IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,234,034
Granted Patent B2
US 12,234,034 · App. 17/362,384 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Aircraft opening plug and installation tool

Inventors: James Hodges Van Dis (Washington, NC); Ralph Samuel Jarvis, Jr. (Bath, NC)
Assignee: SERIAS-LEE, LLC
B64F1/005C09K21/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,234,034
App. No.
17/362,384
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cover for an opening on the exterior of an aircraft that contains a fire-resistant, high-temperature tolerant foam encased in a cover made of an aramid fabric. The cover is friction-fitted to the interior of the orifice. The cover can contain one or more durable rings embedded in the fire-resistant, high-temperature tolerant foam meant to protrude outward from the rest of the cover of the body to contact an interior of the orifice into which they are inserted holding the cover in place with friction instead of fasteners.

Claims (16)

1. A plug for protecting sensitive aircraft equipment comprising:

a fire-resistant foam shaped to fit an interior of an orifice of an aircraft such that a portion of an exterior of the plug contacts a portion of the interior of the orifice thereby holding the plug in place via friction,

a temperature resistant fabric covering an exterior of the fire-resistant foam,

a first ring inserted into the fire-resistant foam, and

a second ring inserted into the fire-resistant foam, wherein

the first ring and the second ring are not parallel to each other.

2. The plug of Claim 1 wherein the second ring has a diameter that is smaller than the first ring.

3. The plug of Claim 1 wherein one of the first and second ring inserted into the fire-resistant foam has a diameter larger than the diameter of an opening of the aircraft orifice.

4. The plug of Claim 3 wherein the other of the first and second ring has a diameter that is smaller than the first one of the first and second ring.

5. The plug of claim 4 wherein the fire-resistant foam forming a body of the plug comprises a flared portion.

6. The plug of claim 1 wherein the fire-resistant foam forming a body of the plug further comprises a flared portion.

7. The plug of claim 6 wherein one of the first and second ring inserted into the fire-resistant foam has a diameter larger than the diameter of an opening of the aircraft orifice.

8. The plug of claim 1 further comprising a receiver that is a protrusion that is complementary to an end of an installation tool.

9. The plug of claim 5 further comprising a receiver that is a protrusion that is complementary to an end of an installation tool.

10. The plug of claim 7 further comprising a receiver that is a protrusion that is complementary to an end of an installation tool.

11. The plug of claim 1 wherein the temperature resistant fabric comprises an aramid fabric.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2021
From: VAN DIS, JAMES HODGES, MR.; JARVIS, RALPH SAMUEL, JR., MR.
To: SERIAS-LEE, LLC
Reel/Frame 057004/0667 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220411099A1 · Dec 29, 2022
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