Patents Examined by Alison K. Pickard
  • Patent number: 7905493
    Abstract: A process fluid handling device is provided in an electrochemical cell system having a sealing system assembly between a process fluid compartment and a drive compartment of the fluid handling device. The sealing system comprises a double seal configuration forming an interconnection compartment which is supplied with barrier fluid. The present invention provides isolation of pressurized process fluids from the drive compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Inventor: Ralph Hobmeyr
  • Patent number: 7905498
    Abstract: A gasket for creating a seal between two surfaces. The gasket may include a pervious base sheet and a permeating material applied to or incorporated into the base sheet. The gasket is formed by various methods disclosed herein. The gasket may include a base sheet, a primary sealing material covering the base sheet, and a secondary sealing material covering the primary sealing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Interface Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Dempsey, Jeffery Barrall, EvAnn Rempala, Jinfeng Zhuang
  • Patent number: 7900933
    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: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Tones, Peter N. Osgood
  • Patent number: 7891671
    Abstract: A panel assembly of the kind found in the air intake of a gas turbine engine or a fan duct is designed to be demountable for maintenance purposes. Consequently there exists between the panels a gap to be sealed. Thus, the assembly has a deformable seal for such a purpose and has an elongated, hollow resilient member mounted on a flange at the edge of one of the panels and arranged to be pressed against a flange at the confronting edge of the adjacent panel. The flanges are shaped such that the hollow member when pressed between the flanges effectively seals the gap between the panels and a portion of the seal member lies flush between the panel edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Peter Allford
  • Patent number: 7871078
    Abstract: A piston ring includes a running surface having a running surface profile, and an upper flank surface and a lower flank surface. At least the running surface is provided with a vapor-deposited layer such that part of the running surface is provided with a removable cover enabling an essentially sharp-edged running edge to be formed between the running surface and at least one of the flank surfaces, once the vapor-deposited layer has been produced and the cover has been removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Fischer, Christian Herbst-Dederichs
  • Patent number: 7857322
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing ring having at least eight sealing edges. Sealing rings, such as O-ring seals, are generally known. These universal sealing rings can be used for statically or dynamically sealing machine elements. They have the advantage of being suited for a wide variety of possible applications, and of being simple and cost-effective to manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventor: Roland Fietz
  • Patent number: 7857320
    Abstract: A bearing isolator seal is used to seal the space between the housing and the rotating shaft to prevent contaminants such as abrasive particles, moisture, and corrosive media from entering the bearing. The preferred embodiment consists of a stationary retainer ring with a groove for an O-ring adjacent to a bearing housing, a rotating mating ring with a groove for a second O-ring adjacent to a rotating shaft, and a floating ring made of a material with a low coefficient of friction and a low elastic modulus. The cross-section of the floating ring can be Z-shaped, U-shaped, or V-shaped. A C-shaped locking ring is used as an aid to assemble the aforementioned seal components into a module and is subsequently removed after the seal is installed. Contaminants are stopped at both ends of the floating ring as well as at the O-rings by their spring action. The seal is also designed to release pressure built up in the bearing lubricating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Inventor: Ming S. Chang
  • Patent number: 7854433
    Abstract: A dynamic shaft seal assembly is provided including a dynamic seal for engaging a rotary shaft. The dynamic seal includes a base portion that is mounted within a casing and has an axially extending barrel portion extending from a radially inner end of the base portion. The axially extending barrel portion terminates in a radially extending leg portion which extends inwardly from an end of the axially extending portion. A generally conically shaped seal portion extends from an end of the radially extending portion and the seal portion includes a radially inner face engaging the shaft and a radially outer face having a stiffening bead integrally formed thereon. The stiffening bead reduces the seal's propensity for “bell mouthing” while the axially extending barrel portion provides improved shaft followability for the dynamic seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventor: Alexander Berdichevsky
  • Patent number: 7854432
    Abstract: A dynamic shaft seal assembly is provided including a dynamic seal for engaging a rotary shaft. The dynamic seal includes a base portion that is mounted within a casing and has an axially extending barrel portion extending from a radially inner end of the base portion. The axially extending barrel portion terminates in a radially extending leg portion which extends inwardly from an end of the axially extending portion. A generally conically shaped seal portion extends from an end of the radially extending portion and the seal portion includes a radially inner face engaging the shaft and a radially outer face having a stiffening bead integrally formed thereon. The stiffening bead reduces the seal's propensity for “bell mouthing” while the axially extending barrel portion provides improved shaft followability for the dynamic seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventor: Alexander Berdichevsky
  • Patent number: 7850173
    Abstract: A repairable labyrinth seal of a gas turbine engine comprises at least one fin having a base with a thickness and a tip portion extending therefrom. A shoulder distinguishes the base from the tip portion. The shoulder defines a machining site suitable for receiving a welded replacement piece for shaping a new tapered tip portion following removal of a worn tapered tip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Richard Ivakitch
  • Patent number: 7845649
    Abstract: A method and apparatus facilitates coupling a pressure vessel first mating surface to a second mating surface. The method comprises inserting a seal assembly into a groove defined in the first mating surfaces such that a portion of the seal assembly extends outwardly from the first mating surface, positioning the second mating surface in close proximity to the first mating surface such that the portion of the seal assembly extending outwardly from the first mating surface is received within a groove defined in the second mating surface, and such that the seal assembly facilitates reducing fluid leakage between the first and second mating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark W. Kowalczyk
  • Patent number: 7841600
    Abstract: A seal member seals a gap between upper and lower cover members of an engine cover of an outboard motor. The seal member includes a supporting portion and a sealing portion integral with the supporting portion. The supporting portion has such a high spring modulus that the supporting portion is not plastically deformed with a load is applied to the supporting portion when the upper cover member is locked to the lower cover member. The sealing portion is hollow and has such a small spring modulus that the sealing portion can readily flex into close contact with the upper and lower cover members so as to provide an improved seal between the upper and lower cover members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Kitsu, Makoto Yazaki
  • Patent number: 7832736
    Abstract: A gasket commonly used for a plural kinds of objective members to be sealed, the objective members having the same outer shapes and differently figured plural bores to be sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Uchiyama Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takahashi, Atsushi Sato
  • Patent number: 7832737
    Abstract: Multi-layer seals are provided that find advantageous use for reducing leakage of gases between adjacent components of electrochemical devices. Multi-layer seals of the invention include a gasket body defining first and second opposing surfaces and a compliant interlayer positioned adjacent each of the first and second surfaces. Also provided are methods for making and using the multi-layer seals, and electrochemical devices including said seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Yeong-Shyung Chou, Kerry D. Meinhardt, Jeffry W. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 7832735
    Abstract: A fluid seal assembly including a specialized protective filter unit which is adapted for use with a fluid seal, as well as to the combination of a protective filter unit with an associated seal unit to form a complete seal assembly. The seal provides increased reliability, particularly in those specialized seals wherein high internal pressure and the possibility of particulate contaminants are present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: SKF USA Inc.
    Inventor: Alex Paykin
  • Patent number: 7828297
    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 disposed in a concentric circle around the axis and fixed in position. Each of the leaves includes a surface oriented essentially parallel to the axis and an integrally formed element configured to position and retain the leaves in the leaf seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthias Hoebel, Nigel Anthony Rhodes, Ian James Summerside
  • Patent number: 7828300
    Abstract: To stabilize frictional force to the reciprocating shaft without affecting sealing ability, a sealing device for a reciprocating shaft comprises a main lip 11, a whole periphery of which slidably and tightly contacts with an outer peripheral surface of a shaft 2 reciprocating in the axial direction; and a frictional lip 13, which extends to the sealed space A side from the main lip 11 and slidably and tightly contacts with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 2 in the state of permitting circulation of sealed fluid, whereby the frictional force of the frictional lip 13 is not varied by pressure of the sealed fluid, while frictional force of the main lip 11 to the shaft 2 is varied by the pressure, the sliding surface is lubricated with the sealed fluid, and reduction of the frictional force by abrasion can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Shinobu Munekata
  • Patent number: 7823888
    Abstract: A gasket having a cross sectional shape longer than it is wide and is prevented from falling over and buckling. The gasket is installed in an installation groove formed in either of two opposite surfaces and having a cross sectional shape that is longer in the depth direction of the groove than it is wide. The gasket has a meandering section meandering in the width direction of the installation groove and also has a rib provided projecting from the inner periphery and/or the outer periphery of the meandering section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Eizo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7823887
    Abstract: In a casing of a rotary machine, cast components are sealingly mounted together by means of seals accommodated in (semi-) enclosed cavities. A ring seal includes an annular base and an annular skirt extending axially from the base. To ameliorate manufacturing tolerances, the seal defines circumferentially spaced, intermittent cavities to allow seal material to be deformed into the cavities as required. Land areas between cavities have cross-sectional surfaces increasing progressively from a free surface of small area to cause compressive force required for deformation to increase exponentially with an exponent larger than 1. The cavities may be peripherally spaced, being open at a radially outer surface of the seal. The seal may be of elastic material which may be incompressible. The skirt may taper away from the base. The base may have a projecting sealing lip. The skirt may have, at a free end, a slanted, peripheral lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Weir-Envirotech (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventor: Siegfried Geldenhuys
  • Patent number: RE42061
    Abstract: A sealing device for sealing off an opening between a shaft and a grease-lubricated split bearing housing comprises two halves divided by a diametrical cut and each having a main body arranged in a circumferential groove in the bearing housing opening. The sealing device is provided with sealing lips spaced apart from each other and forming an intermediate grease reservoir, and reinforcing portions arranged between the main seal body and the sealing lips to facilitate sealing engagement between the sealing lips and a shaft when an upper bearing housing half arranged with the upper seal half is mounted onto the shaft while the shaft is resting in a lower bearing housing half arranged with the lower seal half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: SKF Mekan AB
    Inventors: Henrik Olsson, Jörgen Stendahl