US 2002/0117140 A1Published application

Valve seal assembly with dual finger retainer system

AssigneeDana Corporation

InventorTroy Daniel McArthy

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Abstract

A valve stem seal assembly incorporates a cylindrical valve stem seal retainer having an axis and an upper end about which symmetrically and circumferentially arranged, alternating upper and lower fingers have depending ends which lie in two distinct planes in one preferred embodiment. The lower fingers depend radially inwardly toward the axis from the cylindrical body of the retainer to provide for axial securement of an elastomeric seal body to the top of a valve guide. The upper fingers extend axially upward from the same end, in the form of a gooseneck, and are adapted to apply a circumferential, radially inwardly directed spring force to the elastomeric seal body. The upper fingers are thus effective to eliminate the garter retainer springs used with conventional seal bodies of traditional valve stem seal assemblies.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A valve stem seal assembly adapted for installation atop of a valve guide of an internal combustion engine for sealingly engaging a valve stem reciprocally movable through the guide, the seal assembly comprising a resilient annular seal body defining an upper bulbous ring having an interior annular sealing lip adapted to engage the valve stem, said seal body also defining an exterior annular groove;

said valve stem seal assembly further comprising a seal body retainer defining a generally rigid cylindrical body and having an axis, said retainer having a circumferentially extending annular flange at its lower body end, said retainer having a plurality of fingers at its upper body end, each of said fingers belonging to one of two distinct sets of fingers thereof, wherein the first set comprises radially inwardly depending fingers for engaging said exterior annular groove of said seal body to maintain said seal body axially against the top surface of the valve guide, and wherein the second set comprises axially extending reversely bent fingers having arcuate ends that collectively engage the circumferential exterior surface of said bulbous ring of the seal body to impart a circumferential hoop force to said sealing lip for urging same against said reciprocally movable valve stem.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.