US 2011/0031705 A1Published application

Articulating seal

AssigneeParker-Hannifin Corporation

InventorsDarron G. Peddle, Edward Bruce Whithead

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Abstract

A known gland 11 includes first and second members 12 and 13. Prior art seals 33 (FIGS. 1A and 1B), 40 (FIG. 2A and 2B) or 50 (FIG. 3) can be used to seal the gland 11. Also, a novel, double acting, over center cone, articulating compression seal 60 (FIGS. 4 and 5) can be used to seal the gland 11. The seal 60 includes a base 61, an articulating compression arm 62, and a rocker 63. The arm 62 is connected to the base 61 at one hinge region 73 and to the rocker 63 at another hinge region 83. The articulating compression arm 62 is cone shaped, and the cone inverts as the seal 60 is displaced from a relaxed position (FIG. 4) to a sealed position (FIG. 5). The rocker 63 extends radially and longitudinally in the relaxed position and extends longitudinally in the sealing position.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An annular elastomeric seal comprising:

a base, an articulating compression arm, and a rocker;
said base and said articulating compression arm and said rocker each having a longitudinal axis, each being of elastomeric material, each being generally annular, and each having a relaxed position and a sealing position;
said rocker having an annular sealing surface, said sealing surface facing away from said base and away from said compression arm when said rocker is in its said relaxed position and when said rocker is in its said sealing position;
said articulating compression arm having a first region connected to said base at a first hinge region and a second region connected to said rocker at a second hinge region, said articulating compression arm extending longitudinally in a first longitudinal direction and radially away from said base when said articulating compression arm is in its said relaxed position;
said articulating compression arm being rotatable relative to said base about said first hinge region and being rotatable relative to said rocker about said second hinge region when said articulating compression arm and said rocker are displaced between said relaxed position and said sealing position;
and
said articulating compression arm extending longitudinally in a second direction opposite said first direction when said articulating compression arm and said rocker are in said sealing position.

4 more elements

An annular elastomeric seal comprising:

a base, an articulating compression arm, and a rocker;
said base and said articulating compression arm and said rocker each having a longitudinal axis, each being of elastomeric material, each being generally annular, and each having a relaxed position and a sealing position;
said articulating compression arm and said rocker each being flexible and resilient and having a cross sectional length to width ratio greater than 2;
said rocker having an annular sealing surface facing away from said base and away from said compression arm and a back side facing toward said base and toward said compression arm when said rocker is in its said relaxed position and when said rocker is in its said sealing position;
said articulating compression arm extending radially between said base and said rocker, said articulating compression arm having a first region connected to said base and a second region connected to said rocker, said articulating compression arm extending longitudinally in a first longitudinal direction and radially away from said base when said articulating compression arm is in its said relaxed position;
said articulating compression arm extending radially away from said base and longitudinally in a second longitudinal direction opposite said first direction when said articulating compression arm and said rocker are in said sealing position;
said articulating compression arm and said rocker defining an angle greater than 90 degrees facing said second direction when said articulating compression arm is in said relaxed position;
and
said articulating compression arm and said rocker defining an angle less than 45 degrees facing said second direction when said articulating compression arm is in said sealing position.

6 more elements

An annular elastomeric seal for installation within an assembly including a vessel having an interior containing a source of fluid pressure and a closure for the vessel, the vessel having an opening into the interior thereof and a tapered leading edge surface surrounding a longitudinal axis of the opening, and the closure being receivable in the opening coaxially with the longitudinal axis thereof and having a circumferential gland facing the edge surface of the opening when the closure is so received in the opening, the gland having axially-separated first and second end walls which extend radially from a side wall, the seal extending radially about a central seal axis and configured to be received within the gland coaxially with a longitudinal axis of the closure, the seal comprising as received in a free state within the gland with the closure being received coaxially in the opening;

a generally annular body portion retained between the gland first and second end walls, the body extending axially along the seal axis between an upper end face disposed opposite the gland first end wall and a lower arm disposed opposite the gland second end wall, the arm portion extending radially from the body towards the edge surface of the opening;
and
a lip portion extending radially towards the interior of the vessel from a proximal end connected to the arm portion to a distal end spaced-apart from the arm portion to define a spacing therebetween,
whereby as the closure is further received within the opening along the longitudinal axis thereof, the seal lip contacts the edge surface of the opening effecting the pivoting of the seal arm towards the gland first end wall such that the lip is disposed in a deflected state of the seal against the edge surface of the opening, and
whereby in the deflected state of the seal the seal lip is urged into a sealing engagement against the edge surface of the opening as energized by fluid pressure being received within the spacing between the seal lip portion distal end and the seal arm portion.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.