The O-ring is a doughnut-shaped circular cross section seal that can be used nearly anywhere in the sealing industry. The Quad-Ring™, a 100% retrofit option for any O-ring application, can and will outperform an O-ring in many technical areas.
The Quad-Ring™ has four definitive sealing advantages over an O-Ring:
Founded in 1945, Minnesota Rubber and Plastics is a pioneer in the design and production of four-lobed seals with the Quad-Ring® Brand seal design.
Today these seals are used around the world for a wide variety of static and dynamic sealing applications.
Avoiding Spiral Twist
To minimize breakaway friction, an O-Ring groove must be wide enough to allow rolling or twisting of the seal. In the long stroke of a reciprocating seal application, this twisting action can strain and eventually tear the rubber, causing a failure mode known as spiral twist.
To prevent spiral twist, the Quad-Ring Brand seal four-lobed configuration is designed to withstand the distortion and extrusion often caused by high or pulsating pressure. To accommodate these forces, a Quad-Ring Brand seal uses a narrower groove than a comparable O-Ring seal.