Gas Spring Seal Cap for Fluid-Tight Electrical Feedthrough
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas spring and damper assemblies face challenges in integrating electrical components securely while maintaining a fluid-tight seal, which limits their broader adoption and efficiency in vehicle suspension systems.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a seal cap with an embedded electrical conductor that forms a fluid-tight seal while remaining conductively accessible, allowing for secure and efficient transfer of electrical signals across the seal cap, thereby enabling effective communication and control within gas spring and damper assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal cap is used to maintain a fluid-tight seal in gas spring and damper assemblies, then sealing reliability is improved, but integration of electrical components becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function and electrical conduction function into a single integrated seal cap component. The seal cap body provides fluid-tight sealing while embedded electrical conductors provide electrical pathways, allowing both sealing and electrical connectivity to coexist in one component rather than requiring separate elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal cap is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a sealing element and an electrical conduit. The seal cap body seals the opening of the gas spring assembly while simultaneously housing electrical conductors that pass through it, enabling the component to perform multiple functions (sealing + electrical transmission) that would traditionally require separate components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electrical conductors are embedded within the seal cap body, then electrical signal transfer is enabled, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical conductors are pre-positioned and embedded within the seal cap body during the molding process. This preliminary action of placing the conductors before final assembly allows for integrated manufacturing where the conductors are incorporated into the seal cap structure in advance, simplifying the overall assembly process and reducing the need for post-manufacturing wiring operations.
3Reliability
If the seal cap maintains a fluid-tight seal, then pressure containment is improved, but electrical accessibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The seal cap body acts as an intermediary structure that allows electrical conductors to pass through the sealed boundary. The conductors are embedded within the seal cap material, creating pathways that penetrate the sealing barrier without compromising its fluid-tight integrity. This intermediary structure enables electrical signals to traverse the pressure boundary while the seal cap maintains pressure containment.
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
This solution ensures a reliable and efficient transfer of electrical signals across the seal cap, enhancing the performance and control of gas spring and damper assemblies by maintaining a fluid-tight seal and facilitating communication between different pressure levels.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical conductor is at least partially embedded within the seal cap body such that a substantially fluid tight seal is formed
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas spring seal cap (600A; 600B; 600C; 600D) secured a first end member (500) of a gas spring and damper assembly (102; AS1) such that a substantially fluid-tight connection is formed therebetween. Seal cap (600A; 600B; 600C; 600D) includes a seal cap body (602) with a first end surface portion (614) and a second end surface portion (612). An electrical conductor (616; 618) extends through seal cap body (602) that includes a first terminal end (616B; 618B) conductively accessible from along the first end surface portion (614) and a second terminal end (616A; 618A) that is conductively accessible from along the second end surface portion (612) of seal cap body (612). Electrical conductor (616; 618) includes a substantially impermeable portion having a substantially fluid-tight connection (620) with seal cap body (602). The substantially impermeable portion of electrical conductor (616; 618) substantially inhibits fluid communication across seal cap body (602) through electrical conductor (616; 618). Gas spring and damper assemblies (102; AS1) as well as methods of assembly are also included.