Method for installing a seal cap

• US 9,512,870 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, GILBERT Y
• Application Number:
  US14/940,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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. 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the number of projections comprises:

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

3. The method of claim 2, 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.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein fairing the excess material comprises:

fairing the excess material to a desired thickness.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein fairing the excess material comprises:

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

6. The method of claim 1, 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.

7. The method of claim 1, 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.

8. The method of claim 1, 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.

9. 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.