Superelastic sealing closures

• US 6,393,765 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Goldstein, David, Teter, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, CURTIS A
• Application Number:
  US09/644,658
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 49/475.1,440,489.1,498.1
• US Class Current: 49/475.1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 19/26 Gaskets; Draining means
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/16 Sealing arrangements on wings or parts co-operating with the wings specially adapted for fireproof or similar closures E06B5/164; E06B7/098 takes precedence ; fixed sealing joints E04B1/68; devices for fitting sealing strips E04F21/00

Abstract

A closure system including a rigid structural part has an edge surface along which sealage is established in response to deformation of a superelastic sheet metal element positioned thereon, such sheet metal element being endowed with a shape memory characteristic by formation as a Nitinol alloy to meet high sealage standards and other environmental requirements.

Claims

1. In a closure arrangement including a structural part, a sheet metal element directly attached to the structural part;

and sealing means engageable with said element for deformation in response to a change in temperature;

said sheet metal element being a shape memory metal selected for endowment thereof with superelastic properties to establish improved sealage conditions by said deformation,without external control.

2. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said sheet metal element is made exclusively from a shape memory alloy through which said superelastic properties of the memory characteristic is selected.

3. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein the sheet metal element includes an arcuate contact portion at which contact engagement with the sealing means occurs.

4. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 3, wherein said structural part is a rigid door section on which an edge surface is formed and to which the sheet metal element is secured;

said arcuate contact portion of the element being spaced from the edge surface in a direction of said deformation thereof by the sealing means.

5. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein the sealing means includes another matching sheet metal element.

6. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said matching sheet metal elements respectively include attachment end portions, loop-shaped ends on which the contact portions are formed and gutter shaped intermediate portions interconnecting the attachment end portions and the loop-shaped ends of the respective elements.

7. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said sheet metal element is of cross-sectionally oval shape.

8. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet metal element includes an attachment end portion secured to the structural part, and a loop-shaped end on which a contact portion is formed.

9. The closure arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said structural part is a rigid door section on which an edge surface is formed and to which the sheet metal element is secured;

said sheet metal element having an arcuate contact portion spaced from the edge surface in a direction of said deformation thereof by the sealing means.