EP0426407A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Improved apparatus for sealing around members extending therethrough
Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corp
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Filing: 1990-10-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-10-29
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus is provided for sealing around shafts or tubes of varying diameter. Its basic element comprises an elastomeric sealing body (32) with an axial passage (34) which is radially compressed from more than two sides to compress the passage into sealing engaegement with a member (54) extending through the passage. Radial compression is achieved by cams and followers (26) disposed around the body (32) which cooperate with angularly spaced radially extending lugs (30) formed integrally with the body (32). The cams are spring biased to normally compress the axial passage of the sealing body (32). Levers (18,22) operable by one hand of the user are provided to selectively release the apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Said S. Hilal
- 👤 Robert Patrick Cooper
- 👤 Donald Lee Gadberry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:32
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/34; A61B17/3462; A61M; A61M39/00; A61M39/02; A61M39/06; A61M39/0613; F; F16; F16J; F16J15/00; F16J15/02; F16J15/021; F16J15/56; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/0084; A61B2017/00845; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S604/00; Y10S604/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
An improved apparatus for sealing around shafts or tubes, said apparatus comprising: an elastomeric sealing body having a passage extending axially therethrough and an external surface with more than two radially extending lugs disposed at substantially equal angularly spaced locations therearound; and clamp means disposed at least partially around the sealing body, said clamp means being operable to radially compress the lugs to at least partially close the passage in the sealing body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
An improved apparatus for sealing around shafts or tubes, said apparatus comprising: an elastomeric sealing body having a passage extending axially therethrough and an external surface with more than two radially extending lugs disposed at substantially equal angularly spaced locations therearound; and clamp means disposed at least partially around the sealing body, said clamp means being operable to radially compress the lugs to at least partially close the passage in the sealing body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the lugs are four in number and angularly spaced at ninety degree intervals around the sealing body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2 further comprising biasing means operatively associated with the clamp means to normally compress the sealing body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3 further comprising manual release means operatively associated with the clamp means and operable by the hand of a human operator to selectively release the sealing body from compression by the biasing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2 further comprising a housing extending around the clamp means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to Claim 5 further comprising biasing means operatively associated with the clamp means to normally compress the sealing body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein the biasing means comprises: a first lever fixed to and extending laterally from the housing; a second lever operatively associated with the cam means for movement relative to the housing, said second lever extending laterally from the housing in apposition to the first lever; and a spring disposed between the first and second levers to normally force the levers apart.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
A seal assembly, comprising: an elastomeric element defining a opening adapted to receive a shaft having a cross-sectional dimension and an outer surface; means for compressing the elastomeric element against the outer surface of the shaft to form with the shaft a seal having a particular area; means for applying a force to the compressed elastomeric element to produce a pressure at the particular area on the outer surface of the shaft, the magnitude of the applied force being variable directly with the size of the particular area; whereby the pressure on the particular area tends to be independent of the dimension of the shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
A seal assembly, comprising: an elastomeric element defining a opening adapted to receive a shaft having a cross-sectional dimension and an outer surface; means for compressing the elastomeric element against the outer surface of the shaft to form with the shaft a seal having a particular area; means for applying a force to the compressed elastomeric element to produce a pressure at the particular area on the outer surface of the shaft, the magnitude of the applied force being variable directly with the size of the particular area; whereby the pressure on the particular area tends to be independent of the dimension of the shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The seal assembly recited in Claim 8 wherein the force applying means is disposed radially of the elastomeric element and the force is directed generally radially of the elastomeric element to compress the elastomeric element and to produce the particular pressure on the outer surface of the shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The seal assembly recited in Claim 9 wherein the force applying means includes more than two pawls movable generally radially of the elastomeric element to produce the force on the elastomeric element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The seal assembly recited in Claim 8 wherein the elastomeric element has fluid properties such that the pressure of the applied force on the elastomeric element is less than 20% greater than the particular pressure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The seal assembly recited in Claim 8 wherein the force applying means further comprises means for biasing the opening of the elastomeric element toward a decreasing dimension.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
A sealing apparatus adapted to form a seal with a particular surface of an object, comprising: a seal material having a Shore hardness less than 20; means for pressurizing the seal material to facilitate a flow of the seal material into contact with the particular surface of the object; and means for containing the flow of the seal material except in proximity to the particular surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
A sealing apparatus adapted to form a seal with a particular surface of an object, comprising: a seal material having a Shore hardness less than 20; means for pressurizing the seal material to facilitate a flow of the seal material into contact with the particular surface of the object; and means for containing the flow of the seal material except in proximity to the particular surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 13 wherein the object includes a shaft having an outer surface, and the sealing apparatus further comprises: the sealing material including portions defining a central bore extending through the seal material; and the particular surface is the outer surface of the shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
A sealing apparatus disposed to form a seal with a particular surface of an object, comprising: a housing; a seal material disposed in the housing and having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a central bore adapted to receive the object; and pressurizing means disposed to exert an applied pressure from more than two directions on the outer surface of the seal material and to produce a resultant pressure on the particular surface of the object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
A sealing apparatus disposed to form a seal with a particular surface of an object, comprising: a housing; a seal material disposed in the housing and having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a central bore adapted to receive the object; and pressurizing means disposed to exert an applied pressure from more than two directions on the outer surface of the seal material and to produce a resultant pressure on the particular surface of the object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 15 wherein the resultant pressure is greater than 80% of the applied pressure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 16 wherein the cross-section of the seal material has the general configuration of a circle with at least three projections.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 17 wherein the seal material in radial cross-section includes four radial projections and has the general configuration of a cross.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 17 wherein the projections are equally angularly disposed in spaced relationship around the circumference of the circle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 15 wherein the seal material include foam and the inner surface defining the central bore of the sealing material is free of any surface skin.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 15 further comprising a coating applied to at least the inner surface of the seal material to provide the inner surface with particular characteristics compatible with the outer surface of the object.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 21 wherein the coating is hydrophilic and the particular characteristic is a coefficient of friction less than 0.25.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
53 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 15 wherein the pressurizing means includes: a cam disposed on the housing; a cam follower disposed between the cam and at least one of the projections on the seal material, and the follower being slidable on the cam to exert the applied pressure on the seal material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 23 further comprising a plurality of the cam followers each disposed relative to an associated one of the projections.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
81 words
The sealing apparatus recited in Claim 15 wherein the housing includes first portions and second portions; the cam being disposed on the first portions of the housing; the cam followers movable radially relative to the second portions of the housing; and the first portions of the housing being movable relative to the second portions of the housing to move the cam into slidable engagement with the cam followers and to urge the cam followers radially the projections of the seal material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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