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US 7,115,317 B2Granted
Flexible non-metallic seals made of non-woven fabric with inserts
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsZhangqing Zhuo, Wei Tong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal has a non-woven fabric folded along lines transverse to the opposite side of the seal and secured by adhesive to fabric strips. The non-woven fabric forms elongated cells with a plurality of the cells receiving inserts to increase seal stiffness. By securing one of these strips to a stationary component of the sealing surfaces, the opposite strip may expand or collapse relative to a movable sealing surface to accommodate excursions of that surface. Multiple layers of cells may be provided in the seals. The inserts may have various cross-sectional configurations including circular, triangular or rhombic and formed of tubes, solid rods or coiled springs.
Claims16
A seal between a first stationary component and second rotating components comprising:
- first and second non-woven fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first stationary component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second rotating component;
- a third non-woven fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third non-woven fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said third non-woven fabric biasing said second layer in a direction towards said second component;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal;
- said third non-woven fabric extending continuously from one side of the seal to an opposite side of the seal with the cells being spaced from one another.
2 more elements
A seal between first and second spaced components comprising:
- first and second fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second component;
- a third fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said third fabric biasing said second layer in a direction towards said second component;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal, the first and second components being stationary and rotatable components, respectively, said first and second layers, said cells and said inserts being disposed generally concentrically about an axis of rotation of the rotatable component.
1 more element
A seal between first and second spaced components comprising:
- first and second fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second component;
- a third fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said third fabric biasing said second layer in a direction towards said second component;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal, said inserts including hollow thin walled plastic tubes.
1 more element
A seal between first and second spaced components comprising:
- first and second fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second component;
- a third fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said third fabric biasing said second layer in a direction towards said second component;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal, said inserts comprising wire coils.
1 more element
A seal between first and second spaced components comprising:
- first and second fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second component;
- a third fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said third fabric biasing said second layer in a direction towards said second component;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal, said inserts comprising solid plastic tubes.
1 more element
A seal between first and second spaced components comprising:
- first and second fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second component;
- a third fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said fabric cells having elongated multiple sides between said layers;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal, said inserts being substantially coextensive in length with the length of said cells, the first and second components being stationary and rotatable components, respectively, said first and second layers, said cells and said inserts being disposed generally concentrically about an axis of rotation of the rotatable component.
1 more element
A seal between first and second spaced components comprising:
- first and second fabric layers spaced from one another with a first layer thereof for securement to the first component and a second layer thereof disposed adjacent the second component;
- a third fabric secured to and between said first and second layers, said third fabric defining a plurality of cells between said first and second layers having major length dimensions extending in directions generally coextensive with said layers of the seal, said fabric cells having elongated multiple sides between said layers;
- and
- inserts extending within a plurality of said cells to provide stiffness to said seal, said inserts being substantially coextensive in length with the length of said cells, said inserts including one of hollow thin walled tubes, wire coils or solid tubes.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.