BLOCK FITTING AND SEAL STRUCTURE

• US 20100052268A1
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Nader, Joseph, Schroeder, Fred Georg
• Granted Patent: US 8,104,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 277/612
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/061 with positioning means F16J15/0831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/062 characterised by the geometry of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/121 with metal reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/18 the sealing means being rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/086 fixed with screws

Abstract

An air conditioner system fitting is disclosed including a first seal portion with a metal material adapted to provide a primary scat, and a second seal portion attached to a free edge of said first seal portion and adapted to provide a secondary seal, wherein the fitting militates against leakage during operation of the air conditioning system.

Claims

1. A seal structure for assembly between a male block portion and a female block portion of a block fitting for an air conditioning system, the seal structure comprising:

a first seal portion forming an annular ring including a free edge and formed from a soft metal or plastic material; and

a second seal portion extending outwardly from the free edge of the first seal portion,

wherein the soft metal or plastic material of the first seal portion is deformed upon installation of the seal structure in the block fitting under a force applied to sealingly engage the male block portion and the female block portion, the first seal portion forming a primary seal and the second seal portion forming a secondary seal in the block fitting upon application of the force.

2. The seat structure of claim 1, wherein the second seal portion is an elastomer.

3. The seal structure of claim 2, wherein the elastomer is one of an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), and a hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR).

4. The seal structure of claim 1, wherein the first seal portion is formed from one of tin-coated copper, laminated tetrafluoroethylene, rubber-coated aluminum, PEEK, polyimide-based polymer, pewter, Babbit metal, bronze, nickel, polyamide, and aluminum.

5. The seal structure of claim 1, wherein the first seal portion is tin-coated copper.

6. A seal structure for assembly between a male block portion and a female block portion of a block fitting for an air conditioning system, the seal structure comprising:

a first seal portion forming an annular ring including a free edge and formed from a soft metal or plastic material, the free edge having a chamfer formed thereon; and

a second seal portion disposed on the chamfer of the free edge of the first seal portion and extending outwardly from the free edge of the first seal portion, wherein opposing sides of the second seal portion are substantially V-shaped in cross-section,

wherein the soft metal or plastic material of the first seal portion is deformed upon installation of the seal structure under a force applied to sealingly engage the male block portion and the female block portion, the first seal portion forming a primary seat and the second seal portion forming a secondary seal in the block fitting upon application of the force.

7. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the first seal portion is substantially flat and the second seal portion extends radially outwardly therefrom.

8. The seal structure of claim 7, wherein the free edge of the first seal portion is disposed in an annual channel formed in a radial inner portion of the second seal portion.

9. The seal structure of claim 8, wherein the second seal portion has a first rounded lobe disposed opposite of the annual channel, a second rounded lobe disposed adjacent a first surface of the first seal portion, and a third rounded load disposed adjacent a second surface of the first seal portion.

10. The seal structure of claim 8, wherein the chamfer formed on the free edge of the first seal portion includes a first chamfer surface extending laterally inwardly from a first surface of the first seal portion and a second chamfer surface extending laterally inwardly from a second surface of the first seal portion, the first chamfer surface and the second chamfer surface connected by a third chamfer surface forming a blunt end of the free edge.

11. The seal structure of claim 9, wherein the annular channel of the second seal portion substantially conforms to a shape of the chamfer of the first seal portion.

12. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the second seal portion is attached to the free edge of the first seal portion by one of vulcanizing, press fitting, heat welding, a mechanical means, and an adhesive.

13. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the first seal portion includes a flange extending axially from a first surface thereof the free edge of the first seal portion formed on the flange.

14. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the free edge of the first portion is one of continuous and scalloped to facilitate a retention of the second seal portion on the first seal portion.

15. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the second seal portion is an elastomer.

16. The seal structure of claim 15, wherein the elastomer is one of an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), and a hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR).

17. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the first seal portion is formed from one of tin-coated copper, laminated tetrafluoroethylene, rubber-coated aluminum, PEEK, polyimide-based polymer, pewter, Babbit metal, bronze, nickel, polyamide, and aluminum.

18. The seal structure of claim 6, wherein the first seal portion is tin-coated copper.

19. A block fitting for an air conditioning system comprising:

a male block portion including a first aperture for receiving a tube end therein, the male block portion including an annular shoulder surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion, the annular shoulder including an axially extending lip formed at a first end thereof;

a seal structure disposed radially inward from the axially extending lip of the male block portion and adjacent the male block portion, the seal structure including a first seal portion produced from a soft metal or plastic material and having a free edge, the first seal portion surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion, and a second seal portion produced from an elastomer disposed on the free edge of the first seal portion; and

a fastener to sealingly engage the male block portion with a female block portion, the female block portion including a first aperture for receiving a tube end therein, the female block portion including an annular collar surrounding the first aperture of the female block portion and adapted to cooperate with the annular shoulder formed by the male block portion, the first aperture of the male block portion and the first aperture of the female block portion adapted to be substantially concentrically aligned,

wherein the fastener causes the male block portion and the female block portion to deform the first seal portion and provide a primary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion, and the fastener causes the male block portion and the female block portion to cooperate with the second seal portion to provide a secondary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion.

20. A block fitting for an air conditioning system comprising:

a female block portion including a first aperture for receiving a tube end therein) the female block portion including an annular collar surrounding the first aperture of the female block portion;

a seal structure disposed radially inward from the annular collar of the female block portion and adjacent the female block portion, the seal structure including a first seal portion produced from a soft metal or plastic material and having a free edge, the first seal portion surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion, and a second seal portion produced from an elastomer disposed on the free edge of the first seal portion; and

a fastener to sealingly engage the female block portion with a male block portion, the male block portion including a first aperture for receiving a tube end therein, the male block portion including an annular shoulder surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion and adapted to cooperate with the annular collar formed by the female block portion, the annular shoulder including an axially extending lip formed at a first end thereof, the seal structure adapted to be disposed radially inward from the axially extending lip, the first aperture of the female block portion and the first aperture of the male block portion adapted to be substantially concentrically aligned,

wherein the fastener causes the female block portion and the male block portion to deform the first seal portion and provide a primary seal between the female block portion and the male block portion, and the fastener causes the female block portion and the male block portion to cooperate with the second seal portion to provide a secondary seal between the female block portion and the male block portion.