Sealant assemblies and methods

Abstract

Sealant assemblies and methods are provided for sealing an interface between a surface and a projection extending from the surface. The sealant assembly includes a flexible member circumscribing an area to form a sealant pocket and a filling sealant at least partially filling the sealant pocket. The filling sealant and the flexible member comprise substantially the same material.

1 . A sealant assembly for sealing an interface between a support surface and a projection extending from the support surface, the sealant assembly comprising:
 a flexible member circumscribing an area having the interface to form a sealant pocket, the flexible member including a unitary body piece, wherein the unitary body piece includes a first mating surface, a second mating surface opposing the first mating surface, and a third mating surface opposing the support surface, wherein the first mating surface includes a first feature that is removeably engageable with a second feature of the second mating surface; and   a filling sealant at least partially filling the sealant pocket, and   wherein the filling sealant and the flexible member comprise substantially the same polymeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The sealant assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first mating surface and the second mating surface are separable by at least a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         3 . The sealant assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined amount corresponds to a dimension of the projection. 
     
     
         4 . The sealant assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first feature is a projection on the first mating surface and the second feature is a recess on the second mating surface. 
     
     
         5 . The sealant assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the projection on the first mating surface extends substantially perpendicular to the first mating surface and has an end that extends in a plane that is substantially parallel to the first mating surface, and wherein the recess on the second mating surface is configured to receive the projection. 
     
     
         6 . The sealant assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a height of a cross section of the flexible member decreases in a direction away from the sealant pocket. 
     
     
         7 . The sealant assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the cross section is substantially a right triangle having a first leg that is coextensive with the third mating surface and a second leg opposing the sealant pocket. 
     
     
         8 . The sealant assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the filling sealant comprises a first part having a first color and a second part having a different second color, and wherein the filling sealant has a different third color that is produced by mixing the first part and the second part, wherein the third color indicates whether the first part and the second part were mixed properly. 
     
     
         9 . The sealant assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the third color of the filling sealant is substantially the same as a color of the flexible member. 
     
     
         10 . The sealant assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the third color is a secondary color. 
     
     
         11 . The sealant assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first color is white and the second color is a primary color. 
     
     
         12 . The sealant assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first color is white and the second color is a secondary color. 
     
     
         13 . The sealant assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible member conforms to slight variations in the surface. 
     
     
         14 . The sealant assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible member and the filling sealant are formed by blending a premixed first part with a premixed second part, and wherein the premixed first part has a composition comprising:
 a first polyol in an amount from 85% to 95% by weight;   an adhesion promoter in an amount up to 1% by weight;   a UV stabilizer in an amount up to 2% by weight;   a metal catalyst in an amount from about 0.01% to 0.5% by weight;   a dessicant in an amount up to 5% by weight;   a first viscosity modifier in an amount up to 5% by weight; and   a first pigment in an amount from about 0.2% to 4% by weight, and wherein the premixed second part has a composition comprising:   an isocyanate in an amount from about 30% to about 70% by weight;   a plasticizer in an amount from about 10% to about 30% by weight;   a second viscosity modifier in an amount up to 5% by weight;   a second polyol in an amount from about 15% to 55% by weight;   a catalyst in an amount up to 0.05% by weight; and   a second pigment in an amount up to 2% by weight.   
     
     
         15 . The sealant assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first polyol and the second polyol further comprise renewable polyols. 
     
     
         16 . The sealant assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the composition of the premixed first part of the flexible member has a higher weight percent of the metal catalyst than the composition of the premixed first part of the filling sealant. 
     
     
         17 . The sealant assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the composition of the premixed first part of the flexible member has a higher weight percent of the first polyol than the composition of the premixed first part of the filling sealant. 
     
     
         18 . The sealant assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first polyol has the same material composition as the second polyol. 
     
     
         19 . A sealant assembly for sealing an interface between a support surface and a projection extending from the support surface, the sealant assembly comprising:
 a flexible member circumscribing an area having the interface to form a sealant pocket, the flexible member having a composition and including a body piece, wherein the body piece includes a first mating surface, a second mating surface opposing the first mating surface, and a third mating surface opposing the support surface, wherein the first mating surface includes a projection that is removeably engageable with a recess on the second mating surface, and wherein the projection on the first mating surface extends substantially perpendicular to the first mating surface and has an end that extends in a plane that is substantially parallel to the first mating surface, and wherein the recess on the second mating surface is configured to receive the projection, and wherein a cross section of the flexible member is substantially a right triangle having a first leg that is coextensive with the third mating surface and a second leg opposing the sealant pocket; and   a filling sealant having the composition and at least partially filling the sealant pocket, and   wherein the composition has a first part and a second part, wherein the flexible member and the filling sealant are formed by blending a premixed first part with a premixed second part, and wherein the premixed first part has a composition comprising:
 a first polyol in an amount from 85% to 95% by weight; 
 an adhesion promoter in an amount up to 1% by weight; 
 a UV stabilizer in an amount up to 2% by weight; 
 a metal catalyst in an amount from about 0.01% to 0.5% by weight; 
 a dessicant in an amount up to 5% by weight; 
 a first viscosity modifier in an amount up to 5% by weight; and 
 a first pigment in an amount from about 0.2% to 4% by weight, and wherein the premixed second part has a composition comprising: 
 an isocyanate in an amount from about 30% to about 70% by weight; 
 a plasticizer in an amount from about 10% to about 30% by weight; 
 a second viscosity modifier in an amount up to 5% by weight; 
 a second polyol in an amount from about 15% to 55% by weight; 
 a catalyst in an amount up to 0.05% by weight; and 
 a second pigment in an amount up to 2% by weight. 
   
     
     
         20 . The sealant assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the premixed first part of the filling sealant has a first color and the premixed second part of the filling sealant has a different second color, and wherein the filling sealant has a different third color that is produced by mixing the first part and the second part, wherein the third color indicates whether the first part and the second part were mixed properly. 
     
     
         21 . The sealant assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the third color of the filling sealant is substantially the same as a color of the flexible member. 
     
     
         22 . The sealant assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the third color is a secondary color. 
     
     
         23 . The sealant assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first color is white and the second color is a primary color. 
     
     
         24 . The sealant assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first color is white and the second color is a secondary color. 
     
     
         25 . The sealant assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the body piece includes a plurality of corner pieces. 
     
     
         26 . The sealant assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the flexible member further includes at least one pair of side extension pieces disposed between two of the plurality of corner pieces. 
     
     
         27 . The sealant assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one pair of side extensions includes a first pair and a second pair, and wherein the first pair has a length that is different from a length of the second pair. 
     
     
         28 . The sealant assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the composition of the premixed first part of the flexible member has a higher weight percent of the metal catalyst and the first polyol than the composition of the premixed first part of the filling sealant, and wherein the first polyol has the same material composition as the second polyol. 
     
     
         29 . A method for sealing an interface between a support surface and a projection extending from the support surface, the method comprising:
 providing a flexible member comprising:
 a unitary body piece, wherein the unitary body piece includes a first mating surface, a second mating surface opposing the first mating surface, and a third mating surface, wherein the first mating surface includes a first feature that is removeably engageable with a second feature of the second mating surface; 
   separating the first mating surface and the second mating surface;   enclosing an area having the interface by moving the flexible member so that the projection passes between the first mating surface and the second mating surface;   forming a sealant pocket by engaging the first feature with the second feature and placing the flexible member on the support surface;   blending a premixed first part and a premixed second part to create a filling sealant that is substantially the same polymeric material as the flexible member; and   at least partially filling the sealant pocket with the filling sealant.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein mixing the filling sealant further comprises apportioning the first part having a first color and the second part having a second color so that the filling sealant has a third color, wherein the third color is substantially the same as a color of the flexible member. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein forming a sealant pocket further comprises applying a layer of adhesive to the support surface and placing the flexible member on the support surface over the adhesive. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein providing a flexible member further comprises blending the premixed first part with the premixed second part, and wherein the premixed first part has a composition comprising:
 a first polyol in an amount from 85% to 95% by weight;   an adhesion promoter in an amount up to 1% by weight;   a UV stabilizer in an amount up to 2% by weight;   a metal catalyst in an amount from about 0.01% to 0.5% by weight;   a dessicant in an amount up to 5% by weight;   a first viscosity modifier in an amount up to 5% by weight; and   a first pigment in an amount from about 0.2% to 4% by weight, and wherein the premixed second part has a composition comprising:   an isocyanate in an amount from about 30% to about 70% by weight;   a plasticizer in an amount from about 10% about 30% by weight;   a second viscosity modifier in an amount up to 5% by weight;   a second polyol in an amount from about 15% to 55% by weight;   a catalyst in an amount up to 0.05% by weight; and   a second pigment in an amount up to 2% by weight.