Surface seal for arrangement on a component and a method of arranging a surface seal on a component

Abstract

In order to produce a surface seal for arrangement on a component whose material has a thermal expansion differing from that of the material of the surface seal and which is mountable on the component in a simple manner over a large temperature range without the danger of fatigue, it is proposed that the surface seal be provided with compensating recesses each of which comprises at least one compensating region whose width, in the mounted state of the surface seal, alters with a change in temperature of the surface seal in such a way that the different thermal expansions of the surface seal and the component are at least partially (preferably, substantially completely) compensated.

1 . A surface seal for arrangement on a component whose material has a thermal expansion differing from that of the material of the surface seal, wherein the surface seal is provided with compensating recesses each of which comprises at least one compensating region whose width, in the mounted state of the surface seal, alters with a change in the temperature of the surface seal in such a way that the different thermal expansions of the surface seal and the component are at least partially compensated.  
   
   
       2 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface seal is provided for arrangement on a substantially flat surface of the component.  
   
   
       3 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface seal is provided for arrangement on an outer surface of the component.  
   
   
       4 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface seal surrounds the component in ring-like manner when in the mounted state.  
   
   
       5 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface seal is formed in one piece.  
   
   
       6 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the compensating recesses each comprise at least one compensating region which has a longitudinal direction aligned transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to a peripheral direction of the component.  
   
   
       7 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the compensating recesses each comprise at least one compensating region which has a longitudinal direction aligned substantially in parallel with the peripheral direction of the component.  
   
   
       8 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the compensating recesses each comprise at least two compensating regions.  
   
   
       9 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein at least some of the compensating recesses each comprise two compensating regions which have longitudinal directions aligned transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, with respect to one another.  
   
   
       10 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the compensating recesses each comprise a central region into which open the at least two compensating regions of the respective compensating recess.  
   
   
       11 . A surface seal in accordance with claim of  10 , wherein at least some of the compensating recesses each comprise a central region into which open at least two compensating regions of the respective compensating recess, wherein these compensating regions have longitudinal directions aligned transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, with respect to one another.  
   
   
       12 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein, apart from the compensating recesses, the surface seal comprises access openings which are associated with cavities in the component in the mounted state of the surface seal.  
   
   
       13 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the surface seal comprises webs separating the access openings from each other and wherein at least some of the compensating recesses are arranged at the crossing regions of the webs.  
   
   
       14 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the surface seal comprises at least one double row of compensating recesses, wherein the double row comprises a first row of compensating recesses and a second row of compensating recesses, the second row of compensating recesses is aligned substantially parallel to the first row of compensating recesses and the compensating recesses in the second row are displaced relative to the compensating recesses in the first row in the longitudinal direction of the rows.  
   
   
       15 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the surface seal comprises at least two double rows of compensating recesses which extend transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, with respect to one another.  
   
   
       16 . A surface seal in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the material of the surface seal comprises a synthetic material of low sliding friction, preferably, a fluoro-polymer or a fluoro-polymer compound.  
   
   
       17 . A combination of a component and a surface seal arranged on the component in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the periphery of the component is provided with entrainment elements for tensioning the surface seal.  
   
   
       18 . A combination in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the entrainment elements are moveable relative to the component.  
   
   
       19 . A combination in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the entrainment elements are held on the component by means of fixing bolts.  
   
   
       20 . A method for arranging a surface seal on a component whose material has a thermal expansion differing from that of the material of the surface seal, wherein the surface seal is provided with compensating recesses each of which comprises at least one compensating region whose width, in the mounted state of the surface seal, alters with a change in the temperature of the surface seal in such a way that the differences in the thermal expansions of the surface seal and the component are reduced, preferably substantially compensated, comprising the following process step: 
 arranging the surface seal on the component at a mounting temperature which is different from an operating temperature of the component, wherein the surface seal is subjected to a mechanical tension and the compensating regions of at least some of the compensating recesses alter in width due to the effect of the mechanical tension.    
   
   
       21 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the width of the compensating regions of at least some of the compensating recesses alters with a change of the temperature of the surface seal from the mounting temperature to the operating temperature.  
   
   
       22 . A method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the width of the compensating regions of at least some of the compensating recesses is reduced with a change of the temperature of the surface seal from the mounting temperature to the operating temperature.  
   
   
       23 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the surface seal is tensioned during the mounting process by means of entrainment elements arranged on the component.  
   
   
       24 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the surface seal is subjected to a mechanical tensional force directed substantially parallel to a peripheral direction of the component at least intermittently during the process of mounting it on the component.  
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the surface seal is subjected to a mechanical tensional force directed substantially transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to a peripheral direction of the component at least intermittently during the process of mounting it on the component.  
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein, during the process of mounting it on the component, the surface seal is subjected to a mechanical tensional force directed substantially parallel to a peripheral direction of the component during one mounting phase and is subjected to a mechanical tensional force directed substantially transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to a peripheral direction of the component during another mounting phase.