Seal for a joint or juncture – Process of static sealing – Between parts of internal combustion engine
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-23
2001-02-13
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3626)
Seal for a joint or juncture
Process of static sealing
Between parts of internal combustion engine
C277S316000, C277S592000, C277S594000, C277S598000, C277S931000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186506
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to a method for sealing two members and a gasket therefor, in particular, to a method of sealing two engine parts, such as a cylinder head and a cylinder block, and a gasket used for sealing the engine parts.
In sealing two engine parts, such as a cylinder head and a cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, a gasket is generally installed between the two parts. In order to securely seal around a hole to be sealed, such as cylinder bores, water holes and oil holes, the gasket is provided with sealing means around the hole, such as a bead, flange or turning portion, grommet, combination thereof, and so on. When the gasket is tightened, the sealing means provides a surface pressure to securely seal around the hole.
In case the hole to be sealed has an enough space therearound for sealing, though some technical difficulties may be encountered depending on the structure thereof, the hole can be sealed relatively easily by the sealing means. However, if there is no sufficient space around the hole to be sealed, it is difficult to securely seal around the hole.
In case the sufficient sealing space is not obtained or additional sealing means is required, a coating layer containing rubber or resin may be formed on a gasket or between plates for the gasket. The coating layer prevents the fluid from flowing on the gasket or between the plates.
Also, it has been known that a foaming layer may be coated on an entire surface of a gasket. In this case, after the gasket is assembled and the foaming layer is foamed, the gasket with the foamed layer is installed between the engine parts. Therefore, when the gasket with the foamed layer is installed and tightened between the engine parts, the foamed layer may be compressed excessively to loose compressibility or resilience. Even if the foamed layer has compressibility when the gasket is installed between the engine parts, in case the gasket is used for a long time, the gasket is compressed repeatedly. Accordingly, the compressibility of the foamed layer is lost gradually.
The present invention has been made in view of the conventional gasket, and an object of the invention is to provide a gasket with a foamed layer which can provide an adequate surface pressure.
Another object of the invention is to provide a gasket with a foamed layer as stated above, wherein the surface pressure is not substantially lost even if it is used for a long time.
A further object of the invention is to provide a gasket with a foamed layer as stated above, wherein the gasket can provide a surface pressure even in a limited space.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a method for sealing between two members, wherein an adequate surface pressure is formed between the two members and is kept for a long time.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a method as stated above, wherein the adequate surface pressure is formed easily without special treatment.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A gasket of the invention is used for sealing two parts or members, e.g. cylinder head and cylinder block for an internal combustion engine.
The gasket is formed of a gasket body for constituting the gasket, which includes at least one hole to be sealed, and a sealing space situated around at least a part of the hole. A heat foamable coating is disposed only in the sealing space. When the gasket is heated to foam the heat foamable coating in the sealing space after the gasket is installed between the two members, the heat foamable coating foams and provides a surface pressure in the sealing space to securely seal thereat.
In case the gasket body includes two holes to be sealed, flanges or shims may be formed around the two holes. In this case, the sealing space is established on the gasket body between the flanges or shims. In case the flange is not formed around the hole, a groove may be formed in the metal plate around the hole as the sealing space.
In a method for sealing the two members with holes, a gasket is prepared to have at least one hole to be sealed and a sealing space near the hole, and a heat foamable coating is provided only in the space. Then, the gasket with the heat foamable coating is mounted between the two members, and the heat foamable coating on the gasket is heated together with the gasket to foam the heat foamable coating. The heat foamable coating changes to a foamed layer to thereby provide a surface pressure at the sealing space.
Preferably, after the gasket is installed between the two members and before the heat foamable coating is heated, the gasket is tightened between the two members. Accordingly, when the foamable coating is foamed, the desired surface pressure or foaming pressure is obtained at the foamed layer. In this case, also, after the foamable coating is foamed, the foamed layer is not substantially compressed. Thus, the foamed layer is not depressed too much to reduce the thickness thereof, so that the reductions of the surface pressure and the thickness of the foamed layer are substantially avoided. Further, since the foamable coating can foam according to the shape of the space, the sealing ability can be increased.
In case the gasket is formed for an internal combustion engine, i.e. cylinder head gasket, the heating step may be performed by actuating the engine, such as running test, after the gasket is installed in the engine. In this case, since the heating step can be avoided in preparing the gasket, the gasket can be formed easily.
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Ishikawa Gasket Co. Ltd.
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Knight Anthony
Pickard Alison K.
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