Hermetically sealed electrical connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12563685-B2
Application number	US-202318165312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2023
Priority date	Feb 6, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A feedthrough apparatus, such as for a passage through a barrier between a first compartment and a second compartment of a housing, can include a sleeve configured to sealingly couple with the passage, a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed through the sleeve and configured to provide electrical communication among the first compartment and the second compartment of the housing, and a seal disposed within the sleeve. The seal can be sealingly coupled to the PCB, and the sleeve, the PCB and the seal can be configured to hermetically seal the passage. The seal can include potting material and a V-groove connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A feedthrough apparatus for a passage through a barrier between a first compartment and a second compartment of a housing, the feedthrough apparatus comprising:
a sleeve having a first end, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, and a bore extending there between, wherein the sleeve is configured to sealingly couple with the passage; a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed through the bore of the sleeve and configured to provide electrical communication among the first compartment and the second compartment of the housing; and a seal disposed within the bore of the sleeve, wherein the seal has a first end configured to be disposed in fluid communication with the first compartment and a second end configured to be disposed in fluid communication with the second compartment; wherein the seal is sealingly coupled to the PCB; wherein the feedthrough apparatus has a first sealing section wherein an exterior sealing surface of the seal is in sealing engagement with an interior sealing surface of the bore; wherein the bore comprises a first internal groove that opens towards the first end of the sleeve; wherein the seal comprises a tongue sealingly coupled to the first internal groove; and wherein the sleeve, the PCB and the seal are configured to hermetically seal the passage.

2 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first internal groove is a V groove.

3 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises at least one of an epoxy, a potting material, an encapsulant, and a combination thereof.

4 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the seal decreases along the first sealing section in a direction from the first end of the seal to the second end of the seal, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the bore decreases along the first sealing section in the direction from the first end of the sleeve to the second end of the sleeve.

5 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the first end of the seal in fluid communication with the first compartment is larger than a surface area of the second end of the seal in fluid communication with the second compartment.

6 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second sealing section wherein a second exterior sealing surface of the seal is in sealing engagement with a second interior sealing surface of the bore, wherein the second sealing section is disposed between the first sealing section and the first end of the seal, and wherein the second sealing section has a major cross-sectional dimension larger than a major cross-sectional dimension of the first sealing section.

7 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of one or more of the first sealing section and the second sealing section is frustoconical.

8 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bore includes one or more internal annular grooves disposed longitudinally between the first internal groove and the second end of the sleeve, and wherein the seal sealingly engages each of the one or more internal annular grooves.

9 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bore includes a plurality of internal frustoconical sections, and wherein the seal sealingly engages each of the plurality of internal frustoconical sections.

10 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the sleeve includes an interior annular step, wherein the second end of the sleeve includes an interior conical section, wherein the bore comprises a plurality of internal annular grooves disposed longitudinally between the step and the conical section, and wherein the seal sealingly engages the step, the conical section, and the grooves.

11 . The feedthrough apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a flange configured to abut the barrier, an external seal groove disposed in an exterior surface of the sleeve, and an external seal seated in the external seal groove and configured to sealingly engage an internal surface of the passage.

12 . A digital valve controller, comprising:
a housing having a first compartment, a second compartment, a barrier between the first and second compartments, and a passage through the barrier; and a feedthrough apparatus coupled to the passage, wherein the feedthrough apparatus comprises
a sleeve having a first end, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, and a bore extending there between;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed through the bore of the sleeve and configured to provide electrical communication among the first compartment and the second compartment of the housing;
a seal disposed within the bore of the sleeve, wherein the seal has a first end in fluid communication with the first compartment and a second end in fluid communication with the second compartment; and
a first sealing section wherein an exterior sealing surface of the seal is in sealing engagement with an interior sealing surface of the bore;
wherein the sleeve is sealingly coupled with the passage; wherein the seal is sealingly coupled with the PCB; wherein the bore comprises a first internal groove that opens towards the first end of the sleeve; wherein the seal comprises a tongue sealingly coupled to the first internal groove; and wherein the sleeve, the PCB and the seal hermetically seal the passage.

13 . The digital valve controller of claim 12 , wherein the first internal groove is a V groove, wherein a cross-sectional area of the seal decreases along the first sealing section in a direction from the first end of the seal to the second end of the seal, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the bore decreases along the first sealing section in the direction from the first end of the sleeve to the second end of the sleeve.

14 . The digital valve controller of claim 12 , wherein a surface area of the first end of the seal in fluid communication with the first compartment is larger than a surface area of the second end of the seal in fluid communication with the second compartment.

15 . The digital valve controller of claim 12 , further comprising a second sealing section wherein a second exterior sealing surface of the seal is in sealing engagement with a second interior sealing surface of the bore, wherein the second sealing section is disposed between the first sealing section and the first end of the seal, and wherein the second sealing section has a major cross-sectional dimension larger than a major cross-sectional dimension of the first sealing section.

16 . The digital valve controller of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of one or more of the first sealing section and the second sealing section is frustoconical.

17 . The digital valve controller of claim 12 , wherein the bore includes one or more internal annular grooves disposed longitudinally between the first internal groove and the second end of the sleeve, and wherein the seal sealingly engages each of the one or more internal annular grooves.

18 . The digital valve controller of claim 12 , wherein the bore includes a plurality of internal frustoconical sections, and wherein the seal sealingly engages each of the plurality of internal frustoconical sections.

19 . The digital valve controller of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the sleeve includes an interior annular step, wherein the second end of the sleeve includes an interior conical section, wherein the bore comprises a plurality of internal annular grooves disposed longi

Assignees

• Fisher Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Zhang Lei

Classifications

• H05K5/064

  sealed by potting, e.g. waterproof resin poured in a rigid casing · CPC title

• H05K5/065

  sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K5/069 Primary

  Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft · CPC title

• H05K5/06 Primary

  Hermetically-sealed casings {(specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095)} · CPC title