Conductive gasket with flame and abrasion resistant conductive coating

An apparatus comprising:

• first and second electrically conductive bodies having surfaces arranged to bear towards one another;
• a conductive seal disposed on at least one of the bodies and arranged to be interspersed between the bodies for shielding against passage of at least one of electromagnetic effects and environmental effects;
• a sheath on the conductive seal, forming a conductive coating including a dispersion of conductive particles in a flexible elastomeric binder, and wherein the bodies include aluminum covered by at least one of a nickel coating, a chromate conversion coating and a conductive organic coating.

A method of sealing electrically conductive bodies against electromagnetic and environmental effects, while reducing corrosion, comprising the steps of:

• interspersing a conductive seal between said bodies;
• coating the conductive seal with a conductive coating having a dispersion of conductive particles, said coating being applied at least on an area of the seal disposed against one of said bodies, and, wherein the dispersion of conductive particles is made by mixing together carbon black and an elastomeric binder to provide a coating with a surface resistance of about 0.5 to 1.0 ohms per cm.

An improved apparatus of the type having at least two conductive bodies and a resilient conductive gasket for blocking electromagnetic and environmental effects from passing between the bodies, the gasket and the bodies together defining dissimilar metals subject to galvanic corrosion when exposed to an electrolyte, the improvement comprising:

• a protective coating applied to the gasket at least on an external surface of the gasket facing one of said bodies, the protective coating including a colloidal dispersion of conductive particles in an elastomeric binder, the protective coating having a surface resistance of about 0.5 to 1.0 ohms per cm;
• whereby the protective coating provides electrical connection bridging between the gasket and the bodies while minimizing said galvanic corrosion.

An improved apparatus of the type having at least two conductive bodies and a resilient conductive gasket for blocking electromagnetic and environmental effects from passing between the bodies, the gasket and the bodies together defining dissimilar metals subject to galvanic corrosion when exposed to an electrolyte, the improvement comprising:

• a protective coating applied to the gasket at least on a surface facing one of said bodies, the protective coating including a colloidal dispersion of conductive particles, and wherein the conductive particles are about 25 to 75 microns in size and are loaded in an elastomeric binder to a proportion of about 25% to 40% by weight.