Pressure-driven seal for cylindrical valve soap dispenser and soap dispenser having pressure-driven seal

• US 5,094,368 A
• Filed: 07/24/1990
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KDW Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: KDW Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Warehime, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US07/558,165
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 277/27, 277/173, 277/177, 220/304
• US Class Current: 222/630
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/021 with elastic packing F16J15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 277/91 O-ring seal

Abstract

A flexible gasket in a groove is used to seal a body carrying the groove against a second body facing the open side of the groove. Slots are cut in the wall of the groove facing the high pressure side of the seal to allow the high pressure fluid to push the gasket against the second body and the opposite wall of the groove. The gasket has a cross section slightly larger than the groove so that portions of the gasket extend into the slots to hold the gasket in the groove.

Claims

1. A fluid seal comprising:

a first body having a sealing surface;

a second body having a groove and connectable to the first body so that the groove faces the sealing surface at a juncture between the two bodies, the groove having a high pressure sidewall and an opposite low pressure sidewall;

a flexible gasket within the groove for engaging the sealing surface; and

a slot in the high pressure sidewall at least as deep as one-half the thickness of the gasket for allowing fluid to enter the groove and urge the gasket toward the juncture between the two bodies to provide a fluid tight seal between them.

2. The seal of claim 1 wherein the groove comprises a groove bottom and side walls extending from the groove bottom toward the sealing surface.

3. The seal of claim 1 wherein the slot is as deep as the groove.

4. The seal of claim 1, wherein the groove has a groove bottom and the slot is positioned for the passage of fluid into the slot to the groove bottom.

5. The seal of claim 1 further comprising a reservoir and wherein the groove surrounds the reservoir for containing fluid under pressure, the high pressure wall being between the low pressure wall and the reservoir.

6. The seal of claim 5 wherein the second body includes the reservoir and the first body includes a cap for the reservoir.

7. The seal of claim 5 wherein the groove is annular.

8. The seal of claim 1 wherein the gasket has a cross section wider than that of the groove so that the gasket is deformed in the absence of fluid entering the groove.

9. The seal of claim 8 wherein the slot is adapted to receive a portion of the gasket so that in the absence of pressure at the high pressure sidewall, a portion of the gasket extends into the slot.

10. The seal of claim 9 wherein the portion of the gasket which extends into the slot holds the gasket in place in the groove.

11. The seal of claim 5 wherein the first and second bodies have mating threads and are connectable to each other thereby.

12. The seal of claim 1 wherein the gasket has a circular cross section.

13. A seal comprising:

a first body having a sealing surface;

a second body connectable to the first body to define an interior cavity, the second body having a groove facing the sealing surface, the groove defining a closed loop around the interior cavity and having an inner wall on the inside of the loop and an outer wall on the outside of the loop;

a flexible gasket within the groove having, when at rest, a cross section wider than the cross section of the groove;

at least one slot through the inner wall at least as deep as one-half the thickness of the gasket connecting the groove with the interior cavity so that fluid under pressure in the cavity urges the gasket into a sealed connection against the sealing surface.

14. The seal of claim 13 wherein the first and second bodies comprise mating threads with which the bodies are connectable.

15. The seal of claim 13 wherein the gasket has a cross section large enough to seal against the outer wall and the sealing surface when urged against the outer wall by fluid under pressure in the cavity.

16. The seal of claim 13 wherein portions of the gasket extend into the slots in the absence of fluid under pressure,,in the cavity.

17. The seal of claim 13 wherein the interior cavity includes a soap reservoir, and the sealed connection contains the soap in the reservoir.

18. The seal of claim 13 wherein the second body comprises a soap reservoir in the interior cavity, and the first body contains the soap within the reservoir.

21. The dispenser of claim 15 wherein the groove has a rectangular cross section defined by a bottom and said walls extending therefrom.

23. The dispenser of claim 21 wherein the gasket has a circular cross section which in the absence of pressure in the reservoir is wider than the groove cross section.

19. A fluid dispenser comprising:

a first body comprising a container having an open ended soap reservoir;

a second body connectable to the first body to close the soap reservoir at an opening between the bodies, one said body having a groove spaced apart from and surrounding the opening, and the other body having a sealing surface facing the groove when the bodies are connected, the groove having a high pressure sidewall nearest the opening and a low pressure sidewall opposite the high pressure sidewall;

a flexible gasket in the groove;

an upstream conduit for conducting fluid at high pressure into the soap reservoir;

a downstream conduit for conducting fluid out of the soap reservoir; and

at least one slot in the high pressure sidewall at least as deep as one-half the thickness of the gasket for allowing fluid int he soap reservoir to enter the groove and press the gasket against the sealing surface to seal the opening.

20. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the groove comprises a groove bottom and the groove side walls extend from the groove bottom towards the sealing surface.

22. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the gasket has a circular cross section.

24. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the groove is annular.

25. The dispenser of claim 24 wherein the gasket is annular and the inside diameter of the gasket in the absence of pressure in the reservoir is smaller than the inside diameter of the groove.

26. The dispenser of claim 24 wherein the slots are spaced equidistant about the groove'"'"'s circumference.

27. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the first and second bodies comprise mating threads with which the bodies are connectable.

28. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the fluid is water.

29. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the fluid includes water and soap.