US 5,848,814 AGranted

Spring seal

AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation

InventorsThomas Michael Nadasky, Kathleen D. Murphy

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Abstract

A single piece seal that functions both as a seal and a spring. The single piece seal includes a central bore for receiving a communication line such as a wire or a fiber optic cable. The single piece seal also includes a first and second radial sealing ring, and at least a first axial compression portion between the first and second rings. Preferably the seal includes a second and third compression portions each extending from an outer edge of the first and second rings respectively. Each of the rings may have and radial thickness which is 25% or more greater than the radial thickness of the first axial compression portion, and each of the rings may have an axial length which is 50% or more of the axial length of the first axial compression portion. Preferably the second and third compression portions have an axial length which is at least twice that of either of the rings. Each end of the seal have tapered counter bores communicating with the central bore.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A connector system comprising:

a pressure plate, and a spring seal that functions both as a seal and a spring, the pressure plate having a central bore therethrough for receiving a portion of a communication line, a counter bore formed in the pressure plate communicating with the central bore, the spring seal having a central bore receiving a portion of the communication line, the spring seal being received in the counter bore of the pressure plate, the spring seal comprising a single piece of polymeric compressible material and having a first and a second radial sealing ring, and at least a first axially compressible portion, the first and the second radial sealing ring each having a radial thickness greater than the radial thickness of the first axially compressible portion, and the first and the second radial sealing ring each having an axial length at least 50% of the axial length of the first axially compressible portion, and an element on the communication line providing an engagement surface, and wherein the spring seal has a first end engaging the pressure plate and a second end engaging the engagement surface and so that the first axially compressible portion biases the communication line away from the pressure plate and wherein the pressure plate and spring seal are constructed and arranged so that the radial sealing rings engage a surface defining the counter bore in the pressure plate to provide a seal by radially compressing the sealing rings and so that the sealing rings are not folded over.

A connector system comprising:

a pressure plate, and a spring seal that functions both as a seal and a spring, the pressure plate having a central bore therethrough for receiving a portion of a connector component, a counter bore formed in the pressure plate communicating with the central bore, the spring seal having a central bore receiving a portion of the connector component, the spring seal being received in the counter bore of the pressure plate, the spring seal comprising a single piece of polymeric compressible material and having a first and a second radial sealing ring, and at least a first axially compressible portion, the first and the second radial sealing ring each having a radial thickness greater than the radial thickness of the first axially compressible portion, and the first and the second radial sealing ring each having an axial length at least 50% of the axial length of the first axially compressible portion, and an element on the connector component providing an engagement surface, and wherein the spring seal has a first end engaging the pressure plate and a second end engaging the connector component and so that the first axially compressible portion biases the connector component away from the pressure plate and wherein the pressure plate and spring seal are constructed and arranged so that the radial sealing rings engage a surface defining the counter bore in the pressure plate to provide a seal by radially compressing the sealing rings and so that the sealing rings are not folded over.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.