Angled Seal Element With Integral Spring Tongues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal elements for fluid-tight and electrically conductive connections between components are often multi-piece designs, leading to high labor and production costs due to the need for extensive fabrication and assembly processes to ensure adequate fluid tightness and electromagnetic compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece electrically conductive seal element with an angled support element and elastic seal sleeve, featuring spring tongues that extend from contact surfaces to ensure a resilient, abrasion-based connection, reducing the number of components and simplifying assembly while maintaining fluid-tight and electrically conductive properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a multi-piece seal element design is used to ensure adequate fluid tightness and electrically conductive connection, then sealing reliability and electrical conductivity are improved, but manufacturing complexity and assembly labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional elements (support element, seal parts, and electrical contact elements) into a single integrated seal element. The support element with angled main seal region and holding region forms one piece, while the electrically conductive contact elements are formed integrally as spring tongues from the support element, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining sealing and electrical conductivity reliability
2Reliability
If a multi-piece seal element design is used to ensure adequate fluid tightness and electrically conductive connection, then sealing reliability and electrical conductivity are improved, but production costs and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrically conductive contact elements are merged with the support element to form spring tongues that are integrally formed from the support element. This single-piece construction eliminates the need to assemble separate electrical contact components, significantly reducing assembly time and improving productivity while ensuring reliable electrical connection between components
Solution Approach 2:
The spring tongues are pre-formed as integral parts of the support element during manufacturing, with their elastic properties and contact surfaces already configured. This preliminary formation of the electrical contact structure eliminates the need for separate assembly operations, reducing assembly steps and increasing production efficiency
3Ease of manufacture
If spring tongues are formed integrally from the support element, then assembly complexity is reduced and manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the precision of electrical contact may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The spring tongues are formed as segmented integral structures with distinct functional zones: a holding region for structural support, an angled main seal region for sealing, and spring tongue regions for electrical contact. This segmentation within the integral structure allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through single-piece formation
Solution Approach 2:
The spring tongues are designed with specific geometric parameters including angled configurations and elastic material properties that enable self-adjustment during assembly. The angular orientation and elastic deformation characteristics allow the spring tongues to automatically align with contact surfaces, compensating for manufacturing tolerances and ensuring precise electrical contact without complex assembly procedures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a reliable, cost-effective fluid-tight and electrically conductive connection between components, ensuring durable electrical contact and improved sealing through the use of spring tongues that deflect and abrade during assembly, enhancing the attachment and longevity of the seal.
Implementation Method 1
spring tongues that extend from contact surfaces to ensure a resilient, abrasion-based connection
Implementation Method 2
spring tongues that deflect and abrade during assembly, enhancing the attachment and longevity of the seal
Implementation Method 3
elastic seal sleeve, featuring spring tongues
Data Source
AI summary
A seal element for connecting a first component and a second component in a fluid-tight and electrically conductive manner. In this case, the seal element has an electrically conductive support element with a holding region and a main seal region which is angled relative to the holding region. The holding region has a first contact surface on one side for contacting the first component and a second contact surface on the other side for contacting the second component. At least one respective spring tongue which is formed integrally with the support element extends from the first contact surface and the second contact surface in the direction facing away from the respective other contact surface.