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US-12618471-B2 - Ring seal compatible with multiple port types

US12618471B2US 12618471 B2US12618471 B2US 12618471B2US-12618471-B2

Abstract

An orientation agnostic ring seal includes an annular body defining an axial hole therethrough for fluid passage in an axial direction and having a radial plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. Both axial sides of the ring seal include a deformable annular protrusion extending from the annular body in an axial direction to a first apex, which is configured to deform upon engagement with a first planar sealing surface, and a first seal ring engagement surface configured to engage a first annular rounded sealing ring. So configured, the ring seal can seal two different types of flow components regardless of its orientation.

Inventors

  • Gregory Doyle
  • Puntaruk Hirunyanont
  • James William Martin

Assignees

  • MICROFLEX TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220217

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A ring seal comprising: an annular body defining an axial hole therethrough for fluid passage in an axial direction, the annular body having a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction; a first sealing surface on a first axial end of the annular body, the first sealing surface including: a first deformable annular protrusion extending from the annular body in the axial direction to a first apex, the first deformable annular protrusion configured to deform upon engagement with a first planar sealing surface, the first apex being positioned, from an inner diameter of the annular body defining the axial hole, 50%-70% of a distance from the inner diameter to an outer diameter of the annular body; and a first seal ring engagement surface configured to engage a first annular rounded sealing ring, the first seal ring engagement surface extending inward from the first apex at a first angle in a range of about 10 degrees to about 35 degrees relative to the radial plane; a second sealing surface on a second axial end of the annular body opposite the first axial end, the second sealing surface including: a second deformable annular protrusion extending from the annular body in the axial direction to a second apex, the second deformable annular protrusion configured to deform upon engagement with a second planar sealing surface, the second apex being positioned, from the inner diameter of the annular body defining the axial hole, 50%-70% of the distance from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the annular body; and a second seal ring engagement surface configured to engage a second annular rounded sealing ring, the second seal ring engagement surface extending inward from the second apex at a second angle in a range of about 10 degrees to about 35 degrees relative to the radial plane; wherein the first sealing surface includes an outer extension surface that extends radially outward from the first apex to the outer diameter of the annular body.
  2. 2 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the second sealing surface is a mirror image of the first sealing surface reflected over the radial plane of the annular body perpendicular to the axial direction.
  3. 3 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring engagement surface has a radial length sized to receive the first annular rounded sealing ring thereagainst.
  4. 4 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first deformable annular protrusion is configured to deform to form a C-seal upon engagement with the first planar sealing surface.
  5. 5 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring engagement surface is configured to engage the first annular rounded sealing ring to form a W-seal.
  6. 6 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring engagement surface of the first sealing surface extends radially inward of the first apex of the first deformable annular protrusion a substantial portion of the distance from the first apex to the inner diameter.
  7. 7 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring engagement surface of the first sealing surface extends radially inward to a radial surface, the radial surface extending substantially parallel to the radial plane.
  8. 8 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first apex of the first deformable annular protrusion is positioned about 60% of the distance from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the annular body.
  9. 9 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the outer extension surface has a steeper slope to the first apex relative to the radial plane than the first seal ring engagement surface.
  10. 10 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring engagement surface is a frustoconical surface extending to the first apex.
  11. 11 . The ring seal of claim 10 , wherein the first seal engagement surface extends away from the second axial end as the first seal engagement surface extends radially outward.
  12. 12 . The ring seal of claim 1 , wherein the first seal engagement surface extends at an oblique angle that is less than 30 degrees relative to the radial plane.
  13. 13 . A ring seal for sealing opposing flow component sealing surfaces defining a fluid flow path, the ring seal comprising: an annular seal body defining an axial hole for fluid passage in an axial direction; and a first sealing surface and second sealing surface on opposing axial ends of the annular seal body; the first sealing surface including a first annular extension extending from the annular seal body in a first axial direction to a first apex, the first apex being positioned, from an inner diameter of the annular body defining the axial hole, 50%-70% of a distance from the inner diameter to an outer diameter of the annular body, the first annular extension comprising a first extension surface and a second extension surface extending in opposite directions from the first apex back toward the annular sealing body, the first extension surface extending inward from the first apex at a first angle in a range of about 10 degrees to about 35 degrees relative to a radial plane perpendicular the axial direction, the second extension surface having a steeper slope to the first apex than the first extension surface such that the first extension surface is configured to deform into engagement with a planar surface to form a fluid tight seal, the first extension surface being configured to engage an annular rounded sealing ring to form a fluid tight seal.
  14. 14 . The ring seal of claim 13 , wherein the second sealing surface includes a second annular extension extending from the annular seal body in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction to a second apex, the second apex being positioned, from the inner diameter of the annular body, 50%-70% of the distance from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the annular body, wherein the second annular extension comprises a third extension surface and a fourth extension surface extending in opposite directions from the second apex back toward the annular sealing body, the third extension surface extending inward from the second apex at a second angle in a range of about 10 degrees to about 35 degrees relative to a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the fourth extension surface of having a steeper slope to the second apex than the third extension surface, the second annular extension configured to deform upon engagement with a planar surface to form a fluid tight seal, the third extension surface being configured to engage an annular rounded sealing ring to form a fluid tight seal.
  15. 15 . The ring seal of claim 13 , wherein the second sealing surface is a mirror image of the first sealing surface, reflected over the radial plane.
  16. 16 . The ring seal of claim 13 , wherein the first sealing surface includes a radial surface extending from the axial hole to the first extension surface.
  17. 17 . The ring seal of claim 16 , wherein the radial surface includes a planar portion extending substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.
  18. 18 . The ring seal of claim 13 , wherein a length of the first extension surface in the radial direction is sized to receive the annular rounded sealing ring.
  19. 19 . The ring seal of claim 13 , wherein the first apex is positioned about 60% of the distance from the inner diameter to the outer diameter.
  20. 20 . The ring seal of claim 19 , wherein the second extension surface extends from the first apex to the outer surface.

Description

FIELD This disclosure relates to seals and gaskets for forming a fluid tight seal joint between opposed flow component ports. BACKGROUND Ring seals are typically annularly shaped, defining an axially aligned hole for fluid (liquid or gas) passage, two axially opposed end surfaces, a radial inner surface, and a radial outer surface. A simplistic ring seal has planar end surfaces and smooth circular radial inner and outer surfaces that define the inner diameter (ID) and outer diameter (OD) of the ring seal. It is common practice in the industry, however, to utilize seals having different radial cross-sections to obtain varying sealing capabilities for different fluid flow environments. Ring seals are typically formed from a metal such as nickel, stainless steel, and nickel alloys such as C22. Ring seals are designed for interfacing with a specific port type. The opposed end surfaces of the ring seal are each configured to engage a port of a flow component to form a fluid tight seal between the end surface and the flow component. A commonly used ring seal is a “C seal” that has a radial cross-section of a “C” shape. The end surfaces of C seals engage and compress against a planar surface of a port of a flow component to form a fluid tight seal therebetween. Other C seals include a ridge or extension protruding axially from the end surface to aid in forming a fluid tight seal with the port of the flow component. Another ring seal type known in the industry is a “W” seal. A typical “W” seal has planar opposed sealing surfaces. The W seal is positioned between two coupling members that have annular projections, respectively, extending therefrom. The planar sealing surfaces engage the annular projections to form a fluid tight seal between the W seal and the coupling members. A problem with the existing ring seals is that the ring seals are only designed for use with a specific port type. For example, a C seal can only be used with a C-type port of a flow component, and a W seal can only be used with a W-type port. Problems arise when, for example, the port of a flow component on one side of the ring seal is C-type and the port of the flow component on the other side of the ring seal is a W-type. Some have attempted to solve this problem by creating a ring seal having one end surface designed to interface with a C-type port and the opposite end designed to interface with a W-type port. A shortcoming of such a ring seal is that one must be conscious of the orientation of the ring seal when positioning it between the flow components of different port types. Positioning the ring seal in an inverted orientation may cause damage to the flow components or ports thereof. Another shortcoming is that this ring seal cannot be used between flow components with the same port type, thus requiring a user to have a variety of ring seals on hand based on the port types of the flow components being joined together. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of a ring seal according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a top plan view of the ring seal of FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of the ring seal of FIG. 1A taken along lines 1C-1C of FIG. 1B. FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view of the ring seal of FIG. 1A taken along lines 1D-1D of FIG. 1C. FIG. 1E is a closeup view of an end portion of the ring seal of FIG. 1A as shown in FIG. 1C. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the ring seal of FIG. 1A set between a C-type fluid flow component and a W-type fluid flow component prior to compression. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the ring seal of FIG. 1A set between the fluid flow components of FIG. 2A after compression. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a ring seal according to a second embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a ring seal according to a third embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a ring seal according to a fourth embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a ring seal according to a fifth embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 6B is a closeup view of an end portion of the ring seal of FIG. 6A. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an end portion of a ring seal according to a sixth embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an end portion of a ring seal according to an seventh embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an end portion of a ring seal according to an eighth embodiment set between the flow components of FIG. 2A prior to compression. FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of a ring seal according to a ninth embodiment set between two C-type fluid flow components prior to compression. FIG. 1