto the top surface of said fastener head followed by application of downward force on said flat planar deformable top layer so that said flat planar disk is deformed to encompass, adhere to and conform substantially to the shape of said fastener head and surface radially surrounding said fastener head to provide an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between said fastener head and said radially surrounding surface and prevent relative movement therebetween.

2. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar disk is further characterized as having an initial flat configuration and being sufficiently pliable such that said flat planar top layer and said flat planar layer of adhesive sealant material both become deformed to encompass, adhere to and conform substantially to the shape of said fastener head and said surface radially surrounding said fastener head upon application of combined downward and twisting on said flat planar deformable top layer.

3. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar disk has a polyethylene film layer bonded between said top layer of deformable material and said layer of pliable adhesive sealant material.

4. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material material is a light-reflective and heat reflective material.

5. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material is a cloth material.

6. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material is a metallic material.

7. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 6, wherein

said metallic material is aluminum.

8. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar disk has a thin flat planar top layer of aluminum material,

a polyethylene film layer bonded to said top layer of aluminum material, and

a flat planar layer of pliable adhesive sealant material bonded to said polyethylene film layer.

9. The deformable self-adhering fastener cover according to claim 1, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material is a layer of metallic material having a dimpled surface texture.

10. A sheet of flat deformable self-adhering fastener covers comprising:

a laminated sheet of material having a bottom layer of release paper, a relatively thicker flat planar intermediate layer of pliable adhesive sealant material, and a thin flat planar top layer of deformable material bonded to said layer of adhesive sealant material;

said flat planar top and flat planar intermediate layers being die cut in a plurality of circular patterns to form a plurality of individual flat planar disks adhered to said layer of release paper by said adhesive sealant material so that each of said flat planar pliable disks can be removed from said relase paper in an initial flat condition; and

each of said disks characterized by being sufficiently pliable and deformable to become deformed from an inital flat condition onto a fastener head and a surface radially surrounding said fastener head by adhering said flat planar adhesive layer in said flat condition onto the top surface of said fastener head followed by application of downward force on said flat planar deformable top layer to encompass, adhere to and conform substantially to the shape of said fastener head and surface radially surrounding said fastener head to provide an air-tight and liquid-tight seal between said fastener head and said radially surrounding surface and prevent relative movement therebetween.

11. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 10, wherein

said sheet has a polyethylene film layer bonded between said flat planar top layer of deformable material and said flat planar layer of pliable adhesive sealant material.

12. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 10, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material material is a light-reflective and heat reflective material.

13. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 10, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material is a cloth material.

14. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 10, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material is a metallic material.

15. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 14, wherein

said metallic material is aluminum.

16. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 10, wherein

said sheet has a thin flat planar top layer of aluminum material,

a polyethylene film layer bonded to said flat planar top layer of aluminum material, and

a flat planar intermediate layer of pliable adhesive sealant material bonded to said polyethylene film layer.

17. The sheet of deformable self-adhering fastener covers according to claim 10, wherein

said flat planar top layer of deformable material is a layer of metallic material having a dimpled surface texture.