Controlled release of antifoam additives from compounded rubber
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsThomas J. Chapaton, Reuben Sarkar, Marie-Christine G. Jones, Brent D. Calcut
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rubber composition contains an antifoam compound that leaches out of the rubber composition when placed in contact with a functional fluid. The antifoam compound is delivered into a functional fluid such as an automatic transmission fluid or an engine oil by contacting the functional fluid with the rubber composition. In addition to the antifoam compound, the rubber composition contains one or more elastomers, which may be selected from a wide variety of natural or synthetic rubbers. In a preferred embodiment, the elastomer comprises a high temperature elastomer such as acrylic elastomer and ethylene acrylic elastomer.
Claims27
A method for delivering an antifoam compound into a functional fluid, comprising contacting the functional fluid with a rubber composition, wherein the rubber composition comprises a compounded rubber that comprises an elastomer and further comprises an antifoam compound that leaches into the functional fluid upon contact of the rubber composition with the fluid.
A method for delivering an antifoam compound into an automatic transmission fluid in the sump of an automatic transmission, comprising:
- installing a rubber composition into the transmission sump;
- and
- adding an automatic transmission fluid to the sump to contact the rubber composition;
- wherein the rubber composition comprises:
- one or more elastomers selected from the group consisting of natural rubber and synthetic rubber;
- and
- an antifoam compound that leaches out of the rubber composition when placed in contact with the transmission fluid.
A method for delivering an antifoam compound into an engine oil in the sump of an engine, comprising:
- installing a rubber composition into the engine sump;
- and
- adding an engine oil to the sump to contact the rubber composition,
- wherein the rubber composition comprises:
- one or more elastomers selected from the group consisting of natural rubber and synthetic rubber;
- and
- an antifoam compound that leaches out of the rubber composition when placed in contact with the transmission fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.