Bearing seal
AssigneeVarel International, Inc.
InventorChristopher S. Byrd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal assembly for a shaft supporting a rotary element comprises a sealing ring having an inner radial surface in contact with a seal surface of the shaft. The sealing ring comprising a disc shaped integral radial lip normal to the inner radial surface. A disc shaped seal shield is assembled in sealing contact with a first surface of the integral disc shaped radial lip and also in sealing contact with a first radial surface of an annular seal groove. An energizer positioned in the annular seal groove is in contact with the bottom surface of the groove and a second radial surface of the groove. The energizer exerts a radial force on the outer radial surface of the sealing ring and a lateral force on the integral radial lip of the sealing ring.
Claims20
A seal assembly for a shaft supporting a rotary element, comprising:
- a sealing ring in an annular seal groove of the shaft and having a first radial surface in contact with a seal surface of the rotary element, the sealing ring comprising an integral disc-shaped radial lip;
- a disc shaped seal shield in contact with a first surface of the integral disc-shaped radial lip and also in sealing contact with a first radial surface of the annular seal groove of the shaft;
- and
- an energizer in the annular seal groove of the shaft in contact with a bottom surface of the seal groove and a second radial surface of the sealing ring, the second radial surface opposite from a first radial surface of the sealing ring.
A drill bit comprising:
- a body having a cutter support pin and defining a sealing surface;
- a cutter having cutter cutting structure thereon and defining a sealing surface;
- a bearing assembly for rotatably supporting the cutter on the cutter support pin of the body;
- and
- a seal assembly comprising:
- a sealing ring having an outer radial surface in contact with a seal surface of the cutter, the sealing ring comprising an integral radial lip;
- an energizer in an annular seal groove and in contact with a bottom surface of the seal groove and a second radial surface of the seal groove, the second radial surface axially opposite from a first radial surface in contact with the sealing ring;
- and
- a disc shaped seal shield in sealing contact with a first surface of the integral radial lip and also in sealing contact with a first radial surface of the annular seal groove.
A drill bit comprising:
- a body having a cutter support pin and defining a sealing surface;
- a cutter having cutting structure thereon and defining a sealing surface;
- a bearing assembly for rotatably supporting the cutter on the cutter support pin of the body;
- and
- a seal assembly comprising:
- a sealing ring in an annular seal groove of the cutter support pin and having a first radial surface in contact with a seal surface of the cutter, the sealing ring comprising an integral disc-shaped radial lip;
- a disc shaped seal shield in contact with a first surface of the integral disc-shaped radial lip and also in sealing contact with a first radial surface of the annular seal groove of the cutter support pin;
- and
- an energizer in the annular seal groove of the cutter support pin in contact with a bottom surface of the seal groove and a second radial surface of the sealing ring, the second radial surface opposite from a first radial surface of the sealing ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.