Modified face seal for positive film stiffness
US4291887A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 7, 1979 |
| Grant date | Sep 29, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16J15/3404
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The object of the invention is to improve the film stiffness of a face seal without increasing the sealing and dam area. The improved sealing apparatus (16) has a primary seal ring (20) in the form of a nose piece. A spring (24) forces a sealing surface (28) on the seal ring into sealing contact with a seat (18) to form a face seal. A circumferential clearance seal is formed in series with this face seal by a lip (34) on the nose piece. The width of the surface (36) of the lip is substantially the same as the width of the sealing surface (28) on the face seal. Also the clearance between the surface (36) on the lip and the shaft (10) is substantially the same as the spacing between the face sealing surfaces (28 and 30) on the face seal when the shaft is rotating. The circumferential clearance seal restricts the flow of fluid from a main cavity (14) to an intermediate cavity (32) with a resulting pressure drop. The hydrostatic opening face is strongly dependent on the face seal clearance, and the desired axial stiffness is achieved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.