Seal

1. Field of Invention:

The invention relates to seals and, more particularly, is directed towards a seal for preventing fluid flow between two mating surfaces.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

A sealing line or seal band is an unbroken and continuous line or area of contact between a seal and its mating surfaces which effectively stops fluid migration from a pressurized space to one of lower pressure. Anything that interrupts the continuous and unbroken line or band will cause or increase leakage. Because the seal line must be continuous and unbroken, the ideal seal will tolerate a wide range of variables which affect that continuity. For many sealing applications where conditions of temperature, pressure, fluid, and geometry permit its use, the O-ring is often an excellent choice. Because of its round cross section, the O-ring readily conforms to common geometric shapes found in fluid power application, and quickly forms the seal line or band. However, O-rings suffer from the disadvantage that the flash point or a separation point on the mold from which the O-ring is made constitutes an imperfection which provides only a limited degree of sealing in certain instances. Another disadvantage is the necessity of providing a lead angle on the mating member to be sealed in order to prevent O-ring damage upon engagement or to reduce the engagement force encountered in assembly.

Lip seals or U-rings are widely used in both pneumatic and hydraulic applications. However, lip seals suffer from the disadvantage that they relax in a short period of time after installation. Although continued application of fluid pressure will resulting resealing of the lip seal, the initial application of fluid pressure will result in some leakage due to this relaxation or set.

A need has arisen for an improved seal having a cross-sectional profile which provides increased sealing characteristics while requiring less radial distance than prior art seals.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seal which does not suffer from the heretofore mentioned disadvantages and limitations of existing seals.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a seal which flexes to make positive sealing contact. The seal made according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to be seated in an annular groove formed about an interior circular opening in a fitting or fixture. The seal has an annular body defining a ring with an irregular polygonal profile in right cross section. The inlet end of the seal at its outermost surface has a flat hinge surface which sits in the groove. Two innermost radial surfaces of the seal at a medial portion thereof form a sealing surface with a leading edge. The locus of the leading edge defines an annular sealing band. The outlet or free end of the seal extends longitudinally beyond the leading edge of the sealing surface and defines a non-contact stabilizing section which flexes and provides a counterforce for urging the sealing band against a mating member inserted in the fitting or fixture. A small entry angle is formed between the inlet end and sealing band to facilitate insertion of the tubular member. The sealing band is longitudinally displaced from the end of the flat hinge surface nearest the outlet end a longitudinal distance which is one half the longitudinal distance between the inlet end of the flat hinge surface and the sealing band. The longitudinal distance between the inlet end of the hinge surface and the sealing band is equal to the radial distance between the hinge surface and the sealing band. The distance between the hinge surface and sealing band is greater than the depth of the groove so that the seal body flexes about the hinge surface and the sealing band presses against the tubular member when it is inserted into the inlet end of the fitting or fixture. Sealing against the tubular member increases as pressure is applied against the non-contact stabilizing section at the free end of the seal body.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a piston seal which flexes to make positive sealing contact. The seal of the present invention is configured to fit in an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of a piston or like member. The seal has an annular body defining a ring with an irregular polygonal profile in right cross section. The leading end of the seal at its innermost radial surface has a flat hinge surface which sits in the groove. The outermost radial surfaces of the seal at a medial portion thereof intersect and form a sealing surface. The locus of the leading edge of the sealing surface defines an annular sealing band. The trailing or free end of the seal extends longitudinally beyond the sealing band surface and defines a non-contact stabilizing section which flexes and provides a counterforce for pressing the sealing band against a cylinder wall into which the piston is positioned. The sealing band is longitudinally displaced from the end of the flat hinge surface nearest the trailing end a longitudinal distance which is one half the longitudinal distance between the leading end of the flat hinge surface and the sealing band. The longitudinal distance between the leading end of the hinge surface and the sealing band is equal to the radial distance between the hinge surface and the sealing band. The distance between the hinge surface and sealing band is greater than the depth of the groove so that the seal body flexes about the hinge surface and the sealing band presses against the cylinder wall. Sealing against the cylindrical member increases as the piston moves and increased pressure is applied against the non-contact stabilizing section at the free end of the seal body. The sealing action is unidirectional and two seals or a composite seal is required to bidirectional sealing.

Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the processes, together with their steps, elements and interrelationships, that are exemplified in the following disclosure, the scope of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a seal embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the seal taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the seal of FIG. 1 in place in a fitting;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the seal of FIG. 4 flexed by insertion of a tubular member;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing pressure applied to the fitting;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing use of a pair of seals in a piston; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram like FIG. 3 but showing the embodiment of the seal shown in FIG. 7 wherein the outer peripheral surfaces on FIG. 3 are inner peripheral surfaces, and the inner peripheral surfaces shown in FIG. 3 are outer peripheral surfaces of the seal.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a seal 10 embodying the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, seal 10 is composed of an elastomer, for example, and is configured to be seated in an annular groove 12 formed about an interior circular opening 14 in a fixture or fitting 16. Seal 10 has an annular body 18 defining a ring with an irregular polygonal profile in right cross section. In the preferred embodiment, the irregular polygonal profile is an irregular hexagonal profile. An inlet end 20 of the seal 10 at its outermost surface 22 defines a flat hinge surface which sits in groove 12, and its outer frusto-conical surface 100 intersects with surface 22. Innermost radial surfaces 24 and 26 of seal 10 at a medial portion thereof from a sealing surface at an apex 28. The locus of apex 28 defines an annular sealing band. An outlet end 30 or free end of the seal 10 extends longitudinally beyond the apex 28 and defines a non-contact stabilizing section 32 which flexes and provides a counterforce for urging the sealing band 28 against a mating member 34, for example a tubular member, which is inserted into fitting 16. A small entry angle in a range of 10.degree. to 20.degree., preferably 17.degree., is formed between inlet end 20 and sealing band 28 to facilitate insertion of tubular member 34 into fitting 16. The entry angle is the angle presented by surface 24 to the end of the tubular member 34 which is inserted into fitting 16. The sealing band 28 is longitudinally displaced from the end of flat hinge surface 22 nearest the outlet end 30 a longitudinal distance which is one half the longitudinal distance between the inlet end 20 of the flat hinge surface and the sealing band. The sealing band apex 28 lies on a 45.degree. line bisecting the angle between surface 22 and surface 26 as shown in FIG. 3. The longitudinal distance between the hinge surface 22 at the inlet end 20 and the sealing band 28 is equal to the radial distance between the hinge surface and the sealing band. The longitudinal length of non-contact stabilizing section 32 is approximately equal to the longitudinal distance between the inlet end 20 and the sealing band 28. As shown in FIG. 3, the radial distance between parallel line intersection the hinge surface 22 and the sealing band 28 is greater than the depth of groove 12 so that the body 18 of seal 10 flexes about the hinge surface and the sealing band 28 presses against tubular member 34 when it is inserted into an inlet end 35 of fitting 16. The sealing force exerted against tubular member 34 by sealing band 28 increases as pressure is applied against the non-contact stabilizing section 32 at the free end of body 18 of seal 10. The operating characteristics of seal 10 against tubular member 34 is best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

FIG. 4 shows seal 10 seated in groove 12, the hinged surface 22 resting on the bottom of the groove. An inlet surface 36 of seal 10 lies in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of hinged surface 22. Surface 36 abuts the sidewall of groove 12 adjacent the inlet end 35 of fitting 16. The plane of surface 24 intersects with the plane of surface 36 and forms an angle in the range of 100.degree.-110.degree. as denoted by the reference character a. That is, as previously indicated, surface 24 forms an entry angle for tubular member 34 in the range of 10.degree. to 20.degree., preferably 17.degree.. The angle is denoted by reference character b. Sealing band 28 is sized to snugly fit within opening 14 formed in fitting 16. Sealing band 28 extends radially beyond the sidewalls of groove 12 a sufficient distance so that when tubular member 34 is inserted into the opening 14, sealing band is urged inwardly into groove 12 about hinged surface 24. The non-contact stabilizing section 32 flexes as the sealing band 28 is urged inwardly into groove 12 as shown in FIG. 5. The sealing band 28 is in sealing contact with tubular member 34.

As shown in FIG. 6, when a pressurized fluid is fed through fitting 16 and tubular member 34 from the direction shown by the arrows, pressure is applied against the non-contact stabilizing section 32 and sealing band 28 is urged against tubular member 34, thereby increasing the sealing effectiveness of seal 10.

From the foregoing, it will be readily appreciated that seal 10 is a unidirectional seal. That is, seal 10 does not provide an effective seal if pressure is applied from the right-hand side of FIG. 6 rather than from the left-side as shown. Bidirectional sealing is provided by use of two seals 40 and 42, for example piston seals, as shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a piston 44 within a cylinder 46. Seal 40 is configured to fit in an annular groove 48 which is formed in the exterior surface of piston 44. Similarly, seal 42 is configured to fit in an annular groove 50 formed in the exterior surface of piston 44. Grooves 48 and 50 are disposed in spaced parallel relationship to one another and lie in a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the piston 44. Seal 40 has an annular body 52 defining a ring with an irregular polygonal profile in right cross section. In the illustrated embodiment, the polygonal profile of annular body 52 is an irregular hexagonal profile. The leading end 53 of seal 40 at its innermost radial surface has a flat hinge surface 54 which sits in groove 48 and also a frusto-conical surface 63. The outermost radial surfaces 56 and 58 of seal 40 at the medial portion thereof intersect and form a sealing apex 60. The locus of the sealing apex 60 defines an annular sealing band. The trailing or free end 61 of seal 40 extends longitudinally beyond sealing band 60 and defines a non-contact stabilizing section 62 which flexes and provides a counterforce for pressing the sealing band against a wall 64 of the cylinder 46. Sealing band 60 is longitudinally displaced from the end of the flat hinge surface 54 nearest the trailing end 61 a longitudinal distance which is one half the longitudinal distance between the flat hinge surface at the leading edge 53 and the sealing band. The longitudinal distance between the hinge surface 54 at the leading edge 53 and the sealing band 60 is equal to the radial distance between the hinge surface and the sealing band. The longitudinal length of non-contact section 62 is approximately equal to the longitudinal distance between the leading edge 53 and the sealing band 60. The distance between hinge surface 54 and sealing band 60 is greater than the depth of the groove 48 so that the non-contact stabilizing section 62 flexes about the hinge surface and the sealing band 60 presses against the cylinder wall 64. Sealing against the cylinder wall increases as piston 44 moves and increased pressure is applied against non-contact stabilizing section 62 at the free end of the seal body 52. Seal 42 is identical to seal 40 with the exception of that it is a mirror image thereof. That is, seal 42 provides sealing when the piston is moved upwardly and seal 40 provides sealing when piston 44 moves downwardly. It will be readily appreciated that the seal embodying the present invention provides the sealing unidirectional sealing and two seals are required for bidirectional sealing.

FIG. 8 is a view analogous to FIG. 3, but for the embodiment of the sealing band shown in FIG. 7 wherein the outer peripheral surfaces of FIG. 3 become the inner peripheral surfaces in FIG. 8 and the inner peripheral surfaces in FIG. 3 become the outer peripheral surfaces in FIG. 8. Specifically, in FIG. 8 the outer peripheral surfaces are 56 and 58 and the sealing band 60 is at the intersection of these outer peripheral surfaces 56 and 58. The inner peripheral surfaces are 54 and 63.

The sealing band 60 also lies on a 45.degree. line bisecting the angle between surfaces 53 and 54 as shown in FIG. 8.

Since certain changes may be made in the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be construed in an illustrative sense and not in a limited manner.