Patents Examined by Alison K. Pickard
  • Patent number: 7624993
    Abstract: The invention provides a novel dual-membered suctional gasket which has a reliable function to fit and fix the gasket to an object to be sealed, and also provides an effective suction effect and air venting function. For that purpose, the gasket which has a function to prevent fluid from leaking when compressed, comprises an inner sealing member 1 and outer sealing member 2 arranged on a surface perpendicular to a compressing direction; and a plurality of connecting members 3 for connecting and fixing the inner sealing member 1 and the outer sealing member 2 together. Suction cup structures are formed, when a proper amount of air closed between the inner sealing member and the outer sealing member is vented from the inner sealing member, the outer sealing member or the both sealing members by compressing the dual-membered gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignees: Kokoku Intech Co. Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kikuchi, Hirofumi Hino, Masaki Ueno, Masaaki Yamaguchi, Yasuaki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7520511
    Abstract: An O-ring used in a clamp-type joint for a vacuum apparatus, which engages with a concave groove in the outer circumference edge of the center ring and is sandwiched by an outer ring having a U-shaped outer circumference, wherein the radius of the circular arc in the cross-section on the side coming into contact with the outer ring is smaller than the radius of the circular arc in the cross-section on the axial side of the joint. A clamp-type joint for the vacuum apparatus which can exhibit stable sealing performance at a high temperature of 200° C. or more without cracking of the O-ring, as well as an outer ring and O-ring used with the clamp-type joint are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Nichias Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Mori, Kanji Hanashima
  • Patent number: 7510195
    Abstract: A piston ring for use at temperatures above 350° F. at pressures greater than or equal to about 2000 psi, comprising a gap having a gap width about 1.4 to about 2.0 times greater than a thickness of the piston ring; a height about 4.5 to about 6.4 times larger than the thickness, and a leading edge characterized by an arc having a radius of curvature of less than or equal to about 4 times the height. The piston ring may be formed of a material comprising cobalt, chromium, tungsten, and carbon. A gas compressor and method of sealing a piston using the above piston ring is also provided for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshio Usui, Tom Iles, Trung N. Tran
  • Patent number: 7484734
    Abstract: A shaft sealing assembly for static and dynamic axial sealing of a centrally located rotating and movable shaft is provided. The assembly includes at least one first sealing member for sealing said shaft, at least one rotor member-attached to said shaft, and a stator member attached to a housing. A first sealing member is arranged in a recess in said rotor member effectively sealing one side of the assembly from its other side when a pressure difference exists between the media on the two sides of the assembly. Upon rotation of the shaft, the static sealing member is centrifugally moved axially and radially away from its static sealing position and friction between the sealing member and the stator is eliminated. Dynamic sealing is affected by a pressure difference caused by a turbine effect of the rotor member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Huhnseal AB
    Inventor: Göran Anderberg
  • Patent number: 7475882
    Abstract: An air intake manifold gasket has a perforated core of metal including protrusions or tangs extending from a first planar surface and a second planar surface of the core. Joined to each planar surface of the core is an expanded graphite sheet to form a gasket body having planar surfaces. Screen printed to form a bead on peripheral edges of the planar surfaces of the gasket body is a silicone foam rubber material adapted to replace traditional silicone rubber structures used for the same purpose. The silicone foam rubber material includes a foaming agent that causes the material to expand during an oven-curing period. The amount of expansion of the silicone rubber coating is up to three times the thickness of the coating originally applied. As disclosed, the oven cure is for approximately 10 minutes at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Antonini, Thomas E. Staab
  • Patent number: 7467796
    Abstract: A seal is disclosed for use on the tapered section of a roll neck in a rolling mill. The seal comprises a flexible circular seal body having a central axis and at least one radially outwardly extending flange joined by a hinge to an angularly extending lip. The hinge has a reduced thickness as compared to the thicknesses of the flange and the lip, and the lip has converging first and second sides leading to an enlarged rim. The rim has first and second peripheral faces that converge to an outer edge contained in a reference plane parallel to the central axis of the seal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Morgan Construction, Company
    Inventors: Christopher Tones, Peter N. Osgood
  • Patent number: 7464939
    Abstract: A sealing device with a rotation detecting element, capable of detecting rotation even when fluid such as engine oil is an object to be sealed, comprises a stationary side sealing element (seal ring) (12) fixed to the stationary side (3), a rotation side sealing element (slinger) (14) installed on the rotation side (2) and made to be in slidably and hermetically contact with the stationary side sealing element (12), and a to-be-detected disc (15) for rotation detection attached to the rotation side (2) and positioned at the atmosphere side from a sealing and sliding section (S) between the stationary side sealing element (12) and the rotation side sealing element (14), wherein the outer peripheral edge of the to-be-detected disc (15) closely faces in the radial direction the stationary side sealing element (12) side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Matsui
  • Patent number: 7458584
    Abstract: In accordance with the present application, a fluid seal 30 and fluid sealing element 32, which are tolerant of fluid F direction reversals are provided. A sealing element 32 has at least two brush stages 50 to restrict leakage of the fluid F through a gap 38 between a component and a sealing surface. Each brush stage 50 includes a bristle arrangement 44 sandwiched between a back plate 48 and a common mid plate 46. A value allows 70 the fluid F to bypass a bristle arrangement 44 if the fluid pressure P1 or P2 varies between the chambers. Permanent damage to the sealing element 32 is avoided by allowing the higher pressure fluid F to bypass the upstream bristle arrangement 44 and a properly load the downstream bristle arrangement against a back plate 48.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mark E. Addis
  • Patent number: 7448631
    Abstract: In a braiding yarn made of expanded graphite 1, a reinforcing wire member 3 made of a stainless steel wire which is easily plastically deformed, and having a diameter of 0.05 to 0.2 mm is spirally wound around the outer periphery of a twisted expanded graphite base member 2 having a width of 3 mm and a thickness of 0.38 mm, at a narrow pitch P of 0.5 to 5 mm without slack. Alternatively, the reinforcing wire member is wound so as to be embedded in the inner side of and along an edge 4 of an expanded graphite tape which is spirally exposed from the outer surface of the expanded graphite base member 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Pillar Packing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Shimizu, Seiichi Yamashita, Takahisa Ueda, Masaru Fujiwara, Akio Ohtani
  • Patent number: 7445213
    Abstract: A stepped labyrinth seal for a turbomachine, the seal having a stepped portion with a redirecting groove formed thereon to redirect a leakage flow through the gap in substantially a reverse direction and onto a surface of the finger such that the dynamic pressure of the leakage flow is not substantially reduced and the static pressure increased. The cavity formed between adjacent fingers has a flow guiding surface that maintains the dynamic pressure of the flow, thereby keeping the flow at high velocity and low static pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip C. Pelfrey
  • Patent number: 7434814
    Abstract: A waterproof grommet, includes an elastic grommet body which is provided with a flange portion to be mounted to a panel; an annular wall which is provided on a first face of the flange portion; a lip portion which is provided on a second face of the flange portion, the second face being opposed to the first face; an annular reinforcing portion which is provided on the second face of the flange portion, and disposed inwardly of the lip portion; and a plurality of wire-passage tubular portions which are provided on the reinforcing portion through respective flexible portions, and are disposed within the annular wall. Proximal ends of the tubular portions are interconnected at a thick wall through the flexible portions. The reinforcing portion is adapted to be inserted into a panel hole of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichiro Kumakura, Yoshihiko Nakahama, Takanori Kawai
  • Patent number: 7431306
    Abstract: A metallic gasket including a base plate having a convex metal bead formed, by bending the base plate, between a combustion chamber opening and on the outer periphery portion of the base plate, and a first thickness-increased portion formed thicker than the remaining portions of the base plate to provide a difference in thickness, by which a surface pressure is made to concentrate on the first thickness-increased portion to seal a joint between a cylinder head and a cylinder block when the metallic gasket is disposed between the joint surfaces of the cylinder head and the cylinder block and fastened by clamping bolts. An elastic sealing material is fixed to the convex portion of the metal bead and filled in a concave portion on the reverse side of the base plate to form a rubber bead, and the sealing material is deformed under compression in the through-thickness direction in cooperation with the deformation of the metal bead when the gasket is fastened with clamping bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Japan Metal Gasket Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosaku Ueta, Hideo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7419166
    Abstract: A boot includes a major-diameter fastener, a first bellows, a second bellows, a minor-diameter-side bellows, and a minor-diameter fastener. The major-diameter fastener is to be fastened to a mating major-diameter member. The first bellows is disposed continuously from the major-diameter fastener. The second bellows is disposed continuously from the first bellows. The minor-diameter-side bellows is disposed continuously from the second bellows. The minor-diameter fastener is disposed continuously from the minor-diameter-side bellows, and is to be fastened to a mating minor-diameter member. The first bellows exhibits an averaged first axial rigidity. The second bellows exhibits an averaged second axial rigidity. The minor-diameter-side bellows exhibits an averaged third axial rigidity. The averaged first axial rigidity and the averaged third axial rigidity are lower than the averaged second axial rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Inagaki, Katsuhisa Ota
  • Patent number: 7419164
    Abstract: A shaft seal serves to reduce leakage between a rotating shaft and a static shell. The shaft seal includes a plurality of compliant plate members, each having a root and a tip. The compliant plate members are secured to the static shell at their root in facing relation. The tips of the compliant plate members define a sealing ring between the static shell and the rotating shaft. An axial flow resistance member is disposed within the compliant plate members and serves as a barrier to axial leakage flow between the compliant plate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shorya Awtar, Norman Arnold Turnquist
  • Patent number: 7401792
    Abstract: To provide a seal for a conducting element (3) which is positioned eccentrically in a through-hole (2) in a housing wall (1), a proposal is made for a sealing body (8) which can be moved in a radial direction (11) and which can be fixed after assembly of the conducting element (3) by means of a clamping device (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Karl Smirra
  • Patent number: 7398974
    Abstract: A magneto-fluidic seal includes a shaft; a sleeve surrounding the shaft; a housing made of soft magnetic material surrounding the sleeve; a magnet conducting a magnetic flux to the sleeve; and a magnetic fluid in a gap between the sleeve and the shaft, and/or in a gap between the sleeve and the housing. Optionally, the sleeve includes a channel on a longitudinal side, and wherein the magnet is positioned in the channel. The channel can be substantially circular or polyhedral. The magnet is preferably offset from a bottom of the channel, and oriented radially. Preferably, the magnet includes a plurality of segments, or flat plate-shaped magnets, arranged substantially evenly and circumferentially around the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Ferrolabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuri O. Mikhalev, Sergei G. Lysenkov
  • Patent number: 7380797
    Abstract: To provide a wheel support bearing assembly in which the frictional resistance can be effectively reduced while effects of minimizing leakage of the filled lubricant and ingress of dust and muddy water from outside of the bearing assembly are secured, the wheel support bearing assembly includes an outer member 1, an inner member 2 positioned inside the outer member 1 with an annular working space defined between it and the outer member 1, and rows of rolling elements 3 accommodated within the annular working space and rollingly received in part within outer raceways 4 in the outer member 1 and in part within inner raceways 5 in the inner member 2. Opposite open ends of the annular working space are sealed by respective sealing members 7 and 8 which are secured to one of the outer and inner members 1 and 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Sadaji Katogi, Kazunari Yamamoto, Hiedeo Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 7360769
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement, for example between adjacent nozzle guide vane platform segments (2A, 2B) in a gas turbine engine, comprises a seal (12) which extends across a gap (13) between the platform segments (2A, 2B) and engages, at opposite ends, in grooves (8A, 8B). The seal (12) comprises a web element (14) having recesses (20A, 20B) at its opposite edges, which receive sealing elements (16A, 16B). The sealing elements (16A, 16B) may comprise a braided amorphous silica yarn or other filamentary temperature-resistant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: Stephen P. Bennett
  • Patent number: 7354047
    Abstract: A gasket material to be mounted on an engine of a vehicle, including: a metal plate; a film made from silica and a reaction product of an acid component and metal or a metallic compound; and a rubber layer formed on at least one of opposite surfaces of the metal plate through the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Nichias Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Saito, Kenichiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7347424
    Abstract: A dynamic shaft seal assembly has inner and outer cases that are clamped together to secure a seal element therebetween for dynamic sealing about a rotatable shaft. The inner case is formed with integral pull tabs that are engageable by a seal removal tool to facilitate the removal of the seal assembly from a bore in which the seal assembly is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Madigan