Grommet facts for kids
A grommet is a small ring or edge that fits into a hole in thin materials. These materials can be fabric, metal sheets, or other strong materials like carbon fiber. Grommets are usually flared or widened on each side. This helps them stay firmly in place. They are often made from metal, plastic, or rubber.
Grommets are used for several reasons:
- They stop the material around the hole from tearing.
- They protect wires or cables that pass through the hole from rubbing and getting damaged.
- They cover sharp edges of the hole, making it safer.
A very small grommet is also called an eyelet. You might see eyelets on shoes, tarps, and sails. They are used for lacing things up. In electrical work, grommets are sometimes called "insulating bushings." These are often made of rubber and fit into holes up to 2 inches (51 mm) wide.
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How Grommets Reinforce Materials
Grommets are often used to make holes stronger in materials like leather, cloth, canvas, and other fabrics. They can be made from metal, rubber, or plastic. It's quite easy to use them in everyday projects. You only need the grommet itself and a tool to set it.
A simple punch tool, which is a metal rod with a rounded tip, is often sold with grommets. You can hit this punch with a hammer to set the grommet in place. There are also special machines that use electricity, air, or gas to set grommets. Faster tools called grommet presses are also available. These have a punch and an anvil (a hard surface) to help set the grommet quickly.
Common Uses for Grommets
Grommets are used in many common items:
- On footwear for boot and shoe laces.
- In laced clothing like corsets.
- On flags for hoisting them up.
- In curtains and other home items that need to hang from hooks. For example, they are used with tension rods for shower curtains.
The grommet stops the cord or hook from tearing through the hole. This helps the item stay strong and last longer. Small grommets are often called eyelets, especially when used in clothes or for crafts. Eyelets can also be used just for decoration. When used on sailing ships, they are called cringles.
Grommets in Electrical Equipment
Holes in metal or hard plastic often have sharp edges. If electrical wires, cords, or other soft materials pass through these holes, they can get rubbed or cut. This can damage the wire's insulation.
Rubber, plastic, or plastic-coated metal grommets are used to prevent this damage. They provide a smooth, soft surface for the wires to pass through safely. Grommets also stop dirt, air, or water from getting inside equipment.
Protecting Wires and Cables
Grommets are usually used whenever wires go through holes in sheet metal or plastic cases. They come in many sizes and shapes. Some are single pieces that you can put in by hand. There are also two-piece plastic devices that hold the wire tightly. These are called strain relief bushings. They are often used to protect power cords where they enter electronic devices. They stop a tug or twist on the cord from damaging the electrical connections inside.
Reducing Vibration
Grommets made of rubber or other flexible materials are also used to reduce vibrations. They were once commonly used to mount computer disk drives. This helped protect the drives from vibrations or jolts. The screws holding the drive would pass through grommets. This separated the drive from the computer's case, reducing noise. Grommets are also used to protect sensitive electronic circuit parts from vibrations.
Surgical Grommets
Sometimes, children or adults have long-lasting ear infections with fluid buildup. This condition is called otitis media with effusions. In these cases, doctors might perform surgery to insert a tiny grommet into the eardrum. This special grommet is called a "tympanostomy tube".
The tube allows air to pass into the middle ear. This helps to release any pressure that has built up and clears out extra fluid. It can also help if the Eustachian tube (which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose) is too open.
Gallery
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Brass eyelets
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Mountain boot with 6 eyelets, 4 hooks, followed by 2 additional eyelets
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Alphabet eyelets
See also
- Blind rivet
- Cable grommet
- Cringle
- Shoulder washer
