Method of manufacturing a seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352448-B2
Application number	US-201715665963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2017
Priority date	Aug 1, 2017
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a seal is disclosed. The method includes forming a layer of a hardened metal layer on a metal base plate. Further, the method includes melting the layer of the hardened metal in a nitrogen atmosphere to form a layer of metal nitride. Furthermore, the method includes depositing a plurality of layers of a metal alloy on the layer of metal nitride to form a main seal body portion, wherein the layer of metal nitride and the main seal body portion together correspond to the seal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a seal, the method comprising:
forming a layer of a hardened metal layer on a metal base plate;
melting the layer of the hardened metal layer in a nitrogen atmosphere to form a layer of metal nitride;
depositing a plurality of layers of a metal alloy on the layer of metal nitride to form a main seal body portion, wherein the layer of metal nitride and the main seal body portion together correspond to the seal; and
separating the seal from the metal base plate such that the layer of the metal nitride forms an outer seal layer of the seal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal is titanium.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein melting the layer of the hardened metal layer is performed by using a Laser.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the main seal body portion, formed by depositing the plurality of layers of the metal alloy, includes an outer circumference and an inner circumference.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of layers of the metal alloy is deposited in such a manner that one or more channels are defined in the main seal body portion, each of the one or more channels having an opening defined on the inner circumference of the main seal body portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the layer of metal nitride varies in a range of 100 microns to 500 microns.

7. A seal formed by a process comprising:
forming a layer of a hardened titanium layer on a metal base plate;
melting the layer of the hardened titanium layer in a nitrogen atmosphere to form a layer of titanium nitride;
depositing a plurality of layers of a titanium alloy on the layer of titanium nitride to form a main seal body portion, wherein the layer of titanium nitride and the main seal body portion together correspond to the seal; and
separating the seal from the metal base plate such that the layer of the titanium nitride forms an outer seal layer of the seal.

8. The seal of claim 7 , wherein the layer of titanium is heated using a Laser.

9. The seal of claim 7 , wherein thickness of the layer of titanium nitride varies in a range from 100 microns to 500 microns.

10. The seal of claim 7 , wherein the main seal body portion, formed by depositing the plurality of layers of the titanium alloy, includes an outer circumference and an inner circumference.

11. The seal of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of layers of the titanium alloy is deposited in such a manner that one or more channels are defined in the main seal body portion, each of the one or more channels having an opening defined on the inner circumference of the main seal body portion.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Marchione Thierry
• Thorson Timothy A
• Turczyn Dennis Michael

Classifications

• C22C38/00

  Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys (cast-iron alloys C22C37/00) · CPC title

• F16C33/00

  Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof · CPC title

• C22C37/00 Primary

  Cast-iron alloys · CPC title

• C23C14/24

  Vacuum evaporation · CPC title

• F16J15/162 Primary

  Special parts or details relating to lubrication or cooling of the sealing itself (F16J15/324, F16J15/3404, F16J15/40 take precedence) · CPC title