Designs of Rubber Seals

Posted by DSH Seals on February 26th, 2021

The basic reason for using rubber seals is preventing fluid leakage between two joined surfaces. These are basically mechanical seals which are used in static as well as dynamic sealing applications. Rubber seals, made of natural rubber or synthetic rubber, are used in various industries like automotive, aerospace, construction etc. These seals are widely adopted in various applications because of features like resistance to aging, flame retardation ability etc. oil seals

Rubber Seals Designs

There are different varieties of such seals available in the market on the basis of their designs, materials, usage and applications. There are three popular designs of these seals and each design has its distinct cross section. Let us discuss these designs below:

O-Rings

As the name suggests, these are round shaped, in the shape of O or a doughnut. It has the ability to do a sealing action by deforming to take the shape of the cavity and can easily fit into it. It can be a static or a dynamic seal. In static sealing, there is no or little motion between the mating surfaces. In dynamic cases, a relative motion is seen between the mating surfaces. O ring has simple mounting requirements. Oil Seal Manufacturers

X-rings

This design is in the shape of the letter-X and hence referred as X-rings. At times, it is also known as Q-rings. Considered to be a better alternative to O-rings. Used mainly in rotary seal applications. X rings provide double-closing action. They have a four-lobed configuration which prevents the seal from being twisted. With two areas to be sealed, they require less deformation to offer an effective sealing.

Square Rings

These are seals with square cross sections. Made of natural or synthetic rubber, these are used mainly in high pressure gasketing functions. Square rings are used in place of similar sized O-rings or other molded seals. They are ideal for static applications but not for dynamic applications. Some basic advantages of square rings are controlled surface smoothness, better elasticity, correctly formed edges, and accurate hardness. Oil Seals Manufacturer

U-cup Seals

Another popular design of rubber seal is u-cup seals. They are mainly used for joining rods or rams. With small gland spaces, they become all the more perfect. With U-shaped cross sections, self sealing is possible for both their inside and outside diameters. There are three varieties of such seals.