Seals with different compression

Abstract

The seal is formed by two identical seal halves 1. Each seal half 1 comprises a front joint 4, an aft joint 5, a compressible part located between the front joint 4 and the aft joint 5, and a number of screws 7, 14, 18, 21. The screws pass through openings in the front joint 4, the aft joint 5 and the compressible part. The compressible part comprises a first material 2, a second material 3 and an intermediate joint 6 located between the first material 2 and the second material 3. The first material 2, the second material 3 and the intermediate joint 6 have through openings for receiving the screws 7, 14, 18, 21.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to seals having different compressions, where the seal has portions of different materials, which are to be compressed with different forces. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known to use cylindrical seals to seal cables or pipes passing through an opening in some kind of partition. Such cylindrical seals may consist of a compressible part and fittings at opposite ends of the compressible part. In use, the seal is placed around the cable or pipe in the opening in the partition, and the compressible parts are then compressed by the fittings which are moved towards each other by a screw. The compressible parts expand radially inwards and outwards when compressed axially, sealing inwards against the cable or pipe and sealing outwards against the opening in the partition.

[0003] This type of seal is usually placed directly in an opening in a partition, or in a sleeve received in an opening in a partition, which may be a deck or bulkhead of a ship, a cabinet wall, a technical shelter, a junction box or machine, or a wall, floor, roof of a building, etc.

[0004] In sealing for cables or pipes passing through an opening in some partition, sealing materials with different properties may be required. For example, sealing against water pressure and fire with the same transition may be required. Other properties may also be required, resulting in materials with different properties. However, such materials may have large differences in mechanical properties, for example a very porous material together with a dense material. Thus, to function optimally, different sealing materials may require and / or withstand different compressive forces. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In view of the above, one object of the present invention is to provide a seal in which different sealing materials with different properties can be compressed independently of each other. It can also be expressed as the possibility of combining materials with different properties in one single product with controlled compression (e.g. 30° Shore A combined with 90° Shore A). [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, the seal is formed of two identical seal halves. Each seal half includes a front joint, an aft joint, a compressible portion disposed between the front and aft joints, and a number of screws passing through openings in the front and aft joints and the compressible portion. The compressible portion includes a first material, a second material, and an intermediate joint disposed between the first and second materials. The first material, the second material, and the intermediate joint have through openings for receiving the screws.

[0007] Means may be provided for compressing the first and second materials independently of one another. In one example, the means is a screw acting on the rear joint, the screw being surrounded by a socket acting on the intermediate joint. In another example, the means is a screw having threads of different pitches acting on the rear joint and the intermediate joint, respectively.

[0008] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.

[0009] The invention is further explained below, by way of example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seal half of one embodiment of a seal according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the seal half of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the components of the seal half of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an end view of the components of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a second embodiment of a part of a seal half. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the components of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an example of a screw that can be used in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an example of a screw that can be used in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an example of a screw that can be used in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Elements that are identical in the different embodiments are given the same reference numerals in the following description. As used in this description, "axial", "radial" and similar expressions refer to a cable or pipe received within the seal.

[0012] In the illustrated embodiment, a seal half 1 is shown comprising a first material 2 and a second material 3, the first material 2 and the second material 3 being made of a compressible material such as rubber. A front fitting 4 is disposed on the outer periphery of the second material 3, and a rear fitting 5 is disposed on the outer periphery of the first material 2. The front fitting 4 and the rear fitting 5 are disposed at opposite ends of the seal half 1. A middle fitting 6 is disposed between the first material 2 and the second material 3. The first material 2 and the second material 3 together with the middle fitting 6 form the compressible portion of the seal half 1.

[0013] A number of screws 7 pass through openings in the front joint 4, the second material 3, the intermediate joint 6 and the first material 2 and end in threaded openings in the rear joint 5. Each screw 7 has a screw head 8 in the form of a socket head cap that is received on the outside of the front joint 4 and a thread 9 for cooperating with one of the threaded openings in the rear joint 5. A socket 10 is arranged on the outside of the stem of each screw 7 between the front joint 4 and the intermediate joint 6. Each socket 10 has a hexagonal socket head 11, which in the illustrated embodiment is arranged on the outside of the screw head 8 and surrounds it. Each socket 10 passes through an opening in the front joint 4 and has at its end a thread 12 that is received in a threaded opening in the intermediate joint 6. Each screw 7 and the socket 10 arranged on the outside of said screw 7 can rotate freely relative to each other. Thus, manipulation of one of the screws 7 does not affect the corresponding socket 10 and vice versa.

[0014] The cylindrical seal is formed such that two seal halves 1 are placed opposite each other on opposite sides of the cable or pipe. The outer diameter of the front fitting 4 of the formed seal is larger than the inner diameter of the opening of the partition into which the cable or pipe with the attached seal will be received and the seal is prevented from passing through the opening of the partition. In another embodiment, the outer diameter of the front fitting is the same as the outer diameter of the intermediate and rear fittings. Such an embodiment is used when the seal is placed at a distance into the opening, pipe or sleeve.

[0015] Rotation of the screw 7 of the seal half 1 causes the rear joint 5 to be moved towards or away from the front joint 4. The position of the intermediate joint 6 does not change by rotation of the screw 7. Rotation of the socket 10 causes the intermediate joint 6 to be moved towards or away from the front joint 4. The position of the rear joint 5 does not change by rotation of the socket 10. The length that the rear joint 5 and intermediate joint 6 are moved relative to the front joint 4 depends on the ability of the first material 2 and second material 3, respectively, to withstand axial compression and the axial compression required to provide the desired functionality.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, there are three threads 7 on each seal half 1. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other numbers of threads 7 may be used depending, for example, on the size or other characteristics of the seal.

[0017] In the embodiment shown, the seal half 1 has a number of layers 13 inside the first material 2 and the second material 3. A number of said layers 13 can be peeled off to adapt the inner diameter of the formed seal of the two seal halves 1 to the outer diameter of a cable or pipe that is to be received inside such formed seal.

[0018] In an alternative embodiment, each screw 7 and corresponding socket 10 is replaced by one single screw 14. Each of the single screws 14 has a screw head 15, which in the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a socket head cap, which screw head 15 is received on the outside of the front joint 4. The screw 14 has a first thread 16 that mates with one of the threaded openings of the intermediate joint 6 and a second thread 17 that mates with one of the threaded openings of the rear joint 5. Depending on the respective pitches of the first thread 16 and the second thread 17, the rear joint 5 and the middle joint 6 can move different distances relative to the front joint 4 when the screw 14 is operated.

[0019] In Figures 8-10, three different threads are shown with different ratios between the first and second threads. In one of the examples shown, the screw 14 in Figure 8, the first thread 16 has a pitch of 0.5 mm and the second thread 17 has a pitch of 1 mm, which gives a 1:2 ratio of movement of the middle joint 6 relative to the rear joint 5 when the screw 14 is operated. Thus, in this example, the first material 2 will be compressed more than the second material 3 when the screw 12 is tightened.

[0020] 9 shows a screw 18 having a first thread 19 with a pitch of 1 mm and a second thread 20 with a pitch of 0.5 mm, which when the screw 18 is operated provides a 2:1 ratio of movement of the intermediate joint 6 relative to the rear joint 5. Thus, in this example, the first material 2 will be compressed less than the second material 3 when the screw 18 is tightened.

[0021] In figure 10, a screw 21 is shown having a first thread 22 with a pitch of 0.5 mm and a second thread 23 with a pitch of 0.8 mm, giving a ratio of 1:1.6 for the movement of the intermediate joint 6 relative to the rear joint 5 when the screw 21 is operated. Thus, in this example, the first material 2 will be compressed more than the second material 3 when the screw 21 is tightened.

[0022] The pitch of the threads of the openings of the intermediate joint 6 and the rear joint 5 is adapted to the pitch of the first threads 16, 19, 22 and the second threads 17, 20, 23 of the screws 14, 18, 21 used, respectively. A person skilled in the art will recognize that depending on the properties and the axial length of the first material 2 and the second material 3, respectively, screws with first and second threads having pitches other than those indicated above may be selected.

[0023] In use, the two seal halves 1 are positioned opposite each other around a cable or pipe passing through the partition opening. One or more layers 13 may be peeled off from each seal half 1 to adapt the inner diameter of the seal to the outer diameter of the cable or pipe. The seal is then forced into the partition opening, starting with the rear fitting 5, if the outer diameter of the front fitting 4 is larger than the inner diameter of the partition opening, until the front fitting 4 abuts the partition. For embodiments where the outer diameter is the same for the front, middle and rear fittings, the seal may be forced further into the partition opening. The screws and possible sockets are then tightened to compress the first material 2 and the second material 3 independently of each other. The axial compression causes each of the first material 2 and the second material 3 to expand radially to seal against the cable or pipe and the partition opening. This radial expansion also holds the seal in the partition opening.

Claims

1. A seal formed of two identical seal halves (1), each seal half (1) comprising a front joint (4), a rear joint (5), a compressible part arranged between the front joint (4) and the rear joint (5), and a number of screws (7, 14, 18, 21) passing through openings in the front joint (4), the rear joint (5) and the compressible part; The compressible portion comprises a first material (2), a second material (3) and an intermediate joint (6) arranged between the first material (2) and the second material (3), the first material (2), the second material (3) and the intermediate joint (6) having through openings for receiving screws (7, 14, 18, 21); a means for moving the rear joint (5) and the intermediate joint (6), which, when operated, moves the rear joint (5) and the intermediate joint (6) to different axial lengths relative to the front joint (4), and the first material (2) and the second material (3) have different properties; A seal comprising:

2. 2. The seal according to claim 1, wherein one of the first material (2) and the second material (3) has primarily fire-retardant properties, e.g. being an intumescent material, and one of the first material (2) and the second material (3) has primarily sealing properties.

3. A seal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for moving the rear joint (5) and the intermediate joint (6) comprise a screw (7) surrounded by a socket (10).

4. 4. A seal according to claim 3, wherein each screw (7) has a thread (9) for cooperating with a thread of one of the openings of the rear joint (5) and each socket (10) has an external thread (12) for cooperating with a thread of one of the openings of the intermediate joint (6), the screws (7) and the sockets (8) being rotatable independently of each other.

5. A seal according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the screw head (8) of the screw (7) is received inside the socket head (11) of the socket (10).

6. 3. The seal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for moving the rear joint (5) and the intermediate joint (6) comprise screws (14, 18, 21) having a first thread (16, 19, 22) and a second thread (17, 20, 23), the first thread (16, 19, 22) and the second thread (17, 20, 23) of each screw (14, 18, 21) having a different pitch.

7. 7. The seal according to claim 6, wherein a first thread (16, 19, 22) of each screw (14, 18, 21) is adapted to cooperate with one thread of an opening of the intermediate joint (6) and a second thread (17, 20, 23) of each screw (14, 18, 21) is adapted to cooperate with one thread of an opening of the rear joint (5).

8. A seal according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first thread (16, 22) of each screw (14, 21) has a lower pitch than the second thread (17, 23).

9. A seal according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first thread (19) of each screw (18) has a higher pitch than the second thread (20).

10. The seal according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a number of peelable layers (13) are arranged inside the first material (2) and the second material (3).

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