当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Innovation Drive, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9TW, United Kingdom
摘要：
A longitudinal seal is provided. The longitudinal seal has a cross section comprising a wall 10 which encloses an inner section. The wall 10 is formed of a material configured such that a physical characteristic, typically wall thickness and/or density, of the material varies by at least 10% along at least one of a length and the cross section of the seal. The variation in the physical characteristic causes a variation in at least one of a deformability and a resilience of a corresponding portion of the seal. A vacuum system which includes such a seal, and a method of manufacturing such a seal are also disclosed. The method of manufacturing typically comprising an additive manufacturing technique, such as stereo lithography, fused deposition modelling, 3D printing, and selective laser sintering.
权利要求：
CLAIMS
1. A longitudinal seal having a cross section comprising a wall around an inner section; wherein
said wall is formed of a material which is configured such that a physical characteristic of said material varies by at least 10% along at least one of a length and said cross section of said seal, said variation in said physical characteristic causing a variation in at least one of a deformability and a resilience of a corresponding portion of said seal.
2. A seal according to claim 1, wherein said at least one physical characteristic comprises a thickness of said wall.
3. A seal according to claim 2, wherein said thickness of said wall varies along a length of said seal.
4. A seal according to claim 3, wherein said seal is configured to seal surfaces in a vacuum system and said wall is configured to be thinner at portions along the length of said seal that are configured in use to be remote from clamping elements for clamping said seal between said surfaces, such that a resilience of said seal away from said clamping elements is reduced.
5. A seal according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said thickness of said wall varies around said cross section of said seal.
6. A seal according to any claim 5, wherein said thickness of said wall is lower at a sealing surface of said seal.
/. A seal according to any preceding claim, wherein said at least one physical characteristic comprises a density of said material forming said wall.
8. A seal according to claim 7, wherein the density of said material at a sealing portion of an outer periphery of said seal is lower than a density of said material at an inner edge of said seal.
9. A seal according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a density of said wall at a sealing portion of said seal is lower than a density of said wall at a point remote from said sealing portion.
10. Aseal according to claim 9, wherein a portion of said wall at and adjacent to said sealing portion comprises a porous or cellular portion.
11. Aseal according to any one of claim 7 to 10, wherein the density of said material forming said wall varies along a length of said seal.
12. A seal according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the density of said material forming said wall is lower at a portion of said seal that is configured in use to be remote from clamping elements for clamping said seal between surfaces, such that a resilience of said seal away from said clamping elements is reduced.
13. Aseal according to any preceding claim, wherein said wall around said inner portion comprises a portion having a substantially uniform cross section and a portion having a spring-like configuration.
14. A seal according to claim 13, wherein said portion having a spring like configuration comprises connecting portions angled to and connecting said portions with a uniform cross section, said connecting portions having gaps between them.
15. Aseal according to any preceding claim, wherein said wall and inner portion have a circular cross section.
16. A seal according to any preceding claim, wherein said wall has a tubular shape.
17. A seal according to any preceding claim, wherein said material forming said wall of said seal is a non-elastomer material.
18. A seal according to claim 17, wherein said material comprises a metallic material, preferably at least one of aluminium, an aluminium alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, a precious metal, steel, stainless steel, copper.
19. Aseal according to any one of claims 17, wherein said material comprises a polymeric material comprising one or more thermoplastics, preferably, at least one of a fluoropolymer, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyphenylene sulphide (PPS).
20. A seal according to any preceding claim, wherein said inner portion comprises a void.
21. Aseal according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein said inner portion comprises a substance for increasing a resilience of said seal.
22. Aseal according to any preceding claim, wherein said wall comprises at least one external protrusion formed of a porous or cellular material.
23. Avacuum system comprising at least one seal according to any preceding claim.
24. Avacuum system according to claim 23, comprising at least one seal according to claim 4 or 12, and at least one clamping element to hold said at least one seal between two co-operating surfaces, said seal being configured such that a resilience of said seal is reduced at portions remote from said at least one clamping element.
25. A method of manufacturing of a seal according to any one of claims 1 to 22, using additive manufacturing techniques, preferably an additive manufacturing technique selected from stereo lithography (SLA), fused deposition modelling (FDM), multi-jet modelling (MJM), 3D printing and selective laser sintering (SLS).