Patents Assigned to Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8844126
    Abstract: Electrical resistance between a male part and a female part through a canted spring is disclosed using mathematical modeling. Increase or decrease in resistance can be quickly analyzed by looking at the equivalence resistance and the number of contacts at the input side, the output side, or both. The number of contacts may also be created by forming a dimple having a discontinuity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Frederick, Steve Rust
  • Patent number: 8845251
    Abstract: Fastening devices are disclosed herein with variations on how said devices resist loosening or un-fastening from a structure or structures. In some examples, the fastening devices accomplish the removal resistant condition by using a spring component engaging ridged surfaces. The spring component generally consists of a spring ring conveniently coiled to a canting position. One exemplary design is characterized by incorporating a screw element with its head underside surface being ridged and a lock element with a ridged topside surface and engaging the two ridges surfaces. Another exemplary design is characterized by a screw element having a head outer sidewall being ridged for cooperating with a bore having a ridged inner sidewall. The bore can be part of a first body or structure or a lock element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Changsrivong, Hugh Cook
  • Publication number: 20140265139
    Abstract: Sealing assemblies to provide sealing between a shaft and a housing comprising a sealing component comprising a body section as well as an outer flange and an inner flange both extending from said body section; a supporting component receiving said sealing component and comprising a relatively thick inner arm projecting into said sealing component and providing a supporting area spanning an inner portion of said body section and a portion of said inner flange; an anti-extrusion component engaged with said relatively thick inner arm; the minimum clearance between said anti-extrusion component and said shaft being less than the minimum clearance between said relatively thick inner arm and said shaft; said inner flange comprising a sealing area; wherein said sealing assembly is to be received in a cavity in said housing or on said shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Farshid Dilmaghanian, Peter J. Balsells
  • Publication number: 20140259617
    Abstract: A coil spring for use in a cavity, such as in a groove of a pin, a housing, or both. The cavity can also be part of a seal assembly. The coil spring can have a longitudinal component positioned within the plurality of interconnected coils that runs along the spring coil axis in order to increase rigidity of the coil spring. The longitudinal component applies a load against the coil spring and/or provides restriction against the coil spring taking a shape or size different than that of the coil spring retaining groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua Kompa, Farshid Dilmaghanian, Daniel Poon
  • Publication number: 20140219713
    Abstract: Coil springs with a plurality of interconnected coils each being defined by a wire path that results in a coil cross section that, when viewed along the coil axis, has at least two differentiated spaces each confined by the wire. Assemblies using such coil springs are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Peter J. Balsells, Richard Dawson
  • Publication number: 20140210166
    Abstract: The present cartridge seal assemblies pertain to rotary lip-type seals. In certain embodiments, a sealing member is constructed of a relatively hard material that increases the lifespan of the sealing member. The sealing member is energized with a canted-coil spring, which in some embodiments includes an adjustable spring force. The present embodiments enable control of sealing force to achieve an appropriate sealing force between the sealing member and the shaft based on factors such as temperature, pressure, rotary speed, properties of fluid media, etc. to achieve longer seal life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Pete Balsells, Farshid Dilmaghanian, Derek Changsrivong
  • Publication number: 20140179148
    Abstract: A coil spring locking connector offering multiple groove geometries to allow multiple connection positions along the direction of insertion is disclosed. A connector with an external spring access opening is also disclosed formed through the housing wall surface. The opening allows access to the coil spring to allow removal of the spring from the connector prior to removal of the connector from a locked position to prevent potential damage to connector components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Michelle Huang
  • Patent number: 8753153
    Abstract: A canted coil spring includes a plurality of canted coils generally canted relative to a centerline extending through the coils. At least one coil when viewed in the direction of the centerline appears to have a non-elliptical shape and a non-circular shape when the at least one coil is in the unbiased state. The plurality of coils is generally canted at a first coil angle relative to the center line. The at least one coil includes at least one section canted at a second coil angle relative to the centerline. The second coil angle is different from the first coil angle when the at least one coil is in an unbiased state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon Leon
  • Publication number: 20140162487
    Abstract: A connector assembly having a housing and a shaft; at least a groove in the housing or on the shaft; one of the housing and the shaft has a first component and a second component; there being at least a first groove configuration and a second groove configuration resulting from two different relative positions of the first and second components; the first and second groove configurations resulting in a first insertion force and a first removal force of the shaft into and from the housing and a second insertion force and a second removal force of the shaft into and from the housing, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Frederick, Derek Changsrivong, Pere Pla-Junca, Peter J. Balsells, Richard Dawson
  • Publication number: 20140161514
    Abstract: A spring latching connector includes a housing having a bore therethrough, a piston slidably received in said bore, a circular groove formed in one of said bore and piston and a circular coil spring disposed in said groove for latching said piston and housing together. The groove is sized and shaped for controlling, in combination with a spring configuration, disconnect and connect forces of the spring latching connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Peter J. Balsells
  • Patent number: 8735751
    Abstract: A contact assembly is disclosed herein with a spring contact located in a housing wherein a plurality of coils of the spring contact are interconnected with one another and all slanted or canted. The coils further have outside diameters of different outside dimensions, such as one section of the spring contact having a larger outside diameter than the other section or sections of the spring contact. When inside the interior cavity of the housing, the first end and the second end are spaced from one another and wherein some of the plurality of coils do not contact the housing. A pin, rod, or shaft is locatable in a passage of the spring contact of the contact assembly but less than all of the coils of the spring contact grip against the exterior surface of the pin, rod or shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Rust
  • Publication number: 20140131932
    Abstract: Canted coil spring rings each with a first plurality of coils having first coil major and minor axes; a second plurality of coils each having second coil major and minor axes; the coils of the first plurality of coils alternating with the coils of the second plurality of coils according to an alternating pattern. The spring rings having inner and outer perimeters and wherein the inner perimeter of the spring ring is defined by at least said first plurality of coils. The resulting configuration of the spring ring has improved spacing along the inner perimeter, among others, with respect to a similar canted coil spring ring having a constant coil cross section, such as a coil length with all similar coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Peter J. Balsells, Jin Kim
  • Publication number: 20140130329
    Abstract: The present application relates to connectors that uses canted coil springs to retain a pin to a housing. The connectors have increased disconnect to connect force ratios. Dual concentric spring configuration allows for an initial locking configuration that can be overcome with higher force and deflection of the second spring. Dual springs in series in a constrained groove can require a high force for connector disconnect, since force vectors may be in a direction relatively close to being along the spring major axis. A curved groove wall can offer resistance to a spring that is required to slide first into the groove in order to allow disconnect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Changsrivong, Rick Dawson, Jim Sittler
  • Publication number: 20140119819
    Abstract: A progressive release or multi-point engagement device according to aspect of the present disclosure includes a first component and a second component connected to the first component with a canted coil spring. The first component is movable relative to the second component and latch by moving the canted coil spring to a second common groove. Alternatively, a second spring is used to move the second component and relative to a third component. When a second engagement position is desired, a relatively higher a force may be necessary to move the relevant component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Derek Changsrivong, Hugh Cook
  • Patent number: 8690609
    Abstract: A header assembly and method to incorporate electrical contacts and seals into a header are described. The header and method include properly positioning a stack of electrical contact housings and seals or seal assemblies in the header and maintaining the electrical contact housings and the seals in the header with pins inserted in the header from outside the header through axially arranged holes in the header to interface corresponding grooves of the electrical contact housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Poon, James C. Biggs
  • Publication number: 20140094048
    Abstract: An in-line connector is disclosed having a plurality of connector components attached in an in-line configuration with a common bore. Depending on the application, the in-line connector can have an end seal and a holding block for securing the in-line connector to a pin, lead, or shaft. The connector components are arranged so that at least one seal element is located between two adjacent conductive contact elements. To provided added biasing force to a seal lip of the at least one seal element, a seal groove is provided with an energizer located therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Farshid Dilmaghanian
  • Patent number: 8684362
    Abstract: The present cartridge seal assemblies pertain to rotary lip-type seals. In certain embodiments, a sealing member is constructed of a relatively hard material that increases the lifespan of the sealing member. The sealing member is energized with a canted-coil spring, which in some embodiments includes an adjustable spring force. The present embodiments enable control of sealing force to achieve an appropriate sealing force between the sealing member and the shaft based on factors such as temperature, pressure, rotary speed, properties of fluid media, etc. to achieve longer seal life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Pete Balsells, Farshid Dilmaghanian, Derek Changsrivong
  • Publication number: 20140079476
    Abstract: A connector assembly formed by attaching two stamped housing sections to form a connector housing having a housing groove with a groove bottom and two side walls. Using stamped housings reduces manufacturing costs and simplifies assembly, among other things. The connector housings with spring can be used as a mechanical connector and/or as an electrical connector for numerous applications and across numerous industries. The groove geometries can easily be altered using different stamping dies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: BAL SEAL ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Farshid Dilmaghanian, Peter J. Balsells, Majid Ghasiri
  • Patent number: 8590867
    Abstract: A canted coil spring includes a plurality of canted coils generally canted relative to a centerline extending through the coils. At least one coil when viewed in the direction of the centerline appears to have a non-elliptical shape and a non-circular shape when the at least one coil is in the unbiased state. The plurality of coils is generally canted at a first coil angle relative to the center line. The at least one coil includes at least one section canted at a second coil angle relative to the centerline. The second coil angle is different from the first coil angle when the at least one coil is in an unbiased state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon Leon
  • Patent number: 8561274
    Abstract: A connector includes a housing having a bore with a housing groove disposed on an inside surface of the bore with a groove establishing a release angle between a housing groove bottom and a bore inside surface. A retainer defines a spring cavity between a retainer and the release angle and a circular radial canted coil spring is disposed in the spring cavity. A pin having a tapered end and a body diameter sized for sliding engagement with the bore is provided which includes a circumferential groove in the pin body for receiving the coil spring upon insertion of the pin into the bore. A circumferential groove includes a load angle for rotating the coil spring in an orientation in which the major spring axis is parallel to the release angle upon initial withdrawal of the pin from the bore. The coil is further compressed along the spring minor axis and expands radially upon continued withdrawal of the pin from the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Balsells