IP Library › Granted Patent US 12669177
Granted Patent B2
US 12669177 · App. 18/975,758 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Reinforcement ring for gasket of a single-walled groove

Inventors: Erich Gernand (Flint, MI); Sharanabasappa Madhwarkar (Bengaluru, IN); Harish Kelamane (Troy, MI); Virendra Kumar Dewangan (Troy, MI)
Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
F16J15/0818
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12669177
App. No.
18/975,758
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A seal assembly including: a housing including a wall; a gasket surrounded by the wall; and a reinforcement member defining an aperture and extending continuously and entirely around the aperture, the reinforcement member in contact with the gasket and surrounded by the gasket such that the gasket is between the reinforcement member and the wall of the housing. The reinforcement member includes a spring at which the reinforcement member is configured to compress during insertion of the reinforcement member within the gasket, the spring is biased outward to press the reinforcement member against the gasket and press the gasket against the wall of the housing.

Claims (35)

1 . A seal assembly comprising:

a housing including a wall;

a gasket surrounded by the wall; and

a reinforcement member defining an aperture and extending continuously and entirely around the aperture, the reinforcement member in contact with the gasket and surrounded by the gasket such that the gasket is between the reinforcement member and the wall of the housing,

wherein the reinforcement member includes a spring at which the reinforcement member is configured to compress during insertion of the reinforcement member within the gasket, the spring is biased outward to press the reinforcement member against the gasket and press the gasket against the wall of the housing, and

wherein the reinforcement member includes a first linear side, a second linear side, a first curved end connecting the first linear side to the second linear side, and a second curved end connecting the first linear side to the second linear side.

2 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a ledge adjacent to the wall, the gasket is seated on the ledge.

3 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gasket is made of an elastomeric material.

4 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member includes an upper rounded edge and a lower rounded edge that is opposite to the upper rounded edge.

5 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member is a steel ring.

6 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member is shorter than the wall, and the gasket extends above the wall.

7 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member is non-circular.

8 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gasket and the reinforcement member each have an elliptical shape.

9 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member is clover-shaped.

10 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the spring is a first spring at the first curved end; and

the reinforcement member includes a second spring at the second curved end that is opposite to the first spring, the second spring is configured to compress during insertion of the reinforcement member within the gasket, the second spring is biased outward to expand the reinforcement member, press the reinforcement member against the gasket, and press the gasket against the wall.

11 . The seal assembly of claim 10 , wherein each one of the first spring and the second spring is defined by an inward fold of the reinforcement member.

12 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring is one of a plurality of springs each configured to compress during insertion of the reinforcement member within the gasket, the plurality of springs preloaded to expand the reinforcement member outward, press the reinforcement member against the gasket, and press the gasket against the wall.

13 . A seal assembly comprising:

a housing including a wall and a ledge extending inward from the wall;

a gasket seated on the ledge and abutting the wall, the gasket surrounded by the wall; and

a reinforcement member seated on the ledge and abutting the gasket, the reinforcement member is non-circular, shorter than the wall, and includes a rounded top surface and a rounded bottom surface, the reinforcement member defining an aperture and extending continuously and entirely around the aperture,

wherein the reinforcement member includes a first spring and a second spring, each one of the first spring and the second spring is compressible during insertion of the reinforcement member within the gasket and biased outward to both expand the reinforcement member against the gasket and press the gasket against the wall, and

wherein the first spring and the second spring are both between a first half of the reinforcement member and a second half of the reinforcement member.

14 . The seal assembly of claim 13 , wherein each one of the first spring and the second spring includes an inward fold with a semi-circular shaped portion.

15 . The seal assembly of claim 13 , wherein the reinforcement member is non-circular.

16 . A seal assembly comprising:

a housing including a wall;

a gasket surrounded by the wall; and

a reinforcement member defining an aperture and extending continuously and entirely around the aperture, the reinforcement member in contact with the gasket and surrounded by the gasket such that the gasket is between the reinforcement member and the wall of the housing,

wherein the reinforcement member includes a first inwardly folded portion and a second inwardly folded portion, the first inwardly folded portion and the second inwardly folded portion are opposite to each other and extend towards each other, each one of the first inwardly folded portion and the second inwardly folded portion is compressible during insertion of the reinforcement member within the gasket, and each one of the first inwardly folded portion and the second inwardly folded portion is biased outward to expand the reinforcement member against the gasket and press the gasket against the wall, and

wherein the first inwardly folded portion and the second inwardly folded portion are both between a first half of the reinforcement member and a second half of the reinforcement member.

17 . The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first inwardly folded portion is configured as a first spring and the second inwardly folded portion is configured as a second spring.

18 . The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the reinforcement member is non-circular, shorter than the gasket, and the gasket extends above the wall.