Textured Metal Seal Surface for Low-Force Leakage Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing metal seals face challenges in achieving high sealing efficiency with low compressive force, particularly when using non-ductile materials, and struggle to adapt to geometric defects on sealing surfaces without increasing compressive force or causing damage.

Innovation Solution

A static metal seal with a textured surface featuring a network of blind, non-communicating depressions that reduces the bearing area ratio, allowing for better control of crushing force and facilitating plastic flow, thereby reducing necessary application forces while maintaining a wide sealing run.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a highly ductile sealing material like silver is used to achieve high sealing level and wide sealing run, then sealing performance is improved, but compressive force becomes substantial

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing levelVSAvoidcompressive force

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing layer is given a non-uniform local structure through the textured surface with depressions. This creates zones of different contact pressure and material density, allowing the seal to concentrate deformation in specific areas to achieve sealing while reducing overall compressive force requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The material parameters are changed by plasticising the sealing layer during crushing, transforming its mechanical properties from elastic to plastic state. This allows the material to flow and conform to surface irregularities at lower forces, resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and force requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Force

If machining operation creates protruding portions to reduce overall compressive force, then compressive force is reduced, but run width is significantly reduced and leakage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompressive forceVSAvoidsealing run

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating protruding portions that reduce run width, the invention uses a textured surface with depressions that maintains a wide sealing run. The local quality variation is achieved through surface texture rather than geometric protrusions, preserving both force reduction and sealing run integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing surface is segmented into multiple depressions spaced apart from one another. This segmentation allows the seal to distribute contact pressures across multiple zones, reducing overall compressive force while maintaining adequate sealing run width through the spaced arrangement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If peripheral projections are multiplied to limit leakage risk, then leakage risk is reduced, but caulking problem on flange faces is not resolved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleakage resistanceVSAvoidcaulking damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The textured surface with depressions creates local quality variations that concentrate sealing action in controlled zones, preventing the material from flowing laterally and causing caulking on flange faces, while still providing sufficient sealing run width to bridge radial defects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Adaptability or versatility

If coating material is changed from silver to nickel for chemical compatibility, then chemical compatibility is improved, but linear application force more than doubles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechemical compatibilityVSAvoidapplication force

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The plasticising process changes the mechanical parameters of the nickel coating during crushing, transforming it from a rigid material to a plastic-flowing material. This parameter change allows nickel to achieve sealing at lower forces, compensating for its inherently higher application force requirement compared to silver

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 textured surface design enhances sealing performance by increasing local contact pressures, reducing the risk of leakage, and adapting to surface defects, while minimizing the force required for sealing and preventing damage to flanges.

Implementation Method 1

The textured surface includes a network of depressions spaced apart from one another on the textured surface, the depressions being blind, not completely passing through the outer sealing layer. This design increases local contact pressures that favour the plugging of leakage paths

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure concentration:

Implementation Method 2

a high level of sealing; a lowest possible compressive force; a largest possible sealing run. Resolving this problem is currently feasible, subject to having, in contact with the flanges, a highly ductile sealing material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11821517B2Metal seal comprising a textured outer sealing layer

Publication Date: 2023.11.21 TECHNETICS GROUP FRANCE

AI summary

A static metal seal comprising an outer sealing layer, wherein the outer sealing layer comprises a textured surface that is configured to come into contact with the surfaces that are to be sealed, the textured surface comprising a network of depressions spaced apart from one another on the textured surface, wherein the depressions are blind, do not pass all the way through the outer sealing layer, and do not communicate with one another.