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Method of influencing the rigidity of a vehicle door window seal
PATENTS The numerous pipefitting designs cover a very wide range, and in most cases these were quite specific to a type of application. Some appear to be quite complex with a considerable number of components; WO 03/100309 provides an example in this issue. Magnetic seals have been around for probably 30 years, and efforts to extend their appeal continue. The patents this year have been divided between those concerned with configurations for particular applications, either feed-through or disc drives, WO 03/087636 (last month) and others with the seal design. This month, WO 03/104689 describes the geometry of the magnetic poles on the stator, but in WO 03/016755 (April) an arrangement is described that is also able to cope with axial shaft movement.
The piston ring patents have primarily been concerned with the design of the joint to provide a benefit in particular circumstances. A further example of a technology searching for a sealing solution to make it more commercially viable is the Stirling cycle machine, and during the year three patents described features of the displacer unit.
Conclusions Providing the patent abstracts is an interesting, if slightly time-consuming, part of the editing this newsletter. If the patents are in a topic area that I know well it is gratifying to see developments continuing.
Since becoming Editor I have adopted the policy of trying to provide a brief overview of the patent subject, and also the reasoning behind the application. As a user this is how I would like to use this section; the idea is that readers will be able to scan the section for subjects of interest to themselves and, if particularly interested for either technical or commercial reasons, then look into the patent itself. And, as an engineer writing for engineers, I have decided that a picture is worth a thousand words and introduced rather more illustrations and less text. I would appreciate your comments on both the style and the content of the Patents section. And if sometimes there does not seem to be much information, it may be because there is only a 50word abstract in English for me to use.
Patents Metal end cap seal with pressure trap Applicant: Cooper Cameron Corporation, USA A metal end cap seal for a similar duty to WO/095872. In this design the inner diameter of the resilient ring has one or more circumferential cavities open to the inner diameter, that are connected to the outer diameter by radial holes. After the seal is energized, a high pressure is applied to the seal so that the pressure will migrate past the nose of the seal, through the radial holes, and into the groove. The groove is shaped so that, once the high pressure is relieved, the pressure within the groove will become trapped. This trapped pressure acts as a source of stored energy, to increase the energization of the seal. The purpose is to enable the seal to function more effectively at low temperatures. Patent number: WO 03/095873
Inventors: K.E. Keene and D.K. Wolff Publication date: November 2003
Sealing Technology March 2004
Applicant: Polymer Sealing Solutions Ltd, UK This patent is particularly concerned with the static sealing of truck wheel bearing hubs. A seal has a reinforcing insert (7) and a resilient projection (5). It is arranged to be a snap-fit within an annular recess formed within a bearing. The bearing has a retention lip (15) adjacent to the recess, against which the resilient lip of the seal abuts and resists removal. Patent number: WO 03/095856
Inventors: D.M. Williamson and G. Sturman Publication date: 20 November 2003
The snap fit seal for truck bearings described in WO 03/095856.
Method of influencing the rigidity of a vehicle door window seal The metal end cap seal with additional pressurization groove, in WO 03/095873.
Metal end cap seal with annular protrusions Applicant: Cooper Cameron Corporation, USA A further design of metal end cap seal designed to improve sealing at an increased range of temperatures. The seal generally has a resilient ring with a metal end cap on each end. The inner diameter of the resilient ring has one or more annular protrusions along the inside diameter of the resilient
Static seal between bearing ring and shaft
ring. The annular protrusions are sized to provide additional interference with the internal tubular member and provide areas of localized compressive stress within the resilient ring, while maintaining a desirable overall stress distribution. Patent number: WO 03/095874 Inventors: K.E. Keene et al. Publication date: 20 November 2003
Applicant: Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems GmbH, Germany In this patent an elastomer seal (20) is fitted to a frame (40) and closed against a window (30). It may have one or several sealing lips (22) that rest against the window. To improve the sealing system and obtain a variable sealing effect, that is adapted to environmental factors, the sealing lips are provided with a piezo-ceramic actuator (50) and can be pressed against the window using a voltage applied to the actuator. Patent number: WO 03/104008 Inventor: C. Huck Publication date: 18 December 2003
Vehicle window door seal from WO 03/104008, with piezoceramic actuators to increase the sealing force.
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The piston ring patents have primarily been concerned with the design of the joint to provide a benefit in particular circumstances. A further example of a technology searching for a sealing solution to make it more commercially viable is the Stirling cycle machine, and during the year three patents described features of the displacer unit.
Conclusions Providing the patent abstracts is an interesting, if slightly time-consuming, part of the editing this newsletter. If the patents are in a topic area that I know well it is gratifying to see developments continuing.
Since becoming Editor I have adopted the policy of trying to provide a brief overview of the patent subject, and also the reasoning behind the application. As a user this is how I would like to use this section; the idea is that readers will be able to scan the section for subjects of interest to themselves and, if particularly interested for either technical or commercial reasons, then look into the patent itself. And, as an engineer writing for engineers, I have decided that a picture is worth a thousand words and introduced rather more illustrations and less text. I would appreciate your comments on both the style and the content of the Patents section. And if sometimes there does not seem to be much information, it may be because there is only a 50word abstract in English for me to use.
Patents Metal end cap seal with pressure trap Applicant: Cooper Cameron Corporation, USA A metal end cap seal for a similar duty to WO/095872. In this design the inner diameter of the resilient ring has one or more circumferential cavities open to the inner diameter, that are connected to the outer diameter by radial holes. After the seal is energized, a high pressure is applied to the seal so that the pressure will migrate past the nose of the seal, through the radial holes, and into the groove. The groove is shaped so that, once the high pressure is relieved, the pressure within the groove will become trapped. This trapped pressure acts as a source of stored energy, to increase the energization of the seal. The purpose is to enable the seal to function more effectively at low temperatures. Patent number: WO 03/095873
Inventors: K.E. Keene and D.K. Wolff Publication date: November 2003
Sealing Technology March 2004
Applicant: Polymer Sealing Solutions Ltd, UK This patent is particularly concerned with the static sealing of truck wheel bearing hubs. A seal has a reinforcing insert (7) and a resilient projection (5). It is arranged to be a snap-fit within an annular recess formed within a bearing. The bearing has a retention lip (15) adjacent to the recess, against which the resilient lip of the seal abuts and resists removal. Patent number: WO 03/095856
Inventors: D.M. Williamson and G. Sturman Publication date: 20 November 2003
The snap fit seal for truck bearings described in WO 03/095856.
Method of influencing the rigidity of a vehicle door window seal The metal end cap seal with additional pressurization groove, in WO 03/095873.
Metal end cap seal with annular protrusions Applicant: Cooper Cameron Corporation, USA A further design of metal end cap seal designed to improve sealing at an increased range of temperatures. The seal generally has a resilient ring with a metal end cap on each end. The inner diameter of the resilient ring has one or more annular protrusions along the inside diameter of the resilient
Static seal between bearing ring and shaft
ring. The annular protrusions are sized to provide additional interference with the internal tubular member and provide areas of localized compressive stress within the resilient ring, while maintaining a desirable overall stress distribution. Patent number: WO 03/095874 Inventors: K.E. Keene et al. Publication date: 20 November 2003
Applicant: Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems GmbH, Germany In this patent an elastomer seal (20) is fitted to a frame (40) and closed against a window (30). It may have one or several sealing lips (22) that rest against the window. To improve the sealing system and obtain a variable sealing effect, that is adapted to environmental factors, the sealing lips are provided with a piezo-ceramic actuator (50) and can be pressed against the window using a voltage applied to the actuator. Patent number: WO 03/104008 Inventor: C. Huck Publication date: 18 December 2003
Vehicle window door seal from WO 03/104008, with piezoceramic actuators to increase the sealing force.
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