Plunger seal assembly and sealing method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJames Shealy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some embodiments, apparatuses are provided herein useful to sealing a gap between a movable flap and stationary structure, such as a gap between a gas turbine engine nozzle flap and sidewall. An apparatus for sealing such a gap may be a plunger seal which may include a plurality of plunger segments connected together using at least one flexure. When positioned in the gap, the flexures within the plunger segments pivot allowing rotation of each of the plurality of plunger segments about their respective pivot point, such that the plunger assembly seals and contours against the movable surface.
Claims18
A plunger seal apparatus for sealing a gap, the plunger seal apparatus comprising:
- a first plunger segment having a first proximal end, a first distal end, and a first channel defined therein;
- a second plunger segment having a second proximal end, a second distal end, and a second channel defined therein;
- and
- a first flexure secured within the first channel and the second channel for coupling the first plunger segment to the second plunger segment, a placement of the first flexure defining a predetermined space between the first distal end and the second proximal end and forming a plunger channel through the first channel and the second channel, wherein the first flexure has a head portion coupled to the first plunger segment and two stem portions coupled to an inner surface of the second plunger segment.
An exhaust nozzle for an engine, comprising:
- a sidewall;
- a movable flap adjacent the sidewall;
- and
- a plunger seal apparatus disposed between the sidewall and the movable flap to seal a gap between the sidewall and the movable flap, the plunger seal apparatus being configured to contour along at least a portion of the movable flap when the exhaust nozzle is in operation, the plunger seal apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of flexures, wherein at least one of the plurality of flexures comprises a head and two stem portions secured within neighboring plunger segments;
- and
- a plurality of plunger segments, including at least a first plunger segment and a second plunger segment, the first plunger segment being coupled to the second plunger segment via at least one of the plurality of flexures, and wherein the plurality of plunger segments are connected end to end such that a channel is defined within the plunger seal apparatus.
A method of sealing a gap, the method comprising:
- positioning a plunger seal apparatus within the gap and against a movable surface, the plunger seal apparatus having a plurality of plunger segments interconnected using a plurality of flexures, at least one of the plurality of flexures including a head coupled to a first segment of the plurality of plunger segments and two stems coupled to an inner surface of a second segment of the plurality of plunger segments such that the head is configured to rotate about a pivot point that is external to the second segment;
- and
- sealing the gap by allowing rotation of the at least one of the plurality of flexures about the pivot point, such that the plunger seal apparatus contours against at least a portion of the movable surface when moving.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.