Abstract:
The technology of the present application provides seal to be engaged between a fitting and a port to prevent leaking of media passing through the fitting and port. The seal includes upper and lower protruding portions that are compressible and deformable to provide higher sealing forces and an air tight seal at standard industry torque and compression load values.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/909,196, filed Mar. 30, 2007, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The technology of the present application relates to seals, and more specifically, to seals for ports or glands. 
         [0004]    2. Background 
         [0005]    Assorted systems may use fluids or gases (generally referred to as “media” or “process media”) to maintain pressure. These pressurized systems often have ports and fittings to allow the introduction of media to charge the system. It is generally necessary to provide a seal between any port and fitting in the system to prevent pressure loss by the escape of some or all of the media passing through the port or fitting. 
         [0006]    Ports traditionally include machined, internally threaded passages, while fittings traditionally include external threads that mate with the threaded passages of the port. The threads of the port matingly receive the threads of the fitting to form a joint, where closing of the joint is accomplished by applying an appropriate torque to the fitting aligned with the port. 
         [0007]    When a seal is employed between the fitting and port, the joint formed is closed to prevent leakage of media and pressure drops. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a fitting  20  passes through an opening  15  in a traditional seal  10 , causing the seal  10  to be held in place between the fitting  20  and the port  30 . As the fitting  20  is tightened within the port  30 , the seal  10  is compressed between the fitting  20  and the port  30 , thereby providing a seal to prevent process media from escaping or entering the system and to prevent a pressure loss within the system. Such a traditional seal may not provide adequate sealing force at traditional industry torque values and may fail at extreme operating temperatures and pressures. 
         [0008]    Some seals known in the art, such as seal  50  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , may maintain a seal even in the face of irregular surfaces on the fitting  60  and/or port  70 . The seal  50  includes first flexible sealing arm  52  extending diagonally upward and away from a main portion  56  of the seal and a second flexible sealing arm  54  extending diagonally downward and away from the main portion  56 . Both the first sealing arm  52  and the second sealing arm  54  are thin relative to the thickness of the main portion  56 . Accordingly, these seals  50  are expensive to manufacture due to the intricacies associated with machining thin sealing arms. Additionally, the thin sealing arms are fragile and are therefore prone to break when excessive compression is applied to the seal or even when handled or transported improperly. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, a seal for providing a bubble tight seal between a port and fitting without requiring high levels of torque and which is not expensive to manufacture or prone to breaking is desirable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    Embodiments disclosed herein address the above stated needs by providing an annular seal having an upper protruding portion protruding upwardly from the portion of the seal body proximate the opening in the seal and a lower protruding portion protruding downwardly from the portion of the seal body proximate the opening in the seal and in a direction perpendicular to the lower annular-shaped surface of the seal body. 
         [0011]    The foregoing, as well as other features, utilities, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a cross-section of a first prior art seal engaged between a fitting and a port; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-section of a second prior art seal engaged between a fitting and a port; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a top-down view of a seal according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-section of a seal according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a blown-up view of the area inside circle A in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-section of a seal according to one embodiment engaged between a fitting and a port; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a blown-up view of the area inside circle B in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The technology of the present application will be further explained with reference to  FIGS. 3 through 7 .  FIG. 3  shows a top-down view of a seal according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The seal  100  has a substantially annular shape, with an aperture  101  extending through the middle of the seal  100 . The seal  100  has an upper face  102  and a lower face  103  opposite the upper face. In one aspect of the embodiment, the upper face  102  and lower face lie in parallel planes. The seal also includes an outer wall  104  and an inner wall  105 , which may be aligned concentrically. In one embodiment, the outer wall  104  and inner wall  105  are perpendicular to the upper face  102  and lower face. A groove  106  extends into the inner wall  105  of the seal  100 . An upper protruding portion  107  protrudes upwardly from the upper face  102  proximate an inner edge of the upper face  102 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrates a cross section of the seal  100 . Upper face  102  opposes lower face  103  and, as illustrated, the upper face  102  and lower face  103  lie in parallel planes. However, in an alternate configuration, the upper surface and lower surface may lie in planes that are not parallel. Outer wall  104  opposes inner wall  105 , and, as illustrated, each of the outer wall  104  and inner wall  105  are aligned perpendicular to the upper face  102  and lower face  103  and the inner wall  105  lies in a parallel plane to the outer wall  104 . However, in alternate configurations, the outer wall  104  and inner wall  105  need not be perpendicular to the upper face  102  and lower face  103 , and the outer wall  104  and inner wall  105  need not lie in parallel planes. 
         [0021]    The inner wall  105  includes a groove  106 , which, as illustrated, is centered on the inner wall  105  between the upper face  102  and lower face  103 . In one aspect of the embodiment, the groove has a V-shape. Other shapes, such as a U-shape, also may be used in the seal of the instant application. In one aspect of the embodiment described herein, the size of the mouth of the groove  106  is substantially equal to the distance between the upper face  102  and the lower face  103 . However, the size of the mouth of the groove  106  may be smaller or larger than the distance between the upper face  102  and lower face  103 . The depth of the groove  106 , i.e., the distance into the inner wall  105  the groove  106  penetrates, also may vary. In one embodiment, the depth that the groove  106  extends into the inner wall  105  is farther than the location where the protruding portions, discussed in greater detail below, begin. 
         [0022]    As also shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the seal  100  includes the upper protruding portion  107  and the lower protruding portion  108 . The upper protruding portion  107  is located on the upper face  102  proximate the inner wall  105 , and may extend all the way to the inner wall  105 . In an alternate aspect, the upper protruding portion  107  may extend to just before or just beyond the inner wall  105 . The lower protruding portion  108  is located on the lower face  103  proximate the inner wall  105  and may extend all the way to the inner wall  105 . In an alternate aspect, the lower protruding portion  108  may extend to just before or just beyond the inner wall  105 . In the case of the upper protruding portion  107 , the upper protruding portion  107  may rise from the location on the upper face  102  proximate the inner wall  105  to a height above the upper face  102 . In the case of the lower protruding portion  108 , the lower protruding portion  108  may extend away from the location on the lower face  103  proximate the inner wall  105  to a distance below the lower face  103 . 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the upper protruding portion  107  extends away from the upper face  102 . The upper protruding portion  107  includes an outside wall  112  and an inside wall  113 . The outside wall  112  and inside wall  113  may be perpendicular to the upper face  102  or the outside wall  112  and inside wall  113  may be other than perpendicular to the upper face  102 . In  FIG. 5 , outside wall  112  is not perpendicular to the upper face  102  while inside wall  113  is perpendicular to the upper face  102 . While  FIG. 5  illustrates an outside wall  112  and an inside wall  113  that are not parallel to each other, in an alternate aspect, the outside wall  112  and inside wall  113  may be parallel to each other. The upper protruding portion  107  also includes an end wall  114 . The end wall  114  of the upper protruding portion  107  may be substantially parallel to the upper face  102  and meets the inside wall  113  and outside wall  112  of the upper protruding portion  107  at either a right angle or a rounded corner. In one aspect of the embodiment, both the outside wall  112  and inside wall  113  meet the end wall  114  at rounded corners. 
         [0024]    As also illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the lower protruding portion  108  extends away from the lower face  103  in a direction perpendicular to the lower face  103 . That is to say, lower protruding portion  108  includes an outside wall  109  and an inside wall  110 , wherein both the outside wall  109  and inside wall  110  extend away ftom the lower face  103  in a direction perpendicular to the lower face  103 . While outside wall  109  and inside wall  110  are shown perpendicular to the lower face  103 , outside wall  109  and inside wall  110  may be other than perpendicular to lower face  103 . Moreover, outside wall  109  and inside wall  110  are not necessarily parallel to each other. The lower protruding portion  108  also includes an end wall  111 . The end wall  111  of the lower protruding portion  108  may be substantially parallel to the lower face  103  and meets the inside wall  110  and outside wall  109  of the lower protruding portion  108 . In one aspect of the embodiment, the inside wall  110  meets the end wall  111  at a right angle, while the outside wall  109  and the end wall  111  meet at a rounded corner. Similarly, the outside wall  109  and the lower face  103  may meet at a rounded corner. The rounded corners at the intersection of the outside wall  109  and the lower face  103  and the outside wall  109  and the end wall  111  may allow the seal to better engage with the port where the port edges also have rounded corners (see, for example,  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). 
         [0025]    As noted above, in one aspect of the embodiment described herein, the upper protruding portion  107  and lower protruding portion  108  are located entirely above and below, respectively, the groove  106 . In other words, the distance from the inner wall  105  to the point at which the upper protruding portion  107  and lower protruding portion  108  begin to protrude from the upper face  102  and lower face  103 , respectively, is shorter than the distance the groove  106  extends into the inner wall  105 . 
         [0026]    In the illustrated aspect of the embodiment described herein, the lower protruding portion  108  protrudes away from the lower face  103  further than the upper protruding portion  107  protrudes away from the upper face  102 . In other words, the relative height of the lower protruding portion  108  is taller than the relative height of the upper protruding portion  107 . 
         [0027]    Turning now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an embodiment of the seal is depicted in application. Specifically,  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate the use of the seal in a boss application. However, the seal may also be used in other applications, such as when the port is on a planar surface. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate a fitting  120  passing through the center aperture of the seal  100  and engaging with the port  130 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the port  130  is part of a boss  140 . The fitting  120  has male threads for engaging with the female threads of the port  130  and securing the fitting  120  to the port  130 . The seal  100  ensures that media passing through the port  130  and fitting  120  will not escape at the juncture of the fitting  120  and port  130 . 
         [0029]    As best shown in  FIG. 7 , the upper face  102  and the upper protruding portion  107  of the seal  100  come into contact with a surface  121  of the fitting  120 , while the lower face  103  and the lower protruding portion  108  come into contact with a surface  131  of the port  130 . As the fitting  120  is engaged further with the port  130 , the upper protruding portion  107  and lower protruding portion  108  are compressed and deform to form a media tight seal between the fitting  120  and port  130 . The main portion of the seal  100  between the upper face  102  and lower face  103  serves a mechanical stop due its thickness. 
         [0030]    Because the upper protruding portion  107  and lower protruding portion  108  are elastic and located above or below the groove  106 , the upper protruding portion  107  and lower protruding portion  108  may compress and deform to form a bubble tight seal when torque and compressive load are applied to screw the fitting  120  into the port  130 . Additionally, only standard industry torque and compressive load values need be applied to create higher contact stresses (i.e., sealing forces). Thus, under standard industry torque and compressive load values, the seal of the instant application is capable of creating higher contact stresses (i.e., sealing forces) than conventional seals and a bubble tight seal. Additionally, due to the orientation and size of the lower protruding portion  108 , the sealing forces are localized on the conical surface of the port  130 , which allows for tighter control of leakage. 
         [0031]    In order to provide additional deformation and effect a tighter seal between the fitting  120  and port  130 , the seal  100  may be plated with a ductile plating. The plating will plastically deform into features or imperfections on the surfaces of the fitting or port. The plating may be any suitable ductile plating, such as gold, nickel or silver. The plating may be located on every surface of the seal or, in an alternate configuration, on just the upper protruding portion  107  and lower protruding portion  108 . The thickness of the plating layer, whether all over the seal or on only the upper protruding portion and lower protruding portion, may be any suitable thickness for the application in which the seal is used. In one aspect of the embodiment, the thickness of the plating is between about 0.0001 and 0.0010 inches. The plating thickness may also vary at different points on the same seal. In one aspect of the embodiment described herein, the seal may include a first plating layer and a second plating layer, the first and second plating layers being different ductile materials. 
         [0032]    In order to withstand high temperature and high pressure operations, the seal comprises high-strength, heat resistant alloy. The alloy may be a steel alloy, nickel alloy or any other suitable metallic or non-metallic material. 
         [0033]    The seal may be formed from one integral piece of material. That is to say, all parts of the seal are machined from a single piece of material without the need to attach portions of the seal (such as the lower protruding portion) via welding, soldering or other means of attachment. 
         [0034]    In one aspect of the embodiment, the groove  106  of the seal  100  is adapted such that the groove  106  receives a thread of the fitting  120 . In other words, the fitting  120  is screwed into the port  130  such that a thread of the fitting  120  resides in the groove  106  of the seal  100 . The thread of the fitting  120  and groove  106  may have corresponding shapes, such as a V-shaped groove  106  and a V-shaped thread of the fitting  120 . In this aspect, the lower protruding  108  portion will be flattened between a thread of the port  130  and a thread of the fitting  120  located below the thread of the fitting  120  residing in the groove  106 . The ductility of the lower protruding portion  108  as described above allows for the deformation and flattening of the lower protruding portion  108  between the threads. In a specific aspect, an upper thread or the most uppermost thread of the fitting  120  resides in the groove such that the majority of the fitting  120  may be screwed into the port  130 . Such a configuration further assists in effecting a seal between the port  130  and the fitting  120 . 
         [0035]    The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.