Hydrodynamic rotary seal
US7052020B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 2003 |
| Grant date | May 30, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 14, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16J15/3236
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hydrodynamically lubricating rotary seal for partitioning a lubricant from an environment has a generally circular seal body, a sloping dynamic sealing lip, and an energizer. The dynamic sealing lip is provided for establishing compressed sealing relation with a relatively rotatable surface, and has a sloping dynamic sealing surface that varies in width, and also has a hydrodynamic inlet curvature that varies in position around the circumference of the seal. When the seal is installed against a relatively rotatable surface, the dynamic sealing lip deforms to define a variable width interfacial contact footprint against the relatively rotatable surface that is wavy on the lubricant side, and wedges a film of lubricating fluid into the interface in response to relative rotation. The environment edge of the interfacial contact footprint is substantially circular, and therefore does not produce a hydrodynamic wedging action in response to relative rotation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.