Patents Examined by Alison K. Pickard
  • Patent number: 7121552
    Abstract: A piston ring includes a lateral surface which covers a circumferential surface of a piston and support segments with retaining surfaces which engage with the top and bottom of the piston. A piston ring joint allows the piston ring to be elastically deformed in the radial direction and is provided with a tongue at one end of the lateral surface, which tongue engages in an opening in the other end of the lateral surface. The tongue is designed with retaining segments which extend in the circumferential direction and continue as extensions of the support segments. The retaining segments engage supportively with the top and bottom of the piston. The opening is provided with carrier segments at least in certain areas of the circumference of the piston ring extensions of the support segments and holding the ends of the piston ring in place axially with respect to the piston, the carrier segments being supported in the axial direction of the piston on the retaining segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hassan Asadi, Gerald Fenn
  • Patent number: 7121555
    Abstract: A seal assembly has simple assembly structures, and provides secure sealing effects. A crawler-track connection structure allows the seal assembly to be easily mounted, and securely prevents overflow of a lubricant and the like to the outside. A pair of seal rings (1) and (1) individually having lip portions (23) and (23) are disposed such that each of the lip portions (23) and (23) protrudes in a direction opposing an axial direction, and a load seal ring (2) is compressed and inserted between the pair of seal rings (1) and (1). The load seal ring (2) exerts reaction forces on the pair of lip portions (23) and (23) outwardly in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Teiji Yamamoto, Akira Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Nakaishi
  • Patent number: 7108267
    Abstract: Unitary radial lip seals are useful to provide permanent lubrication to rotary shaft and bearing assemblies. In addition, these seals also function as excluder seals to keep dirt, chemicals, and other contaminants from contacting the lubricated surfaces. However, previous radial lip seals have a tendency to wear or cut a groove into the associated rotary shaft, as the shaft is rotated during normal operation of the machine. The present disclosure describes a radial lip seal having a sleeve, a seal case, a faceplate and flexible member. This improved seal also has a second sleeve operably positioned between the shaft and the faceplate wiper ring that alleviates the tendency of the wiper ring to cut a groove into the shaft during normal operation of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: International Seal Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Oldenburg
  • Patent number: 7104545
    Abstract: A thermoplastic carrier sheet is die-cut to have a size and shape matching that of a PEM bipolar plate. A plurality of holes are punched in the carrier sheet in the pattern of gasket beading to be formed subsequently. In a mold, liquid gasket resin fills the mold on both sides of the carrier sheet to form the gasket, flowing through the holes in the sheet and thereby causing the gasket to become mechanically attached to the sheet. A carrier element having a flange portion substantially identical with the outer profile of the bipolar plates is laminated to the sheet edge. During assembly of a fuel cell, the carrier element automatically positions the gasket correctly on the plate and prevents the gasket from twisting or shifting. In a currently preferred embodiment, a membrane electrode assembly is attached within an appropriate opening in the carrier sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur R. Williams, Gary J. DeAngelis, Allan R. Wells
  • Patent number: 7100923
    Abstract: A magnetic fluid seal device that increases a permissible value of eccentricity for two members to improve sealability and decreases a variation of quality by injecting a magnetic fluid before assembling of parts, that saves structural members to achieve thinning, and that is easy to produce. An annular magnet 3 is buoyantly supported by the magnetic fluid 4 and 5 retained, and the space between a housing 1 and a shaft 2 is sealed by the annular magnet 3 and magnetic fluid 4 and 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Anzai, Takao Kanno, Yoshimi Imamoto
  • Patent number: 7097178
    Abstract: A novel gasket is provided for filling the space between two mating surfaces on components in an automotive transmission. The gasket includes one or more patches of silicone integrated into a portion of the gasket for providing one or more channels through the gasket, having leak proof seals at the ends of the channel. Bolt passage holes are spaced in the gasket to register with corresponding bolt holes in the mating surfaces. A channel aperture passes through the portion of the gasket augmented with the silicone patch, providing a channel between the mating surfaces. The ends of the channel define leak proof seals between the gasket and the mating surfaces for providing a leak proof fluid flow channel between the mating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Don Shattuck
  • Patent number: 7093835
    Abstract: A brush seal assembly for sealing a gap between a first component and a second component, comprising: a body; bristles extending from the body; and an extension from the body, the extension having an elongated slot therein. The slot, when the brush seal assembly mounts between the first and second components, allows the brush seal assembly to float within the gap. An axial brush seal assembly, comprising: a body; bristles extending from the body; and means for allowing movement of the brush seal assembly in an axial direction within the gap. An apparatus, comprising: a first component; a second component spaced from the first component in an axial direction; and an axial brush seal assembly movably mounted between the first and second components. The brush seal assembly can move in said axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mark E. Addis
  • Patent number: 7093837
    Abstract: An improved turbine spring clip seal for directing gases to be mixed with fuel in a combustor basket. The turbine spring clip seal is composed of inner and outer housings and a center sealing member disposed between the inner and outer housings. The center sealing member is flexible and prevents a fluid, such as air, from leaking through the seal. In operation, the center sealing member flexes and is sealed against the outer housing by a pressure differential that is created by the relatively higher pressure on the inner housing side and the relatively lower pressure on the outer housing side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: David Marchant Parker, William Richard Ryan
  • Patent number: 7090226
    Abstract: An insert, or gasket, intended to be used at a joint between two panels. The insert is preferably pre-formed into a particular cross-sectional shape such that it can be easily, and securely, installed between two panels. Preferably, the insert is shaped, in cross-section, with one flange on each end, such that upon installation, one flange is seated on the front side of the panels and the other flange is seated on the rear side of the panels. In the preferred embodiment, the first and second flange portions may include a pair of lips, and the lip of the second flange portion is of a thickness that is greater than that of the lip of the first flange portion. Such a configuration facilitates installation. The present invention also relates to a method of installing such an insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignees: Doralco
    Inventors: Edwin J. Trainor, Robert J. Heider
  • Patent number: 7086649
    Abstract: A gasket, sliding about the axis of rotation of a part to be brought closer to or to be spaced apart from another part with which it provides tightness through a pair of lips provided on a ring. The gasket includes a portion of the ring capable of bending to modify the clearance between the corresponding lip and the part, the pressure prevailing in an intermediate cavity, the balance of forces on the joint and hence the clearance and the leak flow rate allowed before the gasket, which is advantageous in particular in a case of ventilation gas for refrigerating an element of the machine in controlled operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventor: Daniel Georges Plona
  • Patent number: 7086652
    Abstract: A closed end of a one piece flexible elastomeric seal is mounted in one end of a tubular liquid concrete tight frame that is mounted on a removable door of one wall of a concrete wall mold, the other open end of the flexible seal is in liquid concrete tight sealing contact with the other wall of the concrete wall mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: The Peter Gavin Spray Trust
    Inventor: Norman W. Gavin
  • Patent number: 7086650
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gland packing in which impairment of the sealing performance due to cracks that unwillingly occur in an end portion in the width direction of an expanded graphite tape of a braiding yarn in the gland packing can be suppressed. In gland packings 1, 2, braiding yarns include braiding yarns 10A in each of which an expanded graphite tape 30 is bent so as to contract in the width direction, and both end portions 31 in the width direction of the bent expanded graphite tape 30 are folded back, or braiding yarns 20A in each of which at least an outer end portion 31? in the width direction of a twisted expanded graphite tape 30 is folded back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Pillar Packing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Fujiwara, Takahisa Ueda
  • Patent number: 7083170
    Abstract: A rod or piston primary seal, which includes a primary seal (2) facing the space (1) to be sealed and a secondary seal (3) facing away from it, in which the primary seal (2) is fitted into the groove (4), of a holding element (5), open in the direction of the relatively movable machine part (11) which is bounded, on the side facing away from the space (1) to be sealed, by a first side surface (7) which extends essentially at right angles to the sealing axis (6), and includes a sealing edge ring (8) made of tough, hard plastic which has a sealing edge (9) lying adjacent to the machine part (11) and is pressed with its sealing edge (9) onto the machine part (11) by a profile ring (10) made of elastomeric material which is supported on the bottom surface (12) of groove (4) and lies adjacent to sealing edge ring (8) with its inner surface (13), the sealing edge ring (8) having a profile bounded essentially by a right angle between the sealing edge (9) and the bounding surface (14) facing the first side surface (7
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventors: Dieter Von Borstel, Günter Reichow, Hans-Jürgen Timmermann
  • Patent number: 7083171
    Abstract: A metal seal of ring as a whole disposed between a first contact flat face portion and a second contact flat face portion parallel to each other. This metal seal has a middle base portion, a first contact convex portion, and a second contact convex portion. The first contact convex portion protrudes from an inner side and the second contact convex portion protrudes from an outer side. The metal seal generates torsional elastic deformation around the middle base portion as a center in an attached and compressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Oida, Tetsuya Ashida, Takayoshi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 7077402
    Abstract: A combined oil ring 4 is comprised of an oil ring 5 having upper and lower rails 7 and 8, and an expander 6 for applying contact pressure radially outwards on the oil ring 5. The outer circumferential surface 11 of the upper rail 7 of the oil ring 5 is comprised of a flat surface 11a with an axial width of 0.05 to 0.3 millimeters, a curved surface 11b joining to the upper end of the flat surface 11a and to the upper surface 12 of the upper rail 7, and a curved surface 11c joining to the lower end of the flat surface 11a and to the lower surface 13 of the upper rail 7. The lower rail 8 is formed in the same way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Teikoku Piston Ring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Katumaru, Seiji Tamaki, Masami Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7073796
    Abstract: A metallic packing is used to seal a connection between steam pipes. The metallic packing has an annular basement. This annular basement has an opening that joins the holes of the steam pipes. Two annular lips project from an inner circumference of the annular basement towards a central axis of the opening. Each annular lip steps away form the other lip, and the distance between free ends of the lips is longer than the width of the annular basement along the direction of the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadateru Tanioka, Mituo Ukai, Tadao Yashiki
  • Patent number: 7066473
    Abstract: There is provided a glass seal weatherstrip 20 installed to an automobile and having seal lips 22, 23 which does not damage a door glass in particular, does not produce strange noise and prevents seal lips of the weatherstrip from being entangled by the door glass. Each seal lip 22, 23 makes a slide contact with a door glass 60 while the door glass is moving up and down. Each seal lip 22, 23 is formed in a tang shape in section and is projected diagonally upward direction. Each seal lip 22, 23 is provided with a flock 27 on a surface of a top portion thereof at a side of said door glass 60 in an area from a slide contact portion 80 to a downside thereof. The slide contact portion 70 is an area of each seal lip 22, 23 that makes a contact with the door glass 60. Each seal lip 22, 23 is provided with a sliding member 25 on a surface of a top portion thereof at a side of the door glass 60 in an area from the slide contact portion 80 through the upside thereof to a surface at a reversed side of the door glass 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Arata, Hitoshi Hamanaka
  • Patent number: 7066472
    Abstract: A conductive seal that is formed on a first sealing surface by extruding an elastically curing material intermixed with conductive particles is in addition intermixed with magnetic particles. After applying the material to the first sealing surface, its cross section profile is expanded to an adjustable level towards a second sealing surface and/or sealing rims are molded to it by a magnetic force from an electromagnetic plate. The magnetic and conductive particles are preferably concentrated in the marginal sections, particularly due to magnetic forces that act on the sealing roving in the extrusion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Neuhaus Elektronik GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Neuhaus
  • Patent number: 7066470
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes an annular hanger having a supporting ledge. An arcuate seal segment includes an outer rail mounted on the ledge and supporting an inner seal. An arcuate carrier is mounted between the hanger and the rail, and includes a piston mounted in a bore. The bore is selectively pressurized to deploy the piston between the hanger and rail for temporarily retracting the seal segment from an adjacent rotor component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Biao Fang, Osman Saim Dinc, Hamid Reza Sarshar, Mehmet Demiroglu, Mark Edward Burnett, Frederick George Baily, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Richard Robert Larsen
  • Patent number: 7066467
    Abstract: A sealing device for a water pump bearing employs a seal member without an axial lip, and having only a radial lip. The sealing device includes an annular seal member which is fixed to a shoulder portion of one end in an axial direction of an outer race of a water pump bearing and an annular slinger which is positioned on a side of the one end in the axial direction with respect to the seal member and externally fixed to the outer peripheral face of a pump shaft serving as an inner race. The seal member has a section shape which is bent along a disk portion and an outer cylindrical portion of the slinger. A labyrinth seal portion is formed between the seal member, and the disk portion and the outer cylindrical portion of the slinger. Radial lips are formed on an inner periphery of the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshizumi Sakata