Combined labyrinth seal and screw-type gasket bearing sealing arrangement
US7946591B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 2006 |
| Grant date | May 24, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 5, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/72
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A bearing sealing arrangement for rotating machines uses a radially-acting labyrinth seal (2) to minimize bearing lubricant leakage and an axially-acting screw-type gasket (3) to return what fluid escapes through the labyrinth seal to the bearing (10). In embodiments, the labyrinth seal uses rings (4) with plastic wear surfaces formed about internal metal bands, the plastic forming corresponding profiles on the ends (27,28) of the bands so that the profiles interlock when overlapped to form the rings. The screw-type gasket preferably includes rotor-mounted helical fillets (22) formed in a section (21) that is retained in a seat (20) on the rotor. The section in embodiments is retained by inserting a ring-shaped key (23) into the section, thereby forcing the section into undercuts of the seat. The arrangement is particularly useful in wind machines, such as wind-turbines.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.