Assembly having gasket resistant to side loading by pressurized fluid

Abstract

An assembly that includes first and second housing members, a gasket and a plurality of bolts that exert a clamp force to clamp the gasket between the first and second housing members. The gasket includes a plurality of tab members that engage the interior of one or both of the first and second housing members. The gasket tabs can resist a force exerted by a pressurized fluid within one or both of the first and second housing members. A gasket that is resistant to side loading due to a pressurized fluid is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article comprising a gasket, the gasket defining first and second sealing surfaces that are spaced apart from one another along an axis that is perpendicular to the first sealing surface, the gasket having a plurality of gasket segments, a plurality of gasket bosses and a projecting portion, each gasket boss being disposed between a pair of gasket segments and being adapted for receiving a threaded fastener therethrough, the projecting portion being coupled to an associated one of the gasket segments and extending parallel to the axis and away from the first sealing surface by a predetermined distance, the projecting portion being located between opposite lateral sides of the associated one of the gasket segments, wherein the predetermined distance is greater than zero when the gasket is in an initially formed, uncompressed state. 
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the projecting portion also extends away from the second sealing surface. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the gasket is at least partially formed of an elastomer. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         5 . An article for forming a seal between two objects, the article comprising a gasket having a plurality of gasket segments and a plurality of gasket bosses, each of the gasket bosses being disposed between a pair of the gasket segments and being adapted to receive a threaded fastener therethrough, the gasket segments and the gasket bosses cooperating to define a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface, the gasket having an interior edge that defines an interior aperture, the gasket further having a plurality of projections that are spaced apart about the gasket, the projections extending from the first sealing surface and being configured to cooperate with another structure to limit movement of the interior edge of the gasket when the gasket is installed to the two objects. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the projections also extend from the second sealing surface. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the projections cooperate with the gasket bosses and the gasket segments to define the interior edge of the gasket. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the projections are not configured to sealingly engage either of the two objects. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the projections are disposed radially outwardly of the interior edge of the gasket. 
     
     
         10 . An article comprising:
 a first housing part defining a first cavity;   a second housing part defining a second cavity;   a plurality of threaded fasteners coupling the first and second housing parts together; and   a gasket received between the first and second housing parts and permitting fluid communication between the first and second cavities, the gasket defining a first sealing surface, which is sealingly engaged to the first housing part, and a second sealing surface that is sealingly engaged to the second housing part, the first and second sealing surfaces being spaced apart from one another along an axis that is perpendicular to the first sealing surface, the gasket having a plurality of gasket segments, a plurality of gasket bosses and a projecting portion, each gasket boss being disposed between a pair of gasket segments and being configured for receiving one of the threaded fasteners therethrough, the projecting portion being coupled to an associated one of the gasket segments and extending parallel to the axis and away from the first sealing surface by a predetermined distance, the projecting portion being located between opposite lateral sides of the associated one of the gasket segments, wherein the predetermined distance is greater than zero when the gasket is in an initially formed, uncompressed state.   
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the projecting portion also extends away from the second sealing surface. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the gasket is at least partially formed of an elastomer. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         14 . An article comprising:
 a first housing part defining a first cavity;   a second housing part defining a second cavity;   a plurality of threaded fasteners coupling the first and second housing parts together; and   a gasket received between the first and second housing parts and permitting fluid communication between the first and second cavities, the gasket having a plurality of gasket segments and a plurality of gasket bosses, each of the gasket bosses being disposed between a pair of the gasket segments and receiving one of the threaded fasteners therethrough, the gasket segments and the gasket bosses cooperating to define a first sealing surface, which is sealingly abutted against the first housing part, and a second sealing surface that is sealingly abutted against the second housing part, the gasket having an interior edge that defines an interior aperture, the gasket further having a plurality of projections that are spaced apart about a perimeter of the gasket and extend from the first sealing surface, the projections being configured to cooperate with another structure to limit movement of the interior edge of the gasket.   
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the projections also extend from the second sealing surface. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the projections cooperate with the gasket bosses and the gasket segments to define the interior edge of the gasket. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the projections are not configured to sealingly engage either of the two objects. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the projections are disposed radially outwardly of the interior edge of the gasket.