Noncontacting finger seal with hydrodynamic foot portion

An annular sealing apparatus for disposition in cooperation with a body defining a bore and a rotating member rotatably received in said bore to inhibit fluid leakage therebetween, said sealing apparatus comprising a first circumferentially extending comb-like member having a plurality of uniformly spaced integral finger members, and a second circumferentially extending comb-like member also having a plurality of uniformly spaced integral finger members, said pluralities of finger members circumscribing said rotating member, said finger members defining gaps therebetween, each of said finger members having at its innermost end a foot portion sealingly and movably engaging said rotating member, each of said foot portions having greater circumferential and axial dimensions than the respective dimensions of the remainder of its respective finger member, said greater dimensions defining a surface area of said foot at least three times the area of its respective finger member measured on a cross section adjacent said foot portion, and said first and second comb-like members being positioned so that the fingers of each block the gaps of the other.

A gas turbine engine having primary and secondary gas flowpaths separated by an annular sealing apparatus, said sealing apparatus disposed in cooperation with a wall having a bore and a rotating member rotatably received in said bore to inhibit fluid leakage therebetween, said sealing apparatus comprising first and second circumferentially extending comb-like members each having a plurality of uniformly spaced integral finger members, said pluralities of finger members circumscribing said rotating member, said finger members defining gaps therebetween, each of said finger members having at its innermost end a foot portion sealingly and movably engaging said rotating member, said foot portion configured to produce a hydrodynamic lift upon sufficient rotational speed of said rotating member whereby said foot portion lifts off from said rotating member, said first and second comb-like members being positioned so that the fingers of each block the gaps of the other, and

• wherein each of said foot portions has greater circumferential and axial dimensions than the respective dimensions of the remainder of its respective finger member, said greater dimensions defining a surface area of said foot portion at least three times the area of its respective finger member measured on a cross section adjacent said foot portion.