Self-adjusting O-ring seal product to retain internal bearing lubricants and pneumatic pressures

An elastomeric O-Ring for creating a seal with a shaft in combination with a housing comprising:

• an essentially solid elastomeric O-Ring with a circular central opening for receiving a circular shaft therethrough that has a centerline about which it can rotate or along which it can reciprocate;
• said O-Ring having a minor diameter formed by said central opening and a major diameter furthermost from said central opening with a major width thereinbetween;
• a first axis perpendicular to said central opening and essentially bisecting said O-Ring;
• a second axis through a cross-section of said O-Ring perpendicular to said first axis and essentially bisecting said O-Ring cross-section major width and separating said O-Ring into an outer extremity and an inner extremity;
• a housing for said O-Ring having a minor diameter opening forming an inner extremity to accommodate said shaft and an outer external extremity;
• said housing having an internal recess with relatively sharp corners essentially the width of said O-Ring major width and a major diameter, to accommodate said O-Ring major diameter;
• said O-Ring having rounded outer surfaces;
• said O-Ring fitting said housing such that an outer cavity exists between said housing recess major diameter and said O-Ring outer extremity and an inner cavity exists between said O-Ring inner extremity and said shaft;
• said O-Ring major width forming a seal with said housing between said outer cavity and said inner cavity;
• one opening through said housing to said outer cavity and another opening leading to said inner cavity;
• said outer cavity and said inner cavity dimensioned so that said outer cavity has a radial surface area larger than the radical surface area of said inner cavity such that fluid pressure applied into said outer cavity and into said inner cavity sets up opposing forces with the force pressing said O-Ring toward said shaft being greater than that opposing said pressing force and wherein;
• a sealing means is provided for said one opening through said housing so that a pressure fluid within said outer cavity is retained in said outer cavity.

An elastomeric O-Ring for creating a seal with a shaft in combination with a housing comprising:

• an essentially solid elastomeric O-Ring with a circular central opening for receiving a circular shaft therethrough that has a centerline about which it can rotate or along which it can reciprocate;
• said O-Ring having a minor diameter formed by said central opening and a major diameter furthermost from said central opening with a major width thereinbetween;
• a first axis perpendicular to said central opening and essentially bisecting said O-Ring;
• a second axis trough a cross-section of said O-Ring perpendicular to said first axis and essentially bisecting said O-Ring cross-section major width and separating said O-Ring into an outer extremity and an inner extremity;
• a housing for said O-Ring having a minor diameter opening forming an inner extremity;
• to accommodate said shaft and an outer external extremity;
• said housing having an internal recess with relatively sharp corners essentially the width of said O-Ring major width and a major diameter, to accommodate said O-Ring major diameter;
• said O-Ring having rounded outer surfaces;
• said O-Ring fitting within said housing such that an outer cavity exists between said housing recess major diameter and said O-Ring outer extremity and an inner cavity exists between said O-Ring inner extremity and said shaft;
• said O-Ring major width forming a seal with said housing between said outer cavity and said inner cavity;
• one opening through said housing to said outer cavity and another opening leading to said inner cavity;
• said inner cavity and said inner cavity dimensioned so that said outer cavity has a radial surface area larger than the radial surface area of said inner cavity such that fluid pressure applied into said outer cavity and into said inner cavity sets up opposing forces with the force pressing said O-Ring toward said shaft being greater than that opposing said pressing force;
• said elastomeric O-Ring has an essentially continuous enlarged chamber within said O-Ring predominantly on one side of said first axis with a channel extending between said enlarged chamber and the outside of said O-Ring on said one side of said first axis;
• and
• said enlarged chamber and said channel forming a flexible section in said O-Ring that increases sealing surface area between said O-Ring and said shaft in response to a pressure increase within said enlarged chamber and said channel.

An elastomeric O-Ring for creating a seal with a shaft in combination with a housing comprising:

• a hollow elastomeric O-Ring with a circular central opening for receiving a circular shaft that has a centerline about which it can rotate or reciprocate;
• said O-Ring having a minor diameter formed by said central opening and a major diameter furthermost from said central opening and a major width thereinbetween and being filled with a heat expandable material;
• a first axis perpendicular to said central opening and essentially bisecting said O-Ring;
• a second axis through a cross-section of said O-Ring perpendicular to said first axis and essentially bisecting said O-Ring cross-section into an outer extremity and an inner extremity and essentially passing through said O-Ring major width;
• a housing for said O-Ring having a central opening defining a housing minor diameter forming a housing inner extremity, to accommodate said shaft, and having an outer external extremity;
• said housing having an internal recess with side walls essentially the width of said O-Ring major width, and a major diameter, to accommodate said O-Ring major diameter;
• said O-Ring fitting within said housing such that said O-Ring major diameter contacts said recess major diameter and said O-Ring major width contacts said recess side walls forming seals therewith;
• said O-Ring minor diameter, when contacting said shaft, forming a seal therewith and forming an inner cavity between said O-Ring inner extremity and said shaft;
• an inner opening leading to said inner cavity for conducting pressure fluid into said inner cavity to form a force in opposition to that created by said heat expandable material within said O-Ring.