Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080284105 | LOW AND REVERSE PRESSURE APPLICATION HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURIZING SEALS - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 11-20-2008 |
20100066027 | Intershaft Seal Assembly - An intershaft seal assembly for counter-rotating and co-rotating turbine engines is described. The seal assembly includes a pair of end rings and a seal element. At least one end ring has a flange, with upper and lower surfaces, disposed along and extending from one side of the ring. The seal element includes a ring, with inner and outer radial surfaces, and a ring flange wider than the ring. The ring flange is disposed along and extends diametrically from the outer radial surface, the latter also contacting the lower surface along at least one flange. The seal element is disposed between the end rings so that the ring flange extends beyond the flanges. The invention avoids the wear and heating problems inherit to intershaft seal systems, thus allowing the seal element to be composed of a temperature resistant metal, metal alloy, or carbon graphite. | 03-18-2010 |
20110115164 | Low and Reverse Pressure Application Hydrodynamic Pressurizing Seals - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 05-19-2011 |
20110210514 | Low and Reverse Pressure Application Hydrodynamic Pressurizing Seals - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. Each additional groove is an axial bore groove extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the seal ring segment in fluid communication with the dead end circumferential groove so as to direct fluid flow generated from a rotating shaft into the dead end circumferential groove. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 09-01-2011 |
20110210518 | Low and Reverse Pressure Application Hydrodynamic Pressurizing Seals - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. Additional grooves are contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional grooves direct and create pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. The additional grooves are comprised of a first and a second axial bore groove extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the seal ring segment in fluid communication with the dead end circumferential groove so as to direct fluid flow generated from a rotating shaft into the dead end circumferential groove wherein the first axial bore groove is spaced at one end of the seal segment and the second axial bore groove is approximately centered on the seal segment. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 09-01-2011 |
20110215530 | Low and Reverse Pressure Application Hydrodynamic Pressurizing Seals - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. Each additional groove may contain a pocket. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 09-08-2011 |
20110215535 | Low and Reverse Pressure Application Hydrodynamic Pressurizing Seals - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 09-08-2011 |
20120261887 | Segmented Intershaft Seal Assembly - A segmented intershaft seal assembly for counter-rotating and co-rotating turbine engines is described. The assembly includes a pair of end rings, an annular seal element, and at least one resilient element. At least one end ring has a flange that extends from one side thereof. The flange has a lower annular surface. The seal element includes at least two seal segments. Each seal segment includes a ring segment and a ring flange segment. The ring segment has an upper radial surface. The ring flange segment directly contacts and extends from the upper radial surface forming either a substantially “T”-shaped or “L”-shaped cross section. The seal segments are disposed between the end rings. At least one resilient element biases each seal segment away from the inner shaft so that the upper radial surface contacts the lower annular surface and a portion of the ring flange segment extends beyond the flanges. | 10-18-2012 |
20130113162 | Low and Reverse Pressure Application Hydrodynamic Pressurizing Seals - The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. | 05-09-2013 |
20130251523 | Intershaft Seal with Centrifugal Compensation - A segmented intershaft seal assembly for use between inner and outer shafts within a turbine engine is presented. The intershaft seal assembly includes annular end rings, an annular seal element with an inverted “T”-shaped cross section, at least one resilient element, an annular spacer ring, carriers, counterweights, and hydrodynamic grooves. The intershaft seal assembly is secured to the inner shaft. The resilient element(s) biases seal segments away from the inner shaft toward the outer shaft. The counterweights are disposed about the seal segments and substantially negate forces imposed by the seal segments outward toward the outer shaft. The hydrodynamic grooves are disposed along an inner annular surface of the outer shaft and direct fluid onto an outer surface along the seal segments when the outer shaft rotates. The hydrodynamic grooves form a thin-film layer and non-contact seal that separates the seal segments from the outer shaft which otherwise provide a contact-type seal. | 09-26-2013 |
20140265151 | Circumferential Seal with Ceramic Runner - The disclosure describes a circumferential seal applicable to turbine engines. The circumferential seal includes a ceramic runner, an annular seal ring, at least one tolerance ring, and a pair of sealing rings. The runner is circumscribed about a shaft or a carrier within a recess along the shaft and is bounded by a shoulder and a clamping ring. At least one non-sealing spring mechanism is disposed between and directly contacts the shoulder and the first end of the runner. A second end of the runner directly contacts the clamping ring. In other embodiments, at least one non-sealing spring mechanism is disposed between and directly contacts the second end and the clamping ring and the first end directly contacts the shoulder. An anti-rotation element is attached to the clamping ring, carrier, or shaft and extends into a slot or hole or slot along the runner. The spring(s) applies a biasing force onto the runner toward the clamping ring or shoulder. The annular seal ring is rotationally stationary and circumscribed about the runner. The tolerance ring(s) directly contacts the runner and the shaft. The runner is fixed to the shaft or carrier via the tolerance ring(s), anti-rotation element, and spring(s) so that the runner rotates with the shaft. The sealing rings directly contact the runner and the shaft along the annular gap about the tolerance ring(s). | 09-18-2014 |