Gasket with selectively positioned seal enhancement zones
View Patent ↗A gasket with selectively positioned seal enhancement zones located in the web of the gasket is provided. The gasket is formed of a base sheet of gasket material cut to define an interior aperture bounded by an interior edge and webs. Slots are formed at selected locations within the seal enhancement zones and the slots are bounded by edges. An edge coating of polymeric material is applied to the slot edges and, in one embodiment, project beyond the facial planes of the base sheet to form raised rims. An edge coating also may be formed on the interior edge bounding the aperture of the gasket. When clamped between a pair of flange surfaces, the polymeric edge coatings on the slot edges engage and seal against the flange surfaces within the seal enhancement zones to provide an enhanced seal against leakage in these zones.
1. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges said flanges defining a first and a second region, said first region containing a fluid passageway formed by aligned openings in said flanges and said second region containing opposing faces of said flanges and no passageways, said gasket comprising a base sheet of gasket material formed with an aperture aligned within said first region to seal around said fluid passageway and a web aligned within said second region, said web including a seal enhancement zone having a slot bounded by slot edges on which an edge coating is formed.
2. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said edge coating is formed from a polymeric material.
3. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said polymeric material includes at least one polymer selected from acrylics, acrylonitriles, fluorcarbons, styrene butadienes, polyvinyl chlorides, chloroprenes, ethylene propylenes, ethylene/vinyl acetates, epoxides, fluorosilicones, polyurethanes, silicones and co-polymers and mixtures thereof.
4. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of said seal enhancement zones at a plurality of selected locations on said web.
5. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said edge coating projects beyond at least one facial plane of said base sheet.
6. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said edge coating substantially fills said slot.
7. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said edge coating penetrates said slot edge to form an intrusion zone.
8. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said aperture is bounded by an interior edge having a coating thereon.
9. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges defining a fluid passageway surrounded by opposing flange faces with no passageway, said gasket comprising a base sheet of gasket material having a first aperture and an elongated second aperture formed therein, said elongated second aperture being bounded by an edge having an edge coating formed thereon, and wherein said first aperture surrounds and seals said fluid passageway and said elongated second aperture is positioned between said opposing flange faces and does not surround any passageway.
10. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 9 and wherein said edge coating is formed from a polymeric material.
11. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 10 and wherein said polymeric material includes at least one polymer selected from acrylics, acrylonitriles, fluorcarbons, styrene butadienes, polyvinyl chlorides, chloroprenes, ethylene propylenes, ethylene/vinyl acetates, epoxides, fluorosilicones, polyurethanes, silicones and co-polymers and mixtures thereof.
12. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 9 and wherein said elongated second aperture is disposed within one of a plurality of seal enhancement zones aligned at selected locations on said base sheet.
13. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 9 and wherein said edge coating projects beyond at least one facial plane of said base sheet.
14. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 9 and wherein said edge coating substantially fills said elongated second aperture.
15. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 9 and wherein said edge coating penetrates said edge to form an intrusion zone within said base sheet.
16. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 9 and wherein said first aperture is bounded by an interior edge having a coating thereon.
17. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges having aligned openings formed therein and defining a first and a second region, wherein said first region contains a fluid passageway formed by said aligned openings and said second region contains opposing faces of said flanges and no passageways, said gasket comprising a base sheet of gasket material having a first and a second zone, wherein said first zone includes an aperture aligned within said first region to seal around said fluid passageway, and wherein said second zone includes a slot bounded by slot edges on which an edge coating is formed, said slot being aligned in said second region of said flanges to enhance the seal between said opposing faces of said flanges.
18. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said edge coating is formed from a polymeric material.
19. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 18 and wherein said polymeric material includes at least one polymer selected from acrylics, acrylonitriles, fluorcarbons, styrene butadienes, polyvinyl chlorides, chloroprenes, ethylene propylenes, ethylene/vinyl acetates, epoxides, fluorosilicones, polyurethanes, silicones and copolymers and mixtures thereof.
20. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said base sheet includes a plurality of said second zones formed therein.
21. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said edge coating projects beyond at least one facial plane of said base sheet.
22. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said edge coating substantially fills said slot.
23. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said edge coating penetrates said slot edge to form an intrusion zone.
24. An assembly comprising a gasket clamped between a pair of flanges as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said aperture is bounded by an interior edge having a coating thereon.