Foreign material exclusion device

• US 8,967,203 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced FME Products
• Original Assignee: Advanced FME Products
• Inventors: Nolfi, Thomas J., Nolfi, Mario M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brinson, Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US13/835,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 138/89, 138/90, 138/104, 215/230, 215/355, 215/364, 220/DIG.19, 220/789, 220/801
• US Class Current: 138/89
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/105 Closing devices introduced radially into the pipe or hose
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/19 Rubber plugs and caps

Abstract

Foreign material exclusion devices especially adapted to be positioned in a construction, for example a tube or pipe to temporarily seal off a potentially sensitive area of the construction from foreign materials or debris. In one embodiment the device includes a specifically defined, fixed-size eyelet to assist with insertion and/or removal of the device from a construction. Still other embodiments of the device include cavities that retain a trackable coating applied to the device. Further embodiments include identification elements embedded and thus protected within the frame of the device.

Claims

1. A foreign material exclusion device, comprising:

a resilient body;

a post having a first end and a second end with the post extending through the body, with the body operatively connected between the ends, the first end of the post including a first eyelet of a fixed size extending through the post from a first side to a second side, with a perimeter of the first eyelet bounded by post material, wherein the post includes a post connector that connects the first end of the post to the second end.

2. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 1, wherein the first eyelet has a first end and a second end, the first end being located further away from the body and being narrower in width than the second end.

3. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 1, wherein the first or second post end includes a female fitting and the remaining end includes a male fitting that interlocks with the female fitting.

4. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 1, wherein the post includes a second eyelet of a fixed size extending through the post from the first side to the second side, with a perimeter of the second eyelet bounded by post material.

5. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 1, wherein a trackable coating is present on a surface of the post.

6. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 5, wherein the trackable coating is present in one or more of a cavity located on a tip of the post and one of the eyelets of the post.

7. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 1, wherein a base is connected to the post, where the base includes a flange extending laterally outwardly from the base, and wherein the base includes an internal housing adapted to hold one or more of a sensor and an electronic tracking system.

8. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 7, wherein the internal housing is a cavity that extends downwardly from an upper surface of the base, and wherein the base is integrally formed with the second end of the post.

9. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 7, wherein the base includes a first section connected to a second section, wherein one of the sections includes a male fitting that extends through an aperture in the post and through an aperture in the other section.

10. A foreign material exclusion device, comprising:

a resilient body;

a post having an upper end connected to a lower end by a post connector, a first eyelet located adjacent the upper end and having a fixed size, wherein a base is formed at the second end and is integral with the post, wherein the body is located between the base and the first eyelet.

11. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 10, wherein a first section or second section of the post connector includes a female fitting and the remaining section includes a male fitting that interlocks with the female fitting.

12. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 11, wherein the first eyelet has an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being located further away from the body and being narrower in width than the lower end.

13. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 12, wherein the post includes a second eyelet of a fixed size extending through the post from a first side to a second side, with a perimeter of the second eyelet bounded by post material, wherein a trackable coating is present on a surface of the post, wherein the device has an internal housing that is a cavity that extends downwardly from an upper surface of the base, and wherein the base is integrally formed with the second end of the post.

14. A foreign material exclusion device, comprising;

a resilient body;

a post having a first end and a second end connected together by a post connector, wherein a base is integrally connected to the second end of the post and includes an outwardly extending flange adapted to contact one end of the body, with the body being operatively connected to the second end of the post, wherein the post connector includes a female fitting connected to the first end or the second end with a male connector being connected to the other end.

15. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 14, wherein the post includes a first eyelet that has a first end and a second end, the first end being located further away from the body and being narrower in width than the second end.

16. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 15, wherein the post includes a second eyelet of a fixed size extending through the post from a first side to a second side, with a perimeter of the second eyelet bounded by post material.

17. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 16, wherein a trackable coating is present in one or more of a cavity located on a tip of the post and one of the eyelets of the post.

18. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 17, wherein the base includes an internal housing adapted to hold one or more of a sensor and an electronic tracking system.

19. The foreign material exclusion device according to claim 18, wherein the internal housing is a cavity that extends downwardly from an upper surface of the base, and wherein the base is integrally formed with the second end of the post.

20. A foreign material exclusion device, comprising:

a resilient body;

a post having a first end and a second end with the post extending through the body, with the body operatively connected between the ends, the first end of the post including a first eyelet of a fixed size extending through the post from a first side to a second side, with a perimeter of the first eyelet bounded by post material, wherein the post includes a post connector that connects the first end of the post to the second end, wherein the post includes a second eyelet of a fixed size extending through the post from a first side to a second side, with a perimeter of the second eyelet bounded by post material.