Rotary seals
AssigneeBal Seal Engineering, Inc.
InventorHugh Q. Cook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Seal assemblies are herein discussed. The seal assemblies can have a stiff backing ring supporting a seal ring, which is positioned adjacent an inner seal ring. In preferred embodiments, the inner seal ring is made from a material that enables the inner seal ring to absorb media particles in situ to change its particle density. This allows the seal assembly to form wearable surfaces on the fly to decrease wear on the seal ring.
Claims25
A seal assembly comprising a rigid backing ring made of a first material having an axially extending flange;
- a seal ring made of a second material positioned next to the backing ring and in mechanical engagement with the backing ring and having a sealing lip;
- an inner seal ring made of a third material in mechanical contact with the seal ring;
- a retaining ring positioned away from the backing ring for fitting against a housing, and located, at least in part, between the seal ring and the inner seal ring;
- and an energizer overlapping the seal ring, the inner seal ring, and the backing ring, at least in part, along a radial direction for biasing the sealing lip in a radial direction;
- and wherein the inner seal ring is made from a material configured to receive media particles in situ.
A combination seal assembly and shaft comprising:
- a seal ring comprising a receiving area and a seal lip in contact with the shaft;
- an inner seal ring received in the receiving area of the seal ring;
- a rigid backing ring in contact with the seal ring;
- a retaining ring positioned away from the backing ring for fitting against a housing, and located, at least in part, between the seal ring and the inner seal ring;
- an energizer overlapping the seal ring, the inner seal ring, and the backing ring, at least in part, along a radial direction and biased against the inner seal ring;
- and wherein the inner seal is a sacrificial layer having a first state and a second state, said second state characterized by a surface having a plurality of particles not present when in the first state.
A method for forming a sacrificial layer in-situ comprising:
- providing a seal assembly comprising a rigid backing ring made of a first material having an axially extending flange;
- a seal ring made of a second material positioned next to the backing ring and in mechanical engagement with the backing ring and having a sealing lip;
- an inner seal ring made of a third material in mechanical contact with the seal ring;
- a retaining ring positioned away from the backing ring for fitting against a housing, and located, at least in part, between the seal ring and the inner seal ring;
- and an energizer overlapping the seal ring, the inner seal ring, and the backing ring, at least in part, along a radial direction for biasing the sealing lip in a radial direction;
- and wherein the inner seal ring is a sacrificial layer and is made from a material configured to receive media particles in situ;
- and the sacrificial layer comprises an elastomer layer having a surface having a first concentration of media particles;
- mounting the seal assembly onto a shaft and placing the shaft in dynamic motion;
- and
- wherein the sacrificial layer is configured to receive media particles when the shaft is in dynamic motion so that the elastomer layer comprises a second concentration of media particles, which is greater than the first concentration of particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.