Patents Examined by Enoch Peavey
  • Patent number: 6860486
    Abstract: A shaft sealing ring for a shaft comprises a sealing lip made of an elastomeric material or a PTFE compound and dimensioned as to be flaccidly bendable. The flexural elasticity is selected such that it will just be sufficient to press a sealing portion of the sealing lip into sealing engagement with the periphery of the shaft. The sealing portion of the sealing lip engages the periphery for a predetermined length. In the sealing portion, the sealing lip is provided along its circumference, at the side of the shaft, with endless, undulating return channels at least throughout this length. These channels return any medium escaping during rotation of the shaft to the space to be sealed. The return channels do not communicate with the surroundings of the shaft sealing ring. No seperate contact pressure means, such as a helical ring coil spring is required to press the sealing lip into engagement with the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Dichtungstechnik G. Bruss GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gunther Hacker, Rolf Johnen, Wolfgang Schmitt
  • Patent number: 6857634
    Abstract: A blowout preventer assembly 10 includes opposed rams 12, 14, each including a rubber or elastomer sealing assembly 16, 18, with a plurality of inserts 20 forming an array 22 of metal inserts within each sealing assembly. Each insert has an upper body 24, a lower body 26, and a rib 50. Each upper and lower body includes a trailing face 36, a radially outward opposite face 38 and a leading face 40. An antiextrusion ledge 46 minimizes the extrusion gap between the OD of a tubular in the BOP and the leading face of the metal inserts in the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Varco Shaffer, Inc.
    Inventor: Raul Araujo
  • Patent number: 6857636
    Abstract: A shaft sealing ring, comprising an elastic sealing lip which has a sealing edge in engagement with a circumferential surface of a shaft which rotates relative to the shaft sealing ring, further comprising at least two sinusoidally curved helical elements having the same amplitudes and wavelengths which are provided on a sealing lip surface facing the surroundings and serve to convey medium that has escaped to the side of the surroundings back over the sealing edge to the side of the medium of the shaft sealing ring, the helical elements being arranged phase-shifted with respect to each other in circumferential direction and merging tangentially in circumferential direction into the sealing edge is characterized in that the ratio between the wavelength L and the amplitude A of the sinusoidally curved helical elements fulfills the relationship
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Dichtungstechnik G. Bruss GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jesus Bengoa, Antonio Gorrino, Gerd Upper
  • Patent number: 6840518
    Abstract: A brush seal is provided for sealing between a rotating shaft and a housing. The brush seal includes an annular rim or head portion coaxial with the shaft and mounted on the housing, an annular array of bristles extending from the head portion toward the shaft for contact with the shaft at their ends, and an annular bristle support plate extending from the head portion toward the shaft. The support includes voids arranged to accommodate radial deformation in the support due to rubbing contact between the support and the shaft without incurring any substantial accompanying axial deformation which would distort the bristles and cause deterioration of their sealing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Ian William Boston
  • Patent number: 6834862
    Abstract: A sealing system to be inserted into the seal cavity of a rotary mechanical device to provide a seal and a bearing surface to eliminate whip in a rotating shaft. The sealing system includes a split bushing element to allow easy installation over the shaft. The bushing is substantially cylindrical with an inner bore closely approximating the outer diameter of the shaft and includes a groove at the motor end on the outer surface and a corresponding groove on the inner surface to provide a lantern ring. Seal water openings are provided between the outer groove and inner groove of the bushing. Generally, two or three packing rings are added on the motor side to complete the shaft sealing system for installation in the seal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Inventor: Mark R. Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 6827350
    Abstract: A steam gland includes a steam inlet scroll and an extraction scroll axially spaced from one another defining high and low pressure regions. A seal body is disposed between the regions and includes a pair of brush seals axially spaced from one another. Intermediate the brush seals is a honeycomb seal. The hybrid brush seal/honeycomb seal combination minimizes steam leakage between the high and low pressure regions and eliminates the possibility of heat induced damage to the rotor while optimizing seal leakage performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Randolph Walcott, David Leach, Hamid Reza Sarshar
  • Patent number: 6824139
    Abstract: An overmolded diaphragm pump for applying pumping force to a fluid such as liquid ink for ink-jet printing. The pump structure includes a rigid substrate having at least one chamber opening, and an elastomeric diaphragm and sealing structure fabricated of an elastomeric material. This diaphragm and sealing structure is overmolded over a portion of the rigid substrate and includes at least one diaphragm portion extending over a corresponding chamber opening. A gland seal portion makes a seal between the elastomeric diaphragm and sealing structure and a mating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Louis C. Barinaga, Dan D. Dowell
  • Patent number: 6811154
    Abstract: An annular finger seal is adapted to be interposed between a high pressure upstream region and a lower pressure downstream region to provide noncontact sealing along a rotatable member. The finger seal comprises axially juxtaposed downstream and upstream finger elements, each having integrally spaced fingers. The downstream fingers each have a lift pad, whereas the upstream fingers lack a pad. Each pad extends in a downstream direction. Each upstream finger is spaced from the rotating member a greater distance than each pad. Upon sufficient rotational speed of the rotating member, each pad is operative to lift and ride on a thin film of fluid intermediate the rotating member and the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Margaret P. Proctor, Bruce M. Steinetz
  • Patent number: 6808180
    Abstract: A brush seal for sealing between a rotor and a stator of a gas turbine engine includes a housing and a plurality of flexible bristles held within the housing. The bristles protrude from the housing so that a free end of each bristle is able to contact and seal against a seal surface of the rotor. The brush seal further includes a stop member for limiting movement of the free ends of the bristles towards the seal surface of the rotor, in order to reduce wear on the bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Karl W Shore
  • Patent number: 6805359
    Abstract: An expansion ring assembly for sealing a gasket with respect to an annular wall of a rigid structure. The expansion ring assembly includes a drive mechanism for engaging and driving apart the opposing ends of an expansion ring to thereby radially expand the ring. The drive mechanism generally includes a pair of block members having threaded bores therethrough, and a bolt having oppositely-threaded ends which are threaded within respective threaded bores of the block members. The bolt additionally includes tool-receiving structure, such as a nut portion, which may be engaged by a suitable tool to rotate the bolt. The block members are respectively engaged with opposite ends of the expansion ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Press-Seal Gasket Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald W. Neuhaus, James W. Skinner, Michael R. Miller
  • Patent number: 6783129
    Abstract: A seal device (31) for a bearing system (21) is constituted by first and second seal rings (32) and (35). The first seal ring (32) is constituted by a lip seal (33) having a lip portion (33B) in sliding contact with an end face (23B) of a bush (23) which is fitted on a joint shaft (26), and a slide tube (34) having a seal surface (34C) on an end face at an axial end away from the lip portion (33B) which is formed integrally with a tubular body portion (33A) of the lip seal (33). The second seal ring (35) is fixedly fitted in a boss (22) radially on the outer side of the first seal ring (32), and provided with a seal surface (35D) on the inner side of an annular inward collar portion (35C) for sliding contact with the seal surface (34C) of the slide tube (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignees: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Nippon Valqua Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Akita, Ryohei Suzuki, Osamu Gokita, Tatsuo Takamure, Hiromasa Muraki, Noriyuki Ando
  • Patent number: 6779798
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement includes a sealing ring (1) having a sealing lip (3) which is curved forward in the direction of the area to be sealed off (2). The sealing lip (3) is pre-tensioned so as to surround and form a seal around the circumference of the machine element (4) to be sealed off. The sealing lip (3) has, on the side facing radially away from the machine element (4), at least one recess (5). The recess (5) only connects and allows flow between the area to be sealed off (2) and the surrounding area (6) if the sealing ring (1) is incorrectly mounted and the sealing lip (3) is erroneously curved forward in the direction of the surrounding area (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventor: Fabrice Fougerolle
  • Patent number: 6767017
    Abstract: A leaktight coupling between channels formed in two pieces that bear against each other via an intermediate block having at least one duct passing therethrough suitable for putting the respective channels in each of the pieces into communication with one another, the duct forming a housing for an insert provided with beads. The intermediate block has a tubular insert and a sealing device positioned in register with one of the pieces that is to bear against the intermediate block. The beads of the tubular insert are compressed between a shoulder formed in the duct and the other one of the pieces that is to bear against said intermediate block once the intermediate block is mounted between the two pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Hutchinson
    Inventors: René Crapart, Christophe Blouin
  • Patent number: 6711783
    Abstract: An articulating strut capable of assuming an extended in-line and a folded configuration with rigid cylindrical tubing having proximate ends configured to fixably receive an offset hinged insert that provides for folding and unfolding of said strut. When fully unfolded the strut acts as a single rigid structural support member held in the locked position by a bidirectional slidable locking sleeve. The hinged insert has shapes and curved surfaces which together with offset hinge pins tends to expel the sleeve from a pinch possibility at the folding joint. Convex and concave linkage shapes together with rounded surfaces which bear against a rounded sleeve end avoids sleeve pinch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Inventor: John M. LeMole
  • Patent number: 6708985
    Abstract: The ring seal and retainer assembly includes an annularly shaped ring seal defining a radial inner surface, a radial outer surface, first and second axial end surfaces and a central bore for fluid or gas passage. A retainer is provided for affixing and positioning a ring seal in a sealing assembly. The retainer includes a circular sidewall sized and positioned to engage and cover the ring seal's radial outer surface. The retainer further includes a means for affixing the circular sidewall to the ring seal. In a first embodiment, the retainer includes an inwardly projecting ridge for projecting into a groove formed on the ring seal's radial outer surface. In an additional embodiment, the retainer includes a plurality of ridge segments which project into the ring seal's groove. In still an additional embodiment, the circular sidewall includes upper and lower inwardly projecting edges forming a “C” shaped cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Inventor: Michael Doyle
  • Patent number: 6705615
    Abstract: A sealing system for sealing with a generally cylindrical surface 52 of a tubular or another tool 50 includes an annular packer element 10, a wedge ring 60 having a substantially conical outer surface 62 configured to radially expand the packer element, and a positioner 40 for moving one of the packer element and wedge ring relative to the other packer element and wedge ring. The packer element 10 includes an first elastomeric seal body 20 axially supported on a first metal rib 14 extending radially from a metal base 12, and a second seal body 22 axially supported on a second metal rib 16. The second seal body 22 has an elasticity lower than that of the first seal body. According to the method of the invention, the positioner is moved to cause the first seal body 20 to sealingly engage the cylindrical surface, and hydraulic forces due to that sealing engagement then move the packer element to the expanded diameter sealing position, in which the second seal body 22 seals against the cylindrical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Dril-Quip, Inc.
    Inventors: Lionel J. Milberger, Larry E. Reimert
  • Patent number: 6705616
    Abstract: In order to increase in concentration of HC in an exhaust gas due to an axial gap between a ring groove and a piston ring, when an internal combustion engine is at a lower temperature, particularly, during the starting or the low-speed operation of the internal combustion engine in which the moving speed of a piston is lower, a restricting ring having a radially outward tension is inserted in a wedge shape into between axially opposed surfaces of a ring groove and a piston ring so that in a lower-speed operational range of a piston, the axial movement of the piston ring within the ring groove is restricted by the wedging action of the restricting ring, and in a higher-speed operational range of the piston, the wedging action of the restricting ring is removed by a floating force of the piston ring generated with the descending movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriaki Fujii, Kinya Fujii, Kazuyuki Seko
  • Patent number: 6688602
    Abstract: The mechanical seal (3) includes: a rotary side sliding ring (32) which is supported by the large diameter side outer circumferential face (23) of the annular step section (21) of the rotary shaft (2) via the rotary side O-ring (37) and press-fitted into the annular step section (21) by gas pressure in the device; and an unturnable stationary side sliding ring (31) which is fixed onto the seal housing (1) side via the stationary side O-ring (33) being capable of moving in the axial direction and being able to come into close contact with the sliding protrusion (323) of the rotary side sliding ring (32) due to the spring (36) so that the airtightly sealed sliding face S is formed. The rotary side sliding ring (32) is made of self-lubrication sliding material, and the stationary side sliding ring (31) is made of sliding material, the Young's modulus of which is higher than that of the self-lubrication sliding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamada, Takayuki Imai, Yoshiaki Takigahira
  • Patent number: 6688606
    Abstract: The invention refers to gaskets suitable for usage in internal combustion engines. The gaskets according to the invention comprise at least one metal layer, the metal layer having one or several openings in accordance with the number and location of the combustion chambers, and, if present, coolant and lubricant passageways of the internal combustion engine, and a metal ring located around the combustion chamber opening(s), the metal ring being laminated on the metal layer and joined to the latter over a plastic layer. The plastic layer provides the gasket in the region of the metal ring with plastic, plastic/elastic or elastic characteristics. Furthermore the invention refers to a method for manufacturing the gasket according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Reinz-Dichtungs-GmbH CO. KG.
    Inventors: Kurt Hohe, Gunther Unseld
  • Patent number: 6685195
    Abstract: A grommet has a plurality of projecting strip portions provided on an outer peripheral surface of a tapered portion, extending in an axial direction of the tapered portion and being spaced from each other in a circumferential direction. The grommet also has a plurality of grooves on the outer projecting strip portions. The grooves extend in the circumferential direction, and are configured to generate tactile sensation when the grommet is mounted into the through hole of the automobile body panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Uchida, Tsutomu Sakata, Takashi Okuhara