PATENTS

Sealing Technology January 200716

Rotary jointApplicant: Deere & Co, Germany/USA

A rotary joint for a tyre inflation unit is disclosed. This design uses brush seals and has the advantage over conventional solutions that no separate pressure control channel

for the pressurization of the seal is required.Patent number: WO 2006/111523Inventor: J. SobotzikPublication date: 26 October 2006

Seal with expandable graphiteApplicant: Foseco International Ltd, UK

A problem has been found to exist during ladle changes when the seal used with the ladle shroud is based on expandable graphite. Typically, interstitial water present in expandable graphite starts to produce sufficient vapour pressure to initiate graphitic expansion at approximately 200°C. If exposed to temperatures in excess of say 500–700°C over a short period of time, the expansion becomes so rapid that graphite can become detached. This patent describes an intumescent composition con-

taining expandable graphite from which some, but not all, of the interstitial water present has been removed. The water can be driven off from known expandable graph-ite by heating it to 230–280°C for approximately 30 minutes. Once the interstitial water has been removed, the expandable graphite is used to produce the intumescent composition, which is then formed into the required seal.Patent number: WO 2006/111696Inventor: N.E. RogersPublication date: 26 October 2006

Hermetic seal coverApplicant: Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo KK, Japan

A hermetic seal cover is described that has a seal cover body and an Au-Sn brazing material fused to the surface of the cover. The cover body has a defined surface rough-ness. When the gold thickness is within a defined range there should

be no flow of the brazing material to the inside of the package during brazing.Patent number: WO 2006/112105Inventors: K. Miyazaki and S. ManoPublication date: 26 October 2006

The rotary joint for a tyre inflator that uses brush seals, from WO 2006/111523.

Flame-retardant metal-coated fabric gasket for electromagnetic-wave shieldingApplicants: Seiren Co Ltd and Daikyo Chemical Co Ltd, JapanThis patent describes a flame-retardant metal-coated fabric which provides electromagnetic wave shielding properties and a high degree of flame retardance without containing a halogen or antimony compounds. The metal-coated fabric has a flame-retardant coating film compris-ing a mixture of a flame retardant

such as ammonium polyphos-phate, a flame-retardant aid, for example among melamine, a blowing agent of heat-expand-able graphite, a phosphoric ester and a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of 70–130°C. The proportion of the constituents is defined within the patent.Patent number: WO 2006/112539Inventors: S. Sakagawa et al.Publication date: 26 October 2006

Fluid flow control valve with composition sealApplicant: Fisher Controls International, USA

The subject of this patent is a ball valve that is intended for process flow control applications. To pro-vide a longer operating life and compensate for valve or seal wear,

the seal can include an insert to the main seal body.Patent number: WO 2006/112917Inventor: G.A. WittPublication date: 26 October 2006

Encapsulated back-up system for use with seal systemApplicant: BJ Services Co, USA

An anti-extrusion assembly that can be used in conjunction with a down-hole expandable pack-ing device is disclosed here. The assembly comprises two slotted metallic rings encapsulated in a non-metallic material. The slot-ted metallic rings prevent extru-sion of the sealing mechanism of the expandable packing device as it is set in a well-bore casing. The

encapsulating non-metallic mate-rial protects the metallic rings from damage as the packing device is run into the well-bore. This can help to prevent the problem of the packing setting prematurely as it is run into the well.Patent number: WO 2006/113338Inventors: H.F. Garrison III and D.J. LehrPublication date: 26 October 2006

Valve with bi-loading sealApplicant: Kohler Co, USA

This patent describes a resilient seal design that is intended to provide an improved resilient seal to act as the static seal for ceramic valve discs in quarter-turn domestic taps. It comprises a J-section or hook-section seal

that contains a moulded insert to provide rigidity, and a flexible lip to seal against the back face of the ceramic disc.Patent number: WO 2006/113611Inventor: C. ShayPublication date: 26 October 2006

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Example of the improved seal design to prevent leakage of ceramic tap discs when in the closed position, from WO 2006/113611.

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