Elastomer spring type mechanical seal

A mechanical seal assembly for mounting about a shaft for sealing a slurry within stationary equipment, comprising

• a gland assembly configured for coupling to the stationary equipment, the gland assembly including a main body having a radially extending outer surface and an opposed radially extending inner surface, wherein the main body extends from an axially outer end to a radially inner end and wherein a portion of the radially inner end forms an overhang portion, and wherein the inner surface has a gland channel formed therein in the overhang portion,
• a rotary seal ring having an outer surface and configured for rotary movement when coupled to the shaft,
• a stationary seal ring disposed in sealing contact with the rotary seal ring to form a fluid seal therebetween,
• a sleeve assembly having a main body having a flange portion formed at a first end defining a space for seating the rotary seal ring and a sleeve portion having an outer surface, wherein the main body of the sleeve assembly has an inner surface having an engagement channel formed therein at the first end,
• a support ring element positioned to contact the outer surface of the sleeve portion of the sleeve assembly, wherein the support ring element has an outer surface and an inner surface,
• a cover sealing element disposed so as to contact at least a portion of the flange portion of the sleeve assembly and at least a portion of the outer surface of the rotary seal ring, the cover sealing element having an inner surface and an opposed outer surface,
• wherein the outer surface has a flat end surface portion having a radially inwardly extending end lip portion formed at a terminal end region and a tapered end surface portion coupled to the flat end surface portion,
• wherein the inner surface of the cover sealing element has a first inner surface having a diameter that is greater than a second radially inwardly stepped inner surface, and wherein the first inner surface and the second inner surface are coupled by a radially extending stepped wall surface having a wall channel formed therein,
• wherein the wall channel has a wall lip portion that overlies a portion of the wall channel, and
• wherein a bottom portion of the flange portion seats within the wall channel and the wall lip portion seats within and engages the engagement channel, and
• an energizer sealing element axially spaced from the cover sealing element and disposed so as to contact at least a portion of the stationary seal ring to apply an axial biasing force thereto, wherein the energizer sealing element has a main body having an outer surface and an inner surface,
• wherein the main body of the energizer sealing element includes a cover portion formed at a first end thereof and a flex portion formed at an opposed second end thereof, and
• wherein the flex portion has a terminal end region that includes a connection feature for seating in the gland channel so as to couple the flex portion to the gland assembly.