Seal arrangement and seal element with a high-pressure side flushing function

A seal arrangement comprising:

• a first and a second machine part which are arranged spaced apart from one another with the formation of a sealing gap and can be moved relative to one another about a movement axis;
• a seal element with a base section which is held by a seal holding structure of one of the two machine parts;
• and
• the seal element having a sealing head, the sealing head having an end face convexly formed in cross section and formed spherically on a sealing surface side;
• the sealing head having a sealing section, wherein the sealing section abuts in a dynamically sealing manner against a sealing surface of the respective other machine part in order to seal a high-pressure side H of the sealing gap with respect to a low-pressure side N, wherein the high-pressure side having a fluid in the form of a lubricant;
• wherein the end face of the sealing head does not abut against the sealing surface of the respective other machine part and defines a high-pressure side fluid space between the end face and the sealing surface, which high-pressure side fluid space tapers moving towards the sealing section of the seal arrangement in a cross-section;
• wherein the sealing head and the base section are connected with each other by an elastically deformable connecting section of the seal element;
• wherein the sealing section is an annular tread which extends away from the sealing head and towards the sealing surface of the respective other machine part, wherein the annular tread has a continuous running surface;
• wherein the seal element is provided on the high-pressure side of the convexly formed end face with at least one flow element in the form of either:
• a groove arranged at the end face which is open toward the sealing surface of the respective other machine part, the groove extending in a direction at least partially axial to the movement axis, wherein the groove is fluidly connected with a circumferential groove formed in the end face disposed adjacent to the annular tread of the sealing head;
• or
• a through bore disposed underneath the end face open on both ends, one end of which is fluidly connected with the circumferential groove formed in the end face disposed adjacent to the annular tread of the sealing head;
• wherein the groove and the through bore tapers at least in sections in its cross section through which the fluid can flow in the direction of the sealing section of the sealing head, the tapering narrowing in cross section moving towards the circumferential groove;
• wherein a fluid flow is brought about in the case of a relative movement of the two machine parts in such a way that the fluid flows toward the sealing head in the area of its sealing section on the high-pressure side.