Gel sealant enclosure with visual seal indication

• US 6,494,464 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aqua-Seal International Limited, Dow Corning Corporation (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aqua-Seal International Limited, Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Curry, David W., Chandler, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEAVEY, ENOCH E
• Application Number:
  US09/556,170
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 220/849, 220/377, 220/378, 220/212, 215/230, 277/316, 277/321, 277/628, 277/630, 277/641, 277/642, 277/650
• US Class Current: 277/628
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 53/06 Sealings formed by liquid or plastic material

Abstract

A sealable enclosure including a base and a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover have respective mating surfaces, wherein the base and cover form a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base. A compliant gel sealant is disposed on the mating surface of one of the base and cover for environmentally sealing the chamber, with a visual indicator provided for determining that the chamber is sealed. In one preferred embodiment, the visual indicator comprises a non-opaque window formed in the cover, and a non-opaque tongue extending from the mating surface of the cover, the tongue aligned with the window such that a line of sight is provided through the respective window and tongue. The gel sealant is disposed in a mating groove located about a perimeter of the mating surface of the base and substantially aligned with the tongue when the cover is attached to the base, such that a wetted contact between the gel and a distal end of the tongue, indicating that an environmental seal is formed there between, is visible through the line of sight.

Claims

1. A sealable enclosure, comprising:

a base;

a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover each having a mating surface, the base and cover forming a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base;

a compliant gel sealant disposed on the mating surface of one of the base and cover for environmentally sealing the chamber;

a non-opaque window formed in the cover,

a non-opaque mating surface formed on the other of the base and cover, the mating surface being aligned with the window such that a line of sight is provided through the window and mating surface; and

a visual indicator for determining that the chamber is sealed, the visual indicator comprising a wetted contact formed between the gel and mating surface, visible through the line of sight, indicating that an environmental seal is formed between the gel and mating surface.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the gel is a different color than at least one of the base or cover.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a Light Emitting Diode embedded in or in contact with the gel.

13. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a latching mechanism for securing the cover to the base.

4. A sealable enclosure, comprising:

a base;

a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover each having a mating surface, the base and cover forming a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base;

a compliant gel sealant disposed on the mating surface of one of the base and cover for environmentally sealing the chamber; and

a visual indicator for determining that the chamber is environmentally sealed, the visual indicator comprising a wetted contact formed between the gel and cover.

5. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator comprises a non-opaque window formed in the cover.

6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a non-opaque protrusion formed over the window.

7. The enclosure of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is semicircular in shape.

8. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the gel is substantially aligned with the window when the cover is attached to the base.

9. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a substantially opaque portion adjacent to the window, thereby providing a visual contrast between the opaque portion and the window.

10. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the base and is a different color than the gel.

11. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator comprises a non-opaque window formed in the cover, and a non-opaque tongue extending from the mating surface of the cover, the tongue aligned with the window such that a line of sight is provided through the window and tongue.

12. The enclosure of claim 11, wherein the tongue has a triangular-shaped distal end with an apex formed at a slope on either side of approximately 45°

.

14. A sealable enclosure, comprising:

a base having an exterior surface, a channel formed about a perimeter of the exterior base surface;

a compliant gel sealant disposed in the channel; and

a cover attachable to the base, the cover having an exterior surface and an interior surface, a raised sealing tongue extending from the interior cover surface about a perimeter thereof, the tongue adapted to make sealing contact with the gel as the cover is moved towards the base to thereby form an environmental seal between the base and cover;

the cover comprising a non-opaque portion allowing for visual indication of whether or not a seal is formed between the tongue and the gel.

15. The enclosure of claim 14, the cover further comprising an opaque portion adjacent to the non-opaque portion so as to enhance the visual confirmation of a seal formed between the cover and the gel.

16. The enclosure of claim 14, the exterior cover surface comprising a raised surface protrusion substantially aligned with the non-opaque portion.

17. A sealable enclosure, comprising:

a base;

a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover each having a mating surface, the base and cover forming a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base;

a compliant the gel sealant disposed on the mating surface of the base for environmentally sealing the chamber; and

a visual indicator for determining that the chamber is sealed, said visual indicator comprising

a non-opaque window formed in the cover, and

a non-opaque tongue extending from the mating surface of the cover, the tongue aligned with the window such that a line of sight is provided through the window and tongue,

wherein the gel is substantially aligned with the tongue when the cover is attached to the base, such that a wetted contact between the gel and a distal end of the tongue, indicating that an environmental seal is formed there between, is visible through the line of sight.

18. A sealable enclosure comprising:

a base;

a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover each having a mating surface, the base and cover forming a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base;

a compliant gel sealant disposed in a groove formed in the mating surface of the base for environmentally sealing the chamber; and

a visual indicator for determining that the chamber is sealed, said visual indicator comprising

a non-opaque window formed in the cover, and

a non-opaque tongue extending from the mating surface of the cover, the tongue aligned with the window such that a line of sight is provided through the window and tongue,

the groove being substantially aligned with the tongue when the cover is attached to the base, such that a wetted contact between the gel and a distal end of the tongue, indicating that an environmental seal is formed there between, is visible through the line of sight.

19. A sealable enclosure, comprising:

a base;

a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover each having a mating surface, the base and cover forming a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base;

a compliant gel sealant disposed on the mating surface of one of the base and cover for environmentally sealing the chamber; and

a visual indicator for determining that the chamber is sealed;

wherein the visual indicator comprises;

a non-opaque window formed in the cover comprises a clear plastic having a refractive index of greater than 1.42, and

a non-opaque tongue extending from the mating surface of the cover the tongue aligned with the window such that a line of sight is provided through the window and tongue.

20. A sealable enclosure comprising:

a base;

a cover attachable to the base, the base and cover each having a mating surface, the base and cover forming a chamber there between when the cover is attached to the base;

a gel sealant disposed on the mating surface of one of the base and cover for environmentally sealing the chamber; and

means for providing a visual indication of whether or not a seal is formed, the visual indication being in the form of wetted contact between the gel and cover mating surface.

21. A sealable assembly, comprising:

a fixed surface defining an opening;

a compliant gel sealant disposed about the opening; and

a cover having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the cover attachable to the fixed surface so as to form a substantially moisture-tight seal between the interior cover surface and the gel, the exterior cover surface providing a visual indication of whether or not a seal is formed.