Sealing ring assemblies configured for pressure locking

• US 10,443,727 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mainspring Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Etagen, Inc.
• Inventors: Svrcek, Matt, Prudhomme, Jodie
• Primary Examiner(s): Byrd, Eugene G
• Application Number:
  US16/100,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20190049013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 277434
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 1/00 Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders machines or pumps with pistons coacting within one cylinder F04B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 1/0448 Sealing means, e.g. for shafts or housings for pistons F04B1/0408 ; Stoffing boxes F04B53/164
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/00 Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to another; Gearing associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/368 Sealings in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 1/09 with means for guiding fluids F16J1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3488 Split-rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 9/16 obtained by stacking of rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 9/22 Rings for preventing wear of grooves or like seatings
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 9/28 of non-metals

Abstract

A sealing ring includes a first sealing element having a first mating surface and a second sealing element having a second mating surface. A high-pressure boundary extends across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element, and a low-pressure boundary extends across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element. The first mating surface, the second mating surface, or both, includes a recess open to the low-pressure boundary and not open to the high-pressure boundary. The recess may include a groove, for example. The first mating surface is sealed against the second mating surface by a first force acting on the first sealing element and a second force acting on the second sealing element. These forces act to pressure-lock the assembly.

Claims

1. A sealing ring assembly comprising:

a first sealing element comprising a first mating surface; and

a second sealing element comprising a second mating surface;

a high-pressure boundary extending across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element;

a low-pressure boundary extending across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element;

a rear axial face configured to seal against a land of a piston; and

a radially outer face configured to seal against a bore of a cylinder between the high-pressure boundary and the low-pressure boundary;

wherein at least one of the first mating surface and the second mating surface comprises a recess open to the low-pressure boundary and not open to the high-pressure boundary, such that the first mating surface is configured to be sealed against the second mating surface by a first force acting on the first sealing element and a second force acting on the second sealing element.

2. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the first force acting on the first sealing element is directed opposite to the second force acting on the second sealing element.

3. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the recess is configured to cause the first and second forces to maintain a relative position of the first sealing element and the second sealing element.

4. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a groove.

5. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the recess is a first recess of the first mating surface, and wherein the second mating surface comprises a second recess configured to interface with the first recess.

6. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sealing element comprises a first ring segment, and wherein the second sealing element comprises a second ring segment.

7. the sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sealing element comprises a ring segment, and wherein the second sealing element comprises a gap cover element.

8. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second sealing elements comprises a radial pressure-balancing feature, configured to cause a radially inward force.

9. The sealing ring assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second mating surface seal against each other to prevent the recess from being open to the high-pressure boundary.

10. A piston assembly comprising:

a piston comprising a circumferential groove; and

a sealing ring assembly arranged in the circumferential groove, the sealing ring assembly comprising;

a first sealing element comprising a first mating surface; and

a second sealing element comprising a second mating surface;

a high-pressure boundary extending across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element; and

a low-pressure boundary extending across at least a portion of the first sealing element and across at least a portion of the second sealing element;

wherein at least one of the first mating surface and the second mating surface comprises a recess open to the low-pressure boundary and not open to the high-pressure boundary, such that the first mating surface is sealed against the second mating surface by a first force acting on the first sealing element and a second force acting on the second sealing element.

11. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the first force acting on the first sealing element is directed opposite to the second force acting on the second sealing element.

12. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the recess is configured to cause the first and second force to maintain a relative position of the first sealing element and the second sealing element.

13. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the piston further comprises a land and is configured to move within a bore of a cylinder, and wherein the sealing ring assembly further comprises:

a rear axial face configured to seal against the land; and

a radially outer face configured to seal against the bore between the high-pressure boundary and the low-pressure boundary.

14. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the recess comprises a groove.

15. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the recess is a first recess of the first mating surface, and wherein the second mating surface comprises a second recess configured to interface with the first recess.

16. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the first sealing element comprises a first ring segment, and wherein the second sealing element comprises a second ring segment.

17. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the first sealing element comprises a ring segment, and wherein the second sealing element comprises a gap cover element.

18. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second sealing elements comprises a radial pressure-balancing feature, configured to cause a radially inward force.

19. The piston assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second mating surfaces seal against each other to prevent the recess from being open to the high-pressure boundary.

20. A device comprising:

a cylinder comprising a bore comprising a high-pressure region and a low-pressure region;

a piston comprising a circumferential groove, wherein the piston is configured to move axially within the bore;

a sealing ring assembly arranged in the circumferential groove and configured to seal against the bore to define the high-pressure region and the low-pressure region, the sealing ring assembly comprising;

a first sealing element comprising a first mating surface; and

a second sealing element comprising a second mating surface;

wherein at least one of the first and second mating surfaces comprises a recess open to the low-pressure region and not open to the high-pressure region, such that the first mating surface is sealed against the second mating surface by a first force acting on the first sealing element and a second force acting on the second sealing element.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein:

the circumferential groove further comprises an axially rear land; and

the sealing ring assembly is further configured to seal against the axially rear land.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the first force acting on the first sealing element is directed opposite to the second force acting on the second sealing element.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the recess is configured to cause the first and second forces to maintain a relative position of the first sealing element and the second sealing element.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the sealing ring assembly further comprises a radially outer face configured to seal against the bore.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein the sealing ring assembly further comprises:

a first boundary extending across at least a portion of the first sealing element and at least a portion of the second sealing element, and that is open to the high-pressure region; and

a second boundary extending across at least a portion of the first sealing element and at least a portion of the second sealing element, and that is open to the low-pressure region, wherein the recess is open to the boundary and not open to the second boundary.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein the first sealing element comprises a first ring segment, and wherein the second sealing element comprises a second ring segment.

27. The device of claim 20, wherein the first sealing element comprises a ring segment, and wherein the second sealing element comprises a gap cover element.

28. The device of claim 20, wherein the first and second mating surface are configured to seal against each other to prevent the recess from being open to the high-pressure region.