# US 10,370,996 B2 · Floating, non-contact seal with offset build clearance for load imbalance

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- Number: US 10,370,996 B2
- Document ID: US10370996B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/244,276
- Filed: 2016-08-23
- Published: 2018-03-01
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-23
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Ross Wilson; Conway Chuong; Dwayne K. Mecklenburg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370996B2

## CPC

- F01D 11/025: {Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations}
- F01D 5/02: Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors (rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 {; selecting particular materials F01D5/28})
- F01D 25/24: Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045})
- F04D 29/083: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F04D 29/102: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F04D 29/321: {for axial flow compressors}
- F04D 29/522: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F16J 15/442: {segmented}
- F16J 15/445: {with means for adjusting the clearance}
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2240/60: Shafts
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an engine comprising: a first structure, a second structure configured to rotate relative to the first structure, and a floating, non-contact seal that interfaces the first structure and the second structure, where the seal includes: a shoe, a first beam coupled to the shoe, and a second beam coupled to the shoe, where during a non-operational state of the engine a reference point of the shoe is substantially centered within a range of radial deflections of the reference point of the shoe over the operating range of the engine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An engine comprising:
a first structure;
a second structure configured to rotate relative to the first structure;
a floating, non-contact seal that interfaces the first structure and the second structure, wherein the seal includes:
a shoe;
a first beam coupled to the shoe; and
a second beam coupled to the shoe; and
a gap between the shoe and the second structure, the gap having a radial width during a non-operational state of the engine,
wherein the radial width of the gap defines a position of the shoe with respect to the second structure wherein a reference point of the shoe, during the non-operational state of the engine, is substantially centered within a range of the radial deflections of the reference point of the shoe over the operating range of the engine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the first structure is an engine case.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the second structure includes at least one of a shaft or a rotor disk.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the first and second structures are part of a compressor section of the engine.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the first and second structures are part of a turbine section of the engine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the seal interfaces a first region of the engine to a second region of the engine in terms of an airflow from the first region of the engine to the second region of the engine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The engine of claim 6, wherein the shoe comprises a plurality of teeth, and wherein the airflow substantially flows in an axial direction relative to a centerline of the engine, radially between the teeth and the second structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The engine of claim 7, wherein the teeth are located radially outward of the second structure with respect to an axial centerline of the engine.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the gap is defined between teeth of the shoe and the second structure during the non-operational state of the engine.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The engine of claim 1, wherein the radial width of the gap is larger than a maximum distance of radial deflections of the shoe from a center of the range of radial deflections of the shoe over the operating range of the engine.