Shaft seal assembly
AssigneeInpro/Seal LLC
InventorsNeil F. Hoehle, Chandhini Gowthaman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illustrative embodiment of a shaft seal assembly generally includes a first stator, a second stator, and a throttle member. In one illustrative embodiment, the second stator may be formed with a main body and an access plate positioned radially interior with respect to a portion of the first stator. The first stator and second stator may engage one another about a semi-spherical interface comprised of a convex surface on the second stator and a concave surface on the first stator. The second stator may include an internal channel in which a throttle member may be positioned, wherein a radially interior surface of the throttle member may be positioned a shaft.
Claims17
A seal assembly comprising:
- a first stator having a concave surface formed on a radially interior portion thereof;
- a second stator positioned within the first stator, wherein the second stator is formed with a convex surface on a radially exterior portion thereof, and wherein the concave surface of the first stator and the convex surface of the second stator form a semispherical interface between the first stator and the second stator;
- an access plate coupled to the second stator, wherein the access plate and the second stator combine to form an internal channel on a radially interior surface of the access plate and the second stator, a surface of the access plate and a surface of the second stator spaced in parallel opposition to the surface of the access plate defining a pair of opposing sides of the internal channel;
- a throttle member positioned at least partially within the internal channel and comprising a pair of outer sides, each of the outer sides of the throttle engaging one of the pair of opposing sides of the internal channel such that the throttle member slides radially with respect to the second stator in the internal channel;
- and
- one or more O-rings between the throttle member and at least one of the opposing sides of the internal channel,
- wherein:
- one of the outer sides of the throttle or one of the opposing sides of the internal channel defines an annular recess;
- and
- at least one of the one or more O-rings at least partially resides in the annular recess.
A seal assembly comprising:
- a first stator having a concave surface formed on a radially interior portion thereof;
- a second stator positioned within the first stator, wherein the second stator is formed with a convex surface on a radially exterior portion thereof, and wherein the concave surface of the first stator and the convex surface of the second stator form a semispherical interface between the first stator and the second stator;
- an access plate coupled to the second stator, wherein the access plate and the second stator combine to form an internal channel on a radially interior surface of the access plate and the second stator, a surface of the access plate and a surface of the second stator spaced in parallel opposition to the surface of the access plate defining a pair of opposing sides of the internal channel;
- a throttle member positioned at least partially within the internal channel and comprising a pair of outer sides, each of the outer sides of the throttle engaging one of the pair of opposing sides of the internal channel such that the throttle member slides radially with respect to the second stator in the internal channel;
- and
- one or more O-rings between the throttle member and at least one of the opposing sides of the internal channel,
- wherein:
- the one or more O-rings comprise a pair of O-rings, one of the pair of O-rings being on each of the outer sides of the throttle member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.