Valve seal assembly for an internal combustion engine
AssigneeBriggs & Stratton Corporation
InventorGary J. Gracyalny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a valve seal assembly used to prevent the lubricating fluid used to lubricate a valve stem and valve guide from entering the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The valve seal assembly has an outer side surface that sealingly engages the engine housing of the internal combustion engine. The valve seal assembly is also preferably located near the end of the valve guide that is closest to the combustion chamber. The valve seal assembly also includes a resilient sealing element that has an improved sealing lip for preventing the lubricating fluid from traveling past the sealing lip. The sealing lip is also positioned in order to extend the operating life and effectiveness of the valve seal assembly.
Claims22
A valve seal assembly for sealing a valve stem and a valve guide in an internal combustion engine, said valve seal assembly comprising:
- a shell having a first end;
- and
- a resilient sealing element sealingly engaged with said shell, said sealing element including a lip located axially outside of said shell adjacent to said first end, wherein said lip is adapted to be sealingly engaged with the valve stem, said lip extends from the valve stem toward said shell at a first acute angle relative to the valve stem and extends from the valve stem away from said shell at a second acute angle relative to the valve stem, wherein said first acute angle is larger than said second acute angle.
An apparatus that seals a reciprocating valve stem in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an engine housing;
- a guide disposed about the valve stem within said engine housing for guiding the valve stem movement along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem;
- and
- a valve seal assembly sealingly engaged with the valve stem, said valve seal assembly comprising a shell having an outer side surface sealed against said engine housing.
An apparatus that seals a reciprocating valve stem in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an engine housing;
- a guide disposed about the valve stem within said engine housing for guiding the valve stem movement along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem;
- and
- a valve seal assembly having a resilient sealing element, said sealing element including a lip that is sealingly engaged with the valve stem such that no substantial part of the valve stem which moves within said guide touches said lip.
An apparatus that seals a reciprocating valve stem in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an engine housing;
- a guide disposed about the valve stem within said engine housing for guiding the valve stem movement along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem;
- a valve seal assembly comprising;
- a shell having a first end and an outer side surface, wherein said outer side surface is sealed against said engine housing;
- and
- a resilient sealing element sealingly engaged with said shell, said sealing element includes a lip located axially outside said shell adjacent to said first end, said lip is sealingly engaged with the valve stem such that substantially no part of the valve stem which moves within said guide touches said lip, said lip extends from the valve stem toward said shell at a first acute angle relative to the valve stem and extends from the valve stem away from said shell at a second acute angle relative to the valve stem, wherein said first acute angle is larger than said second acute angle.
An apparatus that seals a reciprocating valve stem in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an engine housing;
- a guide disposed about the valve stem within said engine housing for guiding the valve stem movement along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem;
- and
- a valve seal assembly sealingly engaged with the valve stem, said valve seal assembly comprising a shell and a resilient sealing element sealingly engaged with said shell, said sealing element including a lip that is sealingly engaged with the valve stem and extends from the valve stem toward said shell at a first acute angle relative to the valve stem and extends from the valve stem away from said shell at a second acute angle relative to the valve stem, wherein said first acute angle is larger than said second acute angle, said valve seal assembly being located near an end of said guide that is closest to a combustion chamber in the internal combustion engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.