Low stress to seal gasket
AssigneesW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc., Japan Gore-Tex, Inc.
InventorsRaymond Bryant Minor, Kevin Edward Dove, Ronald G. Egres, Jr., Alexander Riedl, Hirokazu Hisano, David John Mills
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multilayer, unitary gasket including at least one inner layer of expanded PTFE disposed between a first substantially air impermeable outer layer and a second substantially air impermeable outer layer, and a substantially air impermeable region bridging the first and second substantially air impermeable layers. The inventive gasket forms a substantially air impermeable seal when compressed at low stress.
Claims37
A multilayer gasket comprising:
- at least one inner layer of expanded PTFE disposed between a first substantially air impermeable outer layer and
- a second substantially air impermeable outer layer, and
- a substantially air impermeable region bridging said first and second substantially air impermeable layers,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
A multilayer gasket comprising
- an annular ring having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inside edge, an outside edge and an axis;
- a first substantially air impermeable layer disposed on said top surface;
- a second substantially air impermeable layer disposed on said bottom surface;
- at least one layer of expanded PTFE disposed between said first and second substantially air impermeable layers;
- and
- a substantially air impermeable region bridging said first and second substantially air impermeable layers;
- wherein all of said layers are oriented substantially perpendicular to said axis,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
An annular gasket having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface comprising:
- a first chamber of expanded PTFE disposed adjacent to said inner perimeter having a first air impermeable top layer on said top surface and a first air impermeable bottom layer on said bottom surface;
- a second chamber of expanded PTFE disposed adjacent to said outer perimeter having a second air impermeable top layer on said top surface and a second air impermeable bottom layer on said bottom surface;
- a substantially air impermeable region disposed between said first and second chambers,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
An annular gasket having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface comprising:
- a first chamber of expanded PTFE disposed adjacent to the inner perimeter having a first top portion on the top surface and a first bottom portion on the bottom surface, wherein said first top portion and said first bottom portion are less permeable to air than said expanded PTFE of said first chamber;
- a second chamber of expanded PTFE disposed adjacent to the outer perimeter having a second top portion on the top surface and a second bottom portion on the bottom surface, wherein said second top portion and said second bottom portion are less permeable to air than said expanded PTFE of said second chamber;
- and
- a region disposed between said first and second chambers, said region being less permeable to air than the expanded PTFE of the first and second chambers,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
An annular gasket having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface comprising:
- a first chamber of expanded PTFE disposed adjacent to the inner perimeter having a first top barrier on the top surface and a first bottom barrier on the bottom surface;
- a second chamber of expanded PTFE disposed adjacent to the outer perimeter having a second top barrier on the top surface and a second bottom barrier on the bottom surface;
- a barrier disposed between and connecting said first and second chambers.
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
An annular gasket having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface comprising:
- a chamber of expanded PTFE having a top portion on the top surface and a bottom portion on the bottom surface, wherein said top portion and said bottom portion are less permeable to air than said expanded PTFE of said chamber;
- a region disposed along said inner perimeter between said top portion and said bottom portion with said region having tight contact with said chamber of expanded PTFE, said region being less permeable to air than the expanded PTFE of the chamber,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
An annular gasket having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface comprising:
- a chamber of expanded PTFE having a top portion on the top surface and a bottom portion on the bottom surface, wherein said top portion and said bottom portion are less permeable to air than said expanded PTFE of said chamber;
- a region disposed along said outer perimeter between said top portion and said bottom portion with said region having tight contact with said chamber of expanded PTFE, said region being less permeable to air than the expanded PTFE of the chamber,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
An annular gasket having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface comprising:
- a first chamber of expanded PTFE having a first top portion on the top surface and a first bottom portion on the bottom surface, wherein said first top portion and said first bottom portion are less permeable to air than said expanded PTFE of said first chamber;
- a second chamber of expanded PTFE having a second top portion on the top surface and a second bottom portion on the bottom surface, wherein said second top portion and said second bottom portion are less permeable to air than said expanded PTFE of said second chamber;
- and
- a region disposed between said first and second chambers, said region being less permeable to air than the expanded PTFE of the first and second chambers,
- wherein said gasket is a unitary article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.