Sealed split instrument housing with foil-backed acrylic transfer adhesive tearband

Claim 2

A hermetically sealed and structurally joined split aircraft instrument housing assembly made of at least two parts having abutting edges, said assembly comprising: two adjacent chamber subassemblies forming an abutting joint of their edges; a metallic foil strip of predetermined thickness; and an acrylic transfer adhesive strip of predetermined thickness adhesively affixed to one side of said metallic foil strip thereby forming a tearband; said tearband being adhesively attached, through said acrylic transfer adhesive, to each of said subassemblies about said abutting joint whereby said split housing assembly is assembled and substantially hermetically sealed and structurally joined.

Claim 3

A hermetically sealed assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said subassemblies each include a recessed lip adjacent said abutting joint which collectively define a recessed groove and wherein said tearband is disposed within said recessed groove.

Claim 4

A hermetically sealed assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metallic foil comprises aluminum.

Claim 5

A hermetically sealed assembly as in claim 3 wherein said foil is on the order of about 0.005 inch thick.

Claim 6

A hermetically sealed assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metallic foil comprises nickel.

Claim 7

A hermetically sealed assembly as in claim 5 wherein said foil is on the order of about 0.003 inch thick.

Claim 8

A hermetically sealed assembly as in claim 1 wherein said foil is on the order of about 0.003 inch thick.

Claim 9

A hermetically sealed assembly as in claim 6 wherein said acrylic transfer adhesive is between 0.002 inch thick and 0.010 inch thick.

Claim 10

A hermetically sealed assembly as in claim 7 wherein said acrylic transfer adhesive is on the order of about 0.005 inch thick.

Claim 11

A hermetically sealed assembly as in claim 8 wherein said acrylic transfer adhesive is on the order of about 0.005 inch thick.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 11 wherein said placing step includes fitting said strip into a recessed groove formed at said abutting edges.

Claim 15

A split aircraft instrument housing assembly having a foil-backed acrylic transfer adhesive tearband for the hermetic sealing and structural joining of said split aircraft instrument housing assembly, said assembly having juxtaposed abutting edges, said tearband comprising: a metallic foil strip; an acrylic transfer adhesive layer adhesively affixed on one side to said foil layer; and a protective peelable layer temporarily affixed to the other side of said acrylic transfer adhesive layer, thereby forming said tearband so that when said protective layer is removed and said tearband is adhesively affixed to said abutting edges, said assembly is substantially hermetically sealed and structurally joined.

Claim 16

A split aircraft instrument housing assembly having a foil-backed acrylic transfer adhesive tearband for the hermetic sealing and structural joining of said split aircraft instrument housing assembly, said assembly having juxtaposed abutting edges, said tearband comprising: a metallic foil strip; an acrylic transfer adhesive layer adhesively affixed on one side to said foil layer; and a protective peelable layer temporarily affixed to the other side of said acrylic transfer adhesive layer, thereby forming said tearband so that when said protective layer is removed and said tearband is adhesively affixed to said abutting edges, said assembly is substantially hermetically sealed and structurally joined.

Claim 17

An assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said metallic foil comprises nickel which is about 0.003 inch thick and wherein said acrylic transfer adhesive layer is about 0.005 inch thick.

Claim 18

An assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said metallic foil comprises aluminum which is about 0.005 inch thick and wherein said acrylic transfer adhesive layer is about 0.005 inch thick.

Claim 19

An assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said acrylic transfer adhesive is capable of maintaining a substantially hermetic seal between -65° F. and 300° F. and at pressure differentials up to one atmosphere between the inside and outside of said housing assembly.