Shaft seal assembly

Abstract

This provides a shaft seal assembly that enables a seal between the product container and the shaft inside. [Solution] Exemplary embodiments of the shaft seal assembly generally include a first stator, a second stator, and a throttle member. In one exemplary embodiment, the second stator may be formed together with a main body and access plate positioned radially inward relative to a portion of the first stator. The first and second stators may engage with each other around a hemispherical interface, which consists of a convex surface on the second stator and a concave surface on the first stator. The second stator may include an internal passage in which a throttle member may be positioned, and the radially inner surface of the throttle member may be positioned adjacent to the shaft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 738,797, filed on September 28, 2018.

Background Art

[0002] The present invention relates to a shaft seal assembly having a number of embodiments. In some embodiments, the shaft seal assembly can be used as a product seal between a product container and a shaft therein.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of the apparatus and method. These drawings show only typical embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the scope of the invention, which will be described and explained in further particularity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] [Figure 1] An outer perspective view of the shaft seal assembly. [Figure 2] An outer end view of the shaft seal assembly with the shaft element centered. [Figure 3] A cross - sectional view of a first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIG. 2, assembled to a housing. [Figure 3A] A view of a first surface seal - shaft integration while the shaft is centered both angularly and radially. [Figure 3B]This is a diagram of the second surface seal-shaft integration while the shaft is aligned in the angular and radial directions. [Figure 4] This is an external end view showing a shaft with misalignment. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment, in which misalignment is present in both the angular and radial directions of the axis. [Figure 5A] This diagram shows the first seal-shaft integration made possible by interlocking while the shaft is misaligned in both the angular and radial directions. [Figure 5B] This diagram shows a second seal-shaft integration made possible by interlocking while the shaft is misaligned in both the angular and radial directions. [Figure 6] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the shaft seal assembly shown. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the third embodiment shown in Figure 2. [Figure 8] A perspective view of the fourth embodiment assembled to the container wall. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a shaft seal assembly that has been pressure-equalized and assembled into a housing, with the shaft in a centered state. [Figure 9A] This is a detailed view of a portion of the first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly adjacent to the vent, with the pressure balanced and the shaft in a centered state. [Figure 9B] This is a detailed view of a portion of the first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly adjacent to the fluid return path, with the pressure balanced and the shaft in a centered state. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly, shown during shaft misalignment. [Figure 10A] This is a detailed view of a portion of the first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly adjacent to the vent, with the pressure balanced and the shaft in a misaligned state. [Figure 10B] This is a detailed view of a portion of the first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly adjacent to the fluid return path, with the pressure balanced and the shaft in a misaligned state. [Figure 11]Cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of an axially sealed assembly with balanced pressure, where the shaft is in a self-aligning state. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of an axially sealed assembly with balanced pressure, where the shaft is in a self-aligning state. [Figure 13] Cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a bearing isolator (or axially sealed assembly) configured with a rotor. [Figure 14] Cross-sectional view of a part of another embodiment of a bearing isolator (or axially sealed assembly) configured with a rotor. [Figure 14A] Partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the bearing isolator shown in Figure 14, where the shaft is in a state of poor self-alignment and / or is displaced radially [Figure 15] Partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the bearing isolator shown in Figure 13, where the shaft is in a state of poor self-alignment and / or is displaced radially. [Figure 15A] Detailed view of a part of an embodiment of the bearing isolator shown in Figure 15. [Figure 16A] External view of an exemplary embodiment of a multi-hole axially sealed assembly, with some hidden surfaces shown by dashed lines. [Figure 16B] Cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the multi-hole axially sealed assembly along line A-A shown in Figure 16A <000083> [Figure 17A] External view of an embodiment of a sealing member, which can be used with various embodiments of the multi-hole axially sealed assembly. [Figure 17B] Cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the sealing member along line K-K shown in Figure 17A [Figure 18] Planar front view of another exemplary embodiment of an axially sealed assembly. [Figure 18A] Cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the axially sealed assembly of Figure 18 along line A-A [Figure 18B] Cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the axially sealed assembly of Figure 18 along line B-B [Figure 18C] Cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the axially sealed assembly of Figure 18 along line C-C [Figure 19]It is a perspective view of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIGS. 18 to 18C. [Figure 19A] It is a perspective sectional view of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIGS. 18 to 19. [Figure 19B] It is a side partial view of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIGS. 18 to 19A. [Figure 19C] It is a perspective exploded view of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIGS. 18 to 19B, with the inside at the frontmost. [Figure 19D] It is another perspective exploded view of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIGS. 18 to 19C, with the outside at the frontmost. [Figure 20A] It is a front plan view of another exemplary embodiment of the illustrated shaft seal assembly. [Figure 20B] It is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIG. 20A. [Figure 21A] It is a perspective exploded view of another exemplary embodiment of the shaft seal assembly, with the outside at the frontmost. [Figure 21B] It is a sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the shaft seal assembly shown in FIG. 21A along the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the shaft is engaged with the shaft seal assembly. <00001​​​​​​​​​As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular “one (a, an, and the)” includes multiple references unless the context otherwise explicitly specifies. Herein, a range can be expressed as “approximately” from one particular value to and / or “approximately” another particular value. Where such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from one particular value to and / or another. Similarly, where a value is expressed as an approximation, the preceding use of “approximately” implies that the particular value forms another embodiment. Each endpoint of a range is significant in relation to and independent of the other endpoints.

[0008] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the events or circumstances described below may or may not occur, and that the descriptions include both the cases in which such events or circumstances occur and the cases in which such events or circumstances do not occur.

[0009] The term "aspect" does not mean that when referring to a method, apparatus and / or components of an apparatus, it is necessary to refer to a limitation, function, component, etc., as an aspect; rather, this aspect is part of a particular exemplary disclosure and does not limit the scope of the components of such method, apparatus and / or apparatus unless otherwise indicated in the following claims.

[0010] Throughout this specification and the claims, the term “comprise” and variations of “comprise,” such as “comprising” and “comprises,” mean “including, but not limited to,” and are not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers, or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of,” and is not intended to convey any indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. “Etc.” is used for illustrative purposes only, and not in a restrictive sense.

[0011] Disclosed are components that can be used to carry out the disclosed methods and apparatus. While combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc., of these components are disclosed herein, specific references to various collective combinations and their sortings, though not expressly disclosed, are specifically intended for all methods and apparatus and are described herein. This applies to all aspects of this application, including, but not limited to, the steps of the disclosed methods. Therefore, where there are various further steps that can be carried out, each of these further steps can be carried out in conjunction with any particular embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosed method.

[0012] The method and apparatus can be more readily understood by referring to the following detailed description, drawings, prior descriptions and the following description of preferred embodiments and examples contained herein. When referring to the generality of the configuration and / or corresponding components, embodiments, features, functions, methods and / or materials of structures, etc., corresponding terms can be used interchangeably.

[0013] The disclosure is not limited to the details and configuration of the structures and components shown in the following description or in the drawings in its examples of application. Other embodiments of this disclosure are possible and can be implemented or performed in various ways. Furthermore, the terminology and language used herein regarding the orientation of devices or elements (e.g., terms such as “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “vertex,” and “bottom”) are used solely for the purpose of simplifying the description and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have only a particular orientation. In addition, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are used for illustrative purposes only in this specification and the appended claims and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. Furthermore, any dimensions listed or read aloud in this invention are for illustrative purposes only and do not in any way imply limitations on the scope of this disclosure unless so listed in the claims.

[0014] Figures 1 to 5 provide various illustrations of a first exemplary embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25, which enables sealing of various lubricants within the bearing housing 30 and / or prevention of the entry of contaminants into the housing 30, which may be configured as a bearing housing. Figures 6 and 7 provide alternative exemplary embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 25 in which a sealing fluid is used. The applicant specifies that the sealing fluid includes at least both liquid and vapor. The applicant considers air, nitrogen, water and water vapor, as well as any other fluid, to be within the scope of this disclosure, and any other fluid may work with the proposed shaft seal assembly to provide a pressurized fluid barrier for any and all embodiments disclosed within the scope of this disclosure. The gas or fluid to be selected may be based at least on process compatibility with the product to be sealed.

[0015] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25, in which the shaft seal assembly 25 is positioned with and engaged with the shaft 1, and the shaft 1 is inserted through the fixed stator 2 of the shaft seal assembly 25. Figure 2 is an external end view of the shaft seal assembly, in which the position of the shaft 1 is aligned within the shaft seal assembly 25.

[0016] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figure 2, showing that the shaft seal assembly 25 is configured as a labyrinth seal, which can retain lubricating fluid in the bearing cavity 32 of the housing 30 and / or prevent contaminants from entering the housing 30. The shaft 1 shown in Figure 3 may undergo numerous radial, angular, or axial movements relative to the fixed stator 2 or a portion of the fixed stator 2. The fixed stator 2 of the shaft seal assembly 25 can engage with the housing 30 by any suitable method and / or, but not limited to, a structure including flange mounting or press-fitting. The shaft seal assembly 25 can also be used in applications involving a rotating housing and a stationary shaft (not shown). Where required by a particular application of the shaft 1 and / or the shaft seal assembly 25, the shaft 1 may be freely movable axially relative to the shaft seal assembly 25.

[0017] The labyrinth seal 3, having an inner surface, can be positioned adjacent to the shaft 1. A defined gap 6 may exist between the inner surface of the labyrinth seal 3 and the shaft 1. The rounded surface 3a may be configured so that the surface 3a faces the inner surface of the labyrinth seal 3. The rounded surface 3a of the labyrinth seal 3 and the interior of the floating stator 4 may be configured to form a spherical interface 11. The O-ring passage 15 and the O-ring 7 can be arranged to cooperate with the rounded surface 3a of the labyrinth seal 3, while maintaining the spherical interface 11, to seal (or confine) the movement of fluid between and along the engaged labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4. This spherical interface 11 may allow for the restriction of relative rotational movement (interlocking) between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4.

[0018] The illustrated O-ring passage 15 can be machined within the floating stator 4 and positioned together with the labyrinth seal 3 on the spherical interface 11. The O-ring passage 15 can be annular and configured to be continuous with respect to the labyrinth seal 3. The O-ring passage 15 and O-ring 7 can also be placed within the labyrinth seal 3 adjacent to the spherical interface 11. In some embodiments, the O-ring 7 may be made of a material suitable for both the product to be sealed and the preferred sealing fluid. However, the O-ring passage 15 and O-ring 7 are just one possible combination of structures that can be used to seal various parts within the shaft seal assembly 25. Any other structures and / or methods may be used for any particular embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 without limiting them.

[0019] Advantageously positioned anti-rotation pins 12 can be inserted into anti-rotation grooves 10 and work to restrict relative rotational motion between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4. Multiple anti-rotation grooves 10 and pins 12 can be positioned around the radius of the shaft 1. When the shaft seal assembly 25 is used in combination with a sealing fluid, the advantageous anti-rotation pins 12 can be omitted, allowing the corresponding anti-rotation grooves 10 to act as passages through the vents 9 and lubricant return path 5, one exemplary embodiment of which is shown in Figure 7. Furthermore, the diameter relationship between the anti-rotation pins 12 and the anti-rotation grooves 10 can each be selected to tolerate some angular misalignment of the shaft 1. For example, using relatively small diameter anti-rotation pins 12 with large diameter anti-rotation grooves 10 allows for greater relative motion of the labyrinth seal 3 with respect to the floating stator 4, depending on the angular misalignment of the shaft 1. The labyrinth seal 3 is one possible embodiment of a sealing structure that can be used adjacent to the shaft 1 within the shaft seal assembly 25. However, similar functionality can be achieved using other structures and / or methods, without limitation.

[0020] An annular passage is formed within the fixed stator 2 and can be defined by gaps 20 and 21 provided between the outside of the floating stator 4 and the inside of the fixed stator 2 of the shaft seal assembly 25. The annular passage of the fixed stator 2 is highlighted as A-A' in Figure 2. The annular passage of the fixed stator 2 can be formed together with an inner surface configured to be substantially perpendicular to the shaft 1. The outer surface of the floating stator 4, which can be substantially contained within the annular passage of the fixed stator 2, can cooperate with a first orthogonal inner surface and a second orthogonal inner surface of the fixed stator 2. An inner boundary surface can be formed by a first (inner) orthogonal annular passage surface of the fixed stator 2 (inside the shaft seal assembly 25), and the first orthogonal annular passage surface engages with a first (inner) orthogonal surface of the floating stator 4. An outer boundary surface can be formed by a second (outer) orthogonal annular passage surface of the fixed stator 2 (outside the shaft seal assembly 25), and the second orthogonal annular passage surface engages with a second (outer) orthogonal surface of the floating stator 4. The O-ring passage 19 and O-ring 13 are disposed within the surface of the floating stator 4 perpendicular to the axis 1 and can cooperate with the surface of the floating stator 4. These O-rings 13 can function to seal (or confine) fluid movement between and along the engaging floating stator 4 and stationary stator 2, while allowing for the restriction of relative rotational motion between the floating stator 4 and stationary stator 2. The floating stator 4 and stationary stator 2 are one possible embodiment of the cooperating engagement portion of the shaft seal assembly 25, which is configured to allow relative motion between the cooperating engagement portions by at least one dimension and can be used in combination with the labyrinth seal 3 within the shaft seal assembly 25. However, other structures and / or methods can be used to achieve similar functionality, but are not limited to these.

[0021] The O-ring passage 19 may be annular and configured to be continuous with respect to the shaft 1. In one embodiment not shown, the O-ring passage 19 and the O-ring 13 may be located within the body of a floating stator 4 rather than a fixed stator 2. In many applications, it is intended that it may be optimal to place these O-ring passages 19 and the corresponding O-rings 13 in similar proximity. In some embodiments, the O-ring 7 may be made of a material suitable for both the product to be sealed and the preferred sealing fluid. However, the O-ring passage 15 and the O-ring 7 are one possible combination of structures that can be used to seal various parts within the shaft seal assembly 25. Any other structures and / or methods suitable for a particular embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 may be used without limitation.

[0022] The advantageously positioned anti-rotation pins 8 are inserted into the anti-rotation grooves 16 and can work to restrict both the relative radial and rotational motion between the floating stator 4 and the inside of the fixed stator 2. Multiple anti-rotation grooves 16 and pins 8 can be positioned around the radius of the shaft 1. The relationship between the diameters of the anti-rotation pins 8 and the anti-rotation grooves 16 can also be selected to tolerate some angular misalignment of the shaft 1. For example, small-diameter anti-rotation pins 8 and large-diameter anti-rotation grooves of the fixed stator may allow for greater relative motion of the labyrinth seal 3 in response to angular misalignment of the shaft 1.

[0023] The labyrinth pattern seal groove 14 can have its pressure equalized by ventilation through one or more vents 9. If desired, pressurized sealing fluid can be supplied to the vents 9, causing the sealing fluid to overpressure the labyrinth region 14 and the shaft seal gap 6, thereby increasing the efficiency of the shaft seal assembly 25. The spherical interface 11 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 may be configured to allow angular misalignment between the shaft 1 and the fixed stator 2. The O-ring passage 19 is annular with respect to the shaft 1 and can be machined into the fixed stator 2 and positioned at the interface between the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4, as shown in the figure. The O-ring passage 19 may also be located within the floating stator 4 and can engage with an O-ring 13, which may be configured to provide sealing contact with the fixed stator 2.

[0024] Figure 3A shows the seal-shaft integration while shaft 1 is aligned angularly and radially. This figure highlights the alignment of the axial surface 17 of the labyrinth seal 3 and the axial surface 18 of the floating stator 4. In particular, it focuses on the alignment of the axial surfaces 17 and 18 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 at the spherical interface 11. Figure 3B shows the shaft-seal integration while shaft 1 is aligned angularly and radially, on the opposite side from that shown in Figure 3A. This figure highlights the alignment of the axial surface 17 of the labyrinth seal 3 and the axial surface 18 of the floating stator 4, respectively, with respect to the opposite portion of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figure 3A. Those skilled in the art will understand that, since the exemplary embodiments of shaft 1 and shaft seal assembly 25 are circular in shape, the surface naturally represents 360 degrees around shaft 1. Again, the focus is on the alignment of the axial surfaces 17 and 18 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 at the spherical interface 11. Figures 3A and 3B also show the first defined gap 20 between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, and the second defined gap 21 between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, opposite the first defined gap 20.

[0025] In Figures 2, 3, 3A, and 3B, shaft 1 does not undergo radial, angular, or axial movement relative to the housing 30. Therefore, in exemplary embodiments, these defined gaps 20 and 21, which may be substantially equal in width, rarely exhibit movement or misalignment on the floating stator 4.

[0026] Figure 4 is an external end view of the shaft seal assembly 25 with misalignment of the rotatable shaft 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figure 3, in which misalignment is applied to both the angular and radial directions of the shaft 1. The shaft 1 shown in Figure 5 is also of a type that may be subjected to radial, angular, or axial movement relative to the fixed stator 2 (and / or housing 30) of the shaft seal assembly 25.

[0027] As shown in Figure 5, the radial clearance 6 of the labyrinth seal 3 defined with respect to the shaft 1 can be maintained even though the shaft's misalignment angle 31 is changing. The shaft 1 may still be able to move freely in the axial direction, even though the shaft's misalignment angle 31 is changing. The configuration of the shaft seal assembly 25 may allow the labyrinth seal 3 to move together with the floating stator 4 when radial movement is introduced to the shaft 1.

[0028] The labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 may be fixed together by one or more compression O-rings 7 or any other suitable structure and / or method. Rotation of the labyrinth seal 3 within the floating stator 4 can be prevented by an anti-rotation member, which may include, but is not limited to, a screw, an anti-rotation pin 8, or a similar device that prevents rotation. The pin shown in Figures 3, 3A, 3B, 5, 6, and 7 is one structure that prevents rotation of the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4. However, any other suitable structure and / or method may be used, without limitation, to achieve a similar result.

[0029] Lubricants, sealing fluids, or other media can be collected and discharged through a series of one or more arbitrary outlets or lubricant return paths 5. The labyrinth seal 3 can have its pressure equalized by venting through one or more vents 9. If desired, pressurized air or other gases or fluid media can be supplied to the vents 9 to overpressure the labyrinth seal 3 and increase sealing efficiency. The tight tolerances between the cooperating mechanical parts of the shaft seal assembly 25, combined with the pressurized sealing fluid, can prevent both products and contaminants from coming into contact with the inside of the shaft seal assembly 25. The spherical interface 11 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 may be configured to allow angular misalignment between the shaft 1 and the fixed stator 2. The O-ring passages 19 and the O-rings 13 that may be disposed within the O-ring passages 19 can cooperate on the opposing surfaces of the floating stator 4, and the opposing surfaces of the floating stator 4 may be configured to be substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the shaft 1. In this way, the O-ring 13 cooperates with the floating stator 4 to seal (or confine) the movement of fluid between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3, and along them, while allowing relative radial motion between the stator 4 and the stationary stator 2.

[0030] Figure 5A shows the seal-shaft integration enabled by the shaft seal assembly 25 during angular and radial misalignment of shaft 1. This figure highlights that the cancellation or interlocking of the axial surface 17 of the labyrinth seal 3 may relate to the axial surface 18 of the floating stator 4 of the first part of the shaft seal assembly 25. Particular focus is placed on the cancellation of the axial surfaces 17 and 18 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 at the spherical interface 11.

[0031] Figure 5B shows the integration of the seal-shaft with respect to the second surface opposite the first surface shown in Figure 5A, during angular and radial misalignment of the shaft. This figure emphasizes that during shaft 1 misalignment, the axial surface 17 of the labyrinth seal 3 and the axial surface 18 of the floating stator 4 move (interlock) relative to each other rather than aligning themselves. The shaft-seal gap 6 can be maintained in accordance with the misalignment of shaft 1, and the overall sealing integrity is not compromised. This is because the sealing integrity of the floating stator 4 relative to the fixed stator 2, and the sealing integrity of the floating stator 4 relative to the labyrinth seal 3, can be maintained during shaft 1 misalignment. Those skilled in the art will understand that, since shaft 1 and the shaft seal assembly 25 are circular in shape, their surfaces naturally exhibit 360 degrees around shaft 1. Figures 5A and 5B also show the first gap or void 20 between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 20 during relative movement (other than rotation) between the shaft 1 and the housing 30, and the second gap or void 21 between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, opposite to the first gap or void 20.

[0032] In Figures 4, 5, 5A, and 5B, while shaft 1 rotates, shaft 1 is subjected to radial, angular, or axial movement, and the widths of the gaps or voids 20, 21 are shown to change with the movement compared to the gaps or voids 20, 21 shown in Figures 3, 3A, and 3B. The change in the dimensions of the gaps 20, 21 indicates that the floating stator 4 may move in response to the movement of shaft 1 or misalignment in the angular direction. The shaft seal assembly 25 maintains the shaft seal gap 6 while enabling interlocking between the shaft surfaces 17, 18, maintaining the spherical interface 11, and allowing radial movement in the first gap 20 and the second gap 21, respectively.

[0033] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figure 2, in which an alternative labyrinth seal pattern groove 14 is overpressurized. In this embodiment, the labyrinth seal pattern groove 14 can be made of a friction-reducing material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which may be configured to form a gap close to the shaft 1. PTFE is sometimes called Teflon®, manufactured and sold by DuPont. PTFE is a plastic with high chemical resistance, low and high temperature performance, weather resistance, low friction, insulation, thermal insulation, and high lubricity. Carbon or any other material, not limited to carbon, can be used to replace PTFE and provide the required sealing and lubrication quality to the labyrinth seal pattern groove 14.

[0034] As shown in Figure 6, pressurized sealing fluid can be supplied to overpressure the lubricating labyrinth pattern 26. The pressurized sealing fluid can be introduced into the annular groove 23 of the throttle 26 through one or more inlets. The throttle 26 is sometimes referred to by those skilled in the art as the “alignment skate”. The throttle 26 may allow the labyrinth seal 3 to respond to movement of the shaft 1 caused by misalignment of the shaft 1. The pressurized sealing fluid can pass through the close gap formed between the shaft 1 and the labyrinth seal 3 having the throttle 26. The throttle 26 being relatively close to the shaft 1 can also create resistance to the flow of sealing fluid across the shaft 1, building up pressure inside the annular groove 23. The cooperation and connection of the floating annular groove 27 and the annular groove 23 can also provide an outlet for excess sealing fluid, allowing it to flow out of the shaft seal assembly 25, equalizing the pressure on the shaft seal assembly 25 or maintaining a continuous fluid release during operation. The advantage of this embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 is that it is preferable or necessary to perform product-seal decontamination treatment in "clean-in-place". Examples include applications for food grade products.

[0035] Figure 7 shows the shaft seal assembly 25, with the anti-rotation pin 12 removed to allow a clear view of the entrances. These entrances typically consist of a series of ports, entrances, or passages around the outer circumference of the shaft seal assembly 25, but are not limited to these. Figure 7 also shows that the shape and pattern of the labyrinth seal 3 can vary from one embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 to the next. The shape of the throttle 26 can also be varied, in addition to the circular shape 26, as shown by the square outline indicated by the groove 22 of the throttle. It should also be noted that if direct contact with the shaft 1 is undesirable, the shaft seal assembly 25 may be used in combination with individual sleeves 24 that are attached to the shaft 1 by variable means.

[0036] Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25, in which the shaft seal assembly 25 is fixed to the container wall 34. The shaft seal assembly 25 is fixed to the container wall 34 through fastening members (including, for example, mounting bolts 33, but not limited to) and can ensure improved sealing when the shaft 1 is subjected to angular misalignment. The mounting bolts 33 and small holes (not indicated) passing through the outside of the shaft seal assembly 25 are one structure and method for assembling the shaft seal assembly 25 to the housing 30. However, any suitable structure and / or method can be used without limitation.

[0037] In certain application examples, particularly those where the pressure on the working side of the shaft seal assembly 25 increases (generally the area to the left of the shaft seal assembly 25 as shown in Figures 3-3B and 5-7), it is desirable that the shaft seal assembly 25 be configured to equalize the pressure it receives in the axial direction. A pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 that equalizes the pressure (in the axial direction) is shown in Figures 9-12, and the product is applied to the inner surface 42 of the labyrinth seal and the inner surface 44 of the floating stator.

[0038] In the first embodiment of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly shown in Figures 9 to 10B, the shaft seal member (i.e., the labyrinth seal 3 combined with the floating stator 4) includes a pressure-equalizing annular passage 46. Apart from the pressure-equalizing passage 46, the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 can generally be operated in the same manner as the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1 to 8, which are detailed above. That is, the floating stator 4 can be positioned within the fixed stator annular groove 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the first gap 20 between the floating stator and the fixed stator (shown in Figures 9A and 9B), which may exist between the radial outer surface 45 of the floating stator and the radial inner surface 48a of the annular groove, can at least accommodate radial disturbances of the shaft 1 relative to the housing 30. The spherical interface 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 can at least accommodate angular disturbances of the shaft 1 relative to the housing 30.

[0039] The pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 can be formed within the floating stator 4 adjacent to the first radial interface 47a between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, as shown in Figures 9-10 of the first embodiment. As shown in various embodiments illustrated herein, the first radial interface 47a between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2 can be adjacent to the portion of the fixed stator 2 made of the cavity of the anti-rotation device 16. That is, the axial surface of the floating stator 4 is located within the fixed stator 2 and is furthest from the working side of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40. A second radial interface 47b between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, which can be substantially parallel to the first radial interface 47a, can be located closer to the working side of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40 compared to the first radial interface 47a.

[0040] In many applications, the optimal radial dimension of the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 can be substantially the same as the radial dimension of the inner surface 44 of the floating stator, and the area of ​​the floating stator 4 on which the product acts and the area of ​​the floating stator 4 on which the sealing fluid acts can have relatively equal surface areas. In such a configuration, when the product and the sealing fluid are pressurized to approximately the same value, the axial forces can be balanced overall. Therefore, the optimal radial dimension of the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 can be determined according to the design characteristics of the entire system, and the radial dimension of the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 can be any appropriate amount for a particular application, whether larger or smaller than the radial dimension of the inner surface 44 of the floating stator. The axial dimension of the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 can also be changed according to the design characteristics of the entire system, which include, but are not limited to, the specific sealing fluid used, the pressure of the product, and the pressure of the sealing fluid. In some applications, the optimal dimension of the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 is 0.005 inches, but in other embodiments it may be larger, and in other embodiments it may be smaller.

[0041] The pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 may allow the sealing fluid to be introduced into a first gap between the floating stator / stationary stator 20 (from the first gap, the sealing fluid can enter the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46) and act on the floating stator 4 in the axial direction. Typically, the working side of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40 (generally, the area to the left of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40, as shown in Figures 9–12) is subjected to forces from the processing fluid acting on the labyrinth seal inner surface 42 and the floating stator inner surface 44. These forces are mostly due to the pressure generated by the rotating equipment coupling the shaft 1. For example, coupling the shaft 1 to a fluid pump that generates an upper pressure of 70 pounds / square inch (psi) may pressurize the working side of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40 to approximately 70 psi. This pressurized fluid acts on the inner surface 42 of the labyrinth seal and the inner surface 44 of the floating stator, and thus can propel the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 axially away from the working side of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40 (i.e., generally to the right in the drawings shown in Figures 9 to 12). In contrast, depending on the design of the sealing fluid system, a sealing fluid located within the pressure-equalizing annular passage 46 can propel the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 axially toward the working side of the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40, and can substantially counteract the axial force that the product exerts on the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40.

[0042] Figures 11 and 12 show the second and third embodiments of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40, respectively. The second and third embodiments of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 generally correspond to the second and third embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 7 and 8 and described in detail above. However, similar to the first embodiment of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 shown in Figures 9 to 10B, the second and third embodiments include a pressure-equalizing annular passage 46.

[0043] Various embodiments of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 illustrated and described herein can be formed with a fixed stator 2 and a floating stator 4, which may consist of two different parts. These embodiments facilitate the assembly of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 because, in the embodiments illustrated herein, a large portion of the floating stator 4 can be placed within the fixed stator 2. When the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40 according to the first embodiment (shown in Figures 9 to 10B) is installed, a first position of the fixed stator 2 (i.e., the portion adjacent to the working side of the pressure-equalizing shaft seal assembly 40) can be fixed to the housing 30. Next, the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 can be placed as a single assembly between the shaft 1 and the first portion of the fixed stator 2 (the components forming the spherical interface 11 are pre-assembled). When the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 are placed within the fixed stator 3, a second axial interface 47b can be formed between the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4. Finally, the second portion of the fixed stator 2 (i.e., the portion furthest from the working side of the pressure balancing shaft seal assembly 40) can be positioned and fixed adjacent to the first portion of the fixed stator 2. Next, the positioning of the second portion of the fixed stator 2 allows for the formation of a first radial interface 47a between the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4.

[0044] Alternatively, the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 can be individually positioned within the fixed stator annular groove 48. For example, after fixing the first portion of the fixed stator 2 to the housing 30, the first portion of the floating stator 4 can be positioned within the fixed stator annular groove 48. Positioning the first portion of the floating stator 4 within the fixed stator annular groove 48 allows for the formation of a second axial interface 47b between the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4. Next, the labyrinth seal 3 can be positioned adjacent to the shaft 3, and the positioning of the labyrinth seal 3 allows for the formation of a portion of the spherical interface 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3. Then, the second portion of the floating stator 4 can be positioned adjacent to the first portion of the floating stator 4 and fixed to this first portion by a plurality of anti-rotation pins 8, thereby completing the spherical interface 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3. Finally, the second portion of the fixed stator 2 can be fastened to the first portion of the fixed stator 2 by a number of bolts, rivets or other fasteners, and the arrangement of the second portion can form a first axial interface 47a between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2. In any embodiment of the axial seal assembly 25 or the pressure-equalizing axial seal assembly 40, any suitable fastening member known to those skilled in the art can be used to fasten the first and second portions of the floating stator 4 to each other, or the first and second portions of the fixed stator 2 to each other.

[0045] Figure 13 shows another embodiment of a bearing isolation 18 (or shaft seal assembly) mounted adjacent to the shaft 10. The shaft 10 may extend through the bearing isolation 18 and / or housing 19. A gas or fluid source 100, which may include, but is not limited to, water, gas, steam and / or lubricant, may also communicate with the bearing isolation 18 via a conduit 99. The rotor 20 may be fixed to the shaft 10 by a friction seal 60, which may consist of one or more O-rings. The rotor 20 may be configured to follow the rotational motion of the shaft 10 due to the frictional engagement of the seal 60. The passages 40 and 40a may be configured as shown, but are not described in detail herein, for such a description is already understood by those skilled in the art.

[0046] A pair of corresponding spherical surfaces 50 and 51 can be used to provide a self-aligning radial clearance 52 between the rotor 20 and the stator 30 before, during, and after use. This clearance 52 can be maintained at a constant value even if the shaft 10 becomes misaligned during use. Various amounts and directions of misalignment between the centerline of the shaft 10 and the housing 19 are shown in Figures 15 to 17. The annular recess 102 between the stator 30 and the fixed stator 31 may allow the bearing separator 18 to adapt to a predetermined amount of radial axial displacement.

[0047] In the embodiments described herein, the spherical surfaces 50, 51 may have the same center point from both the axial surfaces of the rotor 20 and the stator 30, respectively. However, the spherical surfaces 50, 51 may be spaced radially and / or perpendicularly, as shown. These spherical surfaces 50, 51 may move radially depending on and / or in relation to and / or in cooperation with the radial arrangement of the other components of the bearing isolation body 18. Typically, if the shaft 10 becomes misaligned with respect to the housing 19, the rotor 20 becomes misaligned with respect to the housing 19, and then the spherical surfaces 50, 51 and / or the stator 30, which move radially within the annular recess of the fixed stator 31, can compensate for this misalignment.

[0048] Figures 15 and 15A show that in one embodiment of the bearing isolation 18, when the shaft 10 becomes misaligned with respect to the housing 19, the rotor 20 may move relative to the stators 30, 31 through the interaction between the spherical surfaces 50 and 51. Such relative movement, which helps ensure the distance between the center points of the rotor 20 and stators 30 and the fixed points of the housing 19, is constant or relatively constant during use.

[0049] In the embodiment of the bearing isolation 18 shown in Figures 14 and 14A, the spherical surfaces 50 and 51 can be positioned on the fixed stator 31 and stator 31a, respectively, rather than on the rotor 20 and stator 30. Referring further to Figures 14 and 14A, this design may allow the rotor 20 and stator 31a to move relative to the fixed stator 31, flanged unit 61a, and / or housing 19. The rotor 20, stator 31a, and fixed stator 31 can move radially relative to the flanged unit 61a (and therefore relative to the housing 19), as best shown in Figure 14A. In this embodiment of the bearing isolation 18, the relative rotation between the spherical surfaces 50 and 51 can be kept to a fairly small amount.

[0050] The embodiment of the bearing isolation 18 shown in Figures 14 and 14A can provide control over the radial movement of the fixed stator 31, stator 31a, and / or rotor 20 relative to the flanged unit 61a, and the flanged unit 61a can engage with the housing 19. Rotational movement of the fixed stator 30 relative to the flanged unit 61a can be prevented by the anti-rotation pin 101. The fixed stator 31 can be fixed to the flanged unit 61a by friction using a friction seal 61, which can be made from any material having sufficient elasticity and frictional properties to hold the fixed stator 31 in a fixed radial position relative to the flanged unit 61a, but will still respond to radial forces if the shaft 10 is misaligned. Changes in the radial position of the fixed stator 31, stator 31a, and / or rotor 20, and the positions brought to them (and the positions brought to the interface between the fixed stator 31 and stator 31a) may occur until the radial force is fully adapted or until the maximum radial displacement of the bearing separator 18 is reached.

[0051] Next, referring to Figures 15 and 15A, during operation, the rotor 20 may move radially if the shaft 10 is misaligned with respect to the housing 19. Radial movement of the spherical surfaces 50, 51 between the stator 31a and the fixed stator 31 may result from this pressure. Figure 15 shows the possible radial movement relative to the center point 80 when the shaft 10 is misaligned. During normal operation, the shaft 10 is typically horizontal with respect to the orientation shown in Figure 15, as represented by line A. If the shaft 10 is misaligned as represented by line B, the center point 80 may move to a point along line A''. If the shaft 10 is misaligned as represented by line B', the center point 80 may move to a point along line A'. However, in the case of other shaft 10 misalignments, the radial positions of the rotor 20, stator 30 and / or fixed stator 31 remain constant, and the spherical surfaces 50, 51 can compensate for the shaft 10 misalignment. From the above explanation, it is clear that the bearing separator 18 can provide a certain seal around the shaft 10. This is because the distance between the spherical surfaces 50 and 51 can be kept constant regardless of the shaft 10's misalignment, whether it is due to normal misalignment or misalignment of design.

[0052] The physical dimensions of the spherical surfaces 50 and 51 can be varied in linearity and distance from the center point 80 depending on the specific application of the bearing isolation 18. These variations are used to adapt to different sizes of shafts and seals and different amounts of misalignment, and therefore do not limit the range of bearing isolation 18 disclosed herein. Furthermore, suitable structures and / or methods for engaging various elements with each other in rotational engagement, fixed engagement, or in various degrees of free motion can be used with the shaft seal assembly 18 without limitation, and these structures and / or methods include, but are not limited to, screws, bolts, pins, chemical adhesives, interference fits, and / or combinations thereof.

[0053] Another embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 10 is shown in Figures 16A and 16B. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1 to 12. The shaft seal assembly 10 may include a fixed stator 20, a floating stator 30, and a sealing member 40, as shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the sealing member 40 may be positioned adjacent to a shaft 12 that is rotatable relative to the shaft seal assembly 10 and / or housing. Thus, a rotational interface may exist between the radial inner surface 46 of the sealing member 40 positioned adjacent to the shaft 12 and the outer portion of the shaft 12. In other embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 10 not shown here, the sealing member 40 may engage with the shaft 12 so that the sealing member 40 rotates with the shaft 12 (for example, the shaft seal assembly 10 may be configured with a rotor). In such embodiments, a rotational interface may exist between the concave surface 38 of the floating stator 30 and the convex surface 48 of the sealing member 40. Therefore, the scope of the shaft seal assemblies 10 disclosed herein extends to shaft seal assemblies 10 in which the sealing member 40 rotates with the shaft 12 or does not rotate with the shaft 12.

[0054] Embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 16A and 16B may include a fixed stator 20, which can be securely mounted to a housing (not shown in Figures 16A and 16B) by any suitable method and / or structure. The fixed stator 20 may include a main body 21 and a faceplate 22, which can be engaged with each other via one or more fasteners 14. The fixed stator 20 formed together with the main body 21 and faceplate 22 is intended to facilitate the installation of the shaft seal assembly 10 in certain applications. In such applications, the main body 21 can be fixed to the housing, the sealing member 40 and the floating stator 30 can be appropriately positioned, and then the faceplate 22 can be fixed to the main body 21. However, the scope of this disclosure is by no means limited to specific methods of assembly and / or installation of the shaft seal assembly 10.

[0055] The fixed stator 20 can be formed with an annular recess 26, and a portion of the floating stator 30 and / or the sealing member 40 can be positioned within the annular recess 26. A predetermined gap between the radial outer surface 32 (and the axial outer surface of the floating stator 30) and the inner surface of the annular recess 26 can be selected to allow a predetermined amount of relative radial and / or axial movement between the fixed stator 20 and the floating stator 30. At least one pin 34 (which can be oriented radially as in the embodiments shown in Figures 16A and 16B) can engage with the floating stator 30 in a second pin recess 35, and a portion of the pin 34 can extend into a recess 42 formed within the sealing member 40. Furthermore, other pins (not shown, but which can be oriented axially) can also engage with the floating stator around the first pin recess 33, and a portion of these pins can extend into a faceplate pin recess 22a. In the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 16A and 16B, the pin 35 can reduce relative rotation between the floating stator 30 and the sealing member 40. An axially oriented pin (not shown) can reduce relative rotation between the floating stator 30 and the fixed stator 20. The axial interface between the floating stator 30 and the fixed stator 20 can be sealed by a seal 28, which can be located in the fixed stator seal groove 20a and / or faceplate seal groove 22b. The seal 28 can be configured as an O-ring, but may be configured in other, but is not limited to, other embodiments of the axial seal assembly 10.

[0056] The floating stator 30 can also be formed together with a concave surface 38 within its radially inner portion. This concave surface 38 can form a hemispherical interface together with a corresponding convex surface 48, the convex surface 48 being formed within the radially outer portion of the sealing member 40. Thus, the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 16A and 16B can be adapted to misalignment of the shaft 12 with respect to the shaft seal assembly 10 and / or equipment housing, radial movement of the shaft 12, and axial movement of the shaft 12 in the same and / or similar manner as already described for the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1 to 12.

[0057] Exemplary embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 10 may also include various fluid conduits for supplying the sealing fluid to the shaft seal assembly 10. The fixed stator 20 may be formed with one or more inlets 24 for introducing the sealing fluid into the shaft seal assembly 10. The inlets 24 may be in fluid communication with an annular recess 26 formed within the fixed stator 20, which may be in fluid communication with one or more radial passages (not shown), which may be formed within the floating stator 30 and extend from the radial outer surface 32 to the concave surface 38 of the floating stator 30. As an alternative to or addition to one or more radial passages, a second pin recess 35 formed within the floating stator 30 may be configured to allow the sealing of a specific amount of fluid traversing the length of the second pin recess 35 radially inward. The radial inner end of the second pin recess 35 may be formed together with an enlarged portion 35a of the second pin recess. Alternatively, the floating stator 30 can be formed together with the floating stator annular groove 37 on the concave surface 38 of the floating stator annular groove 37. These radial passages, the second pin recess 35, the enlarged portion of the second pin recess 35a, and / or the floating stator annular groove 37 can act as conduits for sealing fluid from the annular recess 26 of the fixed stator 20 to the convex surface 48 of the sealing member 40. Thus, the range of the axial seal assembly 10 is not limited by the specific combination of fluid conduits disclosed herein, but extends to all configurations of fluid conduits capable of supplying sealing fluid to the sealing member 40.

[0058] The seal 28 between the fixed stator 20 and / or the fixed stator 20 and the floating stator 30 can be configured such that the majority of the sealing fluid introduced into the inlet 24 passes through the floating stator 30 radially inward (by any fluid conduit configuration described above). The hemispherical interface between the concave surface 38 of the floating stator 30 and the convex surface 48 of the sealing member 40 can be sealed by the seal 28, which can be located in the floating stator seal groove 30a and / or the sealing member seal groove (not shown). The seal 28 may be configured as an O-ring, but any suitable structure and / or method can be used without limiting it. The floating stator 30, the sealing member 40, and / or the seal 28 between the floating stator 30 and the sealing member 40 can be configured such that most of the sealing fluid leaving the floating stator 30 passes through the sealing member 40 through a plurality of radial holes 44 in the direction from the convex surface 48 of the sealing member 40 toward the radial inner surface 46 (i.e., the sealing fluid can be configured to leave the shaft seal assembly 10 adjacent to the shaft 12 in a substantially radially inward direction).

[0059] The fixed stator 20, floating stator 30, and / or sealing member 40 can be configured, by fluid conduit formed therein, to allow the majority of the sealing fluid to exit the shaft seal assembly 10 from the region between the sealing member 40 and the shaft 12 at a predetermined speed for a given set of operating parameters (e.g., sealing fluid viscosity, pressure, and / or volumetric flow rate, rpm of the shaft 10, etc.). An exemplary embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 10 can be formed with 32 radial holes 44 within the sealing member 40, where corresponding pairs are equally spaced around the outer circumference of the sealing member, as best shown in Figures 17A and 17B. Each radial hole 44 can be formed with a radial hole inlet 44a adjacent to a convex surface 48 and a radial hole outlet 44b adjacent to a radial inner surface 46. However, in other embodiments of the sealing member 40 not shown herein, the sealing member 40 may be formed with radial holes 44 of different configurations, different numbers of radial holes 44, and / or radial holes 44 at different relative positions.

[0060] The configuration of the radial holes 44 shown in the embodiments of the sealing member 40 in Figures 17A and 17B is intended to be more efficient than other configurations compared to the prior art in that it requires less volumetric flow of sealing fluid for a given set of operating parameters. Furthermore, the smooth, entirely cylindrical configuration of the radial inner surface 46 can provide a pressurized fluid barrier (e.g., a "lift-off seal") at these interfaces between the shaft 12 and the sealing member 40. This results in a virtually frictionless shaft seal assembly 10, with no and / or minimal contact between the shaft 12 and the sealing member 40 during operation. However, in other embodiments, different numbers, spacings, and / or configurations of fluid conduits can be used within the fixed stator 20, floating stator 30, and / or sealing member 40 without departing from the spirit and scope of the shaft seal assembly 10 disclosed and claimed herein.

[0061] In light of this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the fluid conduit configurations disclosed herein can be adapted to generate a fluid barrier pressurized between any interface between two elements that rotate relative to each other, such as the interlocking seal disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,090,403 (Patent Document 1). U.S. Patent No. 7,090,403 (Patent Document 1) is incorporated herein by reference in whole and discloses embodiments of an axial seal assembly having a spherical rotating interface between a rotor and a floating stator (e.g., shown in Figures 13, 15, and 15A), and embodiments of an axial seal assembly having an entirely non-rotating spherical interface between two parts of a stator (e.g., shown in Figures 14 and 14A). Accordingly, the scope of the axial seal assembly 10 disclosed herein is not limited to the location and / or type of the rotating interface configured to house the axial seal assembly 10.

[0062] For example, in one embodiment not shown, a stator 30 of one embodiment similar to that shown in Figures 13, 15, and 15A may be configured with one or more radial holes of a narrow overall diameter (the holes may be substantially the same as those shown in the embodiments of Figures 17A and 17B). Such radial holes may be configured to bring fluid from an external source (which may be in fluid communication with the passage 40) to an interface between spherical surfaces on the stator portions 31, 31a (the interface may be configured as a concave surface on the stator 31 and a convex surface on the stator 31a). Alternatively, the stator 31 may be configured with radial holes that work to bring fluid from an external source (which may be in fluid communication with the passage 40) to an interface between the stator 31a and the rotor 20, and this interface may be a rotating interface having a labyrinth seal pattern and / or one or more seals (which may be configured as O-rings) inside.

[0063] Further Embodiments of the Axle Seal Assembly Next, with reference to Figures 18 to 21B, other features and components in various exemplary embodiments of the ring-shaped seal assembly 100 having a central hole are shown here. Generally, exemplary embodiments of the seal assembly 100 can bring about all or some of the various advantages of the shaft seal assembly 10 and bearing isolate 18 disclosed herein, in addition to one or more advantages specific to the shaft seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 18 to 21B, unless otherwise specified in the following claims. In general, the seal assembly 100 can, but not limited to, accommodate misalignment of the shaft 12 with respect to the housing (not shown) and / or seal assembly 100 via a hemispherical interface between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120, unless otherwise specified in the following claims; accommodate movement of the shaft 12 with respect to the housing and / or the first stator 110 and the second stator 120 in the radial dimension via movement of the throttle member 130 with respect to the first stator 110 and the second stator 120; and accommodate movement of the shaft 12 with respect to the housing and / or seal assembly 100 in the axial dimension via circumferential gaps and air gaps between the inner surface of the throttle member 130 and the outer surface of the shaft 12.

[0064] The seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 18 to 21B can engage with an equipment housing (not shown), and the shaft 12 extends from the equipment housing and can rotate relative to the equipment housing. The seal assembly 100 can engage with the equipment housing via one or more mechanical fasteners 14, but is not limited to any suitable method and / or apparatus (e.g., welding, chemical adhesives, interference fits, etc.) unless otherwise specified in the following claims, to fully engage the seal assembly 100 with the equipment housing.

[0065] The seal assembly 100 may include a first fixed stator 110, a second stator 120, and a throttle member 130. Referring specifically to Figures 18A to 18C, which provide cross-sectional views of the seal assembly 100 along various lines shown in Figure 18, the seal assembly 100 may be configured such that, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, the inside (or product side) of the seal assembly 100 is generally on the right side in Figures 18A and 18C and generally on the left side in Figure 18B, and the outside of the seal assembly 100 is generally on the left side in Figures 18A and 18C and generally on the right side in Figure 18B. The axial surfaces of the seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 19 and 19A are generally on the inside, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, while the right side in Figure 19B is generally on the inside and the left side in Figure 19B is generally on the outside. The exploded perspective views of the seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 19C and 19D are, without limitation, shown from the opposite side of the seal assembly 100 unless otherwise specified in the following claims, with Figure 19C showing the entire assembly from the inside, and Figure 19D showing the entire assembly from the outside.

[0066] The first stator 110 may be formed with an inlet 114a that can supply a sealing fluid. The end of the inlet 114a adjacent to the second stator 120 may be formed as a shelf portion 112a in the concave surface 112 of the first stator 110 or positioned adjacent to the shelf portion 112a, as will be described in more detail below. Furthermore, the first stator 110 may be formed with an annular recess 111 on its inner surface, and an O-ring 102 may be placed in the annular recess 111. The O-ring 102 is intended to adequately seal the inside of the first stator 110 to the equipment housing, thereby reducing or preventing the entry of material toward the product adjacent to the equipment housing and the escape of the product at the interface between the seal assembly 110 and the equipment housing. However, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, any suitable structure and / or method can be used to achieve the desired seal between the seal assembly 100 and the equipment housing (e.g., other mechanical sealing devices, chemical seals, or combinations thereof).

[0067] In many applications, it is intended that it may be advantageous to pressurize the sealing fluid in the manner already described above with respect to other shaft seal assemblies 10 and / or bearing isolation bodies 18. The sealing fluid may include, but is not limited to, liquids, vapors, gases and / or combinations thereof, unless otherwise specified in the following claims. The optimal sealing fluid and pressure of the sealing fluid will vary from one application of the seal assembly 100 to the next and will depend at least on the compatibility of the sealing fluid and other system components, including, but not limited to, products adjacent to the equipment housing with which the seal assembly 100 engages. In certain applications, it is intended that air, nitrogen, water and / or vapor may be suitable sealing fluids. Accordingly, the phase, chemical composition, properties, composition, etc. of the sealing fluid will not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0068] The first stator 110 may be formed with one or more pin recesses 116a into which pins 108 can be inserted. The radially inner end of pin 108 extends into a pin recess 123 of the second stator, as will be described in more detail below, and can work to limit the degree of angular misalignment between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120.

[0069] The first stator 110 may be configured with a concave surface 112 on a portion thereof. The first stator 110 may be configured with one or more annular recesses 111 on the concave surface 112, and the O-rings 102 may be placed in each annular recess 111 to adequately mitigate or prevent the escape and / or entry of material through the region between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120 at the interface between the concave surface 112 of the first stator 110 and the convex surface 122a of the second stator 120 (the second stator will be described in more detail below).

[0070] The second stator 120 may be formed together with a main body 122 and an access plate 128 that can selectively engage with each other via one or more fasteners 104, the fasteners 104 being able to pass through portions of the access plate 128 via one or more axial holes 128b formed therein. However, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, the main body 122 may be fully engaged with the access plate 128 using any suitable method and / or apparatus (e.g., welding, chemical adhesives, etc.). The main body 122 may be formed together with one or more second stator inlets 124, the second stator inlets 124 being able to fluidize with inlets 114a formed within the first stator 110. Generally, the second stator inlets 124 can act as passages sealing fluid moving from the first stator 110 to the radially inner surface of the second stator 120 (then through the throttle member 130, which will be described in more detail below). The main body 122 may be formed on its exterior together with a convex surface 122a, the convex surface 122a corresponding to a concave surface 112 on the radially inner portion of the first stator 110, thereby creating a hemispherical interface between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120. In certain applications, it may be beneficial to configure the second stator 120 having a plurality of second stator inlets 124 arranged around the outer circumference of the second stator 120 (at least as shown in Figure 19C), but the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0071] As shown in Figures 18A to 18C, the convex surface 122a can be confined exclusively to the main body 122, so that the surface of the access plate 128 does not constitute any portion of the convex surface 122a. However, in other embodiments, the portion of the convex surface 122a can extend to the access plate 128, but is not limited to, unless otherwise specified in the following claims. The convex surface 122a can be formed together with a convex shelf portion 122b, which can be positioned adjacent to a shelf portion 112a formed in the concave surface 112 of the first stator 110. The convex shelf portion 122b can be configured to be substantially linear in its axial dimension. The convex shelf portion 122b can function to supply a specific amount of sealing fluid in relation to the shelf portion 112a in the first stator 110 within the interface between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120. Therefore, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, the optimal configuration (e.g., dimensions, shape, etc.) of the shelf portion 112a and / or convex shelf portion 122b can vary from one application example to the next of the seal assembly 100.

[0072] A portion of the convex surface 122a and / or the convex shelf portion 122b may be formed together with the pin recess 123 of the second stator, which can receive the distal end of the pin 108, as briefly described above and at least as shown in Figure 21B. The pin recess 123 of the second stator and the pin 108 may be configured, through interaction between the pin recess 123 of the second stator and the pin 108, to limit the amount of angular misalignment between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120 during operation. The interaction between the pin 108 and the pin recess 123 of the second stator may also work to ensure a proper amount of axial misalignment and / or relative rotation between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120. In one embodiment of the seal assembly 100, two pins 108 may be employed, with one first pin 108 associated with one second stator pin recess 123 positioned at the 12 o'clock position, and the other second pin 108 associated with the other second stator pin recess 123 positioned at the 6 o'clock position, as shown at least in Figure 21B. However, without limitation, any number and / or configuration of pins 108 and associated second stator pin recesses 123 may be used with the seal assembly 100 unless otherwise specified in the following claims. For example, in another embodiment, the pins 108 may be configured to be positioned on different axes of rotation.

[0073] The main body 122 and the access plate 128 can be configured to allow access to the access plate 128 when the shaft seal assembly 100 is engaged with the equipment housing. Furthermore, the second stator 120 can be configured to allow selective removal of the access plate 128 from the main body 122 without removing the entire seal assembly 100 from the equipment housing, thereby allowing the user to access the throttle member 130 and / or other internal components of the seal assembly 100. Such a configuration is intended to allow the user to replace the throttle member 130 and / or other internal components of the seal assembly 100 relatively easily compared to the prior art (e.g., without requiring removal and / or separation of the seal assembly 100 from the equipment housing).

[0074] The main body 122 may be formed together with the main body shelf 126, the radial inner surface of the main body shelf 126 may be substantially linear in its axial dimension, and the main body shelf 126 may extend axially toward the outside of the axial seal assembly. The radial outer portion of the access plate 128 may engage with the main body 122 at the main body shelf 126, and the outer axial limit of the main body 122 may be equal to or substantially equal to the outer axial limit of the access plate 128. However, in other embodiments, the outer axial limit of the main body 122 may be greater than the outer axial limit of the access plate 128, and in other embodiments, the outer axial limit of the access plate 128 may be greater than the outer axial limit of the main body 122. Thus, the scope of this disclosure extends to all of these various configurations and others, unless otherwise specified in the following claims. The access plate 128 can be formed together with the shoulder portion 128a, the shoulder portion 128a can extend axially inward toward the main body 122, and the shoulder portion 128a can have one or more axial holes 128b that have already been described above.

[0075] The main body 122 and the access plate 128 can cooperate to form an internal passage 125 on the radial inner surface of the second stator 120. The inner axial wall of the main body 122 can provide a first axial restriction to the internal passage 125, and the inner axial surface of the access plate 128 can provide a second axial restriction to the internal passage 125. The internal passage 125 can be configured such that its radial dimension varies axially, as shown at least in Figure 18A, with the radial dimension of the internal passage 125 adjacent to the intermediate portion 133 and the second wall 134 of the throttle member 130 being greater than the radial dimension adjacent to the first wall 132 of the throttle member 130. However, without limitation, internal passages 125 with other radial dimensions can be used with the seal assembly 100 unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0076] Either the first wall 132 or the second wall 134 of the throttle member 130 can be formed together with the throttle member annular recess 131, and an O-ring can be placed in the throttle member annular recess 131, as shown in at least the exemplary embodiments in Figures 18A to 19D. Alternatively or additionally, the axial wall of the main body 122 or the inner axial surface of the access plate 128 may include a second stator annular recess 121, and an O-ring 102 can be placed in the second stator annular recess 121, as shown in the exemplary embodiments in Figures 21A and 21B. The O-ring 102 placed in the second stator annular recess 121 formed in the main body 122, and / or the O-ring placed in the throttle member annular recess 131 formed in the second wall 134, is intended to adequately seal the interface between the main body 122 and the throttle member 130. The O-ring 102 positioned in the second stator annular recess 121 formed within the access plate 128, and / or the O-ring 102 positioned in the throttle member annular recess 131 formed within the first wall 132, are further intended to adequately seal the interface between the access plate 128 and the throttle member 130, thereby mitigating or preventing the entry of material and / or the escape of sealing fluid at such interface. However, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, any suitable structure and / or method can be used to achieve the desired seal between the main body 122 and the throttle member 130, and / or between the access plate 128 and the throttle member 130 (e.g., other mechanical sealing devices, chemical seals, or combinations thereof).

[0077] As shown in at least Figures 18A-18C, 19A, and 21B, the internal passage 125 can have various outer diameters and / or surfaces. For example, a portion of the internal passage 125 formed within the main body 122 may be configured with a smooth and / or rounded transition surface from the axial plane to the radial plane. In contrast, another portion of the internal passage 125 formed within the access plate 128 may be configured with a perpendicular transition surface from the axial plane to the radial plane. The optimal configuration of the internal passage 125 (e.g., actual volume, relative volume, shape, axial dimensions, radial dimensions, etc.) can vary from one application of the seal assembly 100 to the next, and therefore does not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0078] The throttle member 130 can be located within a portion of the internal cavity 125 in the second stator 120. Generally, the throttle member 130 can be configured with an inner axial surface and an outer axial surface, the inner axial surface can engage with and / or be located adjacent to a portion of the main body 122 of the second stator 120, and the outer axial surface can engage with and / or be located adjacent to a portion of the access plate 128. The radial inner surface of the throttle member 130 can be located adjacent to the shaft 12. The throttle member 130 can be configured with a first wall 132 adjacent to the access plate 128, a second wall 134 adjacent to the main body 122 of the second stator 120, and an intermediate portion 133 that can be located between the first wall 132 and the second wall 134. Both the first wall 132 and the second wall 134 can extend radially outward, so that the throttle member passage 136 is located between the first wall 132 and the second wall 134.

[0079] The first wall 132 may be formed with one or more first wall axial projections 132a extending from the first wall 132, as shown at least in Figure 18B, the one or more first wall axial projections 132a may correspond to one or more axial recesses 127 formed in the access plate 128. Additionally or alternatively, the second wall 134 may be formed with one or more axial projections 134a extending from the second wall 134, the one or more axial projections 134a may correspond to one or more axial recesses 127 formed in the main body 122 of the second stator 120. The axial projections 132a, 134a may be formed integrally with a portion of the throttle member 130, or individually and later engaged with a portion of the throttle member 130, unless otherwise specified in the following claims (the axial projections 132a, 134a may function as a kind of pin or nail). Portions of the axial projections 132a and 134a may, but not limited to, extend into axial recesses 127 formed within the main body 122 of the second stator 120 and / or into axial recesses 127 formed within the access plate 128, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, to prevent and / or reduce relative rotational motion between the throttle member 130 and the second stator 120, and / or limit the relative radial movement between them. Alternatively or additionally, the amount of relative radial movement between the throttle member 130 and the second stator 120 may be limited by the configuration of the first wall 132, the second wall 134, the radial inner surface of the main body 122 and / or the radial inner surface of the access plate 128. Specifically, the radial dimensions of these components can be adjusted so that a specific amount of radial movement of the throttle member 130 occurs prior to the end of either the first wall 132 or the second wall 134 that contacts a portion of the second stator 120 within the internal passage 125.As shown in Figure 18A, the end of the first wall 132 and the radial inner surface of the second stator 120 and / or the configuration of the cap 128 define an annular space 129, within which the throttle member 130 can move radially relative to the second stator 120 (and therefore relative to other components of the seal assembly 100). However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0080] The throttle member passage 136 may be configured to intersect all or part of the internal passage 125, and the throttle member passage 136 and the internal passage 125 may cooperate to form an annular cavity within the seal assembly 100. In certain applications, the throttle member 130 may be configured so that the sealing fluid in the internal cavity 125 can be preferentially guided toward a radial passage 133a formed within the throttle member, and / or one or more radial interfaces between the throttle member 130 and the main body 122 and / or between the throttle member 130 and the access plate 128, but the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0081] The intermediate portion 133 of the throttle member 130 may be formed in part with one or more radial passages 133a, which may supply sealing fluid to a region radially inside the throttle member 130 (e.g., shaft 12) from the internal passage 125 of the second stator 120 through the throttle member 130. The radial passages 133a within the throttle member 130 are intended to be configured as pairs arranged annularly around the throttle member 130. However, the optimal number and configuration (e.g., size, position, etc.) of the radial passages 133a can vary from one application of the seal assembly 100 to the next, and therefore, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, this does not limit the scope of the disclosure. As an addition or alternative, the first wall 132 and / or the second wall 134 may be configured together with the axial passage to guide the sealing fluid from the internal passage 125 of the second stator 120 through the axial passage of the throttle member 130 to the interface between the throttle member 130 and the main body 122 and / or the interface between the throttle member 130 and the access plate 128. Such a configuration is intended to play a role in axially balancing pressure across the throttle member 130 and / or seal assembly 100, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0082] As described above with respect to the internal passage 125 of the second stator 120, the optimal configuration (e.g., actual volume, relative volume, shape, axial dimensions, radial dimensions, etc.) of the throttle member 130 and its components (e.g., the first wall 132 and its configuration, the radial passage 133a and its configuration, the intermediate portion 133 and its configuration, the second wall 134 and its configuration, the throttle member passage 136, the axial passage formed in any of the walls 132 and 134, etc.) can vary from one application example to the next of the seal assembly 100, and therefore does not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0083] In general, the seal assembly 100 can be configured such that relative radial movement between the shaft 12 located in the central hole of the seal assembly 10 and the seal assembly 100 and / or the equipment housing with which the seal assembly 100 engages can be adapted via relative radial movement between the throttle member 130 and the second stator 120 within the internal passage 125 of the second stator 120. Furthermore, the seal assembly 100 can be configured such that relative axial movement between the shaft 12 located in the central hole of the seal assembly 100 and the seal assembly 100 and / or the equipment housing with which the seal assembly 100 engages can be adapted via the interface between the radial inner surface of the throttle member 130 and the radial outer surface of the shaft 12. In many applications, as described above, it is intended that sealing fluid can be supplied to this interface via one or more radial passages 133a formed within the throttle member 130. The optimal gap at the interface between the throttle member 130 and the shaft 12 can vary from one application of the seal assembly 100 to the next, and therefore does not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specified in the following claims. However, in at least some applications, this gap can be between 0.001 inches and 0.5 inches, and it is intended that the gap may affect the flow characteristics of the sealing fluid (for example, a larger gap may result in a relatively higher volumetric flow rate of the sealing fluid under otherwise equal conditions and configurations).

[0084] In general, but not limited to, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, in various exemplary embodiments of the seal assembly 100, the throttle member 130 may be constructed from any suitable material, including, but not limited to, polymers (e.g., polyetheretherketone, graphalloy®, nylon®, carbon, etc.) and / or any other lubricating material.

[0085] Next, referring in detail to Figures 20A and 20B, another exemplary embodiment of the seal assembly 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. In general, this exemplary embodiment can be made with the same, similar or related elements as those already described and shown in Figures 18-19D, and can provide the same, similar or related benefits. However, the seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 20A and 20B can be configured such that the first stator 110 can branch along a horizontally oriented plane, which passes through the longitudinal axis of the axis 12 around which the seal assembly 100 is arranged. The two parts of the first stator 110 can be referred to as the upper part 110a and the lower part 110b. In applications where the seal assembly 100 can be installed with the longitudinal axis of shaft 12 oriented vertically or at some angle between horizontal and vertical, the terms “upper” and “lower” and the description of a horizontally oriented plane are not intended to limit the scope of the seal assembly 100, but rather to provide for the relative positions of the upper portion 110a and the lower portion 110b, unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0086] The upper portion 110a and the lower portion 110b can selectively engage with each other via one or more fasteners 104, corresponding receivers 105, and corresponding openings 106. Furthermore, alignment pins and / or aligning nails can be used to ensure proper alignment between the upper portion 110a and the lower portion 110b. In exemplary embodiments, the fasteners 104 may be configured as mechanical fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, etc.), each fastener 104 passing through a first opening 106 formed in the upper portion 110a, its distal end engaging with a receiver 105 formed in the lower portion 105, the receiver 105 being screwed in in accordance with threads formed on the fastener 104. However, any suitable structure and / or method for selectively engaging the upper portion 110a with the lower portion 110b (e.g., other types of mechanical fasteners, clamps, adhesives, etc.) may be used, but are not limited to, those specified in the following claims unless otherwise provided.

[0087] In certain applications, the use of a first stator 110 comprising an upper portion 110a and a lower portion 110b may be beneficial. Such a configuration can provide additional axial space outside the first stator 110, allowing for an increased size of the inlet 114a compared to a similarly sized axial seal assembly 110 having an inner member 114 and an outer member 116. Such a configuration allows for relatively easy replacement of one or more O-rings 102 and cord stock, and / or does not require disassembly of the equipment with which the seal assembly 100 engages. In other applications, the first stator 110 comprising an upper portion 110a and a lower portion 110b may allow for easier installation than the seal assembly 100 having an inner member 114 and an outer member 116, as it reduces the number of fasteners 104. Finally, the first stator 110 comprising an upper portion 110a and a lower portion 110b may offer manufacturing advantages. This is because fewer elements are required to construct the concave surface 112 compared to a similarly sized shaft seal assembly 110 having an inner member 114 and an outer member 116. Either the upper portion 110a and / or the lower portion 110b is configured with one or more small holes 113 to assist the user in separating the upper portion 110a from the lower portion 110b and / or freeing the seal assembly 100 from the associated shaft 12 and / or other equipment.

[0088] In addition to the first stator 110 branching along a horizontal plane through which the longitudinal axis of the shaft 12, around which the seal assembly 100 is positioned, the second stator 120, throttle member 130 and / or access plate 128 may also branch in the same manner. Such a configuration is intended to reduce the effort and / or time associated with the installation of the seal assembly 100 by enabling the installation of the seal assembly 100 around the shaft 12 without the need to disassemble any of the many or any of the components associated with the shaft 12. In such a configuration, but not limited to, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, two halves of any segmented component (e.g., the first stator 110, the second stator 120, the throttle member 130, the access plate 128, etc.) can selectively engage with each other via any suitable structure and / or method described above with respect to the first stator 110, the upper portion 110a and the lower portion 110b.

[0089] Next, referring in detail to Figures 21A and 21B, another exemplary embodiment of the seal assembly 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. Generally, this exemplary embodiment can be constructed with the same, similar, or related elements as those already described and shown in Figures 18-19D, and can provide the same, similar, or related benefits. However, the seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 21A and 21B can be configured such that the first stator 110 includes an inner member 114 and an outer member 116, the inner member 114 and the outer member 116 can engage with each other.

[0090] The inner member 114 of the first stator 110 may be formed with an inlet 114a that can supply a sealing fluid. Furthermore, the inner member 114 may be formed with an annular recess 111 on the inner surface of the first stator 110, and an O-ring 102 may be placed in the annular recess 111. The O-ring 102 is intended to adequately seal the inside of the first stator 110 to the equipment housing, thereby reducing or preventing the entry of material toward products adjacent to the equipment housing and the escape of products at the interface between the seal assembly 110 and the equipment housing. However, without limitation, unless otherwise specified in the following claims, any suitable structure and / or method may be used to achieve the desired seal between the seal assembly 100 and the equipment housing (e.g., other mechanical sealing devices, chemical seals, or combinations thereof).

[0091] The outer member 116 may be formed with one or more pin recesses 116a into which the pin 108 can be inserted. The radially inner end of the pin 108 extends into the pin recess 123 of the second stator, as will be described in more detail below, and can work to limit the degree of angular misalignment between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120.

[0092] The inner member 114 and the outer member 116 can cooperate to bring a concave surface 112 onto a portion of them, with a first portion of the concave surface 112 being formed on the inner member 114 and a second portion of the concave surface 112 being formed on the outer member 116. The shelf portion 112a can be positioned between the first and second portions of the concave surface 112, and the shelf portion 112a can be substantially linear in its axial dimension, at least as shown in Figures 18B and 18C. Finally, both the inner member 114 and the outer member 116 can be configured together with annular recesses 111 on the concave surface 112, and the O-rings 102 can be placed within each annular recess 111 to sufficiently reduce or prevent the escape and / or entry of material through the region between the first stator 110 and the second stator 120 at the interface between the concave surface 112 of the first stator 110 and the convex surface 122a of the second stator 120 (the second stator will be described in more detail below).

[0093] The seal assembly 100 shown in Figures 18 to 21B can enjoy several advantages over the prior art. One advantage is that the mass of the elements of the seal assembly 100 that move physically to adapt to the movement of the radial axis 12 is less than the mass of such elements in the prior art. This is because only the throttle member 130 is required for physical movement, which allows for a quicker response and results in a relatively good seal and a relatively long lifespan for the seal assembly 100. Another advantage is that the relative axial portion of the access plate 128 to the main body 122 can be adjusted by configuring the outer diameter of the access plate 128 with threads, which correspond to threads on the inner diameter of the second stator 120 (which can be formed on the radial inner surface of the main body shelf 126), thereby allowing the user to adjust the compression amount of one or more O-rings 102 adjacent to the throttle member 130. This may allow the user to adjust the amount of force required to move the throttle member 130 radially relative to the second stator 120. The fastener 104 positioned within the axial hole 128b of the access plate 128 can provide a gripping point for rotating the access plate 128 relative to the second stator 120, and / or a locking mechanism (e.g., as a type of set screw) that can fix the position of the access plate 128 relative to the second stator 120 (this position may normally change due to external forces, vibrations, etc.).

[0094] The specific configuration, number, and / or physical dimensions of various features of the fixed stator 20, floating stator 30, and / or sealing member 40 (e.g., radial dimensions of the annular recess 26, surface area of ​​the concave surface 38 and / or convex surface 48, diameter, length, and orientation of the radial hole 44, etc.) can vary depending on the specific application of the axial seal assembly 10. Furthermore, the optimal configuration, number, and / or physical dimensions of various features of the first stator 110 and / or its components (e.g., inner member 114, outer member 116, etc.), the second stator 120 and / or its components (e.g., main body 122, convex shelf 122b, internal passage 125, access plate 128, etc.), and / or throttle member 130 and / or its components (e.g., first wall 132, intermediate portion 133, second wall 134, throttle member passage 136, etc.) can vary depending on the specific application of the seal assembly 100. These modified forms can be used to adapt to shafts 12 and / or shaft seal assemblies 100 of various sizes, as well as to relative movements between shafts 12 and seal assemblies 100 of various quantities and / or types.

[0095] The materials used to constitute the apparatus and / or components of the apparatus disclosed herein vary depending on the particular application, but polymers, synthetic materials, metals, metal alloys (e.g., bronze, brass, stainless steel, or other metals and / or metal alloys and / or combinations thereof) and / or combinations thereof are intended to be particularly useful in some applications. Accordingly, the elements mentioned above may be composed of any material known to those skilled in the art or subsequently developed, which is suitable for the particular applications of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, unless otherwise indicated in the following claims.

[0096] By describing preferred embodiments of various apparatuses and methods and their other features, it will be undoubtedly possible for those skilled in the art to conceive of many modifications and alterations to the embodiments and / or aspects shown herein. All of these can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, the embodiments of apparatuses and methods illustrated and described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and unless otherwise specified in the following claims, the scope of this disclosure extends to all processes, apparatuses and / or structures that provide various benefits and / or features of this disclosure (these benefits may include, but are not limited to, adapting to axial(s) misalignment to a housing and / or axial seal assembly, whether the misalignment is angular, radial and / or axial, and / or constituting an axial seal assembly and generating a pressurized fluid barrier between rotating and non-rotating elements).

[0097] Apparatus and methods have been described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and specific examples, but are not intended to limit the scope to the embodiments and / or aspects shown. This is because embodiments and / or aspects described herein are intended to be illustrative, not restrictive, in all respects. Accordingly, the apparatus and methods illustrated and described herein do not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise stated in the following claims.

[0098] While some drawings are drawn to an accurate scale, all dimensions provided herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not in any way limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specified in the claims below. Note that the apparatus and methods are not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described herein, and the scope of the inventive features provided herein is defined herein by the claims. Modifications and alterations from the embodiments described herein will be conceivable to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0099] Various features, components, functions, advantages, aspects, configurations, method steps, etc., of the apparatus and method can be used individually or in combination with each other, depending on their suitability. Therefore, there are virtually infinite variations of this disclosure. Modifications and / or alternative forms of one feature, component, function, aspect, configuration, method step, etc., to another shall not limit the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise specified in the following claims.

[0100] This disclosure extends to all alternative combinations of the one or more individual features described above that are evident from the context and / or drawings and are essentially disclosed. All of these various combinations constitute various alternative forms of this disclosure and / or its components. The embodiments described herein describe the best known modes of performing the apparatus, methods and / or components disclosed herein, enabling those skilled in the art to utilize this best mode. The claims include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.

[0101] Unless otherwise provided in the claims, no process or method described herein is ever intended to be construed as requiring the steps to be performed in a specific order. Therefore, if a method claim does not enumerate the steps after a specific order, or if the claims or specification does not otherwise specifically state that the steps should be limited to a particular order, no order is ever intended to be inferred in any way. This also applies, but is not limited to, any implicit basis, grammatical structure, or punctuation that could be derived from any plain meaning, including, but not limited to, any logical considerations regarding the configuration of the steps or workflow, and the number or types of embodiments described herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] Indications in Figures 1-12: 1 axis 2 Fixed Stator 2a Fixed stator (partial line) 3 Labyrinth Seal 3a Rounded surface 4 Floating Stator 5. Fluid return path 6-axis seal gap 7. First O-ring 8 Anti-rotation pins 9. Ventilation holes 10. Anti-rotation groove (floating stator) 11 Spherical boundary surface 12 Anti-rotation pins 13. Second O-ring 14 Labyrinth Seal Pattern Grooves 15. First O-ring passage 16. Cavity for anti-rotation device (fixed stator) 17 Labyrinth Seal Axial Surface 18 Axial surface of floating stator 19. Second O-ring passage 20 First gap between floating stator and fixed stator 21 Second gap between floating stator and fixed stator 22 Throttle grooves 23 Labyrinth Pattern Angular Directional Grooves 24 sleeves 25 Axis seal assembly 26 Throttle (Self-regulating skates) 27 Floating stator annular groove 28 Labyrinth Seal Passage 29 Floating stator passage 30 cabinets 31 Misalignment angle 32 Bearings and bearing cavities 33 Assembly bolts 34 Container wall 40 Pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 42 Labyrinth Seal Inner Surface 44 Inner surface of floating stator 46 Pressure-balanced annular passage 47a First radial interface 47b Second radial interface 48 Fixed stator annular groove 48a Radial inner surface of annular groove Indications in Figures 13 to 15A: 10 axes 18 Bearing isolation body 19 cabinets 20 rotors 30 staters 31a Stator 31 Fixed Stator 40 aisles 40a Passageway 50 Spherical surface 51 Spherical surface 52 gaps 60 friction seals 61a Flange-type unit 80 center point 99 Conduit 100 fluid 101 pins 102 Annular recess Indications in Figures 16 to 21B: 10-axis seal assembly 12 axes 14 Fasteners 20 Fixed Stator 20a Fixed stator seal groove 21 Main body 22 face plate 22a Panel pin recess 22b Face plate seal groove 24 Entrance 26 Annular recess 28 stickers 30 Floating Stator 30a Floating stator seal groove 32 Radial outer surface 33 First pin recess 34 pins 35 Second pin recess 35a Enlarged portion of the second pin recess 37 Floating stator angle groove 38 Concave 40 Sealing member 42 recess 44 Radial holes 44a Radial hole entrance 44b Radial hole exit 46 Radial inner surface 48 Convex 100 Seal Assembly 102 O-ring 104 Fasteners 105 Receiving 106 Aperture 108 pins 110 First stat 110a Upper part 110b lower part 111 Annular recess 112 Concave 112a Shelf 113 Small hole 114 Inner member 114a Entrance 116 Outer member 116a First stator recess 120 Second Status 121 Second stator annular recess 122 Main body 122a Convex 122b Convex shelf 123 Second stator recess 124 Second stator entrance 125 Internal passage 126 Main body shelf 127 Axial recess 128 Access Board 128a Shoulder 128b Axial hole 129 Circular Space 130 Throttle component 131 Annular recess of throttle member 132 The First Wall 132a First wall axial projection 133 Middle part 133a Radial passage 134 The Second Wall 134a Axial projection 136 Throttle member passage

Claims

1. A first stator, A second stator is disposed within the first stator and has a radially oriented shelf including a radially oriented inner surface and a lower surface facing away from the first stator, An access plate having a radial outer surface that engages with the lower surface of the axial shelf of the second stator, and which together with the radial inner surface of the second stator forms an internal channel, A throttle member is at least partially disposed within the internal channel and is radially movable within the internal channel relative to the second stator, It comprises at least one O-ring fitted in an annular recess, The annular recess is formed by one or more of the throttle members and at least one of the pair of opposing sides of the internal channel. An annular seal assembly characterized by the following features.

2. The first stator comprises a stator inlet extending from its radially outer surface to a concave surface. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

3. The second stator comprises a stator inlet extending from its radially outer surface to an internal channel. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

4. The throttle member defines a radial channel extending from its radially outer surface. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

5. The throttle member defines a plurality of radial channels distributed at equal intervals around its periphery. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

6. The first stator has a concave surface formed on its radially inner portion, and the second stator has a convex surface formed on its radially outer portion, The concave surface of the first stator and the convex surface of the second stator form a hemispherical interface between the first stator and the second stator. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

7. The concave surface has a shelf-like portion The annular seal assembly according to claim 6.

8. The convex surface has a convex shelf-like portion The annular seal assembly according to claim 6.

9. The second stator is movable around a hemispherical interface with respect to the first stator, thereby allowing the longitudinal axis of the second stator to be offset from the longitudinal axis of the first stator. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

10. The second stator has a surface that is spaced parallel to and opposite to the surface of the access plate, thereby forming a pair of opposing sides of the internal channel. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

11. The throttle member directly contacts and slidably engages with a pair of opposing sides of the internal channel. The annular seal assembly according to claim 10.

12. An annular stator having a concave surface formed on its radially inner portion, A second stator is disposed within the annular stator and has a convex surface formed on its radially outer portion and a surface extending in the axial direction. An access plate having a radially outer surface that engages with the axially extending surface of the second stator to form an internal channel, The system comprises a throttle member at least partially disposed within the internal channel and radially movable within the internal channel relative to the second stator, The radially outer surface of the access plate is located radially inward from the surface of the second stator that extends in the axial direction. One or more of the throttle members and at least one of the pair of opposing sides of the internal channel form an annular recess. At least one O-ring is fitted within the annular recess. A seal assembly characterized by the following features.

13. The annular stator comprises a stator inlet extending from the radially outer surface of the annular stator to a concave surface. The seal assembly according to claim 12.

14. The second stator comprises a stator inlet extending from the radial outer surface of the second stator to an internal channel. The seal assembly according to claim 12.

15. The throttle member defines a plurality of radial channels arranged at equal intervals around the periphery of the throttle member. The seal assembly according to claim 12.

16. A first stator having a shaft extending from the housing and rotatable relative to the housing, engaging with the housing and positioned to cover at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the shaft, A second stator is disposed inside the first stator and is positioned to cover at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the shaft, with an internal channel formed on its radially inner surface, An access plate that engages with the axially oriented surface of the second stator, The system comprises a throttle member at least partially disposed within the internal channel, The internal channel is defined by the access plate and the second stator, The throttle member is radially movable within the internal channel relative to the second stator, and an annular recess is defined by one or more of the throttle members and at least one of a pair of opposing sides of the internal channel. At least one O-ring is fitted into the annular recess, The relative axial position between the access plate and the second stator is adjustable via a threaded coupling between the access plate and the second stator, thereby allowing adjustment of the amount by which the at least one O-ring is compressed against the throttle member. An annular seal assembly characterized by the following features.

17. The first stator has a concave surface formed on its radially inner portion, and the second stator has a convex surface formed on its radially outer portion, and the concave surface of the first stator and the convex surface of the second stator form a hemispherical interface between the first stator and the second stator. The annular seal assembly according to claim 16.

18. The throttle member defines a radial channel extending from its radially outer surface. The annular seal assembly according to claim 16.

19. The radial outer surface of the access plate is a threaded outer surface, The radial inner surface of the axially oriented shelf is a threaded inner surface configured to engage with the threaded outer surface of the access plate, The threaded outer surface and the threaded inner surface allow the access plate to move axially relative to the second stator when the access plate rotates relative to the second stator, thereby allowing adjustment of the amount by which the at least one O-ring is compressed against the throttle member. The annular seal assembly according to claim 1.

20. The relative axial position of the access plate with respect to the second stator is adjustable by one or more fasteners, thereby adjusting the amount by which the at least one O-ring is compressed relative to the throttle member. The seal assembly according to claim 12.

Images