Patents Examined by Enoch E Peavey
  • Patent number: 7108269
    Abstract: A plug for the sealing closure of an opening in a sheet includes an integral body including a cap portion having an annular shirt portion and a cover portion connected to one end of the shirt portion. The body further includes a flange portion extending obliquely outwardly and downwardly and an annular sealing surface approximately at the same level as the connection of the cover portion to the shirt portion and below the connection of the flange portion. The plug body can be urged into the opening by an axial pressure. An outward pivoting of the flange portion upon insertion of the plug body into the opening exerts a radial expansion force and/or a pivoting force on the sealing surface so that the body's material in the area of the sealing surface is formed against the other side of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Benkel, Alexander Limpert
  • Patent number: 7063328
    Abstract: An undersea hydraulic coupling member has a seal retainer that holds and secures a plurality of annular seals that may be removed from the coupling member together with the seal retainer. At least one of the seals is a pressure energized hollow metal seal. The seal retainer includes a shell that engages the coupling member and a seal carrier that holds the annular seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: National Coupling Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Smith, III
  • Patent number: 7044471
    Abstract: A cartridge seal is co-axially secured within the circular aperture of a back plate bolted to a pump housing. Annular recesses are provided around inner and outer sides of the back plate, surrounding the circular aperture. The cartridge-type seal includes a stationary gland assembly and a rotatable shaft collar assembly. The inner side of the gland assembly includes a taper bore surrounding the pump drive shaft, and a circumferential lip. The lip nests within the inner annular recess of the back plate. The outer side of the gland assembly includes a circumferential groove. The collar assembly is locked to the drive shaft by means of setscrews. A snap-ring within the circumferential groove of the gland assembly is located within the outer side recess of the back plate. The snap-ring precludes axial movement of the gland assembly, while allowing quick removal and replacement of the cartridge seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Inventors: Robert L. Elliott, Bryan D. Hampton
  • Patent number: 7044473
    Abstract: Two seal rings are provided comprising an upper ring and a lower ring, the rings having a common axis, a common outer cylindrical surface, a common inner cylindrical surface, and a couple of facing surfaces. The facing surfaces form an engaging length in a radial section of the rings having a radially outer end and a radially inner end, and the facing surfaces and the common cylindrical surface define a first wedge-shaped gap with a radially inward leading edge at the outer end. The inward leading edge is provided with a first angle in a range of 10 seconds to 1 degree and 30 seconds, and the outer end is spaced more from the common cylindrical surface than from the common cylindrical inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Inventors: Zhihong Zhu, Baodong Wang
  • Patent number: 6997461
    Abstract: A seal system for use in high speed, high pressure applications including a rigid retainer and a resilient body covering the retainer having pressure balancing control. Reduced clearance of the metal case retainer prevents seal extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Trelleborg Sealing Solutions U.S., Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Troy Smith, Larry J. Castleman
  • Patent number: 6988733
    Abstract: A radial shaft seal having a metal casing and a rubber sealing portion attached interior of the metal casing. The rubber sealing portion is bonded to the metal casing during a forming operation. A polytetrafluoroethylene seal is stretched into a conical shape and bonded to the rubber sealing portion while in the stretched state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick Ronald Hatch
  • Patent number: 6976683
    Abstract: A cylinder head gasket comprising a gasket plate for an engine in which at least one first coolant cavity is formed in the engine block adjacent to the cylinder head gasket, with the gasket plate comprising coolant passage openings via which the first coolant cavity is connectable to at least one second coolant cavity formed in the cylinder head of the engine; for improved cooling of the engine the cylinder head gasket comprises at least one flow conducting element for the coolant protruding from the gasket plate, the at least one flow conducting element being of such configuration and being joined to a coolant passage opening of the gasket plate in such a way that the flow conducting element forms a flow path with the coolant passage opening and is designed so as to engage in at least one of the first and second coolant cavities and to generate a directed flow of coolant at the outlet end of the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Elring Klinger AG
    Inventors: Dieter Eckert, Thomas Friedow
  • Patent number: 6974136
    Abstract: Sealing device (1) for a wheel hub group (2) connected to the differential (3) of a vehicle, and provided with a rolling bearing (9), the sealing device (1) being mounted in such a way as to protect the bearing (9) from a lubricating fluid for the lubrication of the differential (3), and presenting a first shield (22) which is integral with an outer race (10) of the bearing (9), a second shield (23) which is arranged inside the first shield (22) and which is integral with an inner race (11) of the bearing (9) and which faces the first shield (22) itself, and a dynamic sealing element (24) which is interposed between the first and second shields (22, 23); the second shield (23) being defined by a support portion (25) made of metallic material and force fit onto the inner race (11) and a cylindrical encoder (27) which is integral with the support portion (25), and the first shield (22) being made of metallic material lined with rubber material, and being provided with a loophole (38) which is suitable for being
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Angelo Vignotto, Andrea Griseri, Alfredo Monetti, Claudio Savarese
  • Patent number: 6962343
    Abstract: A seal ring is provided, which is capable of maintaining a stable sealing performance for a long period, in which a cut portion is provided at one position in a circumferential direction of a seal ring, a convex portion is provided at a first cut end portion, a recess portion is provided at a second cut end portion, and the end portions of a third surface and a sixteenth surface extending in the circumferential direction among the convex portion and recess portion correspond to a portion of a second seal portion for sealing a side wall surface of an annular groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Abiko
  • Patent number: 6957816
    Abstract: A seal for use with a knife gate valve is disclosed, the seal having a loop to which is attached an axially facing sealing lobe. A sealing surface is positioned on the sealing lobe, the sealing surface having an axially projecting leading edge and flanking annular sealing surfaces oriented angularly. Axial and inner channels extend around the loop and provide space for the loop to deform when the sealing lobe is compressed. A reinforcing band is encapsulated within the loop to stiffen it against buckling when compressed by forces acting across the leading edge. The seal is used in facing pairs with the sealing lobes being compressed against one another to form a radial seal when the valve is open. The seal is made from a flexible, resilient elastomeric compound; the band is metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Victaulic Company of America
    Inventors: Kevin J. Blease, Richard R. Weston
  • Patent number: 6945539
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seal comprising an annular sealing body comprising a radially outer peripheral groove, an upper load concentrating projection, a lower load concentrating projection, a compression relief region extending from the center of the load concentrating projections to the radially inner edge of the seal, and a compression relief region extending from the center of the load concentrating projections to the radially outer edge of the seal. Additionally, aspects of the present invention relate to a seal retainer comprising a thin metal sheet comprising a seal retaining aperture comprising a reception lobe and a retention lobe; wherein the reception lobe has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the seal to be retained therein, and the seal retaining aperture has a diameter larger than the minimum diameter of the arch portion of the outer peripheral groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Garlock Sealing Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Mark S. Whitlow, John S. Harr, Ryan D. McCall
  • Patent number: 6945537
    Abstract: A sealing ring comprising a bearing ring with a radial flange and a sealing sleeve, which at its free end is connected to a thickened, surrounding bulge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventors: Celine Guillerme, Eric Kammerer
  • Patent number: 6942222
    Abstract: A seal for sealing and load bearing a process tube in a vacuum system including a seal member and a load bearing spacer provided in a seal cavity. The seal generally includes a seal cavity provided in a housing, where the seal cavity is configured opposite the process tube. At least one load bearing spacer is received within the seal cavity and adapted to contact the process tube is mounted to the housing. Additionally, at least one seal member is received within the seal cavity and adapted to contact the process tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Steven T. Fink
  • Patent number: 6932352
    Abstract: A gasket embedding an ion sensor 5 used for sealing a cylinder head to a cylinder block of an engine which is intervened under pressure between the cylinder head and the cylinder block, the gasket having a detection function of the condition in a combustion chamber. The gasket comprises a metal sheet in which a bore seal is formed at a ring-like bead structure and of an insulation seal layer coating at least the upper surface and the lower surface of the metal sheet so as to include the bead structure. An ionic current detection electrode is formed so as to project into the combustion chamber from the insulation seal layer and further a lug projecting outside from the periphery of the insulation seal layer is served as an ionic current introduction electrode of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Uchiyama Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Kenji Matsumoto, Eiji Tomita, Sadami Yoshiyama
  • Patent number: 6811159
    Abstract: A gasket and heat shield for sealing and insulating a flanged joint has a first body portion, which contains a gasket member and a second body portion disposed at an angle relative to the first body portion. The first body portion incorporates two openings to accommodate the fasteners, which will be utilized to secure members of a flanged joint together with the first body portion secured therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas M Kerchner
  • Patent number: 6776420
    Abstract: Sealing device (1) for a rolling contact bearing (2) presenting an annular sealing lining (5), a protective shield (6) for the lining (5) which is mounted on the outside of the lining (5) itself, and an encoder (15) which is integral to the shield (6) and which is protected by a covering element (16) arranged opposite the shield (6) in relation to the encoder (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: SKF Industrie S.p.A.
    Inventors: Angelo Vignotto, Pierangelo Cherio
  • Patent number: 6732410
    Abstract: To accurately and reproducibly set the angle of a hinge, especially a very small hinge, a precision hinge and angled mounting stops are provided. The device comprises a hinge joint having a fastener, such as a screw, connecting two bodies. A flat C-shaped mounting stop fits over the fastener and has two straight outer edges that contact each of the two bodies, respectively. The relative angle between the outer edges determines the set angle of the hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: William H. Nedderman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6726214
    Abstract: A wrap-around interlocked labyrinth seal adapted to be mounted upon a rotating shaft, having a rotor and a stator. A flange positioned on the stator completely encircles the rotating shaft. The stator is interlocked by positioning a cover of the stator within a radial opening of the rotor and interlocking the cover with an enclosure member of the rotor. One embodiment of the seal includes an interlocking member as part of the cover. The interlocking member interlocks with a flange of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: JM Clipper Corporation
    Inventor: George Fedorovich
  • Patent number: 6719302
    Abstract: A gasket for a pipe joint includes an annular gasket body which is symmetrical around an axial centerline and is therefore insensitive to axial orientation. The gasket is formed of a resilient material and includes a base adapted to sealingly engage an annular groove formed in one of the pipe segments to be joined. First and second protrusions run along the length of the gasket body and extend radially therefrom. The first and second projections are spaced apart symmetrically about the centerline. An annular bore, bisected by the center line, extends within the interior of the gasket body, and comprises a central region bridging first and second transversely spaced apart lobes. It is particularly suited for sealing an annular space in a bell-and-spigot pipe joint and provides an increased surface contact area to compensate for defects in the sealing surfaces of the pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Vertex, Inc.
    Inventor: William C. Andrick
  • Patent number: 6702301
    Abstract: An active window seal assembly is disclosed that operatively engages a movable window when the window is stationary and disengages the window when the window is in motion. The seal assembly comprises a stationary frame, a movable lip that is operatively connected to the stationary frame, and a cavity disposed between the stationary frame and the movable lip. Several configurations provide for movement of the movable lip when the movable window is in motion. The first configuration allows the cavity to inflate with air, thus forcing the movable lip away from the window. A second configuration provides that the air in the cavity be evacuated, thus pulling the movable lip away from the window. A third configuration provides that a voltage be applied to the stationary frame and the movable lip to create an electric field. The electric field draws the movable lip toward the stationary frame and away from the movable window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Davies, Charles Hopson, Christos Kyrtsos, Joseph Tyckowski, Francois Breynaert