Drain plug mass damper

Abstract

A truck bed of a vehicle includes a sheet metal panel defining a drain opening, a mass damper plug disposed within the opening and including a mass casting having a predefined mass configured to tune a frequency of a sound wave of the panel and plug into a predefined range, and defining bolt threads, and a bolt engaged with the bolt threads and configured to secure the plug with the panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A truck bed of a vehicle comprising:
 a sheet metal panel defining a drain opening; 
 a mass damper plug disposed within the opening and including a mass casting
 having a predefined mass configured to tune a frequency of a sound wave of the panel and plug into a predefined range, and 
 defining bolt threads; and 
 
 a bolt engaged with the bolt threads and configured to secure the plug with the panel. 
 
     
     
       2. The bed of  claim 1  further comprising a retention cap engaged with the bolt and panel. 
     
     
       3. The bed of  claim 2 , wherein the retention cap is configured to cover the plug. 
     
     
       4. The bed of  claim 1 , wherein the plug further includes a shell configured to encase the mass casting and contact the panel. 
     
     
       5. The bed of  claim 1  further comprising a retention cap engaged with the bolt and panel, and a shell configured to encase the mass casting and contact the panel, wherein the retention cap and portion of the shell are on opposite sides of the panel. 
     
     
       6. The bed of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined range excludes at least one of second-order and third-order frequencies defined based on a change in a rotational speed of a component of the vehicle over a predefined period. 
     
     
       7. The bed of  claim 6 , wherein the excluded frequencies are frequencies between 75 hertz (Hz) and 90 Hz. 
     
     
       8. The bed of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is at least one of a base, front, side, and rear panel defining periphery of the truck bed. 
     
     
       9. A truck bed of a vehicle comprising:
 a sheet metal panel defining a drain opening; 
 a mass damper plug disposed within the opening and including a mass casting having a predefined mass configured to tune a frequency of the panel and plug into a predefined range; and 
 a bolt engaged with the plug and configured to secure the plug with the panel. 
 
     
     
       10. The bed of  claim 9  further comprising a retention cap engaged with the bolt and panel. 
     
     
       11. The bed of  claim 10 , wherein the retention cap is configured to cover the plug. 
     
     
       12. The bed of  claim 9 , wherein the plug further includes a shell configured to encase the mass casting and contact the panel. 
     
     
       13. The bed of  claim 9  further comprising a retention cap engaged with the bolt and panel, and a shell configured to encase the mass casting and contact the panel, wherein the retention cap and portion of the shell are on opposite sides of the panel. 
     
     
       14. The bed of  claim 9 , wherein the predefined range excludes at least one of second-order and third-order frequencies defined based on a change in a rotational speed of a component of the vehicle over a predefined period. 
     
     
       15. The bed of  claim 14 , wherein the component is an element of an engine. 
     
     
       16. The bed of  claim 14 , wherein the excluded frequencies are frequencies between 75 hertz (Hz) and 90 Hz. 
     
     
       17. A truck bed of a vehicle comprising:
 a sheet metal panel defining a drain opening; 
 a mass damper plug disposed within the opening and including a mass casting having a predefined mass configured to alter a frequency of a noise vibration and harshness (NVH) sound wave of the panel and plug to exclude second- and third-order frequencies; and 
 a retention cap configured to engage the plug through the opening to secure the plug about the panel to seal the opening, wherein the retention cap and the plug are on opposite sides of the panel. 
 
     
     
       18. The bed of  claim 17 , wherein the plug further includes a shell configured to encase the mass casting and contact the panel. 
     
     
       19. The bed of  claim 17 , wherein the second- and third-order frequencies are defined based on a change in a rotational speed of an engine of the vehicle over a predefined period. 
     
     
       20. The bed of  claim 19 , wherein the second-order frequencies are frequencies between 50 hertz (Hz) and 60 Hz and the third-order frequencies are frequencies between 75 Hz and 90 Hz.