Ring seal having sealing lobes

• US 7,975,870 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems LLC
• Inventors: Laule, William J., Rivenburgh, Michael R., Osborne, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/847,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 220/582, 220/795, 220/804, 220/801, 220/806, 220/796, 220/FOR.111, 220/FOR.105, 220/FOR.202, 220/DIG.33, 277/609, 277/630, 277/648, 277/649, 277/607, 277/615, 215/341, 215/316
• US Class Current: 220/582
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/077 with means modifying or controlling distribution or motion of fuel, e.g. to prevent noise, surge, splash or fuel starvation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03447 for improving the sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03453 for fixing or mounting parts of the fuel tank together
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/106 homogeneous
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3236 with at least one lip for each surface, e.g. U-cup packings

Abstract

A ring seal includes a body portion and a tail portion extending from the body portion. The body portion has, when viewed in cross-section and in an uncompressed state, an axially outboard surface and an axially inboard surface. The outboard surface defines a first sealing lobe, and the inboard surface defines a second sealing lobe that shares an axial centerline with the first sealing lobe.

Claims

1. A ring seal comprising:

a body portion which is annular, circumferentially continuous, has an axial axis and an exterior surface of the body portion and in an uncompressed state, has a circumferentially continuous first sealing lobe projecting axially outwardly from said exterior surface of the body, and a circumferentially continuous second sealing lobe axially spaced from and opposed to the first sealing lobe and projecting axially outwardly from said exterior surface of the body, the second sealing lobe shares an axial centerline with the first sealing lobe which axial centerline is parallel to said axial axis of said body portion, and the first and second sealing lobes project axially outwardly relative to each other; and

a circumferentially continuous tail portion disposed radially inwardly of the sealing lobes and projecting axially outwardly from the body.

2. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the body portion further comprises a radially outward projection extending radially outward of the sealing lobes that helps maintain a radial position of the ring seal with respect to a fuel system component when the ring seal is used with the fuel system component.

3. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the first sealing lobe has a circumferentially continuous first sealing bead and a circumferentially continuous second sealing bead that are symmetrical about the axial centerline, and wherein the second sealing lobe has a circumferentially continuous third sealing bead and a circumferentially continuous fourth sealing bead that are symmetrical about the axial centerline.

4. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the second sealing lobe has a first sealing bead and a second sealing bead that are symmetrical about the axial centerline.

5. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the tail portion comprises a circumferentially continuous skirt disposed radially inward of the sealing lobes and in cross-section and in said uncompressed state, extending axially away from the body portion to a free end, the skirt helping to maintain a position of the ring seal with respect to a fuel system component when the ring seal is used with the fuel system component.

6. The ring seal of claim 5 wherein the skirt, in said cross-section and in said uncompressed state, has a radially inward surface defining a planar wall that, when the ring seal is assembled to a plug, bears generally flush against the plug to help maintain the position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel system component.

7. The ring seal of claim 6 wherein the skirt, in said cross-section and in said uncompressed state, has a radially outward surface defining a pilot wall inclined to the planar wall that helps center the position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel system component when assembling the plug and the ring seal to the fuel system component.

8. The ring seal of claim 7 wherein the radially outward surface defines a plurality of pilot protrusions that i) extend radially outward farther than the pilot wall, ii) are circumferentially disposed around the skirt, and iii) help center the position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel system component when assembling the plug and the ring seal to the fuel system component.

9. The ring seal of claim 1 wherein the tail portion, in cross-section and in said uncompressed state, extends axially relative to the body portion and has axially spaced-apart and opposed free ends, and comprises an axially outboard protrusion at one free end and an axially inboard protrusion at another free end, that individually and together help maintain a position of the ring seal with respect to a fuel system component when the ring seal is used with the fuel system component.

10. The ring seal of claim 9 wherein the tail portion, in cross-section and in said uncompressed state, has a radially inward surface defining a planar wall that extends between the axially outboard protrusion and the axially inboard protrusion, and that, when the ring seal is assembled to a plug, bears generally flush against the plug to help maintain the position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel system component.

11. A sealed joint comprising:

a first component;

a second component mounted to the first component; and

the ring seal of claim 1, disposed between and sealingly contacting the first and second components.

12. An assembly comprising:

a fuel tank defining an opening;

a plug mounted to the fuel tank in the opening, the plug having an axial axis, a radial flange extending radially beyond a circumference of the opening and an axial flange extending axially into the opening; and

a ring seal disposed between the fuel tank and the plug to form a sealed joint thereat, the ring seal comprising;

a body portion which is annular, circumferentially continuous, in cross-section and in an uncompressed state has an axially outboard exterior surface defining a first sealing lobe to bear against the radial flange, and having an axially inboard exterior surface defining a second sealing lobe to bear against the fuel tank, wherein the first sealing lobe and the second sealing lobe are axially opposed, axially spaced apart, and share an axial centerline parallel to said axial axis, and the first and second sealing lobes project axially outwardly relative to each other; and

a circumferentially continuous tail portion disposed radially inwardly of the sealing lobes and projecting axially outwardly from the body portion and having a radially inward surface defining a planar wall to bear generally flush against the axial flange to help maintain a position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel tank and the plug.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the body portion has, in said cross-section and in said uncompressed state, a projection extending radially outward of the sealing lobes that helps maintain a radial position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel tank and the plug.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the first sealing lobe has a first sealing bead and a second sealing bead that are symmetrical about the axial centerline, and wherein the second sealing lobe has a third sealing bead and a fourth sealing bead that are symmetrical about the axial centerline.

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the second sealing lobe has a first sealing bead and a second sealing bead that are symmetrical about the axial centerline.

16. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the tail portion comprises a circumferentially continuous skirt disposed radially inward of the sealing lobes and in said cross-section and in said uncompressed state, extending axially away from the body portion to a free end, the skirt helping to maintain the position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel tank and the plug.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the skirt has, in said cross-section and in said uncompressed state, a radially outward surface defining a pilot wall inclined to the planar wall that helps center the position of the ring seal with respect to the opening of the fuel tank when the plug and the ring seal are mounted in the opening.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the radially outward surface defines a plurality of pilot protrusions that i) extend radially outward farther than the pilot wall, ii) are circumferentially disposed around the skirt, and iii) help center the position of the ring seal with respect to the opening of the fuel tank when the plug and the ring seal are mounted in the opening.

19. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the tail portion, in said cross-section and in said uncompressed state, extends axially relative to the body portion and has axially spaced-apart and opposed free ends and comprises, an axially outboard protrusion at one free end and an opposed axially inboard protrusion at another free end opposed to the one free end, the planar wall extending between the outboard and the inboard protrusions, wherein the outboard and the inboard protrusions individually and together help maintain the position of the ring seal with respect to the fuel tank and the plug.