Positioning a workpiece on a sticky gasket

• US 8,691,033 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Patent Well, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aviation Devices and Electronic Components LLC
• Inventors: Busby, Jeffrey D., Smith, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sing P
• Application Number:
  US13/533,531
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 156/71, 156/247, 156/249, 156/289
• US Class Current: 156/71
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 5/00 Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 11/006 by gluing gluing of plastics material B29C65/48

Abstract

Applicants provide a step in the assembly of a moveable workpiece to a static base, the base bearing a sticky gasket and in which a release agent is sprayed on the sticky upper surface of the sticky gasket, which release agent will render the sticky surface temporarily unsticky.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a removable workpiece on a base with a gasket between the workpiece and the base, the gasket having a skinned side covering a sticky body and an uncovered sticky side, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the gasket, a liquid tack release agent, and a release agent applicator;

applying the sticky side of the gasket to the base;

removing the skin from a top surface of the gasket;

spraying the top surface of the gasket with the release agent;

manually laying the workpiece on the wetted top surface of the gasket;

aligning the workpiece to a predetermined alignment with the base; and

allowing the release agent to dry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the workpiece and the base each have a multiplicity of fastener holes therein and wherein the aligning step includes the step of aligning the holes of the workpiece and the fasteners.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the workpiece is an aircraft floor panel and the base is an aircraft stringer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the gasket has a skeleton and further including, following the removing step, the step of creating holes in the skeleton at any points where the gasket overlaps the holes.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the aligning step further includes the step of placing a member in a pair of aligned holes and moving the workpiece about the member to align the remaining holes of the workpiece with the holes of the stringer.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the gasket is a polyurethane gasket tape and the applying step includes applying the gasket tape sticky side down on the stringer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the liquid tack release agent is an alcohol.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the liquid tack release agent is a solution of a surfactant and water.

9. A method for positioning a removable workpiece on a base with a gasket between the workpiece and the base, the gasket having a skinned side covering a sticky body and an uncovered sticky side, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the gasket, a liquid tack release agent, and a release agent applicator;

applying the sticky side of the gasket to the base;

removing the skin from a top surface of the gasket;

spraying the top surface of the gasket with the release agent;

manually laying the workpiece on the wetted top surface of the gasket;

aligning the workpiece to a predetermined alignment with the base; and

allowing the release agent to dry;

wherein the workpiece and the base each have a multiplicity of fastener holes therein and wherein the aligning step includes the step of aligning the holes of the workpiece and the fasteners;

wherein the workpiece is an aircraft floor panel and the base is an aircraft stringer;

wherein the gasket is a polyurethane gasket tape and the applying step includes applying the gasket tape sticky side down on the stringer;

wherein the liquid tack release agent is an alcohol;

wherein the gasket has a skeleton and further including, following the removing step, the step of creating holes in the skeleton at any points where the gasket overlaps the holes; and

wherein the aligning step further includes the step of placing a member in a pair of aligned holes and moving the workpiece about the member to align the remaining holes of the workpiece with the holes of the stringer.