U.S. patent application number 11/147380 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-14 for center pull tab plug with sealing flange.
Invention is credited to Darrel M. Caselli, Frederick W. Zeyfang.
Application Number | 20060278653 11/147380 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37523224 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060278653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zeyfang; Frederick W. ; et
al. |
December 14, 2006 |
Center pull tab plug with sealing flange
Abstract
A center pull tab sealing plug for sealing a hole in a
structural member is provided, comprising a base element having top
and bottom portions; a flexible flange extending from a periphery
of the base element, the flange including at least one annular
ridge or O-ring extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the
flange and spaced from a side wall of the base element; and a pull
tab extending upwardly from the top portion of the base element a
distance sufficient to provide a gripping surface.
Inventors: |
Zeyfang; Frederick W.;
(Erie, PA) ; Caselli; Darrel M.; (Eden,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
37523224 |
Appl. No.: |
11/147380 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/801 ;
220/805 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L 57/005 20130101;
B65D 59/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/801 ;
220/805 |
International
Class: |
B65D 43/04 20060101
B65D043/04 |
Claims
1. A center pull tab sealing plug for sealing a hole in a
structural member, comprising: a base element having top and bottom
portions; a flexible flange extending from a periphery of said base
element, said flange including at least one annular ridge or O-ring
extending downwardly from a bottom surface of said flange and
spaced from a side wall of said base element; and a pull tab
extending upwardly from said top portion of said base element a
distance sufficient to provide a gripping surface.
2. The sealing plug of claim 1, comprising multiple annular ridges
or O-rings disposed along the bottom surface of said flange.
3. The sealing plug of claim 1, wherein said at least one ridge or
O-ring is triangular in cross-section.
4. The sealing plug of claim 3, wherein said at least one ridge or
O-ring is semi-circular in cross-section.
5. The sealing plug of claim 1, comprising a cavity extending
through a portion of said base element from the upper portion of
said sealing plug to an interior bottom portion.
6. The sealing plug of claim 5, wherein said pull tab extends
upwardly from the said base element from a bottom portion of said
plug within said cavity.
7. The sealing plug of claim 1, wherein the body of said base
element is solid.
8. The sealing plug of claim 1, wherein the body of said base
element includes a cavity extending from a top portion to an
interior bottom portion.
9. The sealing plug of claim 1, wherein said flange extends in an
oblique angular relationship to said side wall of said base
element
10. The sealing plug of claim 9, comprising multiple annular ridges
or O-rings disposed along the bottom surface of said flange.
11. The sealing plug of claim 9, wherein said at least one ridge or
O-ring is triangular in cross-section.
12. The sealing plug of claim 11, wherein said at least one ridge
or O-ring is semi-circular in cross-section.
13. The sealing plug of claim 9, comprising a cavity extending
through a portion of said base element from said upper portion of
said base element to an interior bottom portion.
14. The sealing plug of claim 13, wherein said pull tab extends
upwardly from the top portion of said base element from a bottom
portion of said base element within said cavity.
15. The sealing plug of claim 9, wherein the body of said base
element is solid.
16. The sealing plug of claim 9, wherein the body of said base
element includes a cavity extending from a top portion to an
interior bottom portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to a center pull tab plug
having a sealing flange.
[0002] Center pull tab plugs are known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,798
discloses protective closure caps comprised of a generally
frusto-conical cup-shaped plug having a flat rim extending
outwardly therefrom. The plug may be used as a dust and moisture
seal as a shipping protector for threads, pipe, tubing ends, etc.
The plug may also be used as a masking device for electroplating
and spray painting, as well as any other use which requires a bore
or hole in an object to be temporarily sealed.
[0003] The center pull tab plug has met with much success in the
marketplace. The plug is both easily used, and easily removed after
use, due to the center pull tab.
[0004] The center pull tab plug is comprised of a relatively soft,
flexible polymeric material to ensure good flexibility and fit
during use. While the outwardly extending flat rim serves to assist
in the sealing function during use, the rim functions primarily as
a stop to prevent insertion of the plug into the hole or bore to be
plugged to an extent greater than desired. While some sealing
function is served by the rim, the degree of sealing is related to
the lateral extent of the rim, as well as the degree to which the
rim engages with the supporting surface.
[0005] Thus, a need exists to provide a center pull tab sealing
plug that exhibits an enhanced sealing function in relation to the
rim that extends laterally therefrom.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a
center pull tab plug which exhibits enhanced sealing during use as
a plug for a bore or hole in an object.
[0007] In accordance with the present invention, there is thus
provided a center pull tab sealing plug for sealing a bore or hole
in a structural member, comprising:
[0008] a base element having top and bottom portions;
[0009] a flexible flange extending from a periphery of the base
element, the flange including at least one annular ridge or O-ring
extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the flange and spaced
from a side wall of said base element; and
[0010] a pull tab extending upwardly from said top portion of the
sealing plug to an extent sufficient to serve as a gripping
member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a center
tab pull plug according to the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the center tab pull plug
of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a view in detail of a portion of the
cross-sectional view of FIG. 2.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the center pull tab plug of FIG.
1.
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment of the center pull
tab plug of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the center tab pull plug
of FIG. 5.
DETAILED VIEW OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0017] The center tab pull plug of the present invention will be
described in relation to the Figures.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the center tab pull plug 1 of the
present invention is a generally frusto-conically shaped device
comprised of a center pull tab 3, side wall 5, bottom wall 7, and
outwardly extending flange 9.
[0019] The device of FIG. 1 has a closed bottom portion 11, and an
open top portion 13. The center pull tab 3 extends into the
interior of the plug and is integrally formed with or attached to
the bottom of an interior cavity of the plug. The center pull tab
extends upwardly from the interior of the plug a sufficient
distance above the flange 9 to permit grasping of the tab by the
user of the plug.
[0020] The pull tab extends from side-to-side within the interior
of the plug cavity to enhance dimensional stability of the plug
body. The portion of the pull tab within the plug cavity may be
generally rectangular in shape, with the sides of the pull tab
being attached to the interior wall by web portions 19 which extend
outwardly from the pull tab to the side walls. The web portions may
terminate at a point coextensive with the rim of the plug body, or
somewhat below the rim.
[0021] The diameter of the bottom portion of the plug will
preferably be less than the diameter of the top portion of the plug
to assist in use of the plug. A decreased diameter for the bottom
portion assists in initially seating the plug in the hole or bore
to be sealed, as well as assisting in insertion of the plug into
the hole or bore for a sufficient distance. The degree of taper of
the plug body from the top of the plug body to the bottom of the
plug body is preferably 2.5-7.5 degrees relative to the axis of the
wall, with a degree of taper of 5 degrees having been found to be
acceptable.
[0022] A flange 9 extends laterally from a top portion of the plug.
The flange 9 preferably extends outwardly from the upper edge of
the plug, although this is not critical.
[0023] The flange may extend outwardly from said plug body in a
relatively perpendicular orientation to the plug body as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6. Alternatively, the flange may extend at a
downwardly-oblique angle relative to the side wall of the plug as
shown in FIGS. 1-3.
[0024] A bottom surface 15 of the flange includes at least one
annular ridge or O-ring 17 that extends downwardly from the bottom
surface of the flange. Annular ridges or O-rings are shown on the
bottom surface of the flanges in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6.
[0025] The annular ridge or O-ring is spaced from the side wall of
the plug, and may be either co-extensive with the outermost edge of
the flange, or positioned between the end of the flange and the
side wall of the plug. Advantageously, multiple ridges or O-rings
may be positioned along the bottom surface of the flange. The
number and size of the ridge or O-ring depends upon the size of the
flange, which in turn depends upon the size of the plug. Of course,
a flange of larger dimension will permit a greater number of ridges
or O-rings to be employed.
[0026] The advantages provided by the above design of the flange
are several.
[0027] The presence of the annual ridge(s) or O-ring(s) ensures
that a tight seal is maintained as the ridge(s) or O-ring(s) are
pressed against the top surface of the object to be sealed. The
presence of multiple ridges or O-rings serves to additionally
ensure that, if one fails to provide a satisfactory seal, then
additional ones may still provide the desired sealing function.
[0028] The fact that the flange may be oriented in an orientation
downwardly-oblique to the side wall of the plug ensures, when the
plug is inserted into a bore or hole to be sealed, that the flange
will be snugly fit against the surrounding top surface due to the
flange being flexed or biased upwardly as it is seated against the
top surface. The flange will accordingly be in a state of continual
flex against the top surface, thus assisting in the formation of a
secure seal.
[0029] The flange and attached ridges or O-rings may be of any
suitable configuration. Advantageously, the flange may, when viewed
in cross-section, taper or become thinner as it extends from the
side wall of the plug as shown in FIG. 3. It is desirable for the
flange at the junction with the side wall of the plug to be of
sufficient thickness to resist the flexing or biasing of the flange
upwardly when the plug is inserted into a hole or bore to be
sealed. This is for the reason that downwardly-directed bias will
then be maintained upon the flange during use to keep the flange in
sealing contact with the top surface of the object to be sealed.
Alternatively, the flange may be relatively constant in
cross-section as it extends laterally from the side wall of the
plug as shown in FIG. 6. The flange may be of constant or tapered
cross-section irrespective of whether the flange extends
perpendicularly or obliquely from the side wall of the plug.
[0030] The ridges or O-rings may have any convenient
cross-sectional configuration. For example, a triangular
configuration may be employed, with a tip of the triangle being
positioned to contact the top surface of the object. Alternatively,
the ridge or O-ring may have a rounded (or semi-circular)
configuration which similarly contacts the top surface of the
object. See FIG. 3 wherein both configurations are exemplified for
the sake of illustration.
[0031] By way of exemplary dimensions, the thickness of the wall
portion of the plug body may be in the range of about 0.025-0.040
inch, with the wall dimension depending upon the size of the plug
body and the end use contemplated. The center pull tab portion may
also range in diameter from 0.025 to 0.040 inch or so, with it also
being possible for the diameter to diminish from the point of
attachment of the pull tab at the bottom of the plug interior to
the outermost end thereof.
[0032] For a plug which is configured to seal an open end of a 1.5
inch pipe, the plug may have a plug body of about 0.55 inch in
length, a diameter of about 1.42 inch, a pull tab that extends
about 0.40 inch from the top of the plug and is about 0.50 inch in
width, with a flange extending about 0.15 inch from the side of the
plug and being about 0.04 inch in thickness at its widest point
adjacent the side wall of the plug. Annular ridges extending from
the bottom surface of the flange are about 0.01 inch in height, and
may be spaced about 0.04 inch apart.
[0033] By way of alternative embodiments, while the sealing plug of
the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 as having an
interior cavity from which the center pull tab extends a distance
sufficient to serve as a pull tab, it is not necessary for the plug
to be hollow or to include such an interior cavity. The plug body
may instead be solid, with the center pull tab extending from the
top surface of the solid plug body, and with the annular flange
still extending from a side wall of the plug body as shown in FIGS.
5 and 6.
[0034] However, it has been found to be advantageous for the plug
body to have an interior cavity to reduce the cost of manufacture,
as much less material is required when the interior is hollow.
Otherwise, the hollow or solid plugs function equivalently in the
desired sealing function.
[0035] The plug body can be formed from any conventional polymeric
material which provides the requisite balance of physical stability
and flexibility. Any conventional moldable polymer such as flexible
polymeric materials can be used as the raw material for the plug
body of the present invention. Thermoplastic rubber or elastomeric
materials are preferred to permit adequate flexibility when being
inserted into a cavity for sealing, while maintaining desired
resilience for purposes of sealing. Such materials are well known
in the art and one of ordinary skill in the art can readily select
an appropriate material for use in the present invention.
[0036] The plug may be made by any conventional molding process,
with the method of manufacture being well within the skill of the
practitioner in the art.
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