Stepped Press-In-Place Seal for Dissimilar Material Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sealing pressurized joints between components made of dissimilar materials is challenging, leading to potential leakage and functional failures, especially under varying temperature conditions and fluid pressures.
Innovation Solution
A reinforced press-in-place (PIP) seal with a cylindrical structure featuring a stepped-shape design, combining a compliant material section for generating sealing pressure and a rigid material section for stabilization, over-molded construction, and suitable materials like EPDM rubber and metal for chemical resistance and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is used for pressurized joints between dissimilar materials, then sealing function is provided, but leakage occurs under varying temperature and pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The seal comprises a two-material construction with a compliant section (softer material) and a rigid section (harder material). The compliant section deforms under pressure to maintain sealing contact, while the rigid section provides structural stability and resists deformation from thermal expansion. This composite structure enables the seal to maintain reliability under varying temperature and pressure conditions that would cause leakage in single-material seals.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the seal have different material properties tailored to their specific functions. The compliant section (with greater thickness) is positioned where maximum deformation and sealing pressure are needed, while the rigid section (with lesser thickness) is positioned where structural support and dimensional stability are required. This local differentiation of material quality optimizes the sealing performance under pressurized conditions.
2Reliability
If a compliant material seal is used to generate sealing pressure, then sealing effectiveness improves, but structural stability deteriorates under varying conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The seal combines a compliant material section for generating sealing pressure through deformation with a rigid material section for maintaining structural stability. The compliant section (e.g., elastomer) deforms under fluid pressure to maintain contact with mating surfaces, while the rigid section (e.g., metal or hard plastic) resists thermal expansion and maintains geometric integrity, together providing both sealing effectiveness and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is divided into distinct functional segments: a compliant section with greater thickness for sealing contact and deformation, and a rigid section with lesser thickness for structural support. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specialized function independently, with the compliant section handling sealing pressure generation and the rigid section handling structural stability maintenance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid material seal is used to stabilize structure, then structural stability improves, but sealing pressure generation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seal uses a rigid material section to provide structural stability and resist thermal deformation, while a compliant material section is incorporated to generate sealing pressure through elastic deformation under fluid pressure. The rigid section maintains the seal's geometric integrity and position, while the compliant section deforms to fill gaps and maintain contact pressure against mating surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid material is positioned in sections where structural support is needed (with lesser thickness), while the compliant material is positioned where sealing contact is needed (with greater thickness). This local differentiation ensures that rigidity is provided where structural stability is required, while compliance is provided where sealing pressure generation is required.
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 PIP seal effectively maintains leak-free performance under significant fluid pressure and temperature variations, ensuring reliable sealing and structural integrity in pressurized joints with dissimilar materials.
Implementation Method 1
The compliant material first section is thereby configured to generate sealing pressure between the first and second components when the PIP seal is installed within the interface
Implementation Method 2
The first section is constructed from a compliant material configured to be compressed by the second component
Implementation Method 3
The second section is constructed from a rigid material and is affixed to the first section along the first length to thereby stabilize the cylindrical structure when the PIP seal is installed within the interface
Implementation Method 4
The PIP seal effectively maintains leak-free performance under significant fluid pressure and temperature variations
Implementation Method 5
The compliant material may be selected based on its chemical resistance to the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A press-in-place reinforced seal for an interface between adjacent components, includes a cylindrical structure arranged along a longitudinal axis and characterized by a stepped-shape in a cross-sectional view. The seal is pressed into a first component and compressed by a second component when the seal is installed within the interface. The stepped-shape includes a compliant first section having a first width along the longitudinal axis and a first length orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The first section is compressed by the second component and generates sealing pressure between the first and second components when the seal is installed. The stepped-shape also includes a rigid second section affixed to the first section along the first length for stabilizing the seal structure. The second section has a second width along the longitudinal axis and a second length orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and greater than the first length.