Hydrodynamic rotary seal with varying slope

An annular hydrodynamic seal assembly, comprising:

• first and second relatively rotatable members at least one of which defines a relatively rotatable sealing surface, said first and second relatively rotatable members defining at least a portion of a lubricant chamber therebetween, a lubricant being contained within said lubricant chamber;
• an annular direct compression type hydrodynamic seal sewing as a partition between said lubricant located within said lubricant chamber and an environment fluid, said hydrodynamic seal having an annular seal body having a seal circumference, at least one seal end and a substantially circular dynamic exclusionary edge exposed to the environment fluid and defining at least one annular sloping surface having a varying slope that varies from a minimum slope to a maximum slope about at least part of said seal circumference, said at least one annular sloping surface defining at least a portion of a dynamic sealing surface, said at least one annular sloping surface being deformed by interference sealing engagement with said relatively rotatable sealing surface defining a hydrodynamic wedging angle and defining at least a portion of a generally annular dynamic sealing interface having an annular interfacial contact footprint with said relatively rotatable sealing surface and having a first lubricant side footprint edge and a second environment side footprint edge, said varying slope causing said first lubricant side footprint edge to have varying distance from said second environment side footprint edge about at least part of said seal circumference, and said varying distance, together with said hydrodynamic wedging angle establishing a hydrodynamic geometry at said first lubricant side footprint edge for hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of said lubricant from said lubricant chamber and into said dynamic sealing interface in response to movement of said lubricant by said relatively rotatable sealing surface, causing the lubricating film to migrate within said dynamic sealing interface from said lubricant chamber toward said second environment side footprint edge and toward said substantially circular dynamic exclusionary edge, said substantially circular dynamic exclusionary edge being an intersection between said dynamic sealing surface and said at least one seal end.

An annular direct compression type hydrodynamic seal having an annular portion thereof in interference sealing engagement between relatively rotatable members one of which defines a relatively rotatable sealing surface and serving as a partition between first and second fluids, comprising:

• a resilient annular seal body defining a substantially convex seal end and having a seal circumference and defining at least one annular sloping surface and having an exclusionary edge, said resilient annular seal body having a varying cross-sectional depth varying about at least part of said seal circumference, said at least one annular sloping surface being deformed by said interference sealing engagement and defining a hydrodynamic wedging angle and defining at least a portion of an annular dynamic sealing interface having an annular interfacial contact footprint having a first non-circular footprint edge and having a second footprint edge being defined by said exclusionary edge, said varying cross-sectional depth causing said first non-circular footprint edge to have varying spacing from said second footprint edge about at least part of said seal circumference and causing said annular interfacial contact footprint to have varying width about at least part of said seal circumference and together with said hydrodynamic wedging angle defining a hydrodynamic geometry at said first non-circular footprint edge hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of the first fluid into said annular dynamic sealing interface in response to relative rotational movement of the first fluid and said first non-circular footprint edge, causing the lubricating film to migrate within said dynamic sealing interface to said second footprint edge, said second footprint edge being substantially circular and being defined by compressed juncture between said substantially convex seal end and the relatively rotatable sealing surface.

An annular hydrodynamic sealing assembly, comprising:

• relatively rotatable members defining at least a portion of a fluid chamber containing a first fluid, one of said relatively rotatable members defining a relatively rotatable sealing surface;
• an annular seal gland being defined by one of said relatively rotatable members and having at least one seal support surface;
• an annular compression-type seal body having a seal circumference, a dynamic exclusionary intersection, and at least one seal end and being in compression between said relatively rotatable members and being located within said annular seal gland and serving as a partition between said first fluid and a second fluid, said at least one seal support surface supporting said annular compression-type seal body;
• at least one annular sloping surface being defined by said annular compression-type seal body, said annular compression type seal body having varying depth, said at least one annular sloping surface being deformed by interference sealing engagement with said relatively rotatable sealing surface and defining a hydrodynamic wedging angle with respect to the relatively rotatable sealing surface and defining at least a portion of a dynamic sealing interface with said relatively rotatable sealing surface having an annular interfacial contact footprint with said relatively rotatable sealing surface, said annular interfacial contact footprint defining first and second footprint edges, said varying depth causing said annular interfacial contact footprint to vary in width and together with said hydrodynamic wedging angle defining a hydrodynamic geometry and hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of said first fluid into said dynamic sealing interface in response to relative rotational movement of said first fluid and said hydrodynamic geometry, causing the lubricating film to migrate from said fluid chamber into said dynamic sealing interface to said second footprint edge, and said dynamic exclusionary intersection being an intersection between said at least one annular sloping surface and said at least one seal end.

An annular hydrodynamic sealing assembly, comprising:

• relatively rotatable members defining at least a portion of a fluid chamber containing a first fluid, one of said relatively rotatable members defining a relatively rotatable sealing surface;
• an annular seal gland being defined by one of said relatively rotatable members and haying at least one seal support surface;
• an annular compression-type seal body having a seal circumference and first and second seal ends and being in compression between said relatively rotatable members and being located by said annular seal gland and sewing as a partition between said first fluid and a second fluid, said at least one seal support surface supporting said annular compression-type seal body;
• at least one annular sloping surface being defined by said annular compression-type seal body, said annular compression-type seal body having varying depth, said at least one annular sloping surface being deformed by interference sealing engagement with said relatively rotatable sealing surface defining a hydrodynamic wedging angle with respect to the relatively rotatable sealing surface and defining at least a portion of a dynamic sealing interface with said relatively rotatable sealing surface having an annular interfacial contact footprint with said relatively rotatable sealing surface, said annular interfacial contact footprint defining first and second footprint edges, said varying depth causing said annular interfacial contact footprint to vary in width, said first footprint edge together with said hydrodynamic wedging angle defining a hydrodynamic geometry and hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of said first fluid into said dynamic sealing interface in response to relative rotational movement of said first fluid and said hydrodynamic geometry, causing the lubricating film to migrate from said fluid chamber into said dynamic sealing interface to said second footprint edge;
• said annular compression-type seal body defining a substantially circular exclusionary edge in the uncompressed condition thereof, said substantially circular exclusionary edge being located between said at least one annular sloping surface and said second seal end.

An annular hydrodynamic sealing assembly, comprising:

• relatively rotatable members defining at least a portion of a fluid chamber containing a first fluid, one of said relatively rotatable members defining a relatively rotatable sealing surface;
• an annular seal gland being defined by one of said relatively rotatable members and having at least one seal support surface;
• an annular compression-type seal body having a seal circumference and at least one seal end and being in compression between said relatively rotatable members and being located by said annular seal gland and serving as a partition between said first fluid and a second fluid, said at least one seal support surface supporting said annular compression-type seal body;
• at least one annular sloping surface being defined by said annular compression-type seal body, said annular compression-type seal body having varying depth, said at least one annular sloping surface having curvature and defining at least a portion of a dynamic sealing surface, at least part of said at least one annular sloping surface being deformed by interference sealing engagement with said relatively rotatable sealing surface defining a hydrodynamic wedging angle with respect to the relatively rotatable sealing surface and defining at least a portion of a dynamic sealing interface with said relatively rotatable sealing surface having an annular interfacial contact footprint with said relatively rotatable sealing surface, said annular interfacial contact footprint defining first and second footprint edges and varying in width and together with said hydrodynamic wedging angle defining a hydrodynamic geometry and hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of said first fluid into said dynamic sealing interface in response to relative rotational movement of said first fluid and said hydrodynamic geometry, causing the lubricating film to migrate from said fluid chamber into said dynamic sealing interface to said second footprint edge;
• a dynamic exclusionary intersection of abrupt form being established by an intersection between said dynamic sealing surface and said at least one seal end;
• and
• said dynamic exclusionary intersection establishing said second footprint edge, said second footprint edge having substantially circular configuration.

An annular hydrodynamic seal for sealing between relatively rotatable members one of which defining a relatively rotatable sealing surface and serving as a partition between first and second fluids, comprising:

• an annular seal body defining a circumference and first and second seal ends and having at least one annular sloping surface having varying slope;
• varying about at least part of said circumference of said annular seal body;
• at least a portion of said annular sloping surface being deformed by interference sealing engagement with the relatively rotatable sealing surface to define a hydrodynamic wedging angle with respect to the relatively rotatable sealing surface and to define a dynamic sealing interface having a generally circular interfacial contact footprint with the relatively rotatable sealing surface having first and second annular spaced footprint edges, said varying slope causing said first and second annular spaced footprint edges to vary in spacing about at least part of said circumference and establish a hydrodynamic geometry at said first footprint edge for hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of the first fluid into the dynamic sealing interface in response to relative rotational movement of the first fluid and said first footprint edge, causing the lubricating film to migrate within said dynamic sealing interface toward the second footprint edge;
• and
• a dynamic exclusionary intersection being located between said at least one annular sloping surface and said second seal end.

An annular hydrodynamic seal for interference sealing between a housing and a relatively rotatable surface and defining a sealed partition between a lubricant chamber of the housing and an environment, comprising:

• an annular seal body having a seal circumference and at least one seal end;
• an annular dynamic sealing surface being defined by said annular seal body and having varying slope about at least part of said seal circumference said varying slope defined by variable curvature, varying between a minimum curvature and a maximum curvature about at least part of said seal circumference;
• a portion of said annular dynamic sealing surface being deformed by sealing contact with the relatively rotatable surface and defining an annular dynamic sealing interface with the relatively rotatable surface having first and second edges, said variable curvature causing said annular dynamic sealing interface to be of varying width about at least part of said seal circumference and;
• a dynamic exclusionary intersection, being an intersection between said annular dynamic sealing surface and said at least one seal end.

A hydrodynamic sealing assembly, comprising:

• a first machine component;
• a second machine component being disposed in relatively rotatable relation with said first machine component and defining a relatively rotatable sealing surface;
• first and second fluids being located between said first and second machine components;
• an annular hydrodynamic seal composed of resilient sealing material establishing a partition between said first and second fluids and having an annular seal body defining first and second annular seal ends, said second annular seal end being of substantially convex configuration in the uncompressed state of said annular hydrodynamic seal and having static sealing relation with said first machine component and dynamic sealing relation with said relatively rotatable sealing surface, said second seal end having a dynamic sealing lip defining an annular angulated surface having a variable angle throughout its circumference and an annular curved surface having variable curvature throughout its circumference, said annular angulated surface and said annular curved surface in the non-compressed state thereof defining an annular sloping surface having annularly variable slope throughout its circumference and defining a dynamic exclusionary intersection with said second seal end, said annular sloping surface being deformed by said relatively rotatable sealing surface and defining a hydrodynamic wedging angle with respect to said relatively rotatable sealing surface and establishing a generally circular interfacial contact footprint with said relatively rotatable sealing surface having first and second footprint edges and varying in width, being wavy on said first footprint edge for hydrodynamically wedging a lubricating film of said first fluid into a dynamic sealing interface of the interfacial contact footprint with the relatively rotatable surface in response to relative rotational movement of said first fluid and said hydrodynamic geometry, causing the lubricating film to migrate within the dynamic sealing interface toward said second footprint edge, said second seal end having a static sealing lip being disposed in substantially opposed relation with said dynamic sealing lip and having static sealing engagement with said first machine component, said second annular seal end further defining an annular depth that varies circumferentially and results in variations in the magnitude and location of compression of said second annular end;
• said second footprint edge being of substantially circular configuration established by compressed juncture between said at second annular seal end and the relatively rotatable sealing surface;
• said second annular seal end defining an annular recess facing said second fluid;
• and
• an annular energizer being composed of a material having a different modulus of elasticity as compared with said resilient sealing material being located within said annular recess and loading said dynamic and static sealing lips for sealing with said first machine component and said second machine component.

An annular hydrodynamic seal for interference sealing between a housing and a relatively rotatable surface and defining a sealed partition between a lubricant chamber of the housing and an environment, comprising:

• an annular seal body having a seal circumference and first and second ends and varying in depth about at least pad of said seal circumference, varying from a minimum depth to a maximum depth;
• an annular dynamic sealing surface being defined by said annular seal body and having a variable curvature, varying between a minimum curvature and a maximum curvature about at least part of said seal circumference;
• a portion of said annular dynamic sealing surface being deformed by sealing contact with the relatively rotatable surface and defining an annular dynamic sealing interface with the relatively rotatable surface being of varying width about at least part of said seal circumference;
• and
• a dynamic exclusionary intersection being established by intersection of said second seal end and said annular dynamic sealing surface.