# US 2024/0344644 A1 · Rotary Union > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0344644 A1 - Document ID: US20240344644A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/755,048 - Filed: 2024-06-26 - Published: 2024-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2023-04-11 - Assignees: Murzanski Engineering - Applicants: Murzanski Engineering - Inventors: Matthew Murzanski; Boguslaw Stypula - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240344644A1 ## CPC - F16L 27/087: Joints with radial fluid passages - F16L 39/04: allowing adjustment or movement - B29C 45/1775: {Connecting parts, e.g. injection screws, ejectors, to drive means} - F16L 27/0828: {having radial bearings} - F16D 33/12: controlled automatically by self-actuated valves - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract An improved water union may include a fixed portion and a rotating portion. The fixed portion of the water union may be physically coupled to a stationary portion of a machine or other stationary object and the rotating portion may be physically coupled to a rotating portion of a machine or other rotating object. For example, a rotating table may include a stationary base to which the fixed portion of the water union may be physically attached, while the rotating portion of the water union may be physically attached to a rotating surface. In doing so, the rotating portion of the water union may be capable of freely rotating with the rotating surface, while maintaining a constant physical orientation to objects on the rotating surface within a rotating frame of reference. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary union comprising: a housing comprising: an interior cavity; and two or more fluid ports through a sidewall of the housing and providing a fluid path between an exterior of the housing and the interior cavity; a central shaft rotatably connected to the housing via a bearing assembly, wherein a first port through the exterior surface of the central shaft is fluidly connected to a first flow channel axial to the central shaft and a second port through the exterior surface is fluidly connected to a second flow channel axial to the central shaft and parallel to the first flow channel; and a seal assembly comprising: a spring; a first fluid seal structure between the exterior surface of the central shaft and an inner surface of the housing and forming a first flow cavity bounded by an outer surface of the first fluid seal structure and an interior surface of the outer housing; a second fluid seal structure between the outer surface of the central shaft and the inner surface of the housing, wherein the spring separates the first seal structure and the second seal structure, wherein a second flow cavity is bounded by the interior surface of the housing, the exterior surface of the central shaft, an interior surface of the first fluid seal structure, and an interior surface of the second seal structure; and wherein the spring applies a sealing force to the interior surface of the first fluid seal structure and the interior surface of the second fluid seal structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary union of claim 1, wherein the first port of the two or more fluid ports facilitates fluid flow into the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rotary union of claim 1, wherein the second port of the two or more fluid ports facilitates fluid flow out from the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary union of claim 1, wherein the first flow channel of the central shaft comprises an integral one-way valve structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary union of claim 1, further comprising the bearing assembly set in a third cavity section of the interior cavity, wherein the third cavity section is adjacent an opening in a bottom face of the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary union of claim 1, wherein the first fluid seal structure and the second fluid seal structure each comprise a first sealing portion that is in a fixed position relative to the housing, and a second sealing portion that rotates relative to the first sealing structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The rotary union of claim 6, wherein the first fluid seal structure and the second fluid seal structure each comprise a first sealing face associated with the first sealing portion and a second sealing face associated with the second sealing portion, wherein a fluid seal is created by a physical connection between the first sealing face and the second sealing face. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The rotary union of claim 6, wherein the first sealing face comprises one of a ceramic component and a graphite component and the second sealing face comprises the remaining one of the ceramic component and the graphite component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rotary union of claim 1, wherein the seal assembly comprises a pump seal. ### Claim 10 A multiple channel rotary union comprising: a central shaft comprising two or more fluid channels; a housing comprising: two or more fluid ports; an opening in a bottom face of the housing; an interior cavity, wherein the central shaft is partially enclosed within the interior cavity via the opening; and a first annular ring formed on an interior surface of the housing, the first annular ring having a first side facing the interior cavity of the housing and a second side facing the opening in the bottom face of the housing; and a bearing rotatably coupling the central shaft to the housing, wherein a first side of the bearing is adjacent to the opening in the bottom face of the housing and a second side of the bearing is adjacent to the second side of the first annular ring; and a seal assembly forming one or more flow channels between each of the one or more fluid channels of the central shaft to corresponding ports of the one or more fluid ports of the housing, the seal assembly comprising: a first stationary seal component physically contacting the interior surface of the housing adjacent to the first side of the first annular ring; a first rotating seal component physically contacting an exterior face of the central shaft; and one or more springs providing a force engaging a first sealing face of the first rotating seal component to a second sealing face of the first stationary seal component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 10, wherein a first distal end comprises a face comprising at least one input port and at least one output port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 10, wherein a second distal end is enclosed by the housing, wherein the second distal end defines a portion of a flow channel within the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 10, wherein the seal assembly comprises: a second stationary seal component physically contacting the interior surface of the housing adjacent to a first side of an annular ridge formed in the interior surface of the housing; and a second rotating seal component physically contacting an exterior face of the central shaft, and wherein the one or more springs provide a force to seal a third sealing face of the second rotating seal component to a fourth sealing face of the second stationary seal component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 13, wherein a first flow channel within the interior cavity of the housing is formed between an outer surface of the second stationary seal component and an upper face of the interior cavity of the housing, the upper face of the interior cavity of the housing being opposite to and spaced from a face of a distal end of the central shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 13, wherein a second flow channel within the interior cavity of the housing is defined by a first surface of the first rotating seal component and a second surface of the second rotating component, wherein the first surface of the first rotating seal component contacts a first end of the one or more springs and the second surface of the second rotating seal component contacts a second end of the one or more springs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 10, wherein a first fluid channel of the two or more fluid channels of the central shaft comprises a check valve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 16, wherein a fluid channel of the check valve comprises: a first channel having a first radius corresponding to a diameter of a ball component; and a one or more grooves machined parallel to a central axis of the check valve, the one or more grooves providing an additional flow volume to the check valve when open. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a first housing component and a second housing component, wherein the first housing component comprises a through bore aligned along a central axis of the housing and the second housing component comprises a partial bore aligned along the central axis of the housing, wherein the second housing component comprises a solid top surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The multiple channel rotary union of claim 18, wherein the first housing component comprises a plurality of output ports and the second housing component comprises a plurality of inlet ports. ### Claim 20 A dual flow channel rotary union comprising: a housing comprising: a first housing section having a through bore aligned to a central axis of the housing; and a second housing section having a partial bore aligned to the central axis of the housing, wherein the through bore of the first housing section and the partial bore of the second housing section form a central cavity of the housing; a central shaft at least partially enclosed by the central cavity of the housing, wherein the central shaft comprises a first flow channel and a second flow channel, wherein the first flow channel comprises a check valve; a bearing physically secured within a first cavity section of the through bore and a central opening of the bearing is physically secured to a first section of the central shaft; a seal assembly comprising: a first mechanical seal portion; a second mechanical seal portion; and a spring physically contacting the first mechanical seal portion and the second mechanical seal portion, wherein the first mechanical seal portion forms a first flow channel within the central cavity of the housing and between an inlet port of the second housing portion and an inlet port of the check valve and wherein the first mechanical seal portion and the second mechanical seal portion forms a second flow channel within the central cavity of the housing and between an outlet port of the central shaft and an outlet port of the second housing section.