Assembly, bridging tool for an assembly and method of forming an assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017089418-A1
Application number	US-201615275811-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 26, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tool for bridging an outer dynamic seal in a shock absorber to enable fluid leakage to be more readily determined. The tool having an insertion portion including one or more bridging channels, and a body portion that is thicker than the insertion portion. The insertion portion being installable within an annulus of a shock absorber to bridge a first shock absorber seal so as to place a portion of the annulus in fluid communication with an exterior of the hydraulic device via the one or more bridging channels.

First claim

1 . An assembly comprising:
a hydraulic device comprising an outer cylinder slidably coupled to a sliding piston so as to define an annulus between them where the outer cylinder and sliding piston overlap, the hydraulic device further comprising first and second seals provided within the annulus to define an intermediate portion between them, the second seal being arranged to seal the intermediate portion from the interior of the hydraulic device in a substantially fluid tight manner to confine the hydraulic fluid to the device, the first seal being arranged to seal the intermediate portion from an exterior of the device; and a seal bridging tool comprising:
an insertion portion including one or more bridging channels, the insertion portion being located within the annulus in parallel with the first seal to bridge the first seal so as to place the intermediate portion in fluid communication with the exterior of the hydraulic device via the one or more bridging channels; and
a body portion having a thickness selected to inhibit the body portion from entirely entering the intermediate portion.

2 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bridging tool includes a drain hole formed at least partially through the body portion for receiving fluid regressing from the intermediate portion via the one or more channels.

3 . The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the bridging tool includes one or more guide channels arranged to direct fluid from the one or more bridging channels to the drain hole when the bridging tool is oriented in a first orientation.

4 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the insertion portion has generally parallel inner and outer major surfaces and the one or more guide channels are elongate slots formed into the outer major surface.

5 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the body portion includes an engagement formation comprising one or more of a protrusion, a recess or a hole, the engagement formation being configured to facilitate removal of the seal bridging tool from the hydraulic device.

6 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the annulus defining region of the sliding piston is cylindrical in shape and the insertion portion has a generally arcuate cross section of corresponding radius to the radius of the sliding piston.

7 . The assembly according to claim 6 , wherein a side of the body portion facing the sliding piston has an arcuate cross section of corresponding radius to the radius of the sliding piston.

8 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly comprises an aircraft assembly.

9 . The aircraft assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the aircraft assembly comprises an aircraft landing gear assembly.

10 . A method of forming an assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a hydraulic device comprising an outer cylinder slidably coupled to a sliding piston so as to define an annulus between them where the outer cylinder and sliding piston overlap, the hydraulic device further comprising first and second dynamic seals spaced axially from one another within the annulus to define an intermediate portion between them, the second seal being arranged to seal the intermediate portion from the interior of the hydraulic device in a substantially fluid tight manner to confine the hydraulic fluid to the device, the first seal being arranged to seal the intermediate portion from an exterior of the device; providing a seal bridging tool comprising:
an insertion portion including one or more bridging channels, the insertion portion for location within the annulus in parallel with the first seal to bridge the first seal so as to place the intermediate portion in fluid communication with the exterior of the hydraulic device via the one or more bridging channels; and
a body portion having a thickness selected to inhibit the body portion from entirely entering the intermediate portion; and
introducing the insertion portion of the seal bridging tool into the annulus of the hydraulic device.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , whereby the step of introducing the insertion portion of the seal bridging tool comprises introducing the insertion portion of the seal bridging tool into the annulus simultaneously with inserting an operational part of the hydraulic device.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the operational part of the device comprises the first seal.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising fitting the assembly to a vehicle.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , further comprising removing the tool from the annulus prior to operational service of the vehicle.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the assembly comprises an aircraft assembly.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the aircraft assembly comprises an aircraft landing gear assembly.

Assignees

• Safran Landing Systems Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Kendrick Daniel Charles
• Vatovec Andraz

Classifications

• F16F9/36

  Special sealings, including sealings or guides for piston-rods ({F16F9/325, F16F9/3485 take precedence; arrangements for filling via piston rod sealing or guiding means F16F9/432} ; sealing of moving parts in general F16J15/16 - F16J15/56) · CPC title

• F16F2230/24

  Detecting or preventing malfunction, e.g. fail safe · CPC title

• F16F9/3264 Primary

  Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers (F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04) · CPC title

• F16F9/185

  Bitubular units (where compression of gas leads to a clear spring action F16F9/062) · CPC title

• F16F9/062

  Bi-tubular units · CPC title