Patent Publication Number: US-2013247267-A1

Title: Roll seal assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to apparel and particularly to all dry suits and garment closures and specifically to a roll seal assembly for joining two pieces of a diving suit together in a water-tight relationship. The roll seal assembly of the present invention permits replacement of seals on dry suits in order to change their size or replace worn out or torn seals. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Dry suits are used in a variety of applications including underwater sports such as diving, water surface sports such as windsurfing and cold water survival suits. In order for a dry suit to function correction it is imperative that joints between various portions of the suit are water tight able to retain a water seal under pressure and movement of the wearer. Examples of where such seals may be found on a dry suit include glove and wrist seals, ankle and boot seals and hood seals. A variety of solutions have been proposed. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,057 for a “Combined Boots/Turnout Pant” issued to Aldridge et al on Feb. 25, 1992. This invention describes a combination pant and boot joined by a first and second corrugated connection on the cuffs of the pant and boot. Such a seal is not suited to a dry suit used in underwater applications where ambient pressures are much higher. Additionally, the body movement of an underwater diver is different and involves a continuous movement of the legs and feet which may stress the type of seal disclosed by Aldridge et al. A second example is U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,786 “Garment with releasable water-tight seal for neck and limbs” issued to Stinton et al on Jun. 20, 2006. Sinton et al discloses a seal system used in a diving suit around the wrist, ankles and neck comprising a first and second annular interlocking seal members. The Stinton design is similar to the Aldridge design but uses a compression seal. The Stinton seal has disadvantages relating to the ability of the seal to withstand axial forces between the two joined garments. The Stinton seal may pull apart under axial loads. Therefore, there is a continued requirement for a releasable seal for a dry suit or similar garment that is water tight, pressure resistant and resistant to diver motion which may cause axial loads sufficient to pull the seal apart. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     Technical Solution 
     A roll seal assembly for joining a first tubular body open end to a second tubular body open end comprises a third tubular body fixed to the first tubular body open end and a fourth tubular body fixed to the second tubular body open end. The third tubular body comprises an outside surface and an inside surface, a first open end fixed in a fluid-sealed relationship to the first tubular body open end, a second free open end adapted for roll sealing, a first band of first fastening means disposed around the outside surface of the first open end, a second band of first fastening means disposed around the outside surface of the second free open end. The fourth tubular body comprises an outside surface and an inside surface, a first free open end adapted for roll sealing, a second open end fixed in said fluid-sealed relationship to the second tubular body open end, a first band of second fastening means disposed around the outside surface of the second open end, a second band of second fastening means disposed around the inside surface of the first free open end. The first band of first fastening means is adapted to join the first band of second fastening means. The second band of first fastening means is adapted to join the second band of second fastening means. A sealing band disposed within the free open end of the third tubular body and fixed to the inside surface thereof. The first band of the second fastening means is disposed over the second band of the first fastening means in a press-fit relationship forming a first releasable joint between the free end of the fourth tubular body and the free end of the third tubular body. The releasable joint is disposed over the sealing band. A first turn of the sealing band is made towards the first tubular body. A second turn of the sealing band is made towards the first tubular body thereby placing the second band of second fastening means proximate to the first band of first fastening means. The second band of second fastening means is disposed over the first band of first fastening means in a press-fit relationship forming a second releasable joint between the first tubular body and the second tubular body. The third tubular body and the fourth tubular body are made from an elastic waterproof material such as latex, PVC or silicone. The first fastening means and the second fastening means comprise a hook and loop fastening system. In another embodiment of the invention the hook and loop system can be replaced by zippers, adhesive tape, magnets and snap fasteners. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     Objectives and Advantages of the Invention 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a seal that is water tight under pressure caused by deep water emersion such as experienced by a dry suit for diving. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a seal that is suitable for joining two tubular bodies together. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a seal that will resist axial loading. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a seal that is seamless. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a seal that is pliable and continuous. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a seal that can joint two garments together. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that it can be used in other applications such as closures for water-tight bags and for joining conduits that carry compressible or non-compressible fluids. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be use to join two flexible conduits together such as a hose or ducting. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that the roll seals can be easily replaced on a garment such as a dry suit if the seals are damaged or if the seals need to be increased in size to improve the fit of the garment. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that the roll seal can be used to replace zipper fasteners used on dry suits. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing of a diver in a dry suit illustrating potential locations of the roll seals of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of a diver&#39;s arm with diving mitt and a roll seal of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 3A to 3E  shows a sequence of steps used to create a roll seal between two garment pieces. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section of one embodiment of a roll seal of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of a dry suit having an entry portal sealed by one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     The invention is best explained with reference to a single example of its application. Therefore, the example used is a dry suit garment and the attachment of a glove or boot to the dry suit. As previously noted and claimed herein, the invention can be used to close and seal in a water-tight relationship a variety of tubular bodies. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  there is shown a diver  10  wearing a dry suit  12 . The dry suit generally has connecting garments which require sealing at the neck  14 , wrist  16  and ankle  18 . These garments can comprise gloves, mitts, boots and hoods. Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown, as an example, the sleeve of a dry suit  12  connected to a mitt at the wrist  16  using the roll seal  22  of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  illustrate how a wrist roll seal  22  is assembled. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3A  there is shown the roll seal disassembled into a cuff portion  31  and a sleeve portion  33 . The sleeve portion  33  is fixed to the end of arm  35  of the diving garment  12  by water proof stitching. The attachment point would be inside the distal end of sleeve  35  around the base  37  of the sleeve portion  33  of the roll seal assembly  22 . In this manner, should the sleeve portion  33  of the seal become damaged or worn it can be easily replaced and sewn back onto the sleeve  35 . Furthermore, the seal can be replaced to suit a desired size change, that is, a larger or smaller seal. The sleeve portion  33  comprises a first band of fastening hooks  34  disposed around the outside of the sleeve portion  33  just above the base  37  of the sleeve portion where it joins the end of the arm  35  of the diving garment  12 . A second band of fastening hooks  40  is disposed around the outside of the sleeve portion at the distal end  42  of the sleeve portion  33 . There is further disposed a sealing band  30  of resilient material around the inside surface of the distal end  42  of the sleeve portion  33 . The sealing band is of necessity harder than the material used for the rolled sections as described below in order to form a base for the rolled seal. Sealing band  30  retains the distal end  42  of the sleeve portion  33  open and in a generally circular shape and facilitates rolling the seal as more fully explained below. The sealing band must have some stiffness but remain flexible as well. The sleeve  35  of the dry suit  12  may terminate in a latex (or PVC or silicone) sleeve extension  47 . An extended latex section  28  can be attached by stitching  36  so that there is sufficient rolling material between the first band of fastening hooks  34  and the second band of fastening hooks  40 . The cuff portion  31  comprises a wrist sealing section  26  which comprises a section of latex shaped in the form of a truncated cone. The distal end  44  of the wrist sealing section  26  fits around the wrist in a water tight compression seal. Around the base of the wrist sealing section  26  there is a first band of loop fasteners  32 . A second section of latex  37  is located between the first band of loop fasteners  32  and the base  41  of the cuff portion. A second band of loop fasteners  39  is disposed on the inside surface of the base  41  of the cuff portion  31 . It is to be understood that zipper fasteners, can be used instead of hook and loop fasteners. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3B , the first step in creating the roll seal is to join the cuff portion  31  to the sleeve portion  33  of the roll seal assembly  22 . The band of fastening loops  39  is brought into overlapping contact with the second band of fastening hooks  40 . The hooks and loops interact to form a joint at line  46  to hold the two portions together in a stable configuration while the seal is rolled into formation. Sealing band  30  is disposed beneath the hook and loop joint to prevent the now joined first and second latex extensions from collapsing. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3C , the second step in forming the roll seal is to roll the first band of loop fasteners  32  towards the sleeve  35 . In this step the sealing band  30  is rolled a first time over second latex section  37  as shown in  FIG. 3C  and then a second time as shown in  FIG. 3D . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3E , after the second roll, it is possible to bring the first band of fastening loop  32  into contact with the first band of fastening hooks to form a cover over the rolled seal. The loop and hook fastener will absorb any axial stress between the sleeve  12  of the dry suit and the seal assembly  22 . In other embodiments of the invention the loop and hook fasteners can be replaced by adhesive tape, a zipper fastener, magnetic fasteners and snap fasteners. As illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  a boot, glove or hood can be attached to the cuff portion  31  of the seal assembly to provide a water-tight seal between the dry suit sleeve and the boot, glove or hood. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  there is shown a cross-section of the completed roll seal assembly  22  which forms a water-tight, seamless and continuous seal between the sleeve  35  of the dry suit  12  and the garment attached over the wrist sealing section  26 . It can be seen from  FIG. 4  that the resilient sealing band  30  forms the core of the seal. The hook and loop fastener combinations ( 39  and  40 ) and ( 32  and  34 ) resist any axial forces between the sleeve of the dry suit and the attached garment. The rolled latex (or PVC or silicone) extension  28  wrapped around the sealing band provides a water-tight seal. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  there is shown a view of a dry suit having an entry portal  90  that is sealed by a roll seal  92 . The roll seal could replace the use of a dry zipper seal as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     These and other objects, features, and characteristics of my invention will be more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. 
     MODE FOR INVENTION 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     Sequence List Text