Piston-integrated gap cover
AssigneeMainspring Energy, Inc.
InventorsMatt Svrcek, David Degraaff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a sealing ring assembly with one or more piston-integrated gap cover features, configured to seal a high-pressure region from a relatively lower pressure region of a piston and cylinder device. The sealing ring assembly may include two rings which each may include one or more ring segments. The one or more gap-cover features, which may be in the form of protrusions in the piston ring groove, may engage with corresponding flat sections of the ring segments. As the sealing ring wears, the gap-cover features may stay engaged with the ring segments, thereby maintaining a seal.
Claims20
A piston assembly comprising:
- a first ring comprising a first ring interface and an axially rearward surface;
- a second ring comprising:
- a second ring interface, and
- two radially outside surfaces proximate to the second ring interface;
- and
- a piston comprising:
- a ring groove in which the first ring is arranged axially in front of the second ring such that the first ring interface is not azimuthally aligned with the second ring interface, and
- a gap-cover feature comprising:
- an axially forward surface configured to engage the axially rearward surface of the first ring, and
- a radially inward surface configured to engage the two radially outside surfaces of the second ring, wherein the gap-cover feature and the two radially outside surfaces of the second ring form a gas seal between a high-pressure region and a low-pressure region.
A piston comprising:
- a ring groove configured to receive a first ring comprising an axially rearward surface and a second ring comprising a ring interface and two radially outside surfaces proximate to the ring interface;
- and
- a piston gap cover feature to:
- engage the axially rearward surface of the first ring, and
- engage the two radially outside surfaces of the second ring to form a gas seal between a high-pressure region and a low-pressure region.
A piston comprising:
- a ring groove configured to receive a first ring and a second ring, wherein the second ring comprises a ring interface and two radially outside surfaces proximate to the ring interface;
- and
- a piston gap cover feature to engage the two radially outside surfaces of the second ring to form a gas seal between a high-pressure region and a low-pressure region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.