Seal Ring Structure With Gas-Tight Joint and Embedded Tension Ring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seal rings for internal combustion engines and automatic transmissions face issues with corrosion of metal components, lack of a gas-tight abutment joint, and difficulty in mounting due to simple abutment joint configurations, which lead to gas leakage and potential seal ring detachment.

Innovation Solution

A manufacturing method for a seal ring that incorporates a metal tension ring within a resin ring body, featuring a gas-tight abutment joint with overlapping portions and a dropout preventing mechanism to secure the resin and metal components together, preventing corrosion and ensuring a secure fit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a metal ring is used in the seal ring configuration, then the seal ring can provide structural support and maintain shape, but the metal ring is exposed to the outside and liable to be corroded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural supportVSAvoidcorrosion
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The metal tension ring is nested inside the resin ring body, specifically positioned within the abutment joint region. The resin material completely encloses the metal ring, protecting it from external corrosive environments while allowing the metal ring to provide its structural support function internally

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The seal ring combines resin and metal materials into a composite structure. The resin portion provides corrosion resistance and external protection, while the embedded metal tension ring provides structural strength and shape maintenance, creating a synergistic composite component

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If a simple abutment joint is used, then the seal ring can be easily manufactured, but the seal ring cannot provide gas-tight sealing and may allow gas leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidgas-tight sealing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The abutment joint transitions from a simple linear overlap to a multi-dimensional overlapping structure with overlapping portions in both the axial direction and the radial direction. This creates a three-dimensional interlocked configuration between the engagement portions that provides both gas-tight sealing and structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If the seal ring is made without an overlapped portion abutment joint, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the seal ring lacks the gas-tight type abutment joint required for reducing gas leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidgas leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The resin ring body is formed with pre-defined engagement portions that include built-in overlapping structures and abutment joint features during the initial molding process. This preliminary formation of the gas-tight joint structure eliminates the need for subsequent assembly operations while ensuring proper sealing geometry

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3715678B1Method for manufacturing seal ring, and seal ring
Publication Date: 2022.04.27 TEIKOKU PISTON RING CO LTD
  • EP3715678B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3715678B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3715678B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a manufacturing method for a seal ring, and a seal ring, which has an abutment joint having overlapped portions at least in an axial direction of the seal ring, and is capable of including a metallic tension ring therein. The manufacturing method for a seal ring (10) according to the present invention includes: a base ring forming step of forming a base ring (30) which is made of a resin and includes an abutment joint (47) having a gas-tight shape between one end-side engagement portion (45) on one end side of circumferential direction and another end-side engagement portion (46) on another end side of the circumferential direction; a cavity arranging step of arranging the base ring (30) in a cavity (101) of a die (100); a tension ring setting step of setting a tension ring (60) in a ring arrangement portion (32) of the base ring (30), the tension ring having a gap portion (61) in a portion corresponding to the one end-side engagement portion (45) and the another end-side engagement portion (46); and a sealing step of forming a cover portion (50) through pouring of a liquid resin into the cavity (101), and forming a dropout preventing portion (36, 51) between the base ring (30) and the cover portion (50). The dropout preventing portion is configured to prevent the base ring and the cover portion from peeling off each other.