US 12,297,940 B2
Fabric and elastomeric seal for flanged connections
John Miller, Weimar, TX (US); and Zachery Kokel, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to Utex Industries Inc., Mansfield, TX (US)
Filed by Utex Industries Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/236,578.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/399,726, filed on Aug. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0060583 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. F16L 23/22 (2006.01); F16J 15/10 (2006.01); F16J 15/22 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 23/22 (2013.01) [F16J 15/102 (2013.01); F16J 15/22 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sealed pipeline assembly comprising:
a reusable seal in a sealing groove disposed in a joint formed between one connection end of a first pipeline element removeably connected to one connection end of a second pipeline element,
wherein the reusable seal is made from a plurality of strips of fabric, wherein each strip of fabric has disposed thereon a heated and pressed elastomeric material to create a continuous layer of elastomeric material bonded to the strip of fabric, wherein each fabric and elastomer strip has a width and a thickness, and wherein the plurality of the fabric and elastomer strips are stacked, bonded, shaped, sized, and cut into the reusable seal having an approximate shape of the sealing groove formed in the joint between the connection end of the first pipeline element and the connection end of the second pipeline element;
wherein the sealing groove formed in the joint of the connection end of the first pipeline element and the connection end of the second pipeline element comprises a first groove element disposed in the first pipeline element and a mirror-image second groove element disposed in the second pipeline element;
wherein the sealing groove in the joint has a generally hexagonal cross-sectional shape further comprising a width and a depth;
wherein the reusable seal has a generally hexagonal cross-sectional shape with a cross-sectional width and depth approximately the same as the cross-sectional width and depth of the sealing groove;
wherein the cross-sectional width of the reusable seal is smaller than the cross-sectional width of the sealing groove and the cross-sectional depth of the reusable seal is larger than the cross-sectional depth of the sealing groove; and
wherein the sealing groove has a volume, and the reusable seal has a volume of approximately 100% to 120% of the volume of the sealing groove and is sufficient to form a seal when compressed in the sealing groove in the joint when the first pipeline element is connected to the second pipeline element.