US 12,228,224 B1
Seal component for fluid distribution system
Theodore W. Meyers, Barrington, IL (US)
Assigned to TWM IP, LLC, Lake Zurich, IL (US)
Filed by TWM IP, LLC, Lake Zurich, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/941,041.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/693,015, filed on Sep. 10, 2024.
Int. Cl. F16L 17/02 (2006.01); F16L 17/025 (2006.01); F16L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 17/025 (2013.01) [F16L 21/022 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seal component, comprising:
a cylindrical wall;
a frustoconical wall extending inwardly from the cylindrical wall;
a generally planar seal plate enclosing an inner end of the frustoconical wall, the seal plate including a first removable panel, a second removable panel, and a third removable panel, the third removable panel disposed within an area of the second removable panel and the second removable panel disposed within an area of the first removable panel;
a primary circumferential ridge circumscribing the second removable panel, the primary circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the second removable panel, wherein the primary circumferential ridge includes a first circumferential ridge disposed on a first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of a reduced-thickness groove at a perimeter of the second removable panel, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the reduced-thickness groove, the primary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on a second, opposite side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the second removable panel, the second circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, and the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge, the second circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate; and
a secondary circumferential ridge circumscribing the third removable panel, the secondary circumferential ridge integrally formed with the seal plate and removably coupled with at least the third removable panel, wherein the secondary circumferential ridge includes a first circumferential ridge disposed on the first side of the seal plate immediately outboard of a reduced-thickness groove at a perimeter of the third removable panel, with an inner wall of the first circumferential ridge extending perpendicularly to the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the third removable panel, the secondary circumferential ridge further comprising a second circumferential ridge disposed on the second side of the seal plate, a portion of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge disposed outboard of the reduced-thickness groove at the perimeter of the third removable panel, the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having an inner wall perpendicular to the seal plate, the inner wall of the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge being radially inward of the inner wall of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge, and the second circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge having a lower height off the second side of the seal plate than a height of the first circumferential ridge of the secondary circumferential ridge off the first side of the seal plate.