# US 10,767,763 B2 · Seal structure and manufacturing method thereof

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- Number: US 10,767,763 B2
- Document ID: US10767763B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/318,383
- Filed: 2017-10-11
- Published: 2019-08-29
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-01
- Assignees: Iida Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: IIDA Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Shuichi Nowatari
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767763B2

## CPC

- F16J 15/3292: Lamellar structures
- F16J 15/24: with radially or tangentially compressed packing
- F16J 15/328: Manufacturing methods specially adapted for elastic sealings (moulding B29C)
- F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS

## Abstract

An annular seal member 2 is formed by overlapping, in the axial direction D1, a plurality of ring-shape parts 3 which are closed or unclosed when viewed in a radial direction D2 orthogonal to the axial direction D1 of the annular seal member 2. A seal groove 5 has a groove bottom 51 with an outer diameter R51 that increases along the axial direction D1. The inner periphery 22 of the annular seal member 2 contacts the groove bottom 51, and the inner diameter R22 of the inner periphery 22 increases as the outer diameter R51 of the groove bottom 51 increases. By this means, the outer diameter R21 of the outer periphery 21 increases, and the side of the outer periphery 21 of the annular seal member 2 that has a smaller outer diameter R21 does not contact the inner peripheral wall 61 of an inner peripheral wall member 6, and the side of the outer periphery 21 of the annular seal member 2 that has a greater outer diameter R21 does contact the inner peripheral wall 61 of the inner peripheral wall member 6.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A seal structure comprising:
an annular seal member of ring shape having an outer periphery and an inner periphery;
a shaft member having a seal groove having a groove-bottom forming part at which the inner periphery of the annular seal member is disposed and an outer diameter of the groove-bottom forming part increases along an axial direction of the annular seal member; and
an inner peripheral wall member having an internal space encircled by an inner peripheral wall of the inner peripheral wall member, and arranging in the internal space the shaft member in which the annular seal member is disposed in the seal groove,
wherein the annular seal member is formed of a plurality of ring-shaped parts overlapping with each other in the axial direction of the annular seal member, which are closed or unclosed when viewed in a radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction,
wherein an entirety of the inner periphery of the annular seal member abuts the groove-bottom forming part, the outer diameter of which increases along the axial direction of the annular seal member, and an inner circumferential diameter of the inner periphery increases following an increase in the outer diameter of the groove-bottom forming part, whereby an outer circumferential diameter of the outer periphery also increases, and
wherein a first part of the outer periphery of the annular seal member having a first outer circumferential diameter does not abut the inner peripheral wall of the inner peripheral wall member, and a second part of the outer periphery of the annular seal member having a second outer circumferential diameter abuts the inner peripheral wall of the inner peripheral wall member, the first outer circumferential diameter being smaller than the second outer circumferential diameter, such that a contact state close to line contact is established between the outer periphery of the annular seal member and the inner peripheral wall of the inner peripheral wall member,
wherein the shaft member includes a first main body and a second main body,
wherein the first main body has a first joint at one end face thereof,
wherein the second main body has a second joint which joins to the first joint of the first main body, the groove bottom forming part of conical shape which connects to the second joint, and a flange part which is connected to the groove-bottom forming part and spreads out in the radial direction so as to be wider than the outer diameter of the groove-bottom forming part, and
wherein, in a state joining the first joint of the first main body and the second joint of the second main body, the seal groove is formed of the one end face of the first main body, the groove-bottom forming part of the second main body, and the flange part of the second main body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The seal structure according to claim 1, wherein the annular seal member consists of fluororesin.

### Claim 3

A manufacturing method of a seal structure that includes: an annular seal member of ring shape having an outer periphery and an inner periphery; a shaft member having a seal groove having a groove-bottom forming part at which the inner periphery of the annular seal member is disposed, an outer diameter of the groove-bottom forming part configured to increase along an axial direction of the annular seal member; and an inner peripheral wall member having an internal space encircled by an inner peripheral wall of the inner peripheral wall member, and arranging in the internal space the shaft member in which the annular seal member is disposed in the seal groove,
wherein the annular seal member is formed of a plurality of ring-shaped parts overlapping with each other in the axial direction of the annular seal member, which are closed or unclosed when viewed in a radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction,
wherein the shaft member includes a first main body and a second main body,
wherein the first main body has a first joint at one end face thereof,
wherein the second main body has a second joint which joins to the first joint of the first main body, the groove-bottom forming part of conical shape which connects to the second joint, and a flange part which is connected to the groove-bottom forming part and spreads out in the radial direction so as to be wider than the outer diameter of the groove-bottom forming part, and
the method comprising:
forming the seal groove with the one end face of the first main body, the groove-bottom forming part of the second main body and the flange part of the second main body by way of joining the first joint of the first main body and the second joint of the second main body, and fitting the annular seal member, in which an inner circumferential diameter of the inner periphery is substantially uniform along the axial direction, over the groove-bottom forming part from an exterior of the second joint;
whereby an entirety of the inner periphery of the annular seal member is made to abut the groove-bottom forming part, the outer diameter of which increases along the axial direction of the annual seal member, along with the inner circumferential diameter of the inner periphery being made to increase following an increase in the outer diameter of the groove-bottom forming part, as well as increasing an outer circumferential diameter of the outer periphery; and
whereby a first part of the outer periphery of the annular seal member having a first outer circumferential diameter is not made to abut the inner peripheral wall of the inner-peripheral wall member, and a second part of the outer periphery of the annular seal member having a second outer circumferential diameter is made to abut the inner peripheral wall of the inner-peripheral wall member, the first outer circumferential diameter being smaller than the second outer circumferential diameter, such that a contact state close to line contact is established between the outer periphery of the annular seal member and the inner peripheral wall of the inner peripheral wall member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The manufacturing method of the seal structure according to claim 3, wherein the annular seal member consists of fluororesin.