Patents Examined by Scott W. Cummings
  • Patent number: 5499823
    Abstract: A grommet including a hollow shell, a hollow retaining section, and a hollow member, the shell having a shell opening at a first end and a reduced diameter opening at a second end, and in communication with the retaining section at the second end. There is an insertion hole and a member wall, extending from said insertion hole in a direction away from the first end and toward the second end, which terminates at the inner wall of the shell. The member is in communication with said retaining section. A filler opening is provided in the member wall, and filler walls extend from the member and form a filler inlet in communication with the filler opening. The filler inlet can receive the filler which flows through the filler opening into the member and surrounds at least one elongated, generally cylindrical object located within the member and the retaining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaaki Fukui
  • Patent number: 5499824
    Abstract: A hydrostatic type of fluid seal for use with a rotating shaft within a housing has a compliant face in non-contacting relationship to a hard planar face. The compliant face includes a compliant foundation member having a foil member on one surface thereof. In one embodiment of the invention, the compliance of the foundation member is made to vary with the seal radius, with the stiffest portion of the compliant foundation member being in the region of the inside radius or diameter, and the most yieldable portion being in the region of the outside radius or diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventor: Richard F. Salant
  • Patent number: 5496045
    Abstract: In a brush seal adapted for use in disturbed fluid flow conditions the upstream side-plate is formed of porous material or has foraminate region. In conventional seals disturbed flow can generate a flow adjacent the face of the seal bristle pack which tends to lift bristles away from the second sealing element. Seal leakage is consequently increased. The foraminate or porous upstream side-plate reduces disturbing forces on the bristles by modifying flow patterns to avoid forces which lift the bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Philip J. Millener, Timothy M. Edmunds
  • Patent number: 5494299
    Abstract: A seal construction is provided for sealing a rotating pump shaft against passage of a fluid along its central axis. The seal construction includes front and rear sealing flanges mounted coaxially to and rotatable with the pump shaft. A temperature stabilized chamber is provided adjacent each sealing flange including means for recirculating and cooling fluid disposed therein so as to maintain the fluid between adjacent engaging members at a substantially constant temperature thereby maintaining a flatness of the sealing engagement between the sealing flange surfaces and the engaging members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Evironamics Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Rockwood
  • Patent number: 5492338
    Abstract: In an elastic seal 6 for sealing a part passing through a motor vehicle body opening 3, e.g., a steering gear 2 or a steering column of a motor vehicle, a sealing lip 6 connected to a holding part 8 is designed as a hollow bead 5 whose free end 7 is fixed in a detachable manner to the holding part 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Georg Grafenstein
  • Patent number: 5489104
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement is shown for providing enhanced sealing for the edge of a window pane for the window opening in the upper part of the door of a vehicle body. In the case where the door carries no frame for the window, the sealing arrangement is carried by the frame of the door opening. The sealing arrangement comprises longitudinally extending lips defining a shallow groove between them, and in the base of which groove are formed apertures. When the window pane is in the closed position, suction is applied to the groove through holes in its base, and ensures that the lips are in enhanced sealing and supporting contact with the periphery of the window glass. The lips and the groove are formed in an outside wall of a chamber to which pressure can be applied so as to force the lips towards the window pane. The pressure in the chamber and the suction in the chamber can be controlled in synchronism with the raising and lowering of the window pane and with the opening and closing of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Draftex Industries Limited
    Inventor: Helmut Wolff
  • Patent number: 5487549
    Abstract: In an elastic fluid turbine employing a segmented packing ring mounted in a ring-like stationary holder or diaphragm having upper and lower half-parts which meet at a horizontal joint and circumscribe a rotor to minimize leakage between the components, interfitting butt ends on certain of the packing ring segments at the diaphragm horizontal joint, and cam pins on the diaphragm at the horizontal joint and engageable with slots in said certain of the packing ring segments for accurately positioning the packing ring segments relative to the horizontal joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Demag Delaval Turbomachinery Corp. TurboCare Division
    Inventors: William S. Dalton, Patrick S. Dalton, Richard S. Clark
  • Patent number: 5482299
    Abstract: A water seal plug for use on an electrical connector, improved to cover a sealing surface such that it can be exposed when the plug is used, so as to protect the sealing surface while ensuring superior sealing effect. The water seal plug has the following portions: a cylindrical plug body having a wire passage bore formed therein and an outer peripheral surface serving as a sealing surface; an annular supporting portion connected to the rear end of the plug body; and a cover sleeve which is connected to the rear end of the plug body through the annular supporting portion, the cover sleeve being extended forwardly from the annular supporting portion so as to cover the sealing surface of the plug body. The cover sleeve is able to be unfolded at the annular supporting portion so as to extend rearward thereby to expose the sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Saito
  • Patent number: 5482298
    Abstract: A metal laminate type cylinder head gasket is formed of at least two metal plates for constituting the gasket. The gasket includes a plurality of cylinder bores arranged in a longitudinal direction, a plurality of first holes situated in longitudinal end areas of the gasket, and at least one second hole situated in a longitudinal middle area of the gasket. The gasket also includes a plurality of first grommets situated in and around the first holes, and at least one second grommet situated in and around the second hole. The thickness of the second grommet is thinner than that of the first grommet. Thus, when the gasket is tightened, tightening pressure is concentrated in the longitudinal middle area to thereby reduce deformation of a cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Ishikawa Gasket Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsunekazu Udagawa
  • Patent number: 5482297
    Abstract: A seal element for installation in an annular groove is disclosed. The groove has a mouth, first and second side walls, and a base wall axially extending between the side walls. The side walls extend toward each other as each side wall respectively approaches the mouth to form a dove-tail shape in toroidal cross-section. Within the groove, the first side wall meets the base wall at a generally inwardly rounded surface. The seal element is annularly shaped and has an external seal surface that in toroidal cross-section includes first and second arcual portions and a pair of flashing points. The first arcual portion contacts the side walls and the base wall and partially protrudes through the mouth of the groove. The second arcual portion is complementarily received by a portion of the inwardly rounded surface of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Greene, Tweed of Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Burns, John A. Burke
  • Patent number: 5478091
    Abstract: Disclosed is a new dynamic sealing device and a related remote control cable. The device, made of a thermoplastic polyurethane, has a pair of sealing ridges of differing diameter which bear against a rod moving with respect to the outer cable portion, i.e., the conduit. The outer ridge excludes airborne contaminants and the inner ridge retains a synthetic lubricant. The jacket of the cable core is made of nylon 12 which, like the thermoplastic polyurethane and the lubricant, has PTFE as a constituent. The "gap" between the core and the conduit is decreased compared to corresponding prior art cable and the core jacket thickness is about three times that of corresponding prior art cable. Core column strength is about doubled and the new device and cable exhibit a number of other performance advantages as explained in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: IMO Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Gardner
  • Patent number: 5476269
    Abstract: An end piece or barrel head (1) for an axial slack adjuster is at its outer periphery connected to a barrel (2) of the adjuster and is arranged around a rotatably and axially movable tube (3). The end piece is provided with an internal, circumferential groove (4), connected to the exterior by means of a number of channels (5) opening in the end wall (1') of the end piece for allowing water collected in the groove to freely pass out to the exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: SAB WABCO AB
    Inventor: Uno Karlsson
  • Patent number: 5474307
    Abstract: A piston head assembly has one, two or more grooves to receive piston rings. One or more of the grooves may receive multiple piston rings. A circumferential groove from the bottom of the elastomeric material allows oil pressure to aid in sealing. A novel piston ring employs a circumferential channel facing outwardly with a shorter bottom channel facing outwardly with a shorter bottom channel sidewall. The elastomeric material extends to form a circumferential extension cooperative with a subgroove of the piston ring groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Richard DeBiasse
    Inventors: Richard DeBiasse, Donald J. Altobe
  • Patent number: 5474306
    Abstract: A seal is provided between relatively moving parts 12, 14 and includes plural layers 24 of woven material such as metal, polymer or ceramic materials. The layers are secured to one another and to a first part 22 of the relatively moving first and second parts and extend freely from that first part into engagement with the second part. The woven material layers accommodate shape variations between the parts. In a further form, bristles 38 are disposed between layers of woven material and secured at one end to one part. The free ends of the bristles and the free marginal portion of the woven material project toward the second part in sealing engagement therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Bharat S. Bagepalli, Robert H. Cromer, Osman S. Dinc, James Maynard
  • Patent number: 5474302
    Abstract: An on-site fillable ferrofluidic seal comprises a ferrofluidic seal having at least one ferrofluid conducting channel extending through either the magnet, through one of the pole pieces which sandwich the opposing pole ends of the magnet, or through both the magnet and a pole piece. The conducting channel extends to a location where deposited ferrofluid will be drawn to the gaps between the pole pieces and the shaft. In another embodiment a multi-stage seal is filled by displacing the pole piece/magnet assembly axially relative to the shaft so that each pole piece projection falls halfway axially between two shaft projections. The displacement alters the normal magnetic field pattern to create a substantially uniform magnetic field throughout the pole piece/shaft interface region such that ferrofluid can be drawn through the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Ferrofluidics Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Black, Jr., William B. Mraz
  • Patent number: 5472216
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a valve stem has a primary seal ring with a relatively rigid gland member having an annular base of generally rectangular cross-section and a pair of flexible sealing lips formed in one piece with the base and extending outwardly from one side thereof. The sealing lips define a cavity for an elastomeric expander ring. The expander ring is disposed within the cavity and retained therein by the sealing lips. Each sealing lip has a sealing edge on the outer surface thereof which is pre-loaded against the valve stem and the valve housing when the primary seal ring is installed around the valve stem. Each sealing lip has a flared angle which narrows down to a thickness of between 0.033 and 0.041 inches along the length of the sealing lip between the base and the sealing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Albertson, Vernon R. Bolinder
  • Patent number: 5462291
    Abstract: A spherical annular seal having a through hole in a center thereof and a partially convex spherical surface portion on an outer surface thereof, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the spherical annular seal defining the through hole is reinforced by a reinforcing member formed of a metal mesh, and a uniform lubricating sliding layer of a lubricating composition containing 70 to 90 wt. % of boron nitride and 10 to 30 wt. % of alumina is formed on a surface of the partially convex spherical surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Oiles Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Maeda, Takeshi Furukido, Kousaku Hoshino, Satoru Udo, Masayoshi Izumi
  • Patent number: 5445393
    Abstract: A leak-tight seal is formed by sandwiching a metal gasket between opposing annular ridges surrounding the port to be sealed. The gasket is of metal soft enough to be penetrated by the ridges and includes an annular flange disposed in grooves adjacent the ridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Bostec Engineering
    Inventor: Fred G. Ramberg
  • Patent number: 5439234
    Abstract: A metal gasket of the invention is used for an internal combustion engine formed of a cylinder head and a cylinder block. The gasket is basically formed of one metal plate, and includes a plurality of cylinder bores arranged in a longitudinal direction of the gasket, and a plurality of bolt holes arranged to surround the cylinder bores. Edge support beads are formed on the plate around the cylinder bores located at the lateral side portions to substantially completely support tightening pressure of the bolts applied to the lateral side portions. Thus, deformation of the cylinder head is prevented, and substantially equal tightening pressure can be formed around the entire cylinder bores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Ishikawa Gasket Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsunekazu Udagawa
  • Patent number: 5433453
    Abstract: In a turbine inclusive of: a turbine shaft having a longitudinal axis, a steam pipe, a casing circumadjacent the pipe, the pipe and casing being shiftable in vertical and transverse and axial directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a seal assembly disposed between the pipe and casing and comprising a stack of interdigitated relatively large and small piston rings, each large ring loosely fitting inside the shell during nonoperative conditions and having teeth firmly and sealingly engaging the casing during operative conditions; and having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the casing for expanding at a rate faster than the expansion rate of the casing under a condition of increased temperature, each small ring loosely fitting around the pipe during nonoperative conditions and having teeth firmly and sealingly engaging the pipe during operative conditions; and having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of the pipe for expanding at a rate slower than the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: IMO Industries, Inc. Quabbin Division
    Inventor: William S. Dalton