# US 12,180,972 B2 · Side channel compressor having a seal assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,972 B2 - Document ID: US12180972B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/515,940 - Filed: 2023-11-21 - Published: 2024-03-14 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-15 - Assignees: Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Evgenij Rjabchenko; Manuela Gans - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180972B2 ## CPC - F04D 29/083: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F04D 23/008: {Regenerative pumps (for liquids or for liquids and elastic fluids F04D5/002)} - F04D 29/622: {Adjusting the clearances between rotary and stationary parts} - F04D 29/624: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F05D 2240/55: Seals - F05D 2260/38: by a spring, i.e. spring loaded or biased towards a certain position - F16J 15/3212: with metal springs - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS ## Abstract A side channel compressor for compressing a gas includes a housing and at least one impeller which is arranged in the housing and configured to bedriven in rotation about a central axis. In addition, the side channel compressor includes at least one seal assembly arranged in the housing and including at least one sealing device configured to seal at least one gap between the housing and the at least one impeller and be forced radially outward with respect to the central axis in order to keep the at least one gap small. The at least one seal assembly also includes at least one sealing-device-holding device configured to hold the at least one sealing device in an axially secured fashion with respect to the central axis and which includes at least one main holding body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A side channel compressor for compressing a gas, the compressor comprising: a housing having an annular groove and a hub receptacle space, the annular groove defining an annular web adjacent to the hub receptacle space and extending into the annular groove, the annular web defining a retaining edge; and a seal assembly disposed in the annular groove, the seal assembly including: a sealing device configured to be forced radially outward with respect to a central axis, and a sealing-device-holding device configured to hold the sealing device in an axially secured fashion with respect to the central axis, and which includes a main holding body, wherein the sealing-device-holding device has at least one spring projection bent out from the main holding body, the at least one spring projection having a free end abutting against the retaining edge, and projecting radially with respect to the central axis from the main holding body and supported in relation to the housing, forcing the sealing device radially outward with respect to the central axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing-device-holding device and the sealing device are axially immovable, in the mounted state, in relation to one another with respect to the central axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing-device-holding device has a holding projection which projects radially with respect to the central axis from the main holding body and engages in a holding fashion on the sealing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 3 wherein the holding projection engages laterally on the outside of the sealing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the holding projection projects radially outward with respect to the central axis from the main holding body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the holding projection is arranged on the edge of the main holding body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the holding projection and the at least one spring projection project radially in opposite directions from the main holding body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing-device-holding device is axially immovable with respect to the central axis in relation to the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one spring projection is constructed in the manner of a tab. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one spring projection projects radially inward with respect to the central axis from the main holding body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one spring projection is arranged in a spaced-apart fashion on the edge of the main holding body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The side channel compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing-device-holding device is embodied in one part. ### Claim 13 A seal assembly for a side-channel compressor comprising: a sealing device disposed in an annular groove of a compressor housing, the compressor housing including a hub receptacle space housing an impeller, the sealing device configured to seal a gap between the compressor housing and the impeller, the annular groove having an annular web adjacent to the hub receptacle space, the annular web extending into the annular groove and defining a retaining edge, where the sealing device is configured to be forced radially outward with respect to a central axis to seal the gap, and a sealing-device-holding device configured to hold the sealing device with respect to the central axis, and which includes a main holding body, wherein the sealing-device-holding device has at least one spring projection bent out from the main holding body, the at least one spring projection having a free end abutting against the retaining edge, and projecting radially with respect to the central axis from the main holding body and supported in relation to the housing, forcing the sealing device radially outward with respect to the central axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The seal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sealing-device-holding device and the sealing device are axially immovable, in the mounted state, in relation to one another with respect to the central axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The seal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sealing-device-holding device has a holding projection which projects radially with respect to the central axis from the main holding body and engages with the sealing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The seal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the holding projection engages laterally on the outside of the sealing device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The seal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the holding projection projects radially outward with respect to the central axis from the main holding body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The seal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the holding projection is arranged on the edge of the main holding body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The seal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the holding projection is bent out from the main holding body.