Rotary reciprocating seals with exterior metal band

• US 5,979,904 A
• Filed: 12/12/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Inventors: Balsells, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pickard, Alison K.
• Application Number:
  US08/990,079
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 277/564, 277/566, 277/554, 277/569, 277/572, 277/575, 277/589
• US Class Current: 277/554
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3236 with at least one lip for each surface, e.g. U-cup packings

Abstract

A seal assembly is provided for rotary and reciprocating sealing between a shaft and a housing. The seal assembly includes a seal ring in the shape of an annulus having a body portion with an inside flange and an outside flange extending longitudinally therefrom. A body portion of the seal ring has a smooth cylindrical exterior surface and the seal ring is formed from a compressible moldable material. A spring is provided and disposed between the flanges for outwardly biasing the flanges from one another to enable sealing between the shaft and the housing. A band is provided and disposed externally around the body portion for holding the seal ring within the housing. A bond is provided between the band and the seal ring by way of striations and grooves which enable the seal ring material to compressibly mold into the band to provide a bond therebetween.

Claims

1. A seal assembly comprising:

a seal ring in the shape of an annulus having a body portion with an inside flange and an outside flange extending longitudinally therefrom, said body portion having a smooth cylindrical exterior surface, said seal ring being formed from a compression moldable material;

spring means, disposed between the flanges, for outwardly biasing the flanges from one another to cause sealing between a shaft and a housing;

band means, disposed externally around the body portion exterior surface, for holding the seal ring within the housing, reducing distortion of the seal ring within the housing, and preventing rotation of the seal ring within the housing, said band means comprising interior groove means, with adjoining depending portions for engaging the body portion exterior surface in order to compressively mold the body portion exterior surface into the groove means, and exterior groove means for increasing flexibility of the band means in order to accommodate for out-of-roundness between the seal ring and the shaft, said interior and exterior groove means being aligned with one another to define a narrowed portion of said band means, said band means having a maximum outside diameter less than an outside diameter of the outside flange.

2. The seal assembly according to claim 1 wherein said interior groove means comprises circumferential recess means, disposed between ends of said band means and forming a circumferential cavity, for receiving the compression moldable material displaced by the adjoining depending portions of said band means in order to axially lock the band means to the seal ring.

3. The seal assembly according to claim 2 wherein said interior groove means comprises longitudinal striation means, disposed between the recess means and the ends of said band means, for radially locking the band means to the seal ring.

4. The seal assembly according to claim 3 wherein one end of said band means is flush with an end of the seal ring body portion.

5. The seal assembly according to claim 3 further comprising ring means, disposed on an inside circumference of said ring seal, for supporting said ring seal and reducing extrusion of said ring seal under conditions of high pressure and high shaft speed.

6. The seal assembly according to claim 5 further comprising second band means, disposed between said spring means and the outer flange, for supporting the outer flange, in order to reduce shrinkage of the seal ring outer flange due to elevated temperature and for evening face transmission between the spring means and the outer flange.

7. The seal assembly according to claim 5 wherein said ring seal comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

8. The seal assembly according to claim 7 wherein said band means comprises a metal.

9. The seal assembly according to claim 6 wherein said ring seal comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and said second band means comprises a material harder than polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. The seal assembly according to claim 1 wherein said band means is disposed around an end of the seal ring body portion.

11. A seal assembly comprising:

a shaft;

a housing;

a seal ring in the shape of an annulus having a body portion with an inside flange and an outside flange extending longitudinally therefrom, said body portion having a smooth cylindrical exterior surface, said seal ring being formed from a compression moldable material;

spring means, disposed between the flanges, for outwardly biasing the flanges from one another to cause sealing between the shaft and the housing;

band means, disposed externally around the body portion exterior surface, for holding the seal ring within the housing, reducing distortion of the seal ring within the housing, and preventing rotation of the seal ring within the housing, said band means comprising interior groove means, with adjoining depending portions, for engaging the body portion exterior surface in order to compressively mold the body portion exterior surface into the groove means, and exterior groove means for increasing flexibility of the band means in order to accommodate for out-of-roundness between the seal ring and the shaft, said interior and exterior groove means being aligned with one another to define a narrowed portion of said band means, said band means having a maximum outside diameter less than an outside diameter of the outside flange.

12. The seal assembly according to claim 11 wherein said interior groove means comprises circumferential recess means, disposed between ends of said band means and forming a circumferential cavity, for receiving the compression moldable material displaced by the adjoining depending portions of said band means in order to axially lock the band means to the seal ring.

13. The seal assembly according to claim 12 wherein said interior groove means comprises longitudinal striation means, disposed between the recess means and the ends of said band means, for radially locking the band means to the seal ring.

14. The seal assembly according to claim 13 wherein one end of said band means is flush with an end of the seal ring body portion.

15. The seal assembly according to claim 13 further comprising ring means, disposed on an inside circumference of said ring seal, for supporting said ring seal and reducing extrusion of said ring seal under conditions of high pressure and high shaft speed.

16. The seal assembly according to claim 15 further comprising second band means, disposed between said spring means and the outer flange, for supporting the outer flange, in order to reduce shrinkage of the seal ring outer flange due to elevated temperature and for evening face transmission between the spring means and the outer flange.

17. The seal ring assembly according to claim 15 wherein said ring seal comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

18. The seal assembly according to claim 17 wherein said band means comprises a metal.

19. The seal assembly according to claim 18 wherein said said ring seal comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and said second band means comprises a material harder than polytetafluoroethylene.

20. The seal assembly according to claim 11 wherein said band means is disposed around an end of the seal ring body portion.