Metal O-Ring Sidewall Machining for Higher Sealing Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metal O-ring seals have limited sealing performance due to low contact pressure and lack of resiliency, and are costly to manufacture, especially when custom tubing is required for non-standard dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A metal O-ring with a machined outer surface that has varying thicknesses and surface profiles, including flat, curved, convex, and concave features, formed from standard tubing to control elasticity and increase contact pressure at the sealing interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional metal O-rings are made with standard tubing and constant wall thickness, then manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but sealing performance deteriorates due to limited contact pressure and lack of resiliency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating variable wall thickness in the metal O-ring, where the wall thickness varies around the circumference rather than being uniform. This allows specific regions to have thinner walls for increased elasticity and contact pressure at sealing interfaces, while other regions maintain thicker walls for structural support, thereby improving sealing performance without requiring complete custom tubing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of wall thickness from constant to variable around the O-ring circumference. This parameter change enables the O-ring to have regions of different elasticity, allowing it to conform better to sealing surfaces and generate adequate contact pressure while still being manufacturable from standard tubing with selective machining
2Reliability
If metal O-ring sidewall is selectively thinned by machining the outer surface, then elasticity and spring back are increased improving sealing performance, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the O-ring sidewall into regions of different thicknesses through selective machining of the outer surface. This segmentation creates distinct functional zones: thinner regions for enhanced elasticity and sealing contact, and thicker regions for structural integrity, allowing the use of standard tubing as a base that requires only localized material removal rather than complete custom fabrication
3Manufacturing precision
If custom tubing is drawn for nonstandard dimensions, then manufacturing precision for specific dimensions is improved, but productivity decreases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by selecting standard tubing with predetermined dimensions and properties that closely match the required O-ring specifications. Rather than drawing custom tubing for each application, the process pre-selects appropriate standard sizes and then makes minor adjustments through selective machining, significantly improving productivity while maintaining sufficient dimensional precision for the sealing application
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 enhances sealing performance by increasing contact pressure and resiliency, allowing for more efficient sealing with reduced manufacturing costs by utilizing standard tubing.
Implementation Method 1
the sidewall of the of the metal O-ring has a plurality of thicknesses equal to or less than a maximum thickness and equal to or more than a minimum thickness. Selectively thinning the sidewall by machining the outer surface allows for control of the elasticity of the metal O-ring. Controlling the elasticity of the metal O-ring, and potentially increasing the spring back, may provide for increased contract pressure at a sealing interface
Data Source
AI summary
A metal O-ring is provided. The metal O-ring has a sidewall with an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface of the sidewall is machined to selectively thinning the thickness of the sidewall, such that the sidewall of the of the metal O-ring has a plurality of thicknesses equal to or less than a maximum thickness and equal to or more than a minimum thickness. Selectively thinning the sidewall by machining the outer surface allows for control of the elasticity of the metal O-ring. Controlling the elasticity of the metal O-ring, and potentially increasing the spring back, may provide for increased contract pressure at a sealing interface, which would facilitate sealing. The machined outer surface of the metal O-ring are generally machined to flat surfaces.