O-rings

An O-ring, also known as a packing, or a toric joint, is a mechanical gasket in the shape of a torus; it is a loop of elastomer with a round cross-section, designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly between two or more parts, creating a seal at the interface.

The O-ring may be used in static applications or in dynamic applications where there is relative motion between the parts and the O-ring. Dynamic examples include rotating pump shafts and hydraulic cylinder pistons.

O-rings are one of the most common seals used in machine design because they are inexpensive, easy to make, and reliable and have simple mounting requirements. They can seal tens of megapascals (thousands of psi) of pressure.

O-rings can be produced by extrusion, injection molding, pressure molding or transfer molding.

The first patent for the O-ring, is dated May 12, 1896 as a Swedish patent. J. O. Lundberg, the inventor of the O-ring, received the patent. The US patent for the O-ring was filed in 1937 by a then 72-year-old Danish-born machinist, Niels Christensen. Soon after migrating to the USA in 1891, he patented an air brake system for streetcars (trams). Despite his legal efforts, his intellectual property rights were passed from company to company until they ended up at Westinghouse. During World War II, the US government commandeered the O-ring patent as a critical war-related item and gave the right to manufacture to other organizations. Christensen received a lump sum payment of US$75,000 for his efforts. Litigation resulted in a $100,000 payment to his heirs in 1971, 19 years after his death.

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