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US 12,510,187 B2Granted
Multi-stage shaft seal
AssigneeFisher Controls International LLC
InventorWade Helfer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve can include a valve body, a rotatable gate, a neck extending from the valve body, a shaft extending from the rotatable gate and through the neck, and a seal assembly configured to rotatably seal the shaft to the neck. The seal assembly can include a first stage seal having a first working temperature and coupled to the shaft at a first stage seal location, and a second stage seal having a second working temperature and coupled to the shaft at a second stage seal location farther from the valve body than the first stage seal location. The first working temperature can be higher than the second working temperature, and the seal locations and the first stage seal can be configured to prevent a second stage operating temperature at the second stage seal location from exceeding the second working temperature.
Claims20
A valve, comprising:
- a valve body having an input port, an output port and a flow path there between;
- a rotatable gate, wherein the rotatable gate allows flow between the input port and the output port in a first position and blocks flow between the input port and the output port in a second position;
- a neck extending from the valve body, wherein the neck has a first end coupled to the valve body, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, a bore, and an internal shoulder;
- a shaft disposed through the bore of the neck, wherein the shaft has a central longitudinal axis, a first end coupled to the rotatable gate and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end of the shaft, and wherein the shaft is selectively operable to rotate the rotatable gate between the first position and the second position;
- and
- a seal assembly configured to rotatably seal the shaft to the neck, wherein the seal assembly comprises
- a first stage seal having a first working temperature, wherein the first stage seal is sealingly coupled to the shaft at a first stage seal location located a first stage distance from the internal shoulder of the neck;
- and
- a second stage seal having a second working temperature, wherein the second stage seal is sealingly coupled to the shaft at a second stage seal location located a second stage distance from the internal shoulder of the neck;
- wherein the second stage distance is greater than the first stage distance;
- wherein the first working temperature is higher than the second working temperature;
- and
- wherein the first stage distance, the second stage distance and the first stage seal are collectively configured to prevent a second stage operating temperature at the second stage seal location from exceeding the second working temperature;
- and
- wherein the internal shoulder of the neck is positioned between the first stage seal and the rotatable gate.
12 more elements
A valve, comprising:
- a valve body having an input port, an output port and a flow path there between;
- a rotatable gate, wherein the rotatable gate allows flow between the input port and the output port in a first position and blocks flow between the input port and the output port in a second position;
- a neck extending from the valve body, wherein the neck has a first end coupled to the valve body, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, a bore, and an internal shoulder;
- a shaft disposed through the bore of the neck, wherein the shaft has a central longitudinal axis, a first end coupled to the rotatable gate and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end of the shaft, and wherein the shaft is selectively operable to rotate the rotatable gate between the first position and the second position;
- and
- a seal assembly configured to rotatably seal the shaft to the neck, wherein the seal assembly comprises
- a first stage seal having a first working temperature, wherein the first stage seal is sealingly coupled to the shaft at a first stage seal location located a first stage distance from the internal shoulder of the neck;
- a second stage seal having a second working temperature, wherein the second stage seal is sealingly coupled to the shaft at a second stage seal location located a second stage distance from the internal shoulder of the neck;
- wherein the second stage distance is greater than the first stage distance;
- wherein the first working temperature is higher than the second working temperature;
- and
- wherein the first stage distance, the second stage distance and the first stage seal are collectively configured to prevent a second stage operating temperature at the second stage seal location from exceeding the second working temperature;
- a first guide bushing disposed about the shaft longitudinally between the first stage seal and the second stage seal;
- a packing follower disposed about the shaft longitudinally between the second stage seal and the second end of the neck;
- and
- a second guide bushing disposed about the shaft longitudinally between the packing follower and the second end of the neck;
- wherein the first guide bushing and the second guide bushing are configured to cooperate to align the shaft within the neck.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.