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US 10,330,201 B1Granted
Shrouded seal assembly
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsPatrick H Dunlap, Jr., John J Mayer, Christopher C Daniels, Gary M. Pease, Gary J. Drlik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal assembly is provided that includes a protective shroud to protect a sealing element from hazardous elements and/or a hazardous environment.
Claims19
A seal assembly comprising:
- a sealing element having a base and a first sealing wall extending generally perpendicular from the base, wherein the first sealing wall includes a proximal end extending from a surface of the base and a distal end;
- a protective shroud that retracts to expose the distal end of the first sealing wall when in contact with an opposing surface, wherein the protective shroud includes a protective base and a first shroud arm that extends from the protective base, wherein the first shroud arm includes a portion that is more distant from the base than the distal end, wherein the portion overlaps with the distal end in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base when not in contact with the opposing surface;
- and
- a retainer that secures the sealing element and the protective shroud to an interface.
1 more element
A sealing system comprising:
- an interface having a U-shaped channel defined therein;
- a U-shaped sealing element disposed in the U-shaped channel having a pair of sealing walls extending from a base, wherein each one of the pair of sealing walls includes a distal end;
- a protective shroud disposed over the U-shaped sealing element, wherein the protective shroud includes portions that are more distant from the base than the distal ends, wherein the portions overlap with the distal ends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base when the protective shroud is not in contact with an opposing interface, wherein, when the protective shroud is in contact with the opposing interface, the portions retract between the pair of sealing walls such that the portions do not overlap with the distal ends in the direction;
- and
- a retainer that secures the sealing element and the protective shroud to the U-shaped channel.
2 more elements
A method of creating a seal comprising:
- providing an interface having a seal assembly disposed therein, wherein the seal assembly comprises:
- a sealing element having a base with a first end and a second end;
- a first sealing wall extending from the first end;
- and
- a second sealing wall extending from the second end, wherein the first and second sealing walls both include a distal end, wherein the seal assembly includes a protective shroud that includes portions that are more distant from the base than the distal ends, wherein the portions overlap with the distal ends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base;
- contacting the portions of the protective shroud of the seal assembly with an opposing interface;
- retracting the portions of the protective shroud toward a center of the protective shroud;
- contacting the first and second sealing walls with the opposing interface;
- compressing the first and second sealing walls against the opposing interface;
- and
- creating a seal between the interface and the opposing interface.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.