Plastic sleeve and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorJon W. Martin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention resides in a boot seal for use in sealing a joint. The joint comprises first and second relatively movable parts. The boot seal is configured in the form of a sleeve to extend between and around the vehicle relatively movable parts. The sleeve has a laminate wall which comprises at least two layers of thermoplastic elastomeric material which are bonded together. At least one of the layers is a stretch-toughenable polyester thermoplastic elastomer which has been diametrically stretched in an amount effective to increase the toughness of said one layer. The laminate wall has a percent elongation to rupture of at least 100, and a flexural modulus which is less than 100,000 psi. The laminate wall preferably has a puncture resistance of at least 50 Newtons/mm wall thickness.
Claims22
A boot seal for use in sealing a joint including first and second relatively movable parts, said boot seal comprising:
- a sleeve configured to extend between and around said first and second relatively movable parts and having a laminate wall comprising at least two layers of plastic material which are bonded together;
- at least one of said layers being a stretched-toughenable polyester thermoplastic elastomer which has been diametrically stretched an amount effective to increase the toughness of said at least one of said layers;
- said laminate wall having a percent elongation to rupture of at least 100 and a flexural modulus less than 100,000 psi.
A boot seal for use in sealing a joint including first and second relatively movable parts, said boot seal comprising:
- a hollow sleeve configured to extend between and around said first and second relatively movable parts and having a laminate wall comprising at least two layers of plastic material which are bonded together;
- at least one of said layers being a stretched-toughenable polyester thermoplastic elastomer which has been diametrically stretched an amount effective to increase the toughness of said one layer;
- said sleeve wall having a percent elongation to rupture of at least 100 and flexural modulus less than 100,000 psi;
- said diametrical stretching being performed by co-extrusion of coaxial layers of plastic continuously into a mold cavity defined by a moving series of molds.
An apparatus comprising:
- a sleeve having a laminate wall comprising at least two layers of plastic material which are bonded together;
- and
- at least one of said layers being stretch toughenable polyester thermoplastic elastomer which has been diametrically stretched an amount effective to increase the toughness of said layer;
- said laminate wall having a percent elongation to rupture of at least 100 and a flexural modulus less than 100,000 psi.
An apparatus comprising:
- a hollow sleeve having a laminate wall comprising at least two layers of plastic material which are bonded together;
- at least one of said layers being a stretch toughenable polyester thermoplastic elastomer which has been diametrically stretched an amount effective to increase the toughness of said one layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.