Sealing element for melt channels
AssigneeZimmer, Inc.
InventorHeinz-Dieter Beeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides a sealing element for spinning systems used for spinning polymer melts, wherein the sealing element seals the transition between a polymer melt conducting melt channel of a permanently mounted component and a melt channel of a removable, interchangeable component. The sealing element consists of a cylindrical and externally smooth hollow object with an axial bore for passage of the melt, which hollow object is inserted into a fitting socket hole in the interchangeable component and is made of a material with a higher thermal expansion coefficient than that of the surrounding material of the interchangeable component.
Claims10
An apparatus through which liquid or molten material flows, the apparatus comprising
- a) a first component having a first surface and a first channel of diameter d1 in fluid connection with the first surface;
- b) a second component having a second surface, a socket hole with a diameter d2>d1 in fluid connection with the second surface, and a second channel in fluid connection with the socket hole;
- and
- c) a sealing element that fits entirely into the socket hole and that has a smooth outer surface and an axial bore, wherein the sealing element has an outer diameter d3>d1;
- wherein
- i) the sealing element is made of a material with a higher thermal expansion coefficient than that of the material of the second component forming the socket hole;
- and
- ii) when the first component and the second component are securely affixed together at their first and second surfaces, respectively, such that the first channel, the socket hole, and the second channel are all in fluid connection, and the components are heated, the sealing element expands radially against the socket hole and axially against both the socket hole and the first surface of the first component such that the fluid connection between the first channel and the second channel is sealed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.