# US 11,905,837 B2 · Sealing system including a seal assembly between components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,905,837 B2 - Document ID: US11905837B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/656,106 - Filed: 2022-03-23 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-23 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Nicholas R. Overman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905837B2 ## CPC - F01D 9/023: {Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings} - F01D 11/005: {Sealing means between non relatively rotating elements} - F01D 9/04: forming ring or sector - F01D 11/003: {by packing rings; Mechanical seals} - F01D 25/243: {Flange connections; Bolting arrangements (F01D25/265 takes precedence)} - F05D 2240/57: Leaf seals - F05D 2260/38: by a spring, i.e. spring loaded or biased towards a certain position - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A sealing system for sealing between components. The sealing system includes a first component, a second component, and a seal assembly including a seal member. The first component includes a first component surface, and the second component includes a second component surface. The second component surface is oriented in a direction transverse to the first contact surface. The seal member has a plurality of contact surfaces including a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The first contact surface is configured to contact the first component surface and to slide relative to the first component surface. The second contact surface is configured to contact the second component surface and to slide relative to the second component surface. The second contact surface is oriented in a direction transverse to the first contact surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sealing system for sealing between components, the sealing system comprising: a first component including a first component surface; a second component including a second component surface, the second component surface being oriented in a direction transverse to the first component surface, the second component having an axis and axial direction, the axial direction being transverse to the first component surface; a seal assembly including a seal member having a plurality of contact surfaces including a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface being configured to contact the first component surface and to slide relative to the first component surface, the second contact surface being configured to contact the second component surface and to slide relative to the second component surface, the second contact surface being oriented in a direction transverse to the first contact surface; and a spring positioned to apply a biasing force to press the second contact surface into contact with the second component surface, the biasing force being applied in a direction transverse to the axial direction, wherein the first component includes an inner portion and an outer portion relative to the axis of the second component, the inner portion and the outer portion defining a groove, the spring being retained with in the groove. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the seal member has one of an L-shape, a J-shape, a C-shape, a U-Shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the first component includes a flange, the first component surface being a surface of the flange. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the seal member is configured to have another biasing force applied thereto to press the first contact surface into contact with the first component surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sealing system of claim 4, wherein the seal member is configured to have an airflow contact the seal member and, when the airflow contacts the seal member, the airflow provides the biasing force to press the first contact surface into contact with the first component surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A gas turbine engine comprising: the sealing system of claim 1; and a combustor including a combustor liner, the combustor liner having a plurality of portions including an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion being the second component and the downstream portion being the first component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A gas turbine engine comprising: an annular combustor including a combustor liner having an outer surface, the combustor liner being the second component and the outer surface of the combustor liner being the second component surface, the annular combustor having a circumferential direction; a turbine nozzle downstream of the annular combustor, the turbine nozzle being the first component, the turbine nozzle including a plurality of nozzle sections, each nozzle section being arranged adjacent to another nozzle section in the circumferential direction, and each nozzle section including the sealing system of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein the seal member of one seal assembly overlaps with the seal member of an adjacent seal assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein the overlapping portions of adjacent seal assemblies have a shiplap shape. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A gas turbine engine comprising: the sealing system of claim 1; a combustor including a combustor liner having an outer surface, the combustor liner being the second component and the outer surface of the combustor liner being the second component surface; and a turbine nozzle downstream of the combustor, the turbine nozzle being the first component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The gas turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the combustor is configured to have an airflow over the outer surface of the combustor, the airflow being configured to contact the seal member and, when the airflow contacts the seal member, the airflow provides a biasing force to press the first contact surface towards the first component surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The gas turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the combustor is an annular combustor having a radial direction, wherein the turbine nozzle includes a flange, the first component surface being a radial surface of the flange. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the seal member is configured to allow a controlled amount of air therethrough, and wherein the turbine nozzle includes an outer band, the flange being connected to the outer band by a transition section of the outer band, the transition section being configured to promote laminar flow along an inside surface of the outer band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the seal member has an axial leg and a radial leg, the first contact surface being a radial contact surface on the radial leg, and the second contact surface being an axial contact surface on the axial leg. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the seal member has one of an L-shape, a J-shape, a C-shape, or a U-Shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the flange includes the inner portion and the outer portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gas turbine engine of claim 16, further comprising a post connected to the seal member, the spring being configured to impart the biasing force to the post. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the biasing force is applied in a direction orthogonal to the second contact surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the seal member is configured to allow a controlled amount of air therethrough.