초록 ▼

A high temperature sealing system is operative to seal an interface between adjacent hot structures and to minimize parasitic flow between such structures that move relative to one another in-plane or out-of-plane. The sealing system may be used to seal thrust-directing ramp structures of a reusable

A high temperature sealing system is operative to seal an interface between adjacent hot structures and to minimize parasitic flow between such structures that move relative to one another in-plane or out-of-plane. The sealing system may be used to seal thrust-directing ramp structures of a reusable launch vehicle and includes a channel and a plurality of movable segmented sealing elements. Adjacent ramp structures include edge walls which extend within the channel. The sealing elements are positioned along the sides of the channel and are biased to engage with the inner surfaces of the ramp structures. The segmented sealing elements are movable to correspond to the contour of the thrust-directing ramp structures. The sealing system is operative to prevent high temperature thrust gases that flow along the ramp structures from infiltrating into the interior of the vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

A high temperature sealing system is operative to seal an interface between adjacent hot structures and to minimize parasitic flow between such structures that move relative to one another in-plane or out-of-plane. The sealing system may be used to seal thrust-directing ramp structures of a reusable

A high temperature sealing system is operative to seal an interface between adjacent hot structures and to minimize parasitic flow between such structures that move relative to one another in-plane or out-of-plane. The sealing system may be used to seal thrust-directing ramp structures of a reusable launch vehicle and includes a channel and a plurality of movable segmented sealing elements. Adjacent ramp structures include edge walls which extend within the channel. The sealing elements are positioned along the sides of the channel and are biased to engage with the inner surfaces of the ramp structures. The segmented sealing elements are movable to correspond to the contour of the thrust-directing ramp structures. The sealing system is operative to prevent high temperature thrust gases that flow along the ramp structures from infiltrating into the interior of the vehicle. eb, said seal enhancement zone being positioned to align between flanges surfaces at a location remote from the at least one fluid passageways when said gasket is clamped between the flanges; a slot formed in said web within said seal enhancement zone, said slot being bounded by slot edges, the slot being positioned between the flanges such that no fluid flows within the slots; an edge coating on said slot edges, said slot and said edge coating providing an enhanced seal between said flange surfaces within said seal enhancement zone at a location remoter from fluid passageways in the flanges. 2. The gasket of claim 1 and wherein said edge coating is formed from a polymeric material. 3. The gasket of 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. The gasket of claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of said seal enhancement zones at a plurality of selected locations on said web. 5. The gasket of claim 1 and wherein said edge coating projects beyond at least one facial plane of said base sheet. 6. The gasket of claim 1 and wherein said edge coating substantially fills said slot. 7. The gasket of claim 1 and further comprising at least two bolt holes formed in said web. 8. The gasket of claim 7 and wherein said seal enhancement zone is located between said at least two bolt holes. 9. The gasket of claim 1 and wherein said base sheet is formed of a porous gasket material. 10. The gasket of claim 1 and wherein said edge coating penetrates said slot edge to form an intrusion zone. 11. The gasket of claim 1 and wherein said aperture is bounded by an interior edge having a coating thereon. 12. A gasket configured to be clamped between a pair of flanges having openings that align to form a fluid passageway and flange surfaces that align in face-to-face relationship when the flanges are clamped together, said gasket comprising a base sheet of gasket material formed with an aperture for alignment with the opening in the flanges to seal around the fluid passageway and a web for alignment between the face-to-face flange surfaces, said web being formed with a slot bounded by slot edges and being positioned on said web to be disposed between flange surfaces at a location remote from the fluid passageway, and an edge coating on said slot edges for establishing a seal between the flanges surfaces such that the slot is positioned between the flanges such that no fluid flows within the slots. 13. The gasket of claim 12 and wherein said edge coating is formed from a polymeric material. 14. The gasket of claim 13 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. 15. The gasket of claim 12 and further comprising a plurality of said slots at a plurality of selected locations on said web. 16. The gasket of claim 12 and wherein said edge coating projects beyond at least one facial plane of said base sheet. 17. The gasket of claim 12 and wherein said edge coating substantially fills said slot. 18. The gasket of claim 12 and further comprising at least two bolt holes formed in said web. 19. The gasket of claim 18 and wherein said slot is located between said at least two bolt holes. 20. The gasket of claim 12 and wherein said base sheet is formed of a porous gasket material. 21. The gasket of claim 12 and wherein said edge coating penetrates said slot edge to form an intrusion zone. 22. The gasket of claim 12 and wherein said aperture is bounded by an interior edge having a coating thereon. ERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/220,902, filed Jul. 26, 2000, is hereby claimed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119. The present invention also is related to the invention disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/519,653 filed Mar. 6, 2000, (the "incorporated disclosure"), the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated as if fully set forth herein.