Angled gasket

Abstract

A portlight for a marine vessel including a lens having an outer surface, an inner surface and a first sealing surface disposed at a first angle relative to the outer surface, wherein the first angle is greater than ninety degrees, a portlight frame having a flange, an extension and a second sealing surface disposed at a second angle relative to an outer surface of the flange, wherein the second angle is less ninety degrees and supplementary to the first angle, a sealing gasket disposed between the first and second sealing surfaces, and a hinge rotatably secured to the extension and fixedly secured to the lens, wherein rotation of the hinge to a closed position causes the first sealing surface to compress the sealing gasket against the second sealing surface in the absence of undesirable shearing of the gasket.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . A portlight for a marine vessel comprising:
 a lens comprising an outer surface, an inner surface and a first sealing surface disposed at a first angle relative to the outer surface, wherein the first angle is greater than ninety degrees;   a portlight frame comprising a flange, an extension and a second sealing surface disposed at a second angle relative to an outer surface of the flange, wherein the second angle is less ninety degrees and supplementary to the first angle;   a sealing gasket disposed between the first and second sealing surfaces; and,   a hinge rotatably secured to the extension and fixedly secured to the lens, wherein rotation of the hinge to a closed position causes the first sealing surface to compress the sealing gasket against the second sealing surface in the absence of undesirable shearing of the sealing gasket.   
     
     
         2 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the first angle ranges from about 120 degrees to about 150 degrees, the second angle ranges from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees and a sum of the first and second angles is about 180 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the first angle is about 135 degrees and the second angle is about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the gasket is fixedly secured to the first or second sealing surface. 
     
     
         5 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the marine vessel comprised a vessel wall, the vessel wall comprises an outer surface and the portlight frame is disposed within an opening in the vessel wall and the flange is secured against the outer surface of the vessel wall. 
     
     
         6 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 5  wherein the outer surface of the lens is substantially coplanar with the outer surface of vessel wall. 
     
     
         7 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  further comprising a lens support frame fixedly secured between the hinge and the lens, wherein the hinge is positioned directly above the lens support frame. 
     
     
         8 . A portlight for a marine vessel comprising:
 a lens comprising an outer surface, an inner surface and a first sealing surface disposed at a first angle relative to the outer surface, wherein the first angle is greater than ninety degrees;   a portlight frame comprising a flange, an extension and a second sealing surface disposed at a second angle relative to an outer surface of the flange, wherein the second angle is less ninety degrees and supplementary to the first angle;   a sealing gasket disposed between the first and second sealing surfaces; and,   a hinge rotatably secured to the extension and fixedly secured to the lens, wherein rotation of the hinge to a closed position causes the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface to approach the sealing gasket substantially perpendicularly, and to compress the sealing gasket between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface in the absence of undesirable shearing of the sealing gasket.   
     
     
         9 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the first angle ranges from about 120 degrees to about 150 degrees, the second angle ranges from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees and a sum of the first and second angles is about 180 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the first angle is about 135 degrees and the second angle is about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the gasket is fixedly secured to the first or second sealing surface. 
     
     
         12 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  wherein the marine vessel comprised a vessel wall, the vessel wall comprises an outer surface and the portlight frame is disposed within an opening in the vessel wall and the flange is secured against the outer surface of the vessel wall. 
     
     
         13 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 12  wherein the outer surface of the lens is substantially coplanar with the outer surface of vessel wall. 
     
     
         14 . The portlight for a marine vessel of  claim 1  further comprising a lens support frame fixedly secured between the hinge and the lens, wherein the hinge is positioned directly above the lens support frame.