Abstract:
A sealing gasket and a method are provided. One aspect of the sealing gasket includes a base. The base is densified to form a substantially flat portion and a raised seal portion. The raised seal portion is configured to conform to a contour of a surface of a component and seals a region between the surface and the base to prevent fluid leakage. Another aspect of the sealing gasket includes a filter portion. The filter portion is coupled to the base and configured to extend across a fluid passageway of the base.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to a sealing gasket. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bonded filter gasket having a raised sealing bead. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0003]    It is already known in the automotive industry to provide sealing gaskets for sealing joints between two components in a fluid line. The sealing gaskets may be made of rubber or plastics compatible with the fluid to be transmitted in the fluid line, for example water, oil, petrol, and/or solvents. 
         [0004]    For many applications, it is desirable to remove any solid particles present in the fluid to prevent damage to equipment connected to the fluid line. For this purpose, it is common to fit a filter in the fluid line, for example a metal or plastic mesh screen having a mesh rating to remove solid particles above a given size. 
         [0005]    Additionally, a problem with a typical sealing gasket is that the gasket does not always effectively seal between the filter and a surface of a component and fluid may leak between the gasket and the component, bypassing the filter. Unfiltered fluid may reach the component or other unexpected components and possibly interfere with operation of the component or the unexpected components. The leakage may also cause a surface of the component to warp or become irregular. 
         [0006]    The present disclosure provides a sealing gasket and a method of making a sealing gasket to reduce leakage by using a gasket having a sealing bead, such that the sealing bead has a sufficient strength and physical integrity to make a strong bond to a component surface. Additionally, the sealing gasket includes a filter to reduce material and installation costs along with preventing the risk of assembling components without the filter. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    According to the present disclosure, a sealing gasket and a method are provided. One aspect of the sealing gasket includes a base. The base is densified to form a substantially flat portion and a raised seal bead portion. The raised seal portion is configured to conform to a contour of a surface of the component and seals a region between the surface and the base to prevent fluid leakage. Another aspect of the sealing gasket includes a filter portion. The filter portion is coupled to the base and configured to extend across a fluid passageway of a component. 
         [0008]    One aspect of the method provides manufacturing a base. Another aspect of the method includes providing a filter. Another aspect of the method provides bonding the filter to the base to allow the filter to extend across a fluid passageway of a component. A further aspect of the method includes compressing the base to form a raised seal bead and a substantially flat surface. Additionally, the raised seal bead conforms to a contour of a surface of a component and seals a region between the surface and the base to prevent fluid leakage. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an exemplary sealing gasket according to the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the sealing gasket of  FIG. 1  prior to a base of the sealing gasket being densified along a line  2 - 2  according to the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of the sealing gasket of  FIG. 1  after the base is densified along the line  2 - 2  according to the present disclosure; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of an operation of manufacturing the sealing gasket according to the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an embodiment of an exemplary sealing gasket  10 . In this embodiment, the sealing gasket  10  is a valve body filter gasket for a transmission application, but this is not essential and other types of gaskets suitable for other intended applications may be employed such as fuel system applications, pump applications, other transmissions applications, cooling system applications, and industrial housing applications. Additionally, the sealing gasket  10  may comprise a plurality of different sizes and shapes. 
         [0017]    Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the sealing gasket  10  comprises a base portion  12  and a filter portion  14 . The base portion  12  is made of any material suitable for the intended application. For example, the material may comprise a fiber material or a polymeric material. The fiber material may comprise a cellulose material. Additionally, the base portion  12  is bonded directly to the filter portion  14 . 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the base portion  12  includes a first layer of material  16  and a second layer of material  18  with the filter portion  14  adjacent and between the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18 . The first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18  may be comprised of the same material. However, the first layer of material  16  may be different from the second layer of material  18 . Such a situation is intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, located between the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18  is an adhesive layer (not shown) used to bond the first layer of material  16  to the second layer of material  18 . The first layer  16  and the second layer of material  18  comprise a combined height. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18  are densified producing a raised, non-compressed sealing bead or portion  20  and a substantially flat compressed or densified surface or portion  24  adjacent to the raised sealing bead  20 . The raised sealing bead  20  is positioned on a first or top surface  16   a  of the base portion  12 , more specifically the first layer of material  16 . The raised sealing bead  20  comprises a conformable material having sufficient strength and physical integrity to make a strong bond with a surface of a component. In other words, the raised sealing bead  20  seals a region between the surface of the component and the base portion  12  in order to prevent fluid leakage from spreading to unwanted areas or components. Optionally, a second raised sealing bead or portion  22  may be formed on a second or bottom surface  18 a of the base portion  12 , more specifically the second layer of material  18 . 
         [0020]    The filter portion  14  comprises a mesh screen. The mesh screen is made of any suitable material and has a mesh size for an intended application for straining a particular type of fluid. The mesh screen may comprise a fiber material, a metal material, a polymeric material, or any combination thereof. For this example, the material comprises a polymeric material such as polyester having a mesh size of 185 micron with 41% open area. The mesh screen is bonded between the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18 , such that the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18  are embedded around a peripheral edge of the mesh screen. In other words, the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18  overlap the peripheral edge of the mesh screen. In this embodiment, the filter portion  14  is formed by blanking out the mesh screen from a flat sheet of woven mesh. 
         [0021]    The adhesive and the material of the first layer  16  and the second layer  18  are heated and compressed into and through the interstices of the peripheral edge of the filter portion  14  so as to bond the filter portion  14 . This forms a unitary construction in which the base portion  12  and the filter portion  14  are integral. 
         [0022]    As will be appreciated, the sealing gasket  10  is reinforced and supported around the peripheral edge of the filter portion  14 , which is embedded in the base portion  12 . In this way, the capability of the sealing gasket  10  is enhanced. 
         [0023]    Optionally, the sealing gasket  10  comprises a plurality of bolt holes or apertures  30 . Each bolt hole  30  allows a fastening device, such a bolt (not shown), to be inserted into the bolt hole  30  to couple the sealing gasket  10  to the component. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , an operation  50  of manufacturing the sealing gasket  10  is provided. The operation of manufacturing the sealing gasket  10  includes manufacturing each layer  16 ,  18  of the base portion  12  having at least one aperture  26  at operation  52 . The filter portion  14  is aligned adjacent to the aperture  26  of the first layer of material  16 , such that the peripheral edge of the filter portion  14  extends over the aperture  26 . The second layer  18  is then placed adjacent to the filter portion  14  and the first layer of material  16 , such that the aperture  26  of the second layer of material  18  is adjacent and aligns with the aperture  26  of the first layer of material  16 . 
         [0025]    Using a mold, the sealing gasket  10  is bonded at operation  54 . At operation  56 , the base portion  12  is compressed to form the substantially flat densified portion  24  and the raised sealing bead  20 . A predetermined pressure and heat are applied as necessary to compress the base portion  12  to a desired shape. The amount of heat and pressure are dependent upon the materials used. The densified portion  24  is reduced to a compressed height. On the other hand, the raised sealing bead  20  is approximately a height of the combined height of the uncompressed first and second layers  16 ,  18 . The raised sealing bead  20  includes a predetermined shape configured by the mold. The raised sealing bead  20  is soft and malleable, such that it is capable of conforming to the surface of the component to prevent fluid leaks. On the other hand, the densified portion  24 , such as the first layer of material  16  and the second layer of material  18  being combined with the adhesive and densified, is rigid and stiff. Additionally, the densified portion  24  is compressed against and meshed within the peripheral edge of the filter portion  14 . 
         [0026]    The sealing gasket  10  as provided above prevents fluid leakages, such as when fluid flows from one component to another component, from traveling into unwanted or unintended areas to prevent damage. Additionally, the sealing gasket  10  reduces material and installation costs by providing the base portion  12  with the filter portion  14 .