Sealing apparatus

Abstract

A sealant comprises a matrix of flexible (preferably, elastomeric polymer or copolymer) material embedded in which are frangible elements inert to the matrix material. The matrix material is selected from the group comprising acrylonitrile copolymers, polyvinyl alcohols, polyurethanes, silicones and acrylonitrile-butiedene-styrene terpolymer. The frangible elements may be hollow bodies--glass spheres--with a diameter of between 20 and 200 microns (advantageously, substantially equal to 75 microns) and a density in the range 0.1 to 2.4 g/cc (advantageously, substantially equal to 0.12 g/cc). A described sealant comprises 15 parts w/w of a solvent free acrylic matrix material to which is added two parts w/w of hollow glass spheres. In addition to the frangible elements, particles of other materials having relatively high thermal conductivity may be included in the matrix material. A gasket sealing arrangement provides the sealant as a coating for an electrically conductive gasket in the form of an aluminium sheet with protrusions extending away from each major surface thereof, the arrangement being that on application of pressure the protrusions extend through the matrix material to electrically contact the surfaces between which the arrangement is placed. A method of locating a conductive sealing gasket of the noted form using the noted sealants between an antenna base and an airframe is described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.