Patents Examined by Alison Pickard
  • Patent number: 8292303
    Abstract: A manifold gasket assembly includes a steel carrier fabricated with a plurality of air intake openings. Rubber material is molded to the carrier body to provide a seal about the openings when the gasket assembly is clamped between a cylinder head and intake manifold. Pushrod guides are provided on the carrier body and are fabricated of a material different than that of the carrier body, namely the same material as that used to form the elastomeric sealing beads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Roberts, Gerald Rosenquist, Joseph Hermanson
  • Patent number: 8251373
    Abstract: The performance and durability of static and dynamic seals for hydrogen storage and supply systems has been improved by utilizing a spring-energized and plastic coated radial seal in combination with at least a mating surface that has been treated by one of a variety of procedures. These procedures include applying to the mating surface a low-friction, hard, and hydrogen impervious coating, chemically polishing the mating surface, and electrochemically polishing the mating surface. Each of these procedures significantly reduces, on a microscopic scale, the surface roughness of the mating surface. The seal can thus form a tighter and more gas-tight seal with the smoother mating surface so as to decrease the loss of hydrogen gas across the seal. The smoother mating surface can also improve seal life by reducing seal surface wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Leonid C. Lev, Dimitri A. Podorashi, Michael J. Lukitsch, Thorsten Michler, Xingcheng Xiao
  • Patent number: 8246056
    Abstract: A seal intended to be inserted between a first and a second member, the seal including: two contact portions spaced from each other along a spacing direction, respectively intended to contact in a tight manner the first and second members, the contact portions being made of a first alloy displaying superplasticity properties under predetermined stress conditions including predetermined temperature conditions, the contact portions being supported by a support arranged therebetween, produced so as to display, under the predetermined temperature conditions, a greater mechanical compression resistance in the spacing direction than that of the contact portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Magali Reytier, Raphaël Couturier, Olivier Gillia, Emmanuel Rigal
  • Patent number: 8240673
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new kind of a mechanical seal, a so called slide ring seal, which is used, for example, for sealing a shaft space of a centrifugal pump in relation to a pumping space thereof. The present invention especially relates both to centering said mechanical seal and/or fastening said mechanical seal to the casing of said centrifugal pump and a body part used for the attachment. A characterizing feature of a mechanical seal in accordance with the present invention, comprising at least one rotary slide ring unit (24, 24?, 24?), a body part by means of which said seal is attached to said casing (16), and at least one either separate counter ring unit (42, 42?) or a counter ring unit (42, 42?) stationarily attached to said body part, is that said body part (40, 40?) is provided with inclined fastening means (52), by means of which the body part (40, 40?) is tightened to the casing both axially and radially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sulzer Pumpen AG
    Inventor: Heikki Manninen
  • Patent number: 8240678
    Abstract: Provided is a connecting structure in which it is difficult for a crack to occur, even if a connection location is set in a portion on which concentrated tensile stress may occur. Laminated metal plates are concurrently punched out downward in shape of tongue piece. A depth of punch-out is not smaller than a total thickness of the laminated metal plates. A tongue piece portion is punched out in shape of cantilever beam while a central connection portion is left behind. The tongue piece portion is bent downward in the out-of-plane direction at a connection portion linking to the central connection portion in order that a location of the tongue piece portion in the extension direction on its way is parallel to a bend line. The tongue piece portion is configured to widen in width gradually toward a front end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Japan Metal Gasket Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kosaku Ueta
  • Patent number: 8235392
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing arrangement for a non-hermetic seal of a gap (11) between a stator and a rotor with a brush seal (13), wherein the brush seal (13) has a bristle package (14) with several bristles (15), the bristles are wound about a core element (16) and fixed to the core element (16), wherein the brush seal (13) is disposed at least sectionally in an accommodating space, which is bounded by a supporting element (18) and a covering element (19), and wherein the bristles (15) have sealing bristle sections (21), which are at an angle to the bristle shafts (20) and the ends of which run against a sealing surface (22) of the rotor (12). According to the invention, the covering element (19) has a support surface (23) at an end adjacent to the sealing bristle sections (21), wherein the supporting surface (23) contacts the bristle shafts (20) in a defined, locally limited region, so that the radial mobility of the sealing bristle sections (21) is limited in the direction of the rotor (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Alfons Gail, Wilhelm Gräbeldinger, Alexander Rauschmeier
  • Patent number: 8235393
    Abstract: A piston ring having a base body, which comprises a running surface provided with at least one chamber, an upper and a lower flank surface, and an inner circumferential surface, wherein the running surface is provided with at least one PVD layer such that the same is adjusted to the contour of the running surface without completely filling the chamber, wherein the respective edge region is provided with a layer thickness, b that is reduced compared to the layer thickness, a of the chamber as a function of the configuration of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Hans-Rainer Brillert
  • Patent number: 8231128
    Abstract: An integral seal and sealant package includes a prefabricated seal element having multiple surfaces; a high-temperature sealant composition engaged with one or more of the multiple surfaces; and a backer material enclosing the prefabricated seal element and the high-temperature sealant composition. The backer material has composition permitting the backer material to be installed with the seal element and the sealant composition between adjacent components to be sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Victor John Morgan, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Patent number: 8226089
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a tubular member having a longitudinal axis and a tubular member seal profile. A metal seal ring having a proximal base and a distal end has a seal ring seal profile between the proximal base and distal end that contacts the tubular member seal profile. A distal annular recess is in one of the seal profiles, the distal annular recess being spaced axially from the distal end of the seal ring, defining a seal surface between the distal end of the seal ring and the distal annular recess that engages a seal surface of the tubular member seal profile. The contacting portions of the seal surfaces form a metal-to-metal seal area. A proximal annular recess in one of the seal profiles is spaced axially from the distal annular recess, defining a support area axially spaced from the metal-to-metal seal area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph W. Pallini, Jr., Rockford D. Lyle, Chii Ren Lin
  • Patent number: 8226088
    Abstract: To prevent premature wear and damage of elastic rings caused by fine grained soil, floating rings 22, 24 are supported by corresponding housings 20, 21 through associated elastic rings 23, 25. The elasticity of the elastic rings causes the floating rings 22, 24 to contact each other. When the housings rotate relative to each other, the floating rings 22, 24 slide with respect to each other. An elastic layer 28, 29 is arranged on a contact surface of a portion of a contact surface of each floating ring 22, 24 or a contact surface of each housing 20, 21 with respect to the corresponding elastic ring located closer to an opposing portion 22a, 24a of the floating ring 22, 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Komatsu, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Kometani
  • Patent number: 8220802
    Abstract: A leaf seal for sealing a shaft rotating about an axis, in particular in a gas turbine, includes a plurality of spaced-apart leaves arranged in a concentric circle around the axis and fixed in position by brazing, the leaves having surfaces oriented essentially parallel to the axis. The leaves are brazed to one another via intermediate spacers made of a brazing foil, so that a brazed joint is produced by brazing alloy from the brazing foils. The brazing temperature may be set to an optimum value just above the solidus temperature of the brazing foil, at which partial melting of the brazing foil occurs and penetration of liquid brazing alloy into the gap between the leaves is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Nigel Anthony Rhodes, Matthias Hoebel, Walter Brehm, Alexander Schnell
  • Patent number: 8220803
    Abstract: To improve durability of a seal lip (4) of an oil seal (1) in slidably contact with the peripheral surface of a shaft (23), a lubricating oil supply section (11) for collecting adhered oil and dropping it on the shaft (23) is provided at a forward end portion of an installation section (2), the lubricating oil supply section (11) has projections (12) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the installation section (2) to collect oil on the surface thereof, the surface of each projection (12) has a recess (13) for temporarily accumulating oil, guidance projections, or a slope for collecting the oil, and dams are formed on a forward end face (2a) of the installation section (2) to block the oil flowing down along the circumferential direction on the forward end face (2a) and guides the oil toward each projection (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Takehiro Nakagawa, Masayuki Tanida, Hideharu Hyakutake, Hiroki Matsui, Hideyuki Furuyama, Go Kanzaki, Shinya Takeda, Kei Sasaki, Akira Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8215646
    Abstract: A sealing assembly for a shaft includes a sealing component, a first ring, a second ring, and at least one energizer. The first ring is annularly disposed about the shaft, the first ring having at least one first protuberance interfittable with the sealing component. The second ring is annularly disposed about the shaft in facing opposition to the first ring, the second ring having at least one second protuberance interfittable with the sealing component. The at least one energizer energizes the seal component, the at least one energizer being adjacent the at least one first protuberance or the at least one second protuberance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventors: Larry J. Castleman, Gregory D. Jones, Brian Bowen
  • Patent number: 8210544
    Abstract: Apparatus for preventing incorrect installation of machinery components together includes a tab, pin and pin-receiving hole. The tab on the seal plate protrudes angularly from its periphery and laterally beyond it so as to prevent incorrect installation of two seal plates together in a faulty sealing relationship with machinery components by their tabs making interfering contact with one another producing a visible gap between the two seal plates. The pin is mounted on and protrudes axially from a surface of one machinery component facing the seal plate and prevents incorrect installation of the machinery components together in a faulty sealing relationship without the seal plate between them by the pin contacting the surface of the other machinery component and producing a gap between the machinery components. The hole extends through the seal plate to receive the pin within it when one seal plate is correctly installed between the machinery components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Waddell, Ed Down, William Scherzinger
  • Patent number: 8196934
    Abstract: A slider seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a housing, a seal plate moveable relative to the housing and a retaining ring. The housing includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and a recessed opening between the outer surface and the inner surface. The seal plate is received within the recessed opening. The inner surface of the housing includes a curved portion which is curved in an outward direction toward the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Logan H. Do
  • Patent number: 8191901
    Abstract: A thin flange, for use with a vacuum system, includes a member having a diameter and a thickness. The member has a first face having a first sealing surface. The member has a second face opposed and substantially parallel to the first face. The second face has a second sealing surface. The thickness of the member is less than previously attained. In some designs, the thickness of the member is less than 0.28 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Kimball Physics, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles K. Crawford
  • Patent number: 8186685
    Abstract: An annular sealing element to seal between metal surfaces for use in flanges, joints, packers and the like, located in oil and gas exploration and production equipment. The sealing element has inner and outer metal deformable surfaces joined at ends, defining an interior volume which is entirely filled with a plastic deformable material. The surfaces are arranged such that on compression of the element from the ends, the element will deform in a controlled manner on a cantilever principle. The volume of filler and the interior volume remain substantially equal during compression so that delamination does not occur. Thus the sealing element provides a seal combining the flexibility of elastomer seals with the integrity of a metal to metal seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Caledyne Limited
    Inventors: David Martin, Ewan Sinclair
  • Patent number: 8181971
    Abstract: A sealing ring has a sealing element with at least one fastening part and at least one sealing part provided with a sealing edge. The sealing element is essentially of rotational symmetry. The sealing edge, at least over a portion of a circumference thereof, is positioned in a slanted position relative to a seal axis at an angle different from a 90 degree angle, viewed in a projection onto an axial plane of the sealing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: KACO GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus-Jürgen Uhrner, Herbert Gust
  • Patent number: 8181965
    Abstract: The present invention relates to replaceable brush seal assemblies for use with turbines such as industrial gas turbines. In accordance with the present invention, a brush seal assembly comprises a flange, a brush seal mounted to the flange, and retainers preventing rotation of the brush seal relative to the flange. A method of repairing a brush seal having a back plate, side plate, and bristles is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of removing the side plate and the bristles from the back plate, and securing a second brush seal to the back plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mark E. Addis
  • Patent number: 8177239
    Abstract: In order to make an elastomeric sealing element available which is also suitable, in particular, for sealing tasks, with which the highest thermal and chemical resistance is partially required, and at the same time to save on costs and resources it is suggested that the elastomeric sealing element comprise a first and a second sealing section, wherein the first sealing section is produced with the use of a first elastomeric material containing a first cross-linking system, wherein the second sealing section is produced with the use of a second elastomeric material containing a second cross-linking system, wherein the first and the second sealing sections border directly on one another in a seam area and their elastomeric materials are materially joined to one another, and wherein at least one of the two cross-linking systems comprises, in addition, a cross-linking agent for the respectively other elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventor: Roy Hornig