# US 9,751,244 B2 · Elastomeric gasket for fuel access door of an aircraft wing and a method for making the same

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- Number: US 9,751,244 B2
- Document ID: US9751244B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/085,389
- Filed: 2016-03-30
- Published: 2016-07-21
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-15
- Assignees: The Patent Well LLC
- Applicants: The Patent Well, LLC
- Inventors: Michael Dry; Matt Boyd; Kent Boomer; Jeff Busby
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751244B2

## CPC

- B29C 43/56: Compression moulding under special conditions, e.g. vacuum
- B29C 43/203: {Making multilayered articles}
- B64D 37/32: Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions
- B64D 47/00: Equipment not otherwise provided for
- F16J 15/126: {consisting of additions, e.g. metallic fibres, metallic powders, randomly dispersed in the packing}
- B29C 2043/561: {under vacuum conditions}
- B29K 2075/00: Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- B29K 2305/00: Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement
- B29L 2009/003: {comprising a metal layer}
- B29L 2031/265: {Packings, Gaskets}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

An assembly for use on an aircraft wing having an aircraft skin and a fuel tank, the assembly comprising a metal access door for accessing the fuel tank, a metal retainer ring for engaging the wing and the access door. Fasteners removably couple the access door to the retainer ring. A lip, which may be on the wing surface, is configured to receive a perimeter of the access door when the access door is coupled to the retainer ring. A polyurethane elastomeric gel gasket having a metallic skeleton is configured to lay between the access door and a lip of the metal wing surface. Under compression, the polyurethane will deform and squeeze out the edges and flatten so as to provide metal-to-metal contact between the access door and the lip.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gasket for use with two piece aircraft part assemblies, each of the pieces having generally flat inner facing mating walls and outer perimeters in a pre-compressed state comprising:
a porous, partially open, flexible metallic skeleton being generally tabular in nature, the skeleton having a generally flat upper surface and a generally flat lower surface, an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; and
a pliable, resilient, elastomeric, sticky, substantially air bubble free, coherent, homogeneous, silicon-free polyurethane body, substantially filling the openings of the skeleton and being generally tabular in nature, the body having a generally flat, tacky upper surface, a generally flat, tacky lower surface, an inner perimeter wall, and an outer perimeter wall;
wherein the outer perimeter walls of both the skeleton and the body generally conform to the shape defined by the outer perimeters of the pieces; and
wherein the gasket is adapted to lay between the mating walls of the pieces and receive compression therebetween; and
wherein the skeleton has multiple separate tabular layers with the polyurethane body substantially filling the openings in the multiple layers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the multiple tabular layers are concentric.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The gasket of claim 2, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is woven metal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The gasket of claim 2, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is knitted metal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The gasket of claim 2, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is metallic fabric.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The gasket of claim 2, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is expanded metal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The gasket of claim 2, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is chopped metal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the gasket is in an uncompressed state between about 30 and 100 mil thick.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the gasket is between about 20 and 80 mil thick in a compressed state.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein in the compressed condition the gasket is about 40-80% of its uncompressed thickness.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the pre-compression thickness of the skeleton is between about 15 and 30 mil and wherein the compression thickness of the gasket is at least pre-compression thickness of skeleton.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the multiple layers comprise at least one of the following: woven metal, expanded metal, metallic mesh, or chopped metal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The gasket of claim 12, wherein the at least one layer is comprised of either knitted aluminum or monel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the two pieces are any two aircraft pieces placed under compression.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The gasket of claim 14, wherein the two pieces are an aircraft antenna and the fuselage of an aircraft.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The gasket of claim 14, wherein the two pieces are a light fixture and the fuselage of an aircraft.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the gasket is compressed in a range of about 1500 to about 1900 psi.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the gasket is compressed to a range of about 750 to 950 psi.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the multiple layers form a spiral.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The gasket of claim 19, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is woven metal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The gasket of claim 19, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is knitted metal.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The gasket of claim 19, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is metallic fabric.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The gasket of claim 19, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is expanded metal.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The gasket of claim 19, wherein at least one of the tabular layers is chopped metal.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The gasket of claim 1, wherein the polyurethane body is configured such that, under compression, some of the polyurethane of the polyurethane body squeezes past the skeleton.

### Claim 26

A method of making a gasket for use with a generally flat inner facing mating wall having an outer perimeter of a fuel access door and an opposed generally flat outward facing mating wall having an inner perimeter of a wing of an aircraft, the gasket having a porous, partially open metallic skeleton being generally tabular in nature and generally ring shaped, the skeleton having a generally flat upper surface and a generally flat lower surface, an inner perimeter wall and an outer perimeter wall; and a pliable, resilient, elastomeric, sticky, substantially air bubble free, homogeneous, coherent polyurethane body, substantially filling the openings of the skeleton and being generally tabular in nature, the body being ring shaped having a generally flat, tacky upper surface, a generally flat, tacky lower surface, an inner perimeter wall, and an outer perimeter wall; wherein the inner perimeter walls of both the skeleton and the body generally conform to the shape defined by the inner perimeter of the outward facing wall and wherein the outer perimeter walls of both the skeleton and the body generally conform to the shape defined by the outer perimeter of the fuel access door; and wherein the gasket is adapted to lay between the inner facing mating wall member and the outward facing mating wall member, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a mold in the shape of the skeleton to receive the skeleton therein;
selecting a polyurethane that will cure to form a sticky, pliable, resilient elastomer;
pouring a pre-cured polyurethane mix of the selected polyurethane in the mold to substantially cover the skeleton;
removing any air from the polyurethane mix; and
allowing the polyurethane mix to cure.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the removal step is accomplished with vacuum.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the vacuum is applied to the mold.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the vacuum is applied to a vacuum chamber in which the mold is placed.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the removal step is accomplished with compression.

### Claim 31 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein, prior to the pouring step, the skeleton is subject to compression.

### Claim 32 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the skeleton is knitted.