Translucent seal cap
First Claim
1. A method of protecting a fastener comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a fastener;
b) providing a seal cap which defines an interior, wherein the seal cap is optically translucent;
c) applying an uncured sealant to the interior of the seal cap or to the fastener or to both;
d) positioning the seal cap over the fastener such that at least a portion of the fastener resides in the interior of the seal cap; and
e) curing the sealant by application of actinic radiation to the sealant through the seal cap.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure provides methods and articles useful in sealing fasteners, including seal caps and in particular translucent or transparent seals or seal caps. In some embodiments, a seal cap which is optically translucent and optionally visibly transparent contains an uncured sealant, which is optionally optically translucent or visibly transparent, and is applied to a fastener. In some embodiments, the sealant is cured by application of actinic radiation to the sealant through the seal cap. In another aspect, a protected fastener construction is provided comprising: q) a fastener; r) a seal cap; and s) a cured sealant; wherein the sealant is optically translucent and optionally visibly transparent.
34 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of protecting a fastener comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a fastener; b) providing a seal cap which defines an interior, wherein the seal cap is optically translucent; c) applying an uncured sealant to the interior of the seal cap or to the fastener or to both; d) positioning the seal cap over the fastener such that at least a portion of the fastener resides in the interior of the seal cap; and e) curing the sealant by application of actinic radiation to the sealant through the seal cap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of protecting a fastener comprising the steps of:
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f) providing a fastener; g) providing a seal cap which defines an interior, wherein the seal cap is optically translucent, and wherein the interior of the seal cap contains a quantity of an uncured sealant; h) positioning the seal cap over the fastener such that at least a portion of the fastener resides in the interior of the seal cap; and j) curing the sealant by application of actinic radiation to the sealant through the seal cap. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of protecting a fastener comprising the steps of:
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k) providing a fastener; l) providing a seal cap mold which defines an interior; m) applying an uncured sealant to the interior of the seal cap mold or to the fastener or to both, wherein the uncured sealant is translucent; n) positioning the seal cap mold over the fastener such that at least a portion of the fastener resides in the interior of the seal cap mold; and o) curing the sealant by application of actinic radiation to the sealant through the seal cap mold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification