Rotary device including a counterbalanced seal assembly

A seal assembly for use in a rotary device including a rotor, said seal assembly comprising:

• a seal;
• a base defining a seal channel extending in a longitudinal direction, said seal disposed within the seal channel;
• and
• a counterweight mechanism pivotally coupled to said base, said counterweight mechanism configured to control radial displacement of said seal resulting from centrifugal forces imparted on said seal by rotation of the rotor.

A rotary device comprising:

• a housing having an inner surface;
• and
• a rotor assembly mounted for rotation in said housing about an axis defining an axial direction of said rotary device, said rotor assembly comprising:
• a rotor comprising a central portion and a plurality of arms extending radially outward from said central portion, each arm having a distal end disposed for sliding engagement with said inner surface, at least one of said arms having a channel defined therein;
• and
• a seal assembly disposed within the channel, said seal assembly comprising:
• a seal;
• a base defining a seal channel, said seal disposed within the seal channel, said base comprising a fulcrum;
• and
• a counterweight mechanism operatively coupled to said fulcrum, said counterweight mechanism comprising a counterweight and a lever extending away from said counterweight, wherein rotation of said rotor causes said counterweight mechanism to pivot about said fulcrum and causes said lever to exert a radial inward force on said seal.

A seal assembly for use in a rotary device including a rotor, said seal assembly comprising:

• a seal;
• a base defining a seal channel, said seal disposed within the seal channel, said base comprising a fulcrum;
• and
• a counterweight mechanism operatively coupled to said fulcrum, said counterweight mechanism comprising a counterweight and a lever extending away from said counterweight, wherein rotation of said rotor causes said counterweight mechanism to pivot about said fulcrum and causes said lever to exert a radial inward force on said seal.