GASKET

摘要

A gasket (10) has a retainer (30) comprising a plurality of balls encapsulated within a matrix of polymeric material (e.g., rubber). The balls are made of hard material (e.g., metal, hard plastic, ceramic, etc.) and prevent over-compression during gasket installation. The polymeric matrix provides the gasket (10) with a two-dimensional grid of joints or elbows, allowing it to conform to an almost infinite number of different flange surfaces. The matrix can be made of the same material as, and molded at the same time as, the gasket's sealing elements (40, 50, 60).