Seal for a joint or juncture – Seal between fixed parts or static contact against... – Contact seal for a pipe – conduit – or cable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-11-27
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)
Seal for a joint or juncture
Seal between fixed parts or static contact against...
Contact seal for a pipe, conduit, or cable
C277S608000, C277S644000, C277S653000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322087
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a metallic seal for low load conditions. More specifically, the present invention relates to a metallic sealing ring for creating a seal between opposing surfaces at low load conditions.
2. Background Information
Many different types of sealing devices exist for sealing two opposing surfaces, such as opposing pipe ends in a pipe coupling joint, a pipe end and capping arrangement, and so on. Known seals include metallic sealing devices, which are commonly made of materials such as soft iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, high nickel alloy, Inconel or Nimonic alloys. To improve their sealing ability, the sealing surfaces of these known metallic seals can be coated with a deformable material, such as PTFE, gold, silver, copper, and the like.
Known metallic seals can be, for example, ring or annularly shaped, such as a metallic O-ring, and can have cross-sections of various shapes. For example, a “C” seal or spring-energized “C” seal is typically an annular seal having a “C” shaped cross-section. Known “E” seals are generally annular in configuration and have an “E” shaped cross-section. Other types of metallic seals having cross-sections which are parabolic, convoluted, Y-shaped, or omega-shaped (&OHgr;-shaped) are also known.
Although metallic seals of the type described above generally can function suitably in certain applications, these types of metallic seals have several drawbacks. In particular, these types of seals generally require application of a relatively large load force (e.g., 100 to several thousand pounds per circumferential inch, pci) to achieve a desired seal integrity, thus making these types of seals impractical for use in environments unable to withstand a large load force. Also, the low load seals mentioned above, such as the E-seal and Y-seal, are incapable of being made to seal to high vacuum levels. Bolts or other types of clamping devices are needed to apply the large load force, which complicates the sealing arrangement. Hence, these types of seals generally will not provide a desired sealing integrity in a vacuum-type sealing arrangement in which no bolts or clamps are used. Furthermore, these types of seals generally have a low or moderate aspect ratio of height to width, thereby making them impractical for use in narrow sealing regions.
Examples of known seals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,445 to Swensen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,397 to Nicholson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,585 to Rode; U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,544 to Taylor; and published European Patent Application No. 692660A1 to Nicholson.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for a seal, in particular, a metallic seal, capable of providing a reliable seal at low load conditions and which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a sealing ring that can be used at low load conditions and provide high reliability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing ring that can be used in vacuum or pneumatic applications.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing ring having a high aspect ratio of height to width, so that the sealing ring can be used in narrow sealing regions.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing ring that may be produced in a variety of configurations, including circular and non-circular configurations with a variety of axial heights.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a metallic sealing ring that creates a high integrity seal at ultra high vacuum levels with a leak rate of less than 1×10
−9
scc/s He, and without the use of supplemental bolt loading.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing ring that has a narrow band for producing a high quality sealing dam over a sufficient width to minimize leakage on a molecular level.
The foregoing objects can basically be attained by providing a sealing ring that comprises an annular center section, a first annular end section and second annular end section. The center section has a first end, a second end and a curved bight portion located between the first and second ends of the center section. The first annular end section extends from the first end of the center section. The first end section has a first leg portion extending axially from the first end of the center section with a first sealing surface formed at its outer axial end. The first leg portion is substantially straight in cross-section and substantially parallel to a main central axis of the sealing ring. The second annular end section extends from the second end of the center section. The second end section has a second leg portion extending axially from the second end of the center section with a second sealing surface formed at its outer axial end. The second leg portion is substantially straight in cross-section and substantially parallel to the main central axis of the sealing ring.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3520544 (1970-07-01), Taylor
patent: 3595588 (1971-07-01), Rode
patent: 3797836 (1974-03-01), Halliing
patent: 4067585 (1978-01-01), Rode
patent: 4121843 (1978-10-01), Halling
patent: 4361335 (1982-11-01), Vinciguerra
patent: 4915397 (1990-04-01), Nicholson
patent: 5630593 (1997-05-01), Swensen et al.
patent: 5716052 (1998-02-01), Swensen et al.
patent: 5730445 (1998-03-01), Swensen et al.
patent: 5799954 (1998-09-01), Layer
patent: 0029101 (1981-05-01), None
patent: 0692660 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 2038961 (1980-07-01), None
patent: 2189850 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 2190154 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 2291143 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 2321285 (1998-07-01), None
Hall Peter C.
Nolan Terence J.
Rhyne Edward P.
Swensen Jeffery E.
Knight Anthony
Peavey Enoch E
PerkinElmer Inc.
Shinjyu Global IP Counselors, LLP
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