One-piece composite lip seal
First Claim
1. A composite one-piece lip seal for forming a dynamic ring seal between static and dynamic surfaces of relatively movable parts, the lip seal body being made of an elastomeric material, the seal having a relatively narrower radial low pressure end and a relatively wider radial high pressure end and a dynamic leg extending between the low pressure and high pressure ends to form the seal'"'"'s contact surface to said dynamic surface during use, the seal including spring means for energizing the dynamic leg of the seal in its sealing contact, the seal further including a reinforcing ring having an L-shaped cross-section integrally molded and bonded to the elastomeric body of the seal, the long leg of the L being relatively thin and of substantially uniform width and forming an exterior surface and an elastomer reinforcement means along at least one-half the length of the dynamic leg of the seal, the long leg of the L extending from the low pressure end of the seal to a location spaced less than about one-half the distance from the seal'"'"'s high-pressure end with the elastomeric body which extends beyond the end of the long leg of the L forming the contact surface on the dynamic leg of the seal continuously from the end of the reinforcing ring to the high pressure end of the seal, the reinforcing ring including a radial leg which extends inwardly a short distance along the low pressure end of the seal, the outer surface of the radial leg being flush with the surface of the low pressure end of the seal, said reinforcing ring being made from a fluorocarbon polymer having a lower coefficient of friction and a higher compressive modulus than the elastomer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A composite one-piece dynamic lip seal forms a dynamic ring seal between static and dynamic surfaces in a variety of applications requiring fluid sealing. The lip seal body is generally U-shaped in cross section and is principally made from a soft elastomeric material. The seal has ID and OD legs on opposite sides of a cavity in its high pressure end, forming ID and OD lips of the seal, either of which can be the dynamic leg of the seal depending upon the application. A U-shaped energizer spring is integrally bonded to the elastomer and is aligned with the U-shaped cross section of the seal so that ID and OD legs of the spring apply radial spring loading to the ID and OD legs of the seal. A reinforcing ring integrally bonded to the elastomeric body of the seal forms an exterior contact surface and an elastomeric reinforcement along a substantial length of the dynamic leg of the seal, from a low pressure end of the seal to an end spaced from the high pressure end of the seal. The reinforcing ring bonds to the elastomeric body, which then forms the contact surface on the dynamic leg of the seal continuously from the reinforcing ring to the high pressure end of the seal. The reinforcing ring is made from a fluorocarbon polymer such as PTFE with a low coefficient of friction and a high compressive modulus.
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Citations
30 Claims
- 1. A composite one-piece lip seal for forming a dynamic ring seal between static and dynamic surfaces of relatively movable parts, the lip seal body being made of an elastomeric material, the seal having a relatively narrower radial low pressure end and a relatively wider radial high pressure end and a dynamic leg extending between the low pressure and high pressure ends to form the seal'"'"'s contact surface to said dynamic surface during use, the seal including spring means for energizing the dynamic leg of the seal in its sealing contact, the seal further including a reinforcing ring having an L-shaped cross-section integrally molded and bonded to the elastomeric body of the seal, the long leg of the L being relatively thin and of substantially uniform width and forming an exterior surface and an elastomer reinforcement means along at least one-half the length of the dynamic leg of the seal, the long leg of the L extending from the low pressure end of the seal to a location spaced less than about one-half the distance from the seal'"'"'s high-pressure end with the elastomeric body which extends beyond the end of the long leg of the L forming the contact surface on the dynamic leg of the seal continuously from the end of the reinforcing ring to the high pressure end of the seal, the reinforcing ring including a radial leg which extends inwardly a short distance along the low pressure end of the seal, the outer surface of the radial leg being flush with the surface of the low pressure end of the seal, said reinforcing ring being made from a fluorocarbon polymer having a lower coefficient of friction and a higher compressive modulus than the elastomer.
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6. A composite one-piece dynamic lip seal for forming a dynamic ring seal between static and dynamic surfaces, the lip seal body being generally U-shaped in cross section and being principally made from an elastomeric material, the seal having ID and OD legs on opposite sides of a cavity in its high pressure end, forming ID and OD legs of the seal, either of which can be the dynamic leg of the seal during use, the seal including an energizer spring integrally molded and bonded to the elastomer so that the spring energizes the dynamic leg of the seal;
- and a reinforcing ring having an L-shaped cross-section integrally molded and bonded to the elastomer body of the seal, the long leg of the L being relatively thin and of substantially uniform width, extending along an exterior portion of the dynamic leg of the seal from a low pressure end of the seal to its bottom at a location spaced less than about one-half the distance from the seal'"'"'s high pressure end, the long leg of the L thereby forming an exterior contact surface an a means of reinforcement of the elastomer along at least one-half the length of the dynamic leg of the seal, with the elastomer extending beyond the long leg of the L forming the contact surface on the dynamic leg of the seal continuously from the end of the reinforcing ring to the high pressure end of the seal, the reinforcing ring including a radial leg which extends inwardly a short distance along the low pressure end of the seal, the outer surface of the radial leg being flush with the surface of the low pressure end of the seal, said reinforcing ring being made from a fluorocarbon polymer having a substantially lower coefficient of friction and a substantially higher compressive modulus than the elastomeric body of the seal.
- View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A composite one-piece dynamic lip seal for use between adjacent dynamic and static surfaces of relatively movable parts, the composite seal being generally of a ring shape and having a seal wall which in cross section is defined by converging inside and outside legs, a relatively narrower low pressure end wall toward which the inside and outside legs of the seal converge, and a cavity in a relatively wider, high-pressure end of the seal forming a pair of seal lips on ID and OD sides of the seal wall, thereby forming a generally U-shaped cross section, the seal being adapted so that either the ID or OD leg of the seal acts as the dynamic leg of the seal during use, the body of the seal wall being comprised predominantly of an elastomeric material;
- the seal wall further including a ring-shaped spring of generally U-shaped cross section having ID and OD legs, the spring being integrally molded and bonded to the elastomeric body of the seal with the legs of the spring aligned generally with the U-shaped cross section of the seal wall so that the ID and OD legs of the spring energize the ID and OD lips of the seal; and
a reinforcing ring having an L-shaped cross-section integrally molded and bonded to the elastomeric body of the seal, the long leg of the L being relatively thin and of substantially uniform width, and extending along an exterior portion of the dynamic leg of the seal continuously from the seal'"'"'s low pressure end to its bottom at a location spaced less than about one-half the distance from the seal'"'"'s high pressure end so that an exterior portion of said elastomeric body forms the dynamic leg of the seal continuously from its top at the bottom of the long leg of the L to the seal'"'"'s high-pressure end, the short leg of the L being a radial leg which extends inwardly a short distance along the low pressure end of the seal, the outer surface of the radial leg being flush with the surface of the low pressure end of the seal, said reinforcing ring being made of a fluorocarbon polymer having a substantially lower coefficient of friction and a substantially higher compressive modulus than the elastomeric body of the seal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)
- the seal wall further including a ring-shaped spring of generally U-shaped cross section having ID and OD legs, the spring being integrally molded and bonded to the elastomeric body of the seal with the legs of the spring aligned generally with the U-shaped cross section of the seal wall so that the ID and OD legs of the spring energize the ID and OD lips of the seal; and
Specification