GB2568225A

GB2568225A - Seal

Info

Publication number: GB2568225A
Application number: GB1715492.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Breeze Ian; Turner Jacob
Original assignee: Bowman International Ltd
Current assignee: Bowman International Ltd
Priority date: 2017-09-25
Filing date: 2017-09-25
Publication date: 2019-05-15
Also published as: WO2019058090A1; GB201715492D0

Abstract

A seal having a ring-type structure which may also include a series of metallic inserts is provided. The ring seal an inner circumference and an outer circumference, and a cylindrical dimension, the seal comprises a plurality of parts (see Figures 2(b) & 6(d)) which are clipped together to form the sealing ring. The seal may also include at least one metallic insert extending radially from the outer circumference to the inner circumference. The parts may be unclipped by use of a tool (see top of Figure 7 & Figures 10(a) & 10(b)). The seal may be formed by an additive manufacturing process, e.g., 3D printing, or by injection moulding.

Description

There is provided a seal.

The seal may be manufactured by 3-dimensional (3D) printing, sometimes referred to as 3DP and/or additive manufacturing. It can also be produced by injection moulding.

The manufacturing process may manufacture the seal using a black nylon material, such as PA11 or other plastic materials.

The seal may be provided with '0' rings. The '0' rings may be Viton rubber or other material specifications.

The seal may be provided with inserts. The inserts are preferably metallic inserts. The inserts are preferably bronze inserts. The bronze inserts may comprise 15% nickel, 8% tin, and 77% copper or CuSnS or other metallic material.

The metallic inserts may carry an axial load placed upon the seal. The metallic inserts may be high load and low friction.

The seal may operate in a temperature range from -2 000 t.c> +1600C.

Preferably no tools are need to assemble the seal.

Preferably a simple tool, such as a moulded separation block or a screwdriver-type tool, is the only tool need to dismantle the seal.

The seal is thus easy to assemble and easy to dismantle.

The seal may be disassembled such that it can be reused.

The seal is preferably lightweight.

The seal is preferably non-sparking.

The seal is preferably non-corrodible.

FIG. 1(a) illustrates a schematic side view of a seal. In the illustrated view, the seal is formed of two sections which are joined together. The seal thus has two halves. An interlocking mechanism is provided to allow each half to be fixably joined together. The two halves allow the seal to be formed around an axis-type structure, with the two halves being closed around the axis-type structure. An inner diameter of the seal has a dimension A, and an outer diameter of the seal has a dimension B.

FIG. 1(b) illustrates a schematic top-down view of the seal of FIG. 1(a). The length of the seal is a dimension C.

The seal is thus a cylindrical shaped ring, having a cylinder length of C, an outer diameter of B, and an inner diameter of A. The area within the inner diameter is open, to allow the seal to be formed round, e.g., an axial element,

FIG. 2 (a) illustrates a perspective view of the seal of FIGS, 1(a) and 2(a), formed of the nylon material.

FIG. 2(b) illustrates a perspective side view of the seal of FIG. 2(a), but with the two parts of the seal separate. Visible in FIG. 2(b) is the interlocking mechanism provided at the ends of the two halves of the seal, to enable the two halves of the seal to interconnect.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close up view of the arrangement of FIG. 2(b), showing the locking mechanism between two halves of the seal. One half of the seal is provided with a locking mechanism comprising a 'plug' type arrangement, and the other half of the seal is provided with a locking mechanism comprising a 'socket' type arrangement. When the two halves are brought together the 'plug·' and 'socket' arrangements interlock, such that the two halves of the seal form a ring as shown in FIG. 2 (b) . It will be understood that each end of each half of the seal will be provided with a 'plug' or 'socket' arrangement. As shown in FIG. 2(b), each half may have a 'plug' arrangement at one end and a 'socket' arrangement at the other end.

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the arrangement of FIG. 2(a), showing metallic inserts. Two metallic inserts are visible in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 illustrates a view of a seal similar to the illustration of FIG. 1(a), but ’with the seal manufactured of nylon. In FIG. 5 metallic inserts can be seen: two on the outer circumference, and one on the inner circumference.

The metallic inserts can be understood as inserts extending radially from the outer circumference to the inner circumference. One or more metallic inserts may be provided.

The metallic inserts do not need to extend fully to the inner or out circumference surfaces.

The metallic inserts extend to the inner surface such that they abut or approximately abut an axial element around which the seal is formed. When the axial element rotates, any axial load placed upon the seal is carried by the metallic elements.

FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d) illustrates a process of separating a seal into its complementary halves. As -shown in FIG. 6(a), a tool is connected to one of the joins of the two halves, and then as shown in FIG. 6(b) that join is opened. The tool is then fitted to the other of the joins of the two halves, and then that join is also opened as shown in FIG. 6(c). As shown in FIG. 6(d) the two halves are then pulled apart. The joins having been opened.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic perspective view of a seal, with a tool for opening the joins positioned at one of the joins.

With reference to FIG. 8, there is illustrated an exemplary process for inter-locking the parts of the seal. FIG. 8 illustrates a series of views looking down on the seal from above, and more particularly at two complementary halves of the seals which are clipped together.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), one half 104 of the seal has at its end a protrusion or 'plug' generally illustrated by reference numeral 100, and the half of the seal 106 has at its complementary end a receptacle or 'socket' 102.

The seal is formed around its outer circumference with a set of three parallel ribs, with two troughs between the ribs. In FIG. 8(a) the half 104 of the seal has ribs 108, 110, 112 and troughs 114, 116 between the ribs. The half 106 of the seal has ribs 118, 120, 122 and troughs 124, 126 between the ribs.

The half 104 having the protrusion 10 0 is arranged such that the portion of material with the middle rib 110 protrudes further than the outer ribs 108 and 112. The middle rib thus protrudes as denoted by portion 128.

The middle part of the protrusion 100 extends out in an arrow shape 138 - having side push portions 130 and 132, and retaining portions 134 and 136.

The half 106 having the receptacle 102 is arranged such that the portion of the material with the middle rib 12 0 does not protrude as far as the outer ribs 118 and 122. The middle rib 120 has a portion 140 which extends over the receptacle area 102. The outer ribs 118 and 122 are each provided with a projection 142 and 144 respectively, which projects into the receptacle area.

The two parts are brought together, as shown in FIG. 8(b), and the sides 130,132 of the protrusion 138 engage with the protrusions 142,144 to push the ribs 118 and 122 outward, to allow the protrusion 138 to move into the receptacle area 102.

As the protrusion continues to move into the receptacle area, the sides 130,132 moves past the protrusions 142, 144, and these snap back into place to engage with the surfaces 134, 136, and the ribs 118, 122 return to their normal shape.

As shown in FIG. 8(c) the protrusion is thus engaged with the receptacle, and cannot be moved out. The ribs 108,118 form a continuous circumferential ring, the ribs 110,120 form a continuous circumferential ring, and the ribs 112,122 form a 5 continuous circumferential ring.

The two halves of the seal are thus coupled together, with a rigid and robust coupling mechanism.

The two halves may then be separated by using a tool which slots in to push the ribs 118 and 122 away again, allowing the 10 protrusions 142,144 to be moved away from the sides 134, 136, and allowing the protrusion to be removed from the receptacle, and thus separating the two halves. The rib 110 may be provided with an indent, as denoted by reference numeral 14 8 in FIG.

(c) ,. denoting a location at which a tool may be inserted to 15 push the ribs 118 and 122 away and release the protrusion from the receptacle. Such tool may have a complimentary shape to allow it to fit into the troughs 114,116, and as it is pushed into push the ribs 118, 122 apart.

In general, the protrusion clips into the receptacle, by 2.0 forcing the plastic of the receptacle to expand to accept the protrusion. The protrusion is removed from the receptacle using a tool which forces the plastic of the receptacle to expand to allow the protrusion to be withdrawn. The tool is provided with a structure which fits into the troughs 124 and 126 which is a

2.5 of a wedge-type shape, so as it is pushed in it increases the width of the trough, pushing the ribs 118 and 122 apart. The tool is kept in position as it engages with the portion 148 to re tain its po s i ti on.

FIG.9 illustrates a side view of the seal of FIGS. 8(a) to 30 8(c). As shown the half 106 is provided with a split side 150, such that the rib 118 or 122 can deform and protrude (when the protrusion is pushed into the receptacle), but with the portion of the seal at. the inner' circumference retaining its shape.

With reference to FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) there is illustrated an exemplary tool. The tool has a body 160. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the tool has two protrusions 162 and 164 which can cooperate with the grooves 124,126. As also shown, there are 5 two portions 166,168 having a wedge shape, such as the tool is pressed into the grooves the ribs 118 and 122 move or deform.

As shown in FIG, 10(b), which shows a side view of the tool, the wedge portion 166 may be provided in only part the side of the tool.

Example applications in which the seal may be deployed, include, but are not limited to, automotive and truck transmissions, agricultural construction equipment, pumps and compressors, and two-cycle engines such as marine Z drives, axial fans, conveyors and garden equipment.

Claims

1. A seal comprising a ring-type structure having an inner circumference and an outer circumference, and a cylindrical dimension, the seal comprising a plurality of parts which when connected together form the ring-type structure.

2. The seal of claim 1 wherein each part is formed by three dimensional printing or injection moulding.

3. The seal of claim 1 or claim 2. wherein each part is forms an arc of the ring-type structure, having a locking mechanism at each end of the arc for cooperating with a locking mechanism at an end of another part.

4. The seal of claim 3 wherein the ring-type structure has two parts .

5. The seal of any preceding claim wherein the plurality or parts are clipped together to form the seal.

6. The seal of any preceding claim wherein the plurality of parts are undipped to separate.

7. The seal of the claim 6 wherein the ring-type structure is reusable .

8. The seal of any preceding claim wherein the seal further comprising at least one metallic inserts extending radially though a part of the ring-type structure from the outer circumference to the inner circumference.

9. The seal of claim 8 wherein the radial insert extends from the surface of the inner circumference.

10. The seal of claim 8 or claim 9 wherein a face of the radial insert at the inner circumference approximately abuts an axial element around which the seal is formed.

11. The seal of any one of claims 3 to 10 wherein the locking mechansim comprises a protrusion in one part and a receptacle in the other part.

12. THE seal of claim 11 wherein the locking mechanism secures one part to the other part by a secure firt of the protrusion into the receptacle.

13. The seal of claim 12 wherein, the secure fit of the protrusion into the χ-eceptacle is achieved by pushing the protrusion into the receptacle, with the protrusion deforming the receptacle to allow the protrusion to be

5 securely fitted in the receptacle.

14. The seal of claim 13 wherein the receptacle snaps-back into position once the protrusion is located in the receptacle, and having deformed the receptacle.

15. The seal of any one of claims 3 to 14 wherein the

10 receptacle is deformed to allow the protrusion to be removed from the receptacle.

16 The seal of claim 15 wherein the receptacle is deformed using a tool. 17 The seal or claim 15 or c :laim 16 wherein the part is 15 reused after the protrusion is removed.