Enhanced seal

• US 10,125,903 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Orbit Irrigation Products (Pro-Mark LLC)
• Inventors: Doran, Michael Bryan, Urry, Andrew Mark, Price, Mitchell Lee, Connolly, Karl L., Oman, Carter Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Nicholas L
• Application Number:
  US15/149,076
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/022 characterised by structure or material
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/025 and with at least one flexible lip
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/008 with sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/06 with sealing rings arranged between the end surfaces of the pipes or flanges or arranged in recesses in the pipe ends or flanges
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/0212 using specially adapted sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2201/60 Identification or marking
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/30 comprising parts inside the hoses only F16L33/24 takes precedence

Abstract

An enhanced seal may comprise an annular portion having an annular portion peripheral wall and a cylindrical portion having a cylindrical portion peripheral wall. A passageway may extend through each of the annular portion and cylindrical portion. One or more annular protrusions may extend away from the cylindrical portion.

Claims

1. An enhanced seal for installation between a first conduit comprising a first coupling and a second conduit comprising a second coupling, the enhanced seal comprising:

an annular portion having an annular portion peripheral wall,

the annular portion peripheral wall comprising an annular portion distal end, an annular portion proximal end, an annular portion interior surface circumscribing an annular portion central passageway extending from the annular portion distal end to the annular portion proximal end, an annular portion outer periphery, an annular portion length dimension extending from the annular portion distal end to the annular portion proximal end, an annular portion inner dimension perpendicular to the annular portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the annular portion interior surface, and an annular portion outer dimension perpendicular to the annular portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the annular portion outer periphery;

a cylindrical portion for insertion into the first coupling, the cylindrical portion having a cylindrical portion peripheral wall,

the cylindrical portion peripheral wall comprising a cylindrical portion distal end, a cylindrical portion proximal end, a cylindrical portion interior surface circumscribing a cylindrical portion central passageway extending from the cylindrical portion distal end to the cylindrical portion proximal end, a cylindrical portion outer periphery, a cylindrical portion length dimension extending from the cylindrical portion distal end to the cylindrical portion proximal end, a cylindrical portion inner dimension perpendicular to the cylindrical portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the cylindrical portion interior surface, and a cylindrical portion outer dimension perpendicular to the cylindrical portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the cylindrical portion outer periphery;

the annular portion being either integrally formed with the cylindrical portion or being secured to the cylindrical portion such that the annular portion proximal end abuts the cylindrical portion proximal end, and the annular portion central passageway and the cylindrical portion central passageway are in fluid communication with one another;

the annular portion and the cylindrical portion comprise a resilient material having a Shore A durometer hardness greater than or equal to 70 and less than or equal 85;

the cylindrical portion length dimension being at least twice the annular portion length dimension;

the annular portion outer dimension being greater than the cylindrical portion outer dimension; and

two or more circumferentially spaced tabs extending radially outward from the annular portion.

2. The enhanced seal of claim 1, wherein the resilient material has a Shore A durometer hardness equal to or greater than 75 and less than 85.

3. The enhanced seal of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion peripheral wall comprises a narrowing portion and a portion of uniform thickness.

4. The enhanced seal of claim 3, wherein within the narrowing portion, the cylindrical portion inner dimension increases in a direction extending from the cylindrical portion proximal end toward the cylindrical portion distal end.

5. The enhanced seal of claim 4, wherein within the narrowing portion, the cylindrical portion outer dimension decreases in a direction extending from the cylindrical portion proximal end toward the cylindrical portion distal end.

6. The enhanced seal of claim 1, further comprising a set of two or more annular protrusions extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion, wherein each of the set of two or more annular protrusions are separated by an intervening space along the cylindrical portion length dimension.

7. The enhanced seal of claim 1, further comprising a second cylindrical portion, the second cylindrical portion having a second cylindrical portion peripheral wall,

the second cylindrical portion peripheral wall comprising a second cylindrical portion distal end, a second cylindrical portion proximal end, a second cylindrical portion interior surface circumscribing a second cylindrical portion central passageway extending from the second cylindrical portion distal end to the second cylindrical portion proximal end, a second cylindrical portion outer periphery, a second cylindrical portion length dimension extending from the second cylindrical portion distal end to the second cylindrical portion proximal end, a second cylindrical portion inner dimension perpendicular to the second cylindrical portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the second cylindrical portion interior surface, and a second cylindrical portion outer dimension perpendicular to the second cylindrical portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the second cylindrical portion outer periphery;

and

the second cylindrical portion proximal end abutting the annular portion distal end.

8. The enhanced seal of claim 7, wherein the annular portion, the cylindrical portion, and the second cylindrical portion are integrally formed.

9. The enhanced seal of claim 8, wherein the annular portion is secured to both the cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion.

10. The enhanced seal of claim 7, wherein the second cylindrical portion peripheral wall comprising a region of uniform outer dimension and a region of decreasing outer dimension.

11. The enhanced seal of claim 7, wherein the second cylindrical portion inner dimension increases in a direction extending from the second cylindrical portion proximal end toward the second cylindrical portion distal end.

12. The enhanced seal of claim 7, further comprising two or more second cylindrical portion annular protrusions extending from the second cylindrical portion outer periphery, wherein each of the two or more second cylindrical portion annular protrusions are separated by an intervening space along the second cylindrical portion length dimension.

13. The enhanced seal of claim 1, the cylindrical portion length dimension being at least three times the annular portion length dimension.

14. A method of using the enhanced seal of claim 1 to enhance a seal between a first conduit having a first coupling and a second conduit having a second coupling, the second coupling being configured to mate with the first coupling, the first conduit being selectively in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source, comprising;

positioning the enhanced seal in either the first or second coupling such that the cylindrical portion will be upstream relative to the annular portion when fluid from the pressurized fluid source flows through the two conduits when the first and second coupling are secured together; and

securing the two couplings together.

15. An enhanced seal for installation between a first conduit comprising a first coupling and a second conduit comprising a second coupling, the enhanced seal comprising:

an annular portion having an annular portion peripheral wall,

the annular portion peripheral wall comprising an annular portion distal end, an annular portion proximal end, an annular portion interior surface circumscribing an annular portion central passageway extending from the annular portion distal end to the annular portion proximal end, an annular portion outer periphery, an annular portion length dimension extending from the annular portion distal end to the annular portion proximal end, an annular portion inner dimension perpendicular to the annular portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the annular portion interior surface, and an annular portion outer dimension perpendicular to the annular portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the annular portion outer periphery;

a cylindrical portion for insertion into the first coupling, the cylindrical portion having a cylindrical portion peripheral wall,

the cylindrical portion peripheral wall comprising a cylindrical portion distal end, a cylindrical portion proximal end, a cylindrical portion interior surface circumscribing a cylindrical portion central passageway extending from the cylindrical portion distal end to the cylindrical portion proximal end, a cylindrical portion outer periphery, a cylindrical portion length dimension extending from the cylindrical portion distal end to the cylindrical portion proximal end, a cylindrical portion inner dimension perpendicular to the cylindrical portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the cylindrical portion interior surface, and a cylindrical portion outer dimension perpendicular to the cylindrical portion length dimension and extending between opposing sides of the cylindrical portion outer periphery;

the annular portion being either integrally formed with the cylindrical portion or being attached to the cylindrical portion such that the annular portion proximal end abuts the cylindrical portion proximal end, the annular portion central passageway being in fluid communication with the cylindrical portion central passageway and coaxially aligned such that a combination of the annular portion central passageway and the cylindrical portion central passageway comprise a combined central passageway extending through both the annular portion and the cylindrical portion;

the annular portion and the cylindrical portion comprising a resilient material having a Shore A durometer hardness greater than or equal to 70 and less than or equal to 85;

the cylindrical portion length dimension being at least twice the annular portion length dimension;

the annular portion outer dimension being greater than the cylindrical portion outer dimension; and

two or more circumferentially spaced tabs extending radially outward from the annular portion.

16. The enhanced seal of claim 15, wherein the annular portion and the cylindrical portion are made of a resilient material having a Shore A durometer hardness equal to or greater than 75 and less than 85.

17. The enhanced seal of claim 15, wherein the cylindrical portion peripheral wall comprises a narrowing portion and a portion of uniform thickness.

18. The enhanced seal of claim 17, wherein within the narrowing portion, the cylindrical portion inner dimension increases in a direction extending from the cylindrical portion proximal end toward the cylindrical portion distal end.