Single Piece Expansion Sealing Plug

Abstract

A single piece expansion plug and method of using the same in connection with a tool is provided. The plug has an inner recess extending partially into a top of the plug, the inner recess defining a tapered inner wall. The plug is installed with a tool having a tapered end at a greater angle with respect to the taper inner wall. The tool presses against the tapered inner wall to expand the plug against a hole. The tool includes a pin that retracts against a spring to seat the plug in the hole to be sealed such that the pin contacts the plug prior to the tapered inner wall and tapered end coming into contact.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kit for sealing a hole comprising:
 (a) a plug including:
 a single piece unitary body with a bottom and a top and a side wall disposed therebetween, the side wall outwardly tapered from the bottom towards the top at a first angle; 
 a recess located in the top and extending partially into the body and terminating at a recess base between the top and bottom; 
 an inner wall defined by the recess and tapered outwardly from the recess base towards the top at a second angle; 
   (b) an installation tool including:
 a tapered end section located at a distal end of the installation tool, the tapered end section tapering inwardly at a third angle that is greater than the second angle; 
 a pin located in a channel extending into the tool from the distal end, the pin configured to move along a central axis of the tool such that in an extended position, the pin extends beyond the distal end. 
   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a protrusion extending from the recess of the plug and including a central void therein, the protrusion and central void aligned along a central axis of the plug; 
 the central void of the distal end having a diameter such that said protrusion fits into the central void. 
 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein said first, second and third angles are all different. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of ribs located on the side wall at a location thereon between the top and the recess base. 
 
     
     
         5 . A plug comprising:
 a single piece unitary body with a bottom and a top and a side wall disposed therebetween, the side wall outwardly tapered from the bottom towards the top at a first angle;   a recess located in the top and extending partially into the body and terminating at a recess base between the top and bottom;   an inner wall defined by the recess and tapered outwardly from the recess base towards the top at a second angle.   
     
     
         6 . The plug of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a central recess located at a central axis of the single piece unitary body within the recess. 
 
     
     
         7 . The plug of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a protrusion extending from said recess base, wherein said central recess is located within said protrusion. 
 
     
     
         8 . The plug of  claim 5  wherein said body is symmetrical around a central axis thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The plug of  claim 5  further comprising a plurality of ribs extending around the circumference of the side wall and extending outwardly wherein each one of said plurality of ribs is separated from the others of said plurality of ribs. 
     
     
         10 . The plug of  claim 9  wherein at least two of said plurality of ribs are positioned on the sidewall at a distance from the top that is less than a distance between the top and the recess base. 
     
     
         11 . The plug of  claim 5  wherein the second angle is at least 1.5 times the first angle. 
     
     
         12 . The plug of  claim 5  wherein the first angle is 1-7 degrees and the second angle is 5-15 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . A method of sealing a hole comprising:
 providing a tapered hole;   inserting a plug into said tapered hole, said plug having a single piece unitary body with a bottom and a top and a side wall disposed therebetween, a recess located in the top extends partially into the body, the recess defining an inner wall of the plug;   aligning an installation tool with the tapered hole and the plug;   moving the installation tool axially towards the hole such that an end section of the installation tool presses on the inner wall to expand the plug outwardly towards the tapered hole.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising a pin located in a central void of a distal end of the installation tool, an end of the pin configured to move along an central axis of the tool such that in an extended position, the pin extends beyond the distal end and said pin retracts towards the distal end as the end section of the installation tool expands the plug outwardly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein movement of the pin is resisted by a spring of the installation tool and an installation force for the plug is at least 50 times a total spring force measured at maximum displacement of the pin during installation of the plug. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein movement of the pin is resisted by a spring of the installation tool and a first force is at least twice a second force;
 the first force exerted by the pin against the plug during the moving step when the end section first makes contact with the inner wall; 
 the second force exerted by the pin against the plug at a maximum displacement of the pin. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein movement of the pin is resisted by a spring of the installation tool having a spring rate measured as force/inch, wherein the force in pounds of the spring rate is less than 10% of an installation force in pounds exerted against the plug. 
     
     
         18 . A tool for installing a plug which seals a hole, the tool comprising:
 a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being thicker than the distal end;   a pin located in an interior channel aligned with a central axis of the tool, the interior channel extending to the distal end, said pin connected to a spring;   said pin in an extended position protruding from the distal end at a distance, said pin configured to retract within the channel with resistance from the spring;   an end section of the tool located at the distal end having an inward taper in a direction from the proximal towards the distal end;   an inner diameter located where said channel and distal end meet, the inner diameter greater than a diameter of said pin such that a space exists between the said pin and the distal end.   
     
     
         19 . The tool of  claim 18  wherein said channel includes female threads and the pin is held in the channel by a threaded member with male threads accessible from the proximal end of said tool. 
     
     
         20 . The tool of  claim 19  wherein said male and female threads are held in a fixed position by a thread locking compound.