IP Library Granted Patent US 12691952
Granted Patent B2
US 12691952 · App. 18/480,053 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Closing plug

Inventors: Albert Sbongk (Niederstetten, DE); Viviane Reibel (Creglingen, DE); Manuel Huebner (Aub, DE)
Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
B62D25/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12691952
App. No.
18/480,053
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a closing plug is provided for closing through-openings in components, such as components of motor vehicles. The closing plug includes a base body made from a hard component with a closing wall for covering a through-opening, and a sealing/fastening device made from a soft component. The soft component is configured to be sealed and connected to a wall of a carrier component that bounds a through-opening. The closing plug can be inserted into a through-opening in an assembly direction that extends orthogonally to a wall of a carrier component that bounds a through-opening.

Claims (32)

1 . A closing plug for closing through-openings in components of a vehicle, the closing plug comprising:

a base body made from a hard component with a closing wall for covering a through-opening; and

a sealing device made from a soft component, which is configured to be sealed and connected to a wall of a carrier component that bounds the through-opening,

wherein the closing plug can be inserted into the through-opening in an assembly direction that extends orthogonally to a wall of the carrier component that bounds the through-opening,

wherein the base body comprises a radially circumferential first connecting wall arranged approximately orthogonal to the closing wall for connection to the sealing device, and

wherein first form-fit recesses which are arranged in a radially circumferential manner and extend radially inward, are formed in the first connecting wall for connecting to correspondingly configured first form-fit elements of the sealing device.

2 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the first form-fit recesses are uniformly spaced apart from one another.

3 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein second form-fit recesses, which are arranged in a radially circumferential manner and extend counter to the assembly direction, are formed in an outer edge of the closing wall for connecting to correspondingly configured second form-fit elements of the sealing device.

4 . The closing plug according to claim 3 , wherein the second form-fit recesses are uniformly spaced apart from one another.

5 . The closing plug according to claim 3 , wherein the radially circumferential first connecting wall is radially inwardly offset with respect to a radially circumferential outer edge of the closing wall.

6 . The closing plug according to claim 3 ,

wherein the sealing device is configured to follow a contour of the through-opening of the carrier component, in a circumferential manner, and comprises a second connecting wall for connecting to the base body,

wherein first form-fit elements extending radially inwardly and configured to correspond to the first form-fit recesses and/or the second form-fit elements extending counter to the assembly direction and configured to correspond to the second form-fit recesses are formed on the second connecting wall, so that the sealing device is connected to the base body in a form-fit manner.

7 . The closing plug according to claim 6 , wherein the sealing device comprises a sealing wall, which forms a radially circumferential outer sheath wall of the closing plug for sealing against an inner sheath wall of a through-opening of a component, when viewed in the assembly direction, such that the second connecting wall and the sealing wall bound an approximately U-shaped or V-shaped annular groove.

8 . The closing plug according to claim 7 , wherein the sealing wall is connected to the second connecting wall in a front region.

9 . The closing plug according to claim 7 , wherein a radially circumferential lip or stopping wall is molded on a region of the sealing wall positioned counter to the assembly direction for abutting a surface of a component that bounds a through-opening of a component.

10 . The closing plug according to claim 9 , wherein a radially circumferentially arranged and radially outwardly extending catching wall with a corresponding catching edge is molded on the sealing wall for rearwardly engaging with a portion of a component that bounds the through-opening.

11 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall is domed.

12 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall is planar.

13 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall comprises stiffening elements.

14 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall comprises stiffening elements on a closing side facing in the assembly direction.

15 . A method for manufacturing a closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing plug is manufactured by means of a 2-part injection molding process.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the method is carried out without pusher devices.

17 . A closing plug for closing through-openings in components of a vehicle, the closing plug comprising:

a rigid base body including a closing wall configured to cover a through-opening; and

a pliable sealing device configured to seal against and be connected to a wall of a carrier component that bounds the through-opening,

wherein the closing plug is configured to be inserted into the through-opening in an assembly direction that extends orthogonally to the wall of the carrier component that bounds the through-opening,

wherein the rigid base body comprises a radially circumferential first connecting wall arranged approximately orthogonal to the closing wall and configured to connect to the pliable sealing device, and

wherein the first connecting wall includes a plurality of form-fit recesses arranged in a radially circumferential manner and extending radially inward, the form-fit recesses being configured to engage correspondingly configured form-fit elements of the pliable sealing device.

18 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall is domed.

19 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall is planar.

20 . The closing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the closing wall comprises stiffening elements.