Assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a submersible housing

Abstract

An assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a submersible motor housing having an open end includes a formed, sheet metal cup including a cylindrical band portion and a base portion with an aperture therethrough. The assembly further includes an elastomeric diaphragm having a side wall that lies against the band portion of the cup and is adhesively secured thereto. The cup includes latching tabs extending from the band portion of the cup. The tabs snap into recesses fabricated in the end of the housing to hold the cup telescoped within the open end of the housing. The portion of the diaphragm secured to the band portion is sandwiched between the band portion and the housing wall and seals against the housing.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. An assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a submersible, fluid-filled device, said assembly comprising: a housing with a generally circular cylindrical wall defining an open end;   a sheet metal retaining member including a cylindrical band portion having a circular cylindrical shape complementary to the shape of the housing end wall;   an imperforate, generally cup-shaped diaphragm having an end wall and having a circular cylindrical side wall complementary in shape to said band portion;   said housing wall and said band member defining a circular cylindrical annular space therebetween;   the side wall of said diaphragm sandwiched in said space between said band member and said housing wall and pressed into sealing engagement with said housing wall by said band member;   recess means defined in a circle circumscribing .Iadd.the interior of .Iaddend.said housing wall spaced from the open end of the housing wall;   a plurality of locking tabs integral with said sheet metal retaining member and disposed in a circular array on said band portion;   said tabs sloping and extending radially outwardly from said band;   said tabs being resiliently compressed inwardly upon insertion of said retaining member into the housing, and expanding into said recess means to prevent withdrawal of said retaining member from the housing; and   lip means defined on the edge of said band portion engageable with the edge of the open end of the housing;   the axial distance from said lip means to said tabs being substantially equal to the axial distance from said recess means to said housing edge.   
     
     
       2. The assembly of claim 1, said retaining member comprising a cup-shaped body including a base wall with its periphery connected to said band portion, and aperture means formed in said retaining member permitting fluid communication with said diaphragm. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of claim 2, said retaining member and said housing wall defining a chamber within the housing; said diaphragm .[.base.]. .Iadd.end .Iaddend.wall being disposed within said chamber. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive bond between said band portion and said diaphragm side wall. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising sealing means on said diaphragm side wall abutting against the housing wall. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of claim 5, said sealing means comprising at least one continuous bead encircling said diaphragm side wall. 
     
     
       7. The assembly of claim 1, said recess means comprising a plurality of slots extending through said housing wall. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of claim 1, said recess means comprising a groove in the inner surface of said housing wall. .Iadd. 
     
     
       9.  An assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a device subject to internal and external fluid pressures and including a housing with a generally cylindrical open ended interior wall, said assembly comprising retaining means having a cylindrical band member with exterior wall structure spaced from said interior wall and an imperforate cup-shaped open ended flexible diaphragm having a cylindrical side wall sandwiched in said space against adjacent portions of said interior wall and exterior wall structure; said assembly being characterized in that said exterior wall structure is dimensioned to press against the interior of and to press the exterior of the diaphragm side wall against the interior wall of the housing, said housing interior wall having recess means defined in a circle spaced inwardly from the open end thereof and located below the open end of the diaphragm, and said retaining means has circularly arrayed locking structure below the open end of the diaphragm and extending outwardly beyond the diaphragm side wall into said recess means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       10.  An assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a device subject to internal and external pressures, said assembly comprising: a housing with a generally circular cylindrical wall defining an open end; a retaining member including a cylindrical band portion having a circular cylindrical shape complementary to the shape of the housing end wall; an imperforate, generally cup-shaped diaphragm having an end wall and having a circular cylindrical side all complementary in shape to said band portion; said retaining member being insertable into the open end of the housing with said band portion in a concentric, telescoped position relative to said housing wall; said housing wall and said band member defining a circular cylindrical annular space therebetween; the side wall of said diaphragm sandwiched in said space between said band member and said housing wall and pressed into sealing engagement with said housing wall by said band member; recess means defined in a circle circumscribing the interior of said housing wall and spaced from the open end of the housing wall; resilient inwardly compressible locking structure integral with said retaining member disposed in a circular array on and extending radially outwardly beyond the diaphragm from said band portion; said locking structure being movable inwardly upon insertion of said retaining member into the housing and expanding into said recess means to prevent withdrawal of said retaining member from the housing. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       11.  An assembly as claimed in claims 9 or 10, wherein said recess means is a continuous groove in the housing interior wall and said locking structure extends radially outwardly into said groove at the lower end of the exterior wall structure of the band member. .Iaddend.