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US 12,228,224 B1Granted
Seal component for fluid distribution system
AssigneeTwm IP, LLC
InventorTheodore W. Meyers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal component includes a cylindrical wall, a frustoconical wall extending inwardly from the cylindrical wall, and a seal plate enclosing the frustoconical wall. The seal plate includes a first removable panel and a second removable panel, the second removable panel disposed within an area of the first removable panel. A seal component includes a circumferential ridge circumscribing the second removable panel, the circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the second removable panel. Additionally, the seal plate includes circumferential grooves and scoring lines that provide a cutting guide to facilitate cutting and removing at least one of the first and second removable panels.
Claims17
A seal component, comprising:
- a cylindrical wall;
- a frustoconical wall extending inwardly from the cylindrical wall;
- a generally planar seal plate enclosing an inner end of the frustoconical wall, the seal plate including a first removable panel, a second removable panel, and a third removable panel, the third removable panel disposed within an area of the second removable panel and the second removable panel disposed within an area of the first removable panel;
- a primary circumferential ridge circumscribing the second removable panel, the primary circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the second removable panel, wherein the primary circumferential ridge includes a first circumferential ridge disposed on a first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of a reduced-thickness groove at a perimeter of the second removable panel, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the reduced-thickness groove, the primary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on a second, opposite side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the second removable panel, the second circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, and the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge, the second circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate;
- and
- a secondary circumferential ridge circumscribing the third removable panel, the secondary circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the third removable panel, wherein the secondary circumferential ridge includes a first circumferential ridge disposed on the first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of a reduced-thickness groove at a perimeter of the third removable panel, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the third removable panel, the secondary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on the second side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the third removable panel, the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge, and the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate.
3 more elements
A method of using a seal component, comprising:
- providing the seal component having a cylindrical wall, a frustoconical wall extending inwardly from the cylindrical wall, a seal plate enclosing the frustoconical wall and including at least a first removable panel, a second removable panel, and a third removable panel, a primary circumferential ridge circumscribing the second removable panel, a first circumferential groove disposed radially inwardly relative to the primary circumferential ridge, and a second removable panel cutting guide on the seal plate at least partially perpendicular to the primary circumferential ridge, the primary circumferential ridge including a first circumferential ridge disposed on a first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of the first circumferential groove, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the circumferential groove, the primary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on a second, opposite side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the second removable panel, the second circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, and the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge, the second circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate, the second removable panel cutting guide including a raised rib disposed on the seal plate that leads into, and configured to guide a blade into, the first circumferential groove, a secondary circumferential rib circumscribing the third removable panel, a second circumferential groove disposed radially inwardly relative to the secondary circumferential ridge, and a third removable panel cutting guide on the seal plate at least partially perpendicular to the secondary circumferential ridge, the secondary circumferential ridge including a first circumferential ridge disposed on the first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of the second circumferential groove at a perimeter of the third removable panel, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the second circumferential groove, the secondary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on the second side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the second circumferential groove, the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge, and the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate;
- cutting through the seal plate along one of the first removable panel cutting guide and the second removable panel cutting guide and along an associated one of the first circumferential groove or the second circumferential groove;
- forming an aperture in the seal plate by removing the respective second removable panel or third removable panel from the seal plate;
- and
- passing a pipe through the aperture formed in the seal plate.
2 more elements
A seal component, comprising:
- a cylindrical wall;
- a frustoconical wall extending inwardly from the cylindrical wall;
- a seal plate enclosing the frustoconical wall, the seal plate including a first removable panel, a second removable panel, and a third removable panel, the third removable panel disposed within an area of the second removable panel and the second removable panel disposed within an area of the first removable panel;
- a primary circumferential ridge circumscribing the second removable panel, the primary circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the second removable panel;
- a first circumferential groove adjacent the primary circumferential ridge, wherein the first circumferential groove is radially inwardly disposed relative to the primary circumferential ridge, wherein the primary circumferential ridge includes a first circumferential ridge disposed on a first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of the first circumferential groove, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the first circumferential groove, the primary circumferential ridge further including a second circumferential ridge disposed on a second side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the first circumferential groove, the second circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, and the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge, the second circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate;
- a secondary circumferential ridge circumscribing the third removable panel, the secondary circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the third removable panel;
- and
- a second circumferential groove adjacent the secondary circumferential ridge, wherein the second circumferential groove is radially inwardly disposed relative to the secondary circumferential ridge, wherein the secondary circumferential ridge includes a first circumferential ridge disposed on the first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of the second circumferential groove, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the second circumferential groove at the perimeter of the third removable panel, the secondary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on the second side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the second circumferential groove at the perimeter of the third removable panel, the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge, and the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.