JP2834767B2 - Hole plug structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] <Industrial application field> The present invention relates to a hole plug structure for closing an opening provided in a plate-shaped member.

<Prior Art> For example, in order to close an opening provided in a plate-shaped member such as an automobile body, a projecting portion projecting from a base larger than the opening and a plurality of springs provided on a peripheral surface of the projecting portion are provided. For example, U.S. Pat.No. 4,363,420 discloses a hole plug having a main body having an engagement piece and a fusible member made of a thermosoftening resin provided on a surface of the base opposite to the surface of the plate-shaped member. .

In such a hole plug, the main body is temporarily fixed to the plate-like member by first inserting the projecting portion into the opening and engaging the resilient engaging piece, and then the main body is attached with its own mounting force. The hole plug main body is fixed to the plate-like member by melting the fusible member adhered to the back surface side, and moving the member around between the protrusion and the opening edge and to the plate-side member back surface, and at the same time, between the two. Was sealed.

However, in order for the fusible member to wrap around from one surface side of the plate-shaped member to the other surface side via the opening, it is necessary to use a heat-softening resin having high fluidity (low viscosity) for the fusible member. However, there is a problem that such a resin has a low melting point, for example, about 60 ° C., and is not necessarily suitable for use in automobiles and the like.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In view of the problems of the prior art described above, a main object of the present invention is to provide a hole plug structure which is easy to assemble and has improved assembling strength and is hardly affected by temperature. To provide.

[Constitution of the Invention] <Means for Solving the Problems> According to the present invention, such an object is achieved by closing the opening provided in the plate member from one surface side of the plate member. A hole plug main body having a base portion covering the opening and a protruding portion protruding into the opening, and a main body fixed to the opening edge of the plate-like member by heating and melting; An annular fusible member made of a thermo-softening resin disposed in the vicinity of the fitting portion of the intruding portion so as to seal a gap therebetween, wherein the fusible member includes the intruding portion. This is attained by providing a hole plug structure having an annular projection surrounding the outer periphery and interposed between the opening edge and the entire periphery.

<Operation> As described above, the main body is temporarily fixed to the plate-like member so that the annular protrusion of the weldable member is interposed between the opening edge portion and the hole plug main body over the entire periphery thereof, and the fusible member is formed. By melting and fixing the hole plug main body to the plate-shaped member, and sealing between the two, even if a relatively high melting point heat-softening resin is used as a fusible member, both sides of the plate-shaped member and The meltable member suitably wraps around the opening. In addition, assemblability is improved by previously engaging the fusible member with the hole plug main body. Furthermore, since the fusible member is interposed between the protrusion and the opening edge, the degree of freedom of the hole plug main body is reduced, and eccentricity during assembly can be prevented.

<Embodiment> Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 show an initial shape of a hole plug structure according to the present invention. The hole plug is for closing a circular opening 2 provided in a flat member 1 which may be, for example, a body panel of an automobile.
And a fusible member 4 that engages with the main body 3. The main body 3 is made of 6-nylon and polyphenylene ether, has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and has a base 5 having a diameter larger than the opening 2, a projecting portion 6 protruding from the base 5 and having a diameter smaller than the opening 2, A widening head 7 provided at the free end of the projecting portion and having a base end slightly larger in diameter than the opening 2 so as to resiliently engage with the opening 2 and tapered toward the free end. Have. The end face of the enlarged head 7 is closed. At the center of the inner hole 3 a of the main body 3, a reinforcing cylindrical portion 8 is provided so as to project from the widened head 7 to the base 5. As best shown in FIG. 1, a rib 9 having a cross-shaped cross section is provided inside the cylindrical portion 8.

On the other hand, the fusible member 4 is made of a polyolefin resin grafted with an unsaturated carboxylic acid,
2, an annular portion 11 having a lower surface 11a in contact with the surface 1a of the plate-shaped member 1, and an inner end of the annular portion 11 protruding downward in FIG. Its inner peripheral surface substantially coincides with the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion 6a of the insertion portion 6, and its outer peripheral surface 12a has an annular projection 12 having a diameter slightly smaller than that of the opening 2. The main body 3 is fitted to the fusible member 4 from below in FIG. 2, and the annular projection 12 surrounds the neck 6a.
The fusible member 4 is held on the main body 3 by holding the annular projection between the base 5 and the enlarged head 7. The outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 10 of the fusible member 4 has a tapered shape whose diameter gradually increases from its free end side, that is, from the upper side in FIG. However, this is because when the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 10 is melted, it preferably spreads outward without entering into the inside, thereby enhancing the adhesive force.

The opening 2 of the plate-like member 1 is
In order to close the hole, first, the pushing portion 6 is pushed into the opening 2 by pressing the upper surface 8a of the cylindrical portion 8 of the hole plug from the upper side, that is, the surface 1a side of the plate-like member in FIG. 7 is engaged. At this time, the annular protrusion 12 of the fusible member 4
Is interposed between the neck 6a of the protrusion 6 and the opening 2, and the degree of freedom of the hole plug after engagement is relatively small with respect to the plate-like member 1. Therefore, the plug is eccentric with respect to the opening 2. It is preferably held in its center without any need. In addition, since the fusible member 4 is resiliently engaged with the hole plug main body 3 in advance, the fusible member 4 does not detach from the main body 3 during assembly of the hole plug, and the workability is improved. I have.

Next, the assembling portion, that is, the vicinity of the opening 2 is heated (for example, at 155 ° C.) to melt the fusible member 4, fix the main body 3 to the plate-like member 1, and seal the space between them (No. 3). At this time, the annular protruding portion 12 of the fusible member 4 is melted and preferably wraps around the lower surface 1b side of the plate-like member 1 so that the fusible member 4 can be made of a relatively high melting point thermo-softening resin. The space between the opening 2 and the neck 6a of the protrusion 6 can be reliably sealed, and the main body 3 can be fixed to the plate-like member 1.

The hole plug fixed to the plate-like member 1 in this manner can ensure sufficient assembly strength without softening of the fusible member 4 even at a relatively high temperature of, for example, about 100 ° C. Does not affect the closed state of the opening 2. Further, since the cylindrical portion 8 is provided at the center of the inner hole 3a of the main body 3, the back surface 1b of the plate-like member 1 of the main body 3 is provided.
3. Reinforced against the force from the side, ie from below in FIG.
The hole plug is hard to be detached from the opening 2.

In the present embodiment, the cross section of the enlarged head 7 of the main body 3 is formed in a circular shape. However, if the cross section is formed in a polygonal shape such as a hexagon or an octagon, the tolerance of the opening 2 or the main body 3 can be reduced. Can be large. Further, in the present embodiment, a polyolefin resin obtained by grafting an unsaturated carboxylic acid to a meltable member was used.However, it is needless to say that various heat-softening resins can be used according to usage conditions without being limited to this. Absent.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the main body is temporarily attached to the plate-like member such that the annular protrusion of the fusible member is interposed between the opening edge and the hole plug main body over the entire circumference. By stopping and melting the fusible member and bonding the hole plug body to the plate-like member, even if a relatively high melting point heat-softening resin is used as the fusible member, the front and back surfaces of the plate-like member can be used. In addition, since the fusible member is suitably rotated around the opening, the assembling strength of the hole plug is improved, and the hole plug is less affected by temperature. Also,
The assemblability is improved by previously engaging the fusible member with the hole plug body. Furthermore, since the fusible member is interposed between the protrusion and the opening edge, the degree of freedom of the hole plug main body is reduced, and eccentricity during assembly can be prevented. From the above, the effect of the present invention is extremely large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a hole plug according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a state where a hole plug according to the present invention is assembled to a plate-like member opening. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Flat member, 1a ... Front surface 1b ... Back surface 2 ... Opening 3 ... Main body, 3a ... Inner hole 4 ... Meltable member, 5 ... Base 6 ... Entry part, 7 ... Enlarged head 8: Cylindrical part, 9: Rib 10: Outer cylindrical part, 11: Annular part 11a: Lower surface, 12: Annular projection 12a: Outer peripheral surface

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A hole plug having a base portion that covers the opening from one surface side of the plate-like member and a projecting portion protruding into the opening so as to close the opening provided in the plate-like member. A heat source disposed near the fitting portion of the protrusion to fix the main body to the opening edge of the plate-like member by heating and melting the main body; A hole plug structure having an annular fusible member made of a softening resin, wherein the fusible member surrounds the outer periphery of the intruding portion and is interposed between the entire periphery and the opening edge. A hole plug structure having an annular projection. 2. The hole plug structure according to claim 1, wherein a head portion which resiliently engages with said opening is provided at said free end of said entry portion. 3. The hole plug structure according to claim 2, wherein said portion of said fusible member is held between said enlarged head portion of said main body and said base portion.