Foam plug for engine cover fastener pocket

{
  "publication_number": "US10837358B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Foam plug for engine cover fastener pocket",
  "abstract": "An engine cover assembly including a fastener concealing plug is disclosed. The plug includes a conical wall having upper and lower ends. A lower circumferential ring is spaced apart from the upper ring. The lower end of the concealing plug includes a fastener-receiving recessed area. The fastener pocket of the engine cover includes upper and lower grooves having a ring area formed therebetween. The upper circumferential ring of the plug nests with the upper groove of the pocket, the recessed area of the plug nests with the ring area, and the lower circumferential ring of the plug nests with the lower groove of the pocket. The engine cover is positioned on the engine such that a cover attaching stud passes through a stud-passing aperture of the cover. A fastening nut is threaded onto the cover-attaching stud until it comes into contact with a compression-limiting spacer. The plug conceals the fastener.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine comprising: a cover having a fastener pocket; a fastener for attaching said cover to the engine; and a plug for removable insertion into said pocket, said plug including an upper end and a lower end, said lower end having a fastener-receiving recessed area, said plug further including an upper circumferential ring, a lower circumferential ring, a circumferential groove formed between said upper and lower circumferential rings, and a conical wall formed between said lower circumferential ring and said lower end, wherein the lower circumferential ring has an outer cylindrical surface, an upper inwardly inclined surface and a lower inwardly inclined surface and is configured to be inserted and removed from the fastener pocket.",
    "2. The removable plug of claim 1 wherein said upper end includes an outer top surface, said outer top surface being substantially planar.",
    "3. The removable plug of claim 1 wherein said lower end has an outer surface and said fastening-receiving recessed area is formed in said outer surface.",
    "4. The removable plug of claim 3 wherein said outer surface of said lower end has a center and said fastener-receiving recessed area is formed in said center.",
    "5. The removable plug of claim 1, the plug being formed from a polymerized material.",
    "6. The removable plug of claim 5 wherein said polymerized material is a polyurethane.",
    "7. A cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine comprising: a cover having a fastener pocket; a fastener for attaching said cover to the engine; and a plug for removable insertion into said pocket, said plug including upper and lower ends, said lower end having a fastener-receiving recessed area, said plug further including a conical wall formed between said upper end and said lower end, a circumferential ring formed on said conical wall defining said upper end, and a retention ring formed on said conical wall between said circumferential ring and said lower end.",
    "8. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 7 wherein said upper end includes an upper surface, said upper surface being substantially planar.",
    "9. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 8, wherein said circumferential ring is adjacent said outer surface of said upper end, said circumferential ring being continuous with said planar surface.",
    "10. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 7 wherein said retention ring comprises a first circumferential recessed area, a second circumferential recessed area, and a circumferential ring formed between said first and second recessed areas.",
    "11. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 10 wherein said first circumferential recessed area is a circumferential groove.",
    "12. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 10 wherein said first circumferential recessed area is formed adjacent said circumferential ring.",
    "13. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 7 wherein said lower end has an outer surface and said fastener-receiving area is formed on said outer surface.",
    "14. The removable plug for an engine cover of claim 13 wherein said lower area has a center and said fastener-receiving recessed area is formed in said center.",
    "15. A cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine comprising: a cover having a fastener pocket including upper and lower grooves and a ring therebetween; a fastener for attaching said cover to the engine; and a plug for removable insertion into said pocket, said plug including an upper circumferential ring matable with said upper groove, a lower circumferential ring matable with said lower groove, and a circumferential ring matable with said ring of said pocket.",
    "16. The cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine of claim 15, wherein said pocket includes a conical internal wall and said plug includes a conical external wall matable with said conical internal wall of said pocket.",
    "17. The cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine of claim 15, wherein said plug includes a lower end having a fastener-receiving recessed formed therein.",
    "18. The cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine of claim 15, further including a fastener anchor attached to the engine for receiving said fastener, said fastener anchor having an upper surface.",
    "19. The cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine of claim 18, wherein said fastener includes a stud and a nut, said stub being inserted into said fastener anchor.",
    "20. The cover assembly for use with a vehicle engine of claim 19, further including a compression limiting spacer positioned between said upper surface of said fastener anchor and said nut."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The disclosed inventive concept relates generally to covers for vehicle engines and to a system for attaching the cover to the engine. More particularly, the disclosed inventive concept relates to an engine cover assembly having a mechanical fastener for attaching the cover to the engine and to a foam insert to fill the fastener pocket formed in the cover and to thereby conceal the fastener.\n\nThe engine compartment of the modern vehicle has an appearance that is quite different from that of its predecessors. For decades following the introduction of the motor vehicle, the engine compartment was generally ignored by designers who, instead, focused on the exterior and interior of the vehicle. The engine compartment of the production vehicle (as opposed to the show vehicle) was left entirely to engineers and thus was solely functional.\n\nNowadays, however, designers are engaged to improve the overall appearance of the engine compartment. The general result of these efforts is the inclusion in the engine compartment of an engine cover that covers at least some of the vehicle's engine. Known covers have a variety of shapes and styles and vary in the degree to which they cover the engine. The engine cover is typically but not exclusively formed from a polymerized material such as soft polyurethane (PUR) foam.",
  "cpc": [
    "F02B 77/005",
    "A61F 2/446",
    "F16B 35/00",
    "Y10T 428/24008"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61F 2/44",
    "F02B 77/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ford Global Technologies LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Christopher William Newman",
    "Gary Nola"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-03-06",
  "publication_date": "2020-11-17",
  "grant_date": "2020-11-17",
  "priority_date": "2016-11-29",
  "application_number": "US-201916293999-A",
  "family_id": "62190541",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US8282327B2"
  ]
}