Floating seal for fluidic devices

Claim 2

A fluidic device comprising: a housing; connector means mounted within said housing in a manner to provide a clearance therebetween, said connector means having a nozzle exteriorly of said housing; and, a diaphragm mounted within said housing and having a bead around the circumference of one end of said diaphragm, said bead positioned within said clearance between said connector means and said housing to form an expandable fluid chamber with said connector means, such that when fluid is supplied to said nozzle, and to said chamber, the fluid will force said bead into sealing relation with said housing and said connector means, said connector means, said housing and said bead being so dimensioned that, without fluid supplied to said nozzle, said connector means and said diaphragm with said bead are floating with respect to said housing.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said bead has a first circumference and said connector means has a second circumference, said first circumference being less than said second circumference to form an interference fit between said diaphragm bead and said connector means to prevent fluid leaking from said housing upon small pressures of fluid being supplied to said chamber.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 comprising an actuator stem, motion imparting means responsive to motion of said diaphragm for imparting said motion to said stem, said stem extending through said housing.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein said motion imparting means comprises a cup-shaped member.

Claim 6

A fluidic device comprising: a housing having a first circumference and an end having an opening therethrough of a second circumference less than said first circumference; connector means mounted within said housing and having a third circumference less than said first circumference but greater than said second circumference and providing a clearance between said housing and said connector means, said connector means having a nozzle exteriorly of said housing; and, a diaphragm mounted within said housing and having a bead around the circumference of one end of said diaphragm, the circumference around said one end of said diaphragm being slightly smaller than the third circumference of said connector means, said bead positioned within said clearance between said connector means and said housing to form an expandable fluid chamber with said connector means, such that when fluid is supplied to said nozzle, and to said chamber, the fluid will force said bead into sealing relation with said housing and said connector means, said connector means, said housing and said bead being so dimensioned that, without fluid supplied to said nozzle, said connector means and said diaphragm with said bead are floating with respect to said housing.

Claim 7

A fluidic device comprising: a housing having a first circumference and an end having an opening therethrough of a second circumference less than said first circumference; connector means mounted within said housing and having a third circumference less than said first circumference but greater than said second circumference and providing a clearance between said housing and said connector means, said connector means having a nozzle exteriorly of said housing; and, a diaphragm mounted within said housing and having a bead around the circumference of one end of said diaphragm, the circumference around said one end of said diaphragm being slightly smaller than the third circumference of said connector means, said bead positioned within said clearance between said connector means and said housing to form an expandable fluid chamber with said connector means, such that when fluid is supplied to said nozzle, and to said chamber, the fluid will force said bead into sealing relation with said housing and said connector means, said connector means, said housing and said bead being so dimensioned that, without fluid supplied to said nozzle, said connector means and said diaphragm with said bead are floating with respect to said housing.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5 comprising an actuator stem, and motion imparting means responsive to motion of said diaphragm for imparting said motion to said stem, said stem extending through housing.

Claim 9

The device of claim 6 wherein said motion imparting means comprises a cup-shaped member.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7 further comprising a biasing spring for biasing said stem into said housing to a first de-energized position, said spring being insufficient to compress said bead between said housing and said connector means.

Claim 11

The actuator of claim 5 wherein said connector means has a tab therearound having a circumference at least slightly greater than said second circumference and said connector means further having a recess therearound having a circumference slightly less than said second circumference such that, after installation, said housing extends into said recess and said tab is exterior of said housing.

Claim 12

A fluid actuator comprising: a housing; connector means mounted within said housing in a manner to provide a clearance therebetween, said connector means having a nozzle exteriorly of said housing; a diaphragm mounted within said housing and having a bead around the circumference of one end of said diaphragm, said bead positioned within said clearance between said connector means and said housing to form an expandable fluid chamber with said connector means, such that when fluid is supplied to said nozzle, and to said chamber, the fluid will force said bead into sealing relation with said housing and said connector means; shaft means having a first end abutting said diaphragm and a second end extending through said housing; biasing means for biasing said shaft and said diaphragm into a first position when said fluid has not been supplied to said nozzle, said connector means, said housing, said bead and said biasing means being so dimensioned that, without fluid supplied to said nozzle, said connector means and said diaphragm with said bead are floating with respect to said housing.

Claim 13

A fluid actuator comprising: a housing; connector means mounted within said housing in a manner to provide a clearance therebetween, said connector means having a nozzle exteriorly of said housing; a diaphragm mounted within said housing and having a bead around the circumference of one end of said diaphragm, said bead positioned within said clearance between said connector means and said housing to form an expandable fluid chamber with said connector means, such that when fluid is supplied to said nozzle, and to said chamber, the fluid will force said bead into sealing relation with said housing and said connector means; shaft means having a first end abutting said diaphragm and a second end extending through said housing; biasing means for biasing said shaft and said diaphragm into a first position when said fluid has not been supplied to said nozzle, said connector means, said housing, said bead and said biasing means being so dimensioned that, without fluid supplied to said nozzle, said connector means and said diaphragm with said bead are floating with respect to said housing.

Claim 14

The actuator of claim 10 wherein said housing has a first circumference and an end with an opening having a second circumference less than said first circumference and wherein said connector means has a third circumference less than said first circumference but greater than said second circumference and wherein said connector means projects through said opening such that said nozzle is exterior of said housing.

Claim 15

The actuator of claim 11 wherein said connector means has a tab therearound having a circumference at least slightly greater than said second circumference and said connector means further having a recess therearound having a circumference slightly less than said second circumference such that, after installation, said housing extends into said recess and said tab is exterior of said housing.

Claim 16

The actuator of claim 11 wherein said bead of said diaphragm has a circumference slightly less than said third circumference of said connector means such that an interference fit is formed when said diaphragm is stretched over said connector means to prevent leakages for small input pressures to said chamber.

Claim 17

The actuator of claim 13 wherein said shaft means comprises a cup-shaped member abutting said diaphragm and a shaft abutting said cup-shaped member and extending through said housing.

Claim 18

The actuator of claim 14 wherein said housing has a cap at a second end, said shaft extending through said cap and said biasing means extending between said cap and said cup.

Claim 19

The actuator of claim 15 wherein said connector means has a tab therearound having a circumference at least slightly greater than said second circumference and said connector means further having a recess therearound having a circumference slightly less than said second circumference such that, after installation, said housing extends into said recess and said tab is exterior of said housing.