Bellows-type spring seal
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorGregory J. Trautman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bellows-type spring seal has a flexible bellows with an upper sealing end adapted to mate with a bell housing of an air intake pipe. The seal provides an effective breakaway joint when the cab is tilted forward from over the engine. A means, such as coil springs, encircles the bellows to push upon the underside of the sealing end of the bellows to provide a positive preload sealing force. The seal is self-aligning in the vertical and horizontal planes to accommodate cab rocking and minor misalignment in manufacture of the truck.
Claims12
A bellows-type spring seal to connect between a cab-mounted air intake pipe and a frame-mounted air cleaner canister while providing an effective breakaway joint when the cab tilts from over the engine in a cab-over-engine truck, comprising:
- a bellows extending upwardly from the canister top, having an upper, deformable sealing end, and being capable of providing self-alignment between the air intake pipe and the canister;
- means for attaching the lower end of the bellows to the canister;
- and
- means encircling the bellows for biasing the sealing end of the bellows away from the canister toward the intake pipe and for providing a positive preload for the seal.
A bellows-type spring seal to connect between a cab-mounted air intake pipe and a frame mounted air cleaner canister while providing an effective breakaway joint when the cab tilts from over the engine in a cab-over-engine truck, comprising:
- a bellows having an upper sealing end and being capable of providing self-alignment between the air intake pipe and the canister;
- means for attaching the lower end of the bellows to the canister;
- and
- means encircling the bellows for biasing the sealing end of the bellows away from the canister and for providing a positive preload for the seal, including a plurality of coil springs spaced about the periphery of the bellows, and a free-standing ring encircling the bellows and resting on the canister, the ring having posts to position the springs.
A bellows-type spring seal to connect between a cab-mounted air intake pipe and a frame-mounted air cleaner canister while providing an effective breakaway joint when the cab tilts from over the engine in a cab-over-engine truck, comprising:
- an elastomeric bellows having an upper, deformable sealing end and being capable of providing self-alignment between the air intake pipe and the canister;
- a means for clamping the lower end of the bellows to the canister;
- and
- a plurality of coil springs spaced about the periphery of the bellows for biasing the sealing end of the bellows away from the canister and for providing a positive preload for the seal, positioned upon posts of a ring which encircles the bellows and rests atop the canister.
An elastic spring-biased seal assembly to connect between a cab-mounted air intake pipe and a frame-mounted air cleaner canister while providing an effective breakaway joint when the cab tilts from over the engine in a cab-over-engine truck, comprising:
- an axially elastic, radially flexible, elastomeric tubular member fixedly secured at a first end to one of said canister and air intake pipe and providing self-alignment between the air intake pipe and the canister and having a movable, deformable, sealing second end opposite said first end for sealing with the mating end of the other of said canister and air intake pipe, wherein the elastic spring-biased seal assembly eliminates the need for brackets to properly align piping between the canister and the air intake pipe;
- and
- a plurality of three or more independent spring means encircling the tubular member for biasing the sealing end of the tubular member to axially, elastically stretch the tubular member for providing a positive preload for the seal against the mating end of the other of said canister and air intake pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.