Improved sealing device for a housing

Abstract

A housing (1) for a rotary machine comprises a first section (12) which is fixed and a second section (14) which rotates about an axis of rotation (X-X), the first section (12) and the second section (14) contacting along an interface provided with a sealing element (40) which is located in a casing (30) which is connected on the one hand to the interior space of the housing and on the other hand to the peripheral environment, the connection between the casing (30) and the peripheral environment being achieved via a duct (50), characterized in that the first housing section (12) or the second housing section (14) comprises a flat portion (60) located at the outer end of the duct (50).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a sealing device for the housing of rotating machinery, particularly for applications in complex environments. Existing technology

[0002] The use of rotating machinery in environments deemed extreme presents significant sealing challenges. In fact, the hydraulic presses considered in this paper can be used in contaminated environments exposed to chemical products or materials, debris, mud, snow, and particulate splashes.

[0003] Various sealing structures have been proposed to ensure a good seal between the internal volume of rotating machinery and the external medium. However, known solutions still have reliability issues, especially over time.

[0004] A hydraulic press consists of stationary and rotating sections, as well as a sealing system that ensures the hydraulic oil in the housing is sealed. The lifespan of the machinery depends on the lifespan of the seals. Seals can be made of rubber or metal. If the seals are not contaminated with dust, the lifespan of the machinery will be extended. In particular, oil-tight metal seals are robust and durable with a long service life if they are not contaminated by abrasive particles and corrosion. Particles, such as sand and mud on construction machinery, can cause wear, which is detrimental to the lifespan of seals, especially by abrading and corroding metal seals.

[0005] It is known that the seal is hidden at the bottom of the recess. However, the latter can be filled with fine particles that can reach the seal and rotate between the two rotating parts for a long time without coming out. Furthermore, during rotation, the particles are continuously pressed into the recess and sometimes even pushed under pressure.

[0006] Therefore, this disclosure is intended to address these questions, at least in part. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, this disclosure relates to a housing for rotating machinery, comprising a first fixed housing section and a second housing section, the second housing section being rotatable relative to the first section along a rotation axis, the first housing section and the second housing section defining an internal space and contacting each other along an interface, the interface between the first housing section and the second housing section being provided with a sealing element located within the housing, the housing being connected to the internal space of the housing on one hand and to an surrounding medium on the other hand, the housing being connected to the surrounding medium via a pipe, characterized in that the first housing section or the second housing section includes a flat portion located at the outer end of the pipe.

[0008] As an example, the sealing element is an axial seal.

[0009] According to one example, the axial seal includes a first metal ring, a second metal ring, a first elastic ring, and a second elastic ring, the first metal ring and the third metal ring being mounted abutting each other along an axial direction defined by a rotation axis, the first elastic ring being located between the first metal ring and the wall of the first housing segment, and the second elastic ring being located between the second metal ring and the wall of the second housing segment.

[0010] According to one example, a flat portion is formed on the first housing segment.

[0011] According to one example, the flat portion is formed by the wall of the first housing segment and is inclined relative to the axis of rotation.

[0012] According to one example, the conduit connecting the housing to the surrounding medium includes a first section, a second section, and a third section that extend successively from the housing toward the surrounding medium in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation. Each of the first, second, and third sections extends radially relative to the axis of rotation and is configured such that two consecutive sections are not radially aligned relative to the axis of rotation.

[0013] The first, second, and third sections of the pipeline typically have cross sections S1, S2, and S3, respectively, such that S1>S2>S3.

[0014] According to one example, the conduit includes ribs formed in a first housing section and a second housing section to form a baffle in the conduit, and wherein the first housing section and / or the second housing section has a borehole formed in the rib to define a passage between the housing and the surrounding medium.

[0015] Then, the first housing segment and the second housing segment typically have holes drilled in the ribs to form an outer hole and an inner hole, respectively, so as to define a passage between the housing and the surrounding medium when the outer hole and the inner hole are aligned.

[0016] According to one example, the flat portion is configured to scan (sweep) the columnar portion radially around the outer bore of the housing during the rotation of the hydraulic press.

[0017] According to one example, the outer and inner holes have a gyratory cylindrical cross-section that extends radially relative to the axis of rotation.

[0018] According to one example, the housing includes two sets of external holes, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the flat portion.

[0019] The present invention also relates to a tracked vehicle including a hydraulic press for driving the tracks, the hydraulic press having a housing as defined above, wherein a flat portion is symmetrically positioned relative to the mud compaction area of ​​the hydraulic press.

[0020] According to one example, all or part of the external aperture is manufactured to be oriented downward toward the shell relative to the direction of gravity. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The invention and its advantages will be better understood by reading the detailed description of various embodiments of the invention given below by non-limiting examples.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a view of the rotating machinery housing.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a sealing element according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is another cross-sectional view of a sealing element according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is another cross-sectional view of a sealing element according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is an axial sectional view of the housing according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] In all the accompanying drawings, common elements are identified by the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Below, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0029] Figure 1 A view of the housing or enclosure 10 of rotating machinery is shown. The housing includes a first fixed section 12 and a second section 14, the second section being rotatable relative to the first fixed section 12 along a rotation axis XX. The housing 1 defines an internal space. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the terms "radial" and "axial" are defined relative to the rotation axis XX.

[0030] Housing 10 is, for example, the housing of a hydraulic press, which may be a hydraulic pump or a hydraulic motor, and can be a hydraulic press with radial pistons or a hydraulic press with axial pistons. Housing 10 is typically installed in a vehicle, machinery, or machine, for example, to ensure the main or auxiliary hydraulic drive of displacement members, wheels, or tracks, or to ensure the actuation of loads, booms, turntables, or coupling devices.

[0031] An interface is defined between the first segment 12 and the second segment 14, which corresponds to the contact surface between the first segment 12 and the second segment 14 of the housing 1. It is understood that in order to isolate the internal space of the housing 1 from the surrounding medium, it is necessary to ensure a seal at the interface between the first segment 12 and the second segment 14.

[0032] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an example of a sealing structure according to one aspect of the present invention is shown.

[0033] This view shows a housing 30 formed at the interface between the first segment 12 and the second segment 14 of the housing 1. A sealing element 40 is arranged in the housing 30. In the presented example, the sealing element 40 is an axial seal commonly referred to as a floating seal, often named by the trade name "duo-cone". The sealing element 40 may be, for example, a metal floating seal or a lip ring.

[0034] In this document, the sealing element 40 includes a first metal ring 41 and a second metal ring 43 made of metallic material, which are generally symmetrical about a plane extending radially with respect to the axis of rotation XX. The sealing element also includes a first elastic ring 42 and a second elastic ring 44 made of elastic material.

[0035] The first metal ring 41 and the second metal ring 43 abut against each other along the axial direction defined by the rotation axis XX.

[0036] The first elastic ring 42 is installed so that it abuts against the first metal ring 41 on one side and against the partition 13 of the first section 12 of the housing 1 on the other side.

[0037] The second elastic ring 44 is installed so that it abuts against the second metal ring 43 on one side and against the partition portion 15 of the second section 14 of the housing 1 on the other side.

[0038] The first elastic ring 42 and the second elastic ring 44 are typically radially positioned relative to the outside of the first elastic ring 42 and the second elastic ring 44. The first elastic ring 42 and the second elastic ring 44 press against the partitions 13 and 15 of the first segment 12 and the second segment 14, respectively, thereby ensuring a sealed connection.

[0039] The first metal ring 41, the second metal ring 43, and the corresponding partitions 13 and 15 of the first segment 12 and the second segment 14 are generally formed such that the first elastic ring 42 and the second elastic ring 44 tend to cause the first metal ring 41 and the second metal ring 43 to move toward each other along the axial direction defined by the rotation axis XX.

[0040] The housing 30 is connected to the surrounding medium via a conduit 50 that typically extends radially around the housing 30.

[0041] The proposed conduit 50 comprises three consecutive radial sections; a first section 51, a second section 52, and a third section 53 extend continuously between the housing 30 and the surrounding medium. These radial sections are typically connected by an axial section.

[0042] The first portion 51, the second portion 52, and the third portion 53 are formed such that two consecutive portions are not radially aligned. In the example shown, the first portion 51 and the third portion 53 are radially aligned, while the second portion 52 is offset relative to the first portion 51 and the third portion 53 to form a shoulder in the pipe 50.

[0043] The conduit 50 forms a protective baffle to prevent particles from contacting the sealing element 40. However, particles smaller than the width of the conduit 50 can penetrate it. These particles can be sand, soil, or very fine dust, or slurry that is liquid upon introduction but can fill the conduit 50 and dry. The conduit 50, forming the baffle, also protects the sealing element 40 from direct jets of fluids such as water jets. Between the first section 51 and the third section 53, the conduit 50 typically has a thickness of approximately 1 mm; for the axial portion of the conduit, the thickness is measured radially, and for the radial portion of the conduit, the thickness is measured axially.

[0044] Furthermore, the first part 51, the second part 52, and the third part 53 typically have cross sections S1, S2, and S3, respectively. These cross sections are typically S1>S2>S3, which allows particles present in the housing 30 to be discharged toward the surrounding medium, but reduces the infiltration of particles from the surrounding medium into the housing 30.

[0045] The second part 52 and the third part 53 are made of low walls or protruding ribs that are formed in the axial direction and penetrate each other. These low walls or protrusions have grooves to form holes 70 (described later).

[0046] The outer end of the pipe 50 is provided with a planer 60. "Outer end of pipe 50" means the end of pipe 50 that is open to the surrounding medium, as opposed to the inner end that is open to the housing 30. The outer end is usually located in the extension of the third part 53.

[0047] Therefore, the proposed housing 1 has a housing 30 for the sealing element 40, which is connected to the surrounding medium via a conduit 50, which in turn has a baffle and a flat portion 60.

[0048] The flat portion 60 is formed, for example, by a plane that is inclined relative to the radial direction.

[0049] The flat portion 60 is typically formed in the first segment 12 of the housing 1, i.e., in the fixed segment of the housing 1. Then, a surface 16 having a similar or the same inclination is typically formed in another housing segment (here, the second segment 14), facing the flat portion 60.

[0050] The flat portion 60 and the surface 16 define a channel having a cross section S4, typically such that S4 < S3. In operation, the gap between the flat portion 60 and the surface 16 is typically constant, for example, equal to 1 mm.

[0051] During the relative rotation of sections 12 and 14 of the housing 1, the relative movement of the surface 16 located at the front of the flat section 60 will carry away the mud adhering to the sections during rotation and discharge the mud in the opposite direction to the inlet in the pipe 50.

[0052] The flat portion 60 thus forms a scraper, which allows for the removal of impurities deposited or accumulated at the inlet of the pipe 50. In particular, the flat portion 60 allows for the removal of deposits of material that has dried (e.g., when the mechanical system or equipment with housing 1 is stationary), deposits typically being mud or sand.

[0053] The flat portion 60 is typically formed in an angular sector between 1° and 30° or, for example, between 5° and 20° around the axis of rotation XX.

[0054] When applied to tracked vehicles, the flat portion 60 is typically formed in an angular sector opposite to the track drive sector. When the housing is mounted on a mechanical system or vehicle, the flat portion 60 is typically formed at an angle between 30° and 60°, or more specifically between 40° and 50°, or even equal to 45°, relative to the vertical direction.

[0055] Figure 3 An example cross-sectional view along a section excluding the flat portion 60 is shown. Here, the pipe 50 is shown defining a baffle as previously defined, and this portion of the first section 12 of the housing 1, including the flat portion 60, is truncated here.

[0056] The flat portion 60 is usually cast together with the shell section in which it is formed.

[0057] Generally, the flat section 60 is oriented downwards from the hydraulic press relative to the direction of Earth's gravity, thereby keeping particles away from the inlet of the pipe 50. The flat section 60 scrapes away material deposited on the columnar portion with a radius larger than the radius of the outer low wall of the bearing hole 70.

[0058] For tracked machinery, the flat section 60 is typically oriented downwards and away from the area where the track engages with the sprocket carried by the hydraulic press including the housing 1 (generally opposite to that area), so that the movement of the track forces mud away from the vicinity of the flat section 60. The flat section 60 is typically oriented downwards and located on the track side away from the sprocket to benefit from the tendency of the tracked drill bit to move the mud away from the window of the flat section 60.

[0059] The flat section 60 is typically symmetrical and positioned on either side of the axis of symmetry of the mud compaction zone passing through the track, allowing it to be operated from both the right and left sides. The flat section 60 can be of varying lengths or be a surface in two separate portions to ensure that the scraping is symmetrical with respect to the axis of symmetry of the mud compaction zone.

[0060] The flat portion 60 is typically manufactured in a region of the first housing segment 12, which has an additional thickness in a angular sector between 5° and 15° (e.g., equal to 10°). The flat portion 60 is typically manufactured in the additional thickness of the first housing segment 12 by circular machining.

[0061] The dimensions of the flat portion 60 are typically designed so that it does not contact the fixing screws, bolts, or nuts associated with the housing 1.

[0062] The housing 1 may include two flat portions 60 to form a right-hand mechanism and a left-hand mechanism, thereby allowing a similar hydraulic press to be fitted on each side of the mechanical system or vehicle.

[0063] As described above, the hole 70 is a drilled hole formed in the housing 1, in the lower wall or protrusion of the first section 12 and the second section 14 of the housing 1, and defines a passage between the surrounding medium and the outer casing 30, which has an increased cross-section relative to the pipe 50. In particular, the hole 70 lacks a cross-section that would form a baffle or obstruction.

[0064] Figure 4 An exemplary embodiment of the aperture 70 is illustrated. As can be seen from the figure, the portions defining the conduit 50 in the first segment 12 and the second segment 14 of the housing 1 are cut off. In the example shown, the cut-off portion in the first segment 12 defines an outer aperture 72, and the cut-off portion in the second segment 14 defines an inner aperture 74. The cut-off portion... Figure 4 The section is indicated by a dashed line. The cut-off portions forming the outer hole 72 and the inner hole 74 can be formed by casting or machining.

[0065] When the inner bore 74 and the outer bore 72 are aligned, and when the cut-off portions of the first section 12 and the second section 14 of the housing 1 are aligned, the inner bore and the outer bore define a pipe with a generally rectangular cross-section, such as... Figure 4 As shown.

[0066] When the inner hole 74 and the outer hole 72 are not aligned, the pipe 50 has a baffle in the form of a minimum cross section equal to S2 or S3, which prevents contaminants from entering through the pipe 50.

[0067] All or part of the external hole 72 formed in the first fixed section 12 of the housing 1 is generally configured to be oriented downward in a 45° angular sector, generally in the direction of gravity or in the direction defined by the fixed flange of the housing 1 on the vehicle, when the housing is installed in a vehicle or mechanical system.

[0068] For example, the first section 12 of the housing 1 has a cut-off portion defining an external hole 72 distributed on both sides of the flat portion 60, such as three cut-off portions on both sides of the flat portion 60. The second section 14 of the housing 1 may, for example, have a cut-off portion defining an internal hole 74 uniformly distributed around the axis of rotation XX.

[0069] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of housing 1 along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation XX is shown, illustrating an example configuration.

[0070] This figure schematically illustrates the drive sector C1 of the vehicle track C2. This drive sector C1 is centered on a plane Pc inclined at 45° relative to the vertical direction, where the vertical direction is represented by the axis ZZ, corresponding to the direction defined by gravity or by the fixed flange of the vehicle's housing 1. In the case of tracked vehicles, the drive sector C1 typically corresponds to the mud accumulation area.

[0071] As shown in the figure, the flat portion 60 is opposite to the drive sector C1 in diameter and is usually centered on the plane Pc.

[0072] As can be seen from the figure, the housing 1 includes two sets of three external holes 72 distributed on both sides of the flat portion 60, and eight internal holes 74 evenly distributed around the rotation axis XX. Figure 5 As shown, the outer hole 72 is therefore spaced apart from the drive sector C1, which prevents mud that may accumulate in the drive sector C1 from reaching the outer hole 72.

[0073] The inner bore 74 and outer bore 72 typically have cylindrical cross-sections that rotate radially relative to the axis of rotation XX and open radially outward. Figure 4 In the example shown, the outer hole 72 has a wall that forms a segment that is circular, elliptical, or parabolic. The hole 70 is typically shaped like a radial groove and has an overflow portion facing the surrounding medium to facilitate material discharge.

[0074] The orifice 70 is designed to ensure the discharge of any residue or particles that have seeped into the housing 30. Each low wall or protrusion includes an opening. During rotation, particles present in the conduit 50 can be discharged when the opening of the second section 52 faces the opening of the third section 53.

[0075] If dried mud or fine particles have entered pipe 50, they will break up and flow downwards through orifice 70 when the hydraulic press is restarted, thus emptying pipe 50. Furthermore, this will protect pipe 50 from water flow.

[0076] In order to allow the use of housing 1 on the right and left sides of the machine, holes are placed symmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry of the fixing clamp of the fixing part 12 of housing 1 on the machine frame.

[0077] The proposed housing is specifically intended to include a hydraulic press designed for rotary drive of machinery, mechanical systems, or vehicles exposed to corrosive environments such as contaminants, particles, and abrasion. In particular, the hydraulic press including the mentioned housing can be used for translational drive of construction machinery, agricultural machinery, mechanical systems, or vehicles, and more particularly for drive of tracked transmissions.

[0078] While the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and changes may be made to these examples without departing from the overall scope of the invention as defined in the claims. In particular, features of different illustrated / mentioned embodiments may be combined in additional embodiments. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0079] It is equally clear that all features described with reference to a method can be transferred individually or in combination to a device, and conversely, all characteristics described with reference to a device can be transferred individually or in combination to a method.

Claims

1. A housing (1) for rotating machinery, comprising a fixed first housing section (12) and a second housing section (14), the second housing section (14) being rotatable relative to the first housing section (12) along a rotation axis (XX), the first housing section (12) and the second housing section (14) defining an internal space and contacting each other along an interface, the interface between the first housing section (12) and the second housing section (14) being provided with a sealing element (40), the sealing element (40) being located in a shell (30), the shell (30) being connected to the internal space of the housing on one hand and to an surrounding medium on the other hand, the shell (30) being connected to the surrounding medium via a pipe (50). in, The first housing section (12) or the second housing section (14) includes a flat portion (60) located at the outer end of the pipe (50). The conduit (50) includes ribs formed in the first housing section (12) and the second housing section (14) to form baffles in the conduit (50), and wherein the first housing section (12) and / or the second housing section (14) have drilled holes formed in the ribs to define a passage between the housing (30) and the surrounding medium, and The first housing section (12) and the second housing section (14) have drilled holes formed in the ribs, which respectively form an outer hole (72) and an inner hole (74) to define a passage between the outer shell (30) and the surrounding medium when the outer hole (72) and the inner hole (74) are aligned.

2. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing element (40) is an axial seal.

3. The housing (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The axial seal includes a first metal ring (41), a second metal ring (43), a first elastic ring (42), and a second elastic ring (44). The first metal ring (41) and the second metal ring (43) are mounted abutting each other along the axial direction defined by the rotation axis (XX). The first elastic ring (42) is located between the first metal ring (41) and the wall (13) of the first housing segment (12). The second elastic ring (44) is located between the second metal ring (43) and the wall (15) of the second housing segment (14).

4. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The flat portion (60) is formed on the first housing section (12).

5. The housing (1) according to claim 4, wherein, The flat portion (60) is formed by the wall of the first housing segment (12) and is inclined relative to the axis of rotation (XX).

6. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The conduit (50) connecting the housing (30) to the surrounding medium includes a first portion (51), a second portion (52), and a third portion (53), which extend continuously from the housing (30) toward the surrounding medium in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation (XX). Each of the first portion (51), the second portion (52), and the third portion (53) extends radially relative to the axis of rotation (XX) and is configured such that two consecutive portions are not radially aligned relative to the axis of rotation (XX).

7. The housing (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The first part (51), the second part (52) and the third part (53) of the pipe (50) have cross sections S1, S2 and S3 respectively, such that S1 > S2 > S3.

8. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The flat portion (60) is configured to scan the columnar portion radially surrounding the outer hole (72) of the housing (1) during the rotation of the hydraulic press.

9. The housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The outer hole (72) and the inner hole (74) have a spiral columnar cross section that extends radially relative to the axis of rotation (XX).

10. The housing (1) according to claim 1, comprising two sets of external holes (72) respectively arranged on both sides of the flat portion (60).

11. A tracked vehicle comprising a hydraulic press for driving tracks, the press having a housing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The flat portion (60) is placed symmetrically relative to the mud compaction area of ​​the hydraulic press.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, The hydraulic press is provided with a housing according to claim 1, wherein all or part of the outer hole (72) is manufactured to be oriented downward relative to the direction of gravity toward the housing (1).

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