Low closure force gasket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017196110-A1
Application number	US-201514985881-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A clamshell housing includes a first housing part defining having a first interface edge and a first rib that protrudes from the first interface edge, and a second housing part having a second interface edge and a second rib that protrudes from the second interface edge. An elastomeric gasket is interposed between the first interface edge and the second interface edge. The gasket has a first groove configured to receive the first rib and a second groove configured to receive the second rib. The first rib is configured to form a seal with the first groove, and the second rib is configured to form a seal with the second groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A housing comprising:
a first housing part defining a first interior housing portion and having a first interface edge that surrounds the first interior housing portion, the first interface edge having a first gasket facing surface and a first rib that protrudes from the first gasket facing surface around an entire perimeter of the housing; a second housing part defining a second interior housing portion and having a second interface edge that surrounds the second interior housing portion, the second interface edge being configured complementarily with respect to the first interface edge, the second interface edge having a second gasket facing surface and a second rib that protrudes from the second gasket facing surface around the entire perimeter; and a gasket configured to be interposed between the first interface edge and the second interface edge around an entire perimeter of the housing, the gasket having a first housing facing surface that faces in a first direction and a second housing facing surface that faces in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, the first housing facing surface defining a first groove shaped complementarily with respect to the first rib and the second housing facing surface defining a second groove shaped complementarily with respect to the second rib.

2 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are formed of plastic.

3 . The housing of claim 2 , wherein the first rib is formed integrally with the first housing part on the first interface edge, and
wherein the second rib is formed integrally with the second housing part on the second interface edge.

4 . The housing of claim 1 , wherein the gasket is formed of an elastomeric material.

5 . The housing of claim 4 , wherein the first housing facing surface of the gasket is positioned in engagement with the first gasket facing surface of the first housing part and the first rib is received in the first groove, and
wherein the second housing facing surface is positioned in engagement with the second gasket facing surface of the second housing part and the second rib is received in the second groove.

6 . The housing of claim 5 , wherein the first housing part is fastened to the second housing part with the gasket interposed between the first interface edge and the second interface edge.

7 . The housing of claim 5 , wherein the first rib has a first rib width and the second rib has a second rib width,
wherein the first groove has a first groove width and the second groove has a second groove width, and wherein the first groove width is less than the first rib width and the second groove width is less than the second rib width.

8 . The housing of claim 7 , wherein the first rib width and the first groove width are selected so that the first rib has an interference fit with the first groove, and
wherein the second rib width and the second groove width are selected so that the second rib has an interference fit with the second groove.

9 . The housing of claim 7 , wherein the first rib forms a seal with the first groove and the second rib forms a seal with the second groove.

10 . A clamshell housing comprising:
a first housing part defining having a first interface edge and a first rib that protrudes from the first interface edge around the entire first interface edge; a second housing part having a second interface edge and a second rib that protrudes from the second interface edge around the entire second interface edge, the first interface edge and the second interface edge being shaped complementarily with respect to each other so as to form a perimeter around a housing interior; and an elastomeric gasket configured to be interposed between the first interface edge and the second interface edge around the entire perimeter of the housing, the gasket having a first groove configured to receive the first rib and a second groove configured to receive the second rib when the gasket is interposed between the first interface edge and the second interface edge, wherein the first rib is configured to form a seal with the first groove and the second rib is configured to form a seal with the second groove.

11 . The clamshell housing of claim 1 , wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are formed of plastic.

12 . The clamshell housing of claim 2 , wherein the first rib is formed integrally with the first housing part on the first interface edge, and
wherein the second rib is formed integrally with the second housing part on the second interface edge.

13 . The clamshell housing of claim 10 , wherein the first rib has a first rib width and the second rib has a second rib width,
wherein the first groove has a first groove width and the second groove has a second groove width, and wherein the first groove width is less than the first rib width and the second groove width is less than the second rib width.

14 . The clamshell housing of claim 13 , wherein, when the first rib includes a first pair of outwardly facing sidewalls that define the first rib width therebetween and the second rib includes a second pair of outwardly facing sidewalls that define the second rib width therebetween,
wherein, when the first groove includes a first pair of inwardly facing sidewalls that define the first groove width therebetween and the second groove includes a second pair of inwardly facing sidewalls that define the second groove width therebetween.

15 . The clamshell housing of claim 14 , wherein the first pair of outwardly facing sidewalls of the first rib laterally displace the first pair of inwardly facing sidewalls of the first groove when the first rib is pressed into the first groove,
wherein the second pair of outwardly facing sidewalls of the second rib laterally displace the second pair of inwardly facing sidewalls of the second groove when the second rib is pressed into the second groove.

16 . The clamshell housing of claim 4 , wherein the gasket includes a first housing facing surface that defines the first groove, the first housing facing surface being positioned in engagement with the first interface edge with the first rib being received in the first groove, and
wherein the gasket includes a second housing facing surface that defines the second groove, the second housing facing surface being positioned in engagement with the second interface edge with the second rib being received in the second groove.

17 . The clamshell housing of claim 16 , wherein the first housing part is fastened to the second housing part with the gasket interposed between the first interface edge and the second interface edge.

Assignees

• Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Shinn Michael G

Classifications

• H05K5/069 Primary

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

• F16J15/061

  with positioning means (F16J15/0831 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K5/061 Primary

  sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing · CPC title

• H05K1/00

  Printed circuits · CPC title

• F16J15/022

  characterised by structure or material · CPC title