# US 12,000,296 B2 · Seal for a rotor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,296 B2 - Document ID: US12000296B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/676,929 - Filed: 2022-02-22 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-22 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson; Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000296B2 ## CPC - F01D 11/025: {Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations} - F01D 25/04: Antivibration arrangements - F01D 5/02: Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors (rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 {; selecting particular materials F01D5/28}) - F01D 9/02: Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits {, e.g. individual nozzles (nozzle boxes F01D9/047)} - F01D 11/001: {for sealing space between stator blade and rotor} - F01D 11/127: {with a deformable or crushable structure, e.g. honeycomb} - F05D 2240/56: Brush seals - F05D 2250/13: trapezoidal - F05D 2250/314: the axes being inclined in relation to each other - F05D 2260/96: Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise - 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 seal for a rotor is provided. The rotor defines an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. The seal includes a first flexible element coupled to the rotor. The first flexible element extends in a first direction that is within forty five degrees of the axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary machine comprising: a rotor defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction; a stator that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction and at least partially around the rotor, the stator comprising a first protrusion that defines a first notch and a second notch, wherein the rotor and stator have different coefficients of thermal expansion; and a seal coupled to the rotor and positioned between the stator and the rotor, the seal comprising: a first flexible element having a first tip, wherein the first tip is positioned in close proximity to the first notch; and a second flexible element having a second tip, wherein the second tip is positioned in close proximity to the second notch, wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip of the first flexible element and the first notch, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to zero millimeter (mm) and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively hot state, wherein a second distance is defined between the second tip of the second flexible element and the second notch, wherein the second distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively cool state, and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively hot state and the first distance is greater than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively cool state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary machine of claim 1, wherein the rotary machine is a gas turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and a shaft that couples the compressor section to the turbine section, wherein the rotor is coupled to, and rotatable with, the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rotary machine of claim 1, where the stator has an axially and circumferentially extending surface and the first protrusion has a radially extending surface, wherein the first notch and the second notch are defined at a location where the axially and circumferentially extending surface of the stator meets with the radially extending surface of the first protrusion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary machine of claim 1, wherein the first tip has a first shape that conforms to a shape of the first notch, and the second tip has a second shape that conforms to a shape of the second notch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary machine of claim 1, wherein the first flexible element and second flexible element comprises a plurality of brush bristles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary machine of claim 1, wherein the first protrusion is positioned between the first flexible element and the second flexible element, and the first flexible element extends in a first direction that is within forty five degrees of the radial direction and the second flexible element extends in a second direction that is within forty five degrees of the radial direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotary machine of claim 1, wherein the first tip of the first flexible element is further away from the first notch when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively cool state, wherein the first distance is an axial distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The rotary machine of claim 7, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to one mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively cool state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The rotary machine of claim 7, wherein a third distance is defined between the stator and the first tip of the first flexible element, wherein a radial length of the first protrusion is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 10 A rotary machine comprising: a rotor defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction; a stator that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction and at least partially around the rotor, the stator comprising a first protrusion that defines a first notch and a second protrusion that defines a second notch, wherein the rotor and stator have different coefficients of thermal expansion; and a seal coupled to the rotor and positioned between the stator and the rotor, the seal comprising: a first flexible element having a first tip, wherein the first tip is positioned in close proximity to the first notch; and a second flexible element having a second tip, wherein the second tip is positioned in close proximity to the second notch, wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip of the first flexible element and the first notch, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively cool state, wherein a second distance is defined between the second tip of the second flexible element and the second notch, wherein the second distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively hot state, and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively cool state and the first distance is greater than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively hot state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rotary machine of claim 10, wherein the first flexible element and the second flexible element are positioned between the first protrusion and the second protrusion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The rotary machine of claim 10, wherein the stator comprises a third protrusion that is positioned axially between the first flexible element and the second flexible element.