Method of forming large diameter thermoplastic seal
AssigneeSaint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation
InventorsKarthik Vaideeswaran, Jose R. Sousa, Hamid Reza Ghalambor, Sarah L. Clark, Ceyhan Celik, Gary Charles Hildreth, Jr., Helina Joshi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a seal ring includes heating an extruded rod to a temperature above a glass transition temperature. The extruded rod has first and second ends. The method further includes bending the extruded rod into a circular structure while the temperature is above the glass transition temperature, joining the first and second ends of the extruded rod to form a semi-finished ring, and annealing the semi-finished ring.
Claims19
A method of forming a seal ring, the method comprising:
- heating a thermoplastic rod to a temperature above a glass transition temperature, the thermoplastic rod having first and second ends;
- bending the thermoplastic rod into a circular structure while the temperature is above the glass transition temperature;
- joining the first and second ends of the thermoplastic rod to form a semi-finished ring;
- and
- annealing the semi-finished ring, wherein annealing includes ramping the temperature of the semi-finished ring to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature at a rate in a range of 5° C. per hour to 15° C. per hour, maintaining the semi-finished ring at the temperature for a period of at least 2 hours, and cooling the semi-finished ring at a controlled rate in a range of 5° C. per hour to 15° C. per hour.
A method of forming a seal ring, the method comprising:
- heating an extruded rod to a temperature above a glass transition temperature, the extruded rod having first and second ends;
- bending the extruded rod into a circular structure while the temperature is above the glass transition temperature;
- joining the first and second ends of the extruded rod to form a semi-finished ring;
- and
- annealing the semi-finished ring, wherein annealing includes ramping the temperature of the semi-finished ring to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature, maintaining the semi-finished ring at the temperature for a period of at least 6 hours, and cooling the semi-finished ring at a controlled rate in a range of 5° C. per hour to 15° C. per hour.
A method of forming a seal ring, the method comprising:
- heating an extruded rod to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of a material of the extruded rod, the extruded rod having first and second ends;
- bending the extruded rod while the temperature is above the glass transition temperature;
- cooling the bent extrude rod to a temperature below the glass transition temperature;
- melt welding the first and second ends of the extruded rod to form a semi-finished ring;
- and
- annealing the semi-finished ring, wherein annealing includes ramping the temperature of the semi-finished ring to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature, maintaining the semi-finished ring at the temperature for a period of at least 4 hours, and cooling the semi-finished ring at a controlled rate in a range of 5° C. per hour to 15° C. per hour.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.