Patent · US Expired

Non-contacting, gap-type seal having a ring with a patterned seal face

US5492341A · kind A · utility

47Cited by
19References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 1993
Grant dateFeb 20, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 28, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16J15/3412
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A seal face of at least one ring used in a non-contacting, gap-type mechanical end face seal having a pattern including an optional dam and an annular grooved area. The annular grooved area has one of several embodiments, including entrance lands which are essentially triangular and have one side contiguous with one circumferential edge of the annular grooved area. These embodiments further include a set of converging boundary sides of the groove to provide a pressure zone effect. Seal face patterns include a contiguous groove around the circumference of the seal face and a series of annular bands comprising a repeating pattern of an essentially triangular groove interposed between two adjacent, but oppositely oriented, lands. One seal face pattern includes a circular or elliptical groove being open to the circumferential edge, thus providing an entrance land effect, and which includes a circular or elliptical land within it so that the boundaries between the lands and groove converge to provide the pressure zone effect.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.