SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A shaft seal assembly comprises a stator configured to engage with a housing and a rotor positioned within the stator. The stator may include a main body, an inward radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, and a pickup groove adjacent to the inward radial stator projection. The rotor may include a main rotor body and an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body. The axial rotor projection may be positioned adjacent to the far end of the inward radial stator projection.

Description

SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a shaft seal assembly and / or a bearing isolator in multiple embodiments. In certain embodiments, the shaft seal assembly could be used as a product seal between a product container and a shaft therein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For years, numerous attempts and ideas have been made to provide a satisfactory seal when a rotating shaft is angularly misaligned, causing shaft wear. Typically, the solutions presented have failed to provide an adequate seal while allowing an acceptable amount of shaft misalignment during operation. The problem is especially acute in product seals where the possibility of shaft misalignment from the bore could be maximized. A typical solution in the prior art is to increase the operating clearance between the rotating shaft and the sealing members to create a loose operating condition or clearance. Loose wear is a response to operating conditions, particularly shaft misalignment with respect to the stator or stationary member; however, by Ln / zznz / E / YiAi Ref. 337875 Regular reduces or decreases the efficiency and effectiveness of the sealing members. Labyrinth seals, for example, have been commonly used for many years for sealing rotating shafts. Some advantages of labyrinth seals over contact seals include increased wear resistance, extended service life, and reduced energy consumption during operation. However, labyrinth seals also rely on a close and defined clearance from the rotating shaft for proper function. Shaft misalignment is also a problem with contact seals because contact between the seal and a misaligned shaft typically results in increased wear. Product abrasion also affects the wear pattern and service life of contact seals. Previous attempts using fluid pressure (either vapor or liquid) to seal liquid and solid materials in combination with sealing members such as labyrinth or contact seals have not been entirely satisfactory due to the low or tight separation required to create the necessary pressure differential between the seal and the product on the other side of the seal (i.e., the tighter the seal, the lower the volume of fluid required to maintain the seal against the external material pressure). Another weakness of the prior art is that many product seals expose the connected moving sealing surfaces or faces of the product seal to the product, resulting in aggressive wear and poor reliability.Additionally, for certain applications, it may be required that the product seal be completely removed from the shaft seal assembly for cleaning, due to the product's exposure to the sealing faces or surfaces. Therefore, the previous technique has failed to provide a solution that allows both tight wear separation between the sealing members and the stationary member for effective sealing and loose wear separation for adjustment or response to operating conditions, especially misalignment of the rotating shaft with respect to the stator or stationary member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The attached figures, which are incorporated into and form part of this specification, illustrate the modalities and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the support cover. Figure 1 shows an external perspective view of an illustrative modality of an rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi shaft seal assembly. Figure 2 shows an outside end view of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 1 with the shaft element aligned. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a first modality of the shaft seal assembly, as shown in Figure 2 and mounted in a housing. Figure 3A provides a detailed view of an upper portion of the first modality of a shaft seal assembly during angular and radial alignment of the shaft e. Figure 3B provides a detailed view of a lower portion of the first modality of a shaft seal assembly during angular and radial alignment of the shaft e. Figure 4 shows an outside end view of the first illustrative modality of a shaft seal assembly with the shaft misaligned. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the first modality of a shaft seal assembly as shown in Figure 3 during angular and radial shaft misalignment. Figure 5A provides a detailed view of an upper portion of the first mode of an rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi shaft seal assembly during angular and radial misalignment of the shaft e. Figure 5B provides a detailed view of an upper portion of the first modality of a shaft seal assembly during angular and radial misalignment of the shaft e. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a second modality of a shaft seal assembly Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a third modality of a shaft seal assembly. Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a fourth modality of a shaft seal assembly connected to a vessel wall. Figure 9 shows a cross-section view of another shaft seal assembly with the shaft aligned with respect to the housing. Figure 9A provides a detailed view of an upper portion of the shaft seal assembly modality shown in Figure 9. Figure 9B provides a detailed view of a lower portion of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of another form of shaft seal assembly with the shaft aligned with respect to the housing. Figure 10A provides a detailed view of an upper portion of the shaft seal assembly modality shown in Figure 10. Figure 10B provides a detailed view of a lower portion of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 10. Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the modality shown in Figure 10 with the axis misaligned with respect to the housing. Figure 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the modality shown in Figure 9 with the axis misaligned with respect to the housing. Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the modality shown in Figure 9 with the axis misaligned with respect to the housing. Figure 14 shows a cross-sectional view of a third modality of the shaft seal assembly. Figure 15 shows a perspective view of a first modality of a multi-executment stamp assembly. Figure 16 shows a flat vertical view of another modality of a shaft seal assembly. rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi Figure 17 shows an axial cross-sectional view of the shaft seal assembly shown in the configuration shown in Figure 16. Figure 18 shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a shaft seal assembly. Figure 18A shows an axial cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the shaft seal assembly modality shown in Figure 18. Figure 19 shows a perspective view of a first modality of a multi-executment stamp assembly. Figure 19A shows a perspective view of the modality of a multi-axis seal assembly shown in Figure 19 with the second seal removed for clarity. Figure 19B shows a rear perspective view of the multi-axis seal assembly modality shown in Figure 19. Figure 20 shows a flat vertical view of the modality shown in Figure 19. Figure 21 shows an axial cross-sectional view of the modality shown in Figure 19. Figure 22A shows a perspective view of another modality of a shaft seal assembly. Figure 22B shows an axial cross-sectional view of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 22A. Figure 22C shows an exploded cross-section axial view of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 22A. Figure 22D shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figures 22A-22C where the shaft is vertically oriented. Figure 23 shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a porous medium shaft seal assembly. Figure 24 shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a porous medium shaft seal assembly. Figure 25 shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a porous medium shaft seal assembly. Figure 26 shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a porous medium shaft seal assembly. Figure 27A shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a porous medium shaft seal assembly. Figure 27B shows an axial cross-sectional view of a portion of the modality of a porous medium shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 27A. Figure 27C shows an axial cross-sectional view of another modality of a portion of a porous medium shaft seal assembly similar to that shown in Figure 27A. Figure 28A shows an axial cross-sectional view that displays other aspects of a shaft seal assembly. Figure 28B shows an axial cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 28A. Figure 28C shows an axial cross-sectional view of a lower portion of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figure 28A. Figure 28D shows a cross-section perspective view of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figures 28A-28C. Figure 28E shows a cross-sectional view of the shaft seal assembly shown in Figures 28A-28D where the stator and rotor have been separated from each other. Figure 29 shows an axial cross-sectional view illustrating alternative aspects of a shaft seal assembly. rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi DETAILED DESCRIPTION-LIST OF ELEMENTS (FIGURES 1-12) Description Part No. E shaft 1 Fixed stator 2 Fixed stator (linear part) 2a Labyrinth seal 3 Rounded face 3a Floating stator 4 Fluid return path 5 Shaft seal gap 6 First O-ring 7 Anti-rotation bolt 8 Vent 9 Anti-rotation groove (floating stator) 10 Spherical interconnection 11 Anti-rotation bolt 12 Second O-ring 13 Labyrinth seal pattern grooves 14 First O-ring channel 15 Anti-rotation device cavity (fixed stator) 16 Labyrinth seal axial face 17 Floating stator axial face 18 Second O-ring channel 19 First gap between floating stator / fixed stator 20 Second gap between floating stator / fixed stator 21 Regulator groove 22 Labyrinth pattern annular groove 23 Sleeve 24 Seal shaft assembly 25 Regulator (alignment slide) 26 Floating stator annular groove 27 Labyrinth seal passage 28 Floating stator passage 29 Housing 30 Angle of31. Misalignment 32. Bearings and bearing cavity 33. Mounting bolt 34. Vessel wall 35. Pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 46. Labyrinth seal inner face 477a 47b 48. Pressure-balanced annular channel 49. First radial interference 41. Second radial interference 41. Fixed stator annular groove 41. Inner-radial surface of annular groove 41. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Before the various embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the construction details and component arrangements indicated in the following description or illustrated in the figures. The invention is capable of other embodiments and can be practiced or implemented in various ways. Furthermore, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein with reference to the orientation of the device or element (terms such as, for example, front, rear, upward, downward, top, bottom, and the like) are used only to simplify the description of the present invention and do not indicate or imply that the device or element in question must have a particular orientation.Furthermore, terms such as first, second, and third are used herein and in the appended claims for descriptive purposes only and are not intended to indicate or imply any relative significance or importance. Additionally, any dimensions indicated or named herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the invention in any way unless otherwise stated in the claims. Figures 1-5 provide a view of a first embodiment of shaft seal assembly 25, which allows for the sealing of various lubrication solutions within the bearing housing 30. Figures 6 and 7 provide alternative embodiments of shaft seal assembly 25 where sealing fluids are used. The applicant herein defines sealing fluids as including both liquids and vapors. The applicant considers air, nitrogen, water, and steam, as well as any other fluid that could work with the proposed shaft seal assembly and provide a pressurized fluid barrier for any and all embodiments described herein that fall within the scope of this description. The gas or fluid chosen is based on the suitability of the process for the product to be sealed. Figure 1 shows an outside perspective view of the shaft seal assembly 25 positioned and connected with a shaft 1 inserted through the fixed stator 2 of the shaft seal assembly 25. Figure 2 shows an outside end view of the shaft seal assembly with shaft 1 aligned within the shaft seal assembly 25. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figure 2, illustrating the shaft seal assembly 25 as a labyrinth seal for retaining the lubricating solution within the bearing cavity 32 of the housing 30. The shaft 1 shown in Figure 3 is of the type that may undergo radial, angular, or axial movement relative to the fixed stator portion or element of the fixed stator 2 during rotation. The fixed stator portion of the shaft seal assembly 25 may be flange-mounted, press-fitted, or otherwise coupled to a housing 30. The invention will also operate with a fixed shaft and rotating housing. (Not shown) As required by the particular application, the shaft 1 is permitted to move freely in the axial direction relative to the shaft seal assembly 25. A labyrinth seal 3 having an inner surface is connected to shaft 1. There is a defined separation 6 between the inner surface of the labyrinth seal 3 and shaft 1. Opposite the inner surface of the labyrinth seal 3 is the rounded surface 3a of the labyrinth seal 3. The rounded surface 3a of the labyrinth seal 3 and the interior of the floating stator 4 form a spherical interconnection 11. The O-ring channels 15 and the O-rings 7 are positioned to cooperate with the rounded surface 3a of the labyrinth seal 3 to seal (or trap) fluid migration through them, between and along the labyrinth seal 3 and the connected floating stator 4 while maintaining the spherical interconnection 11 that allows limited relative rotational movement (articulation) between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4.The O-ring channels 15, as shown, are machined into the floating stator 4 and positioned in the spherical interconnection 11 with the labyrinth seal 3. The O-ring channels 15 are annular and continuous with respect to the labyrinth seal 3. The O-ring channel 15 and the O-ring 7 could also be positioned in the labyrinth seal 3 adjacent to the spherical interconnection 11. The O-rings 7 must be made of materials that are compatible with both the product to be sealed and the preferred sealing fluid chosen. The O-ring channels 15 and the O-rings 7 are a possible combination of sealing means that could be used within the shaft seal assembly 25 as stated in the claims. The strategically placed anti-rotation bolts 12, which are inserted into the anti-rotation slots 10, limit the relative rotational movement between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4.A plurality of anti-rotation slots 10 and pins 12 could be positioned around the radius of shaft 1. If the shaft seal assembly 25 is used in combination with a sealing fluid, the strategic anti-rotation pins could be removed, allowing the corresponding anti-rotation slots 10 to serve as a fluid passage through the vent 9 and lubricant return 5. (See Figure 7) Furthermore, the ratio of the diameters of the anti-rotation pins 12 and the anti-rotation slots 10 could be selected to permit greater or lesser angular misalignment of shaft 1. A small-diameter anti-rotation pin 12 used with a large-diameter anti-rotation slot 10 would allow greater relative movement of the labyrinth seal 3 with respect to the floating stator 4 in response to angular misalignment of shaft 1.The labyrinth seal 3 is a possible embodiment of a sealing means that could be used adjacent to shaft 1 within the shaft seal assembly 25 as stated in the claims. A continuous annular channel is formed within the stationary stator 2 and is defined by the separation 20 and 21 allowed between the outside of the floating stator 4 and the inside of the stationary stator 2 of the shaft seal assembly 25. The annular channel of the stationary stator 2 is highlighted as AA' in Figure 2. The annular channel of the stationary stator has inner surfaces that are substantially perpendicular to the shaft 1. The outer surfaces of the floating stator 4, which is substantially enclosed within the annular channel of the stationary stator 2, connect collaboratively with the first and second perpendicular inner faces of the stationary stator 2. An inner annular surface is formed by the first perpendicular annular channel surface (the inner side of the shaft seal assembly) of the stationary stator 2 connecting with the first perpendicular face (inner side) of the floating stator 4.An external annular interconnection is formed by the second perpendicular annular inner channel surface (the shaft seal mounting outer side) of the stationary stator 2 connecting to the second perpendicular face (outer side) of the floating stator 4. The O-ring channels 19 and the O-rings 13 located therein cooperate with the surfaces of the floating stator 4 that are in a perpendicular relationship to the shaft 1 to seal (or trap) fluid migration between and along the connected floating stator 4 while permitting limited relative rotational movement between the floating stator 4 and the stationary stator 2. In one possible embodiment, the floating stator 4 and the stationary stator 2 are the cooperatively connected sealing means that could be used in combination with the labyrinth seal 3 within the shaft seal assembly 25 as stated in the claims. The O-ring channels 19 are annular and continuous with respect to shaft 1. The O-ring channels 19 and the O-rings 13 may be placed in the floating stator body 4 instead of the fixed stator 2 (not shown), although they must be placed in a similar close relationship. The O-rings 13 must be made of materials that are compatible with both the product to be sealed and the preferred sealing fluid chosen. The O-ring channels 19 and the O-rings 13 are a possible combination of sealing means that may be used within the shaft seal assembly 25 as stated in the claims. Strategically placed anti-rotation pins 8 inserted into anti-rotation slots 16 limit both relative radial and rotational movement between the floating stator 4 and the inner side of the fixed stator 2. A plurality of slots 16 and anti-rotation pins 8 could be positioned around the radius of the shaft 1. The ratio of the diameters of the anti-rotation pins 8 and the anti-rotation slots 16 could also be selected to allow for greater or lesser angular misalignment of the shaft. A small-diameter anti-rotation pin 8 and a large-diameter fixed-stator anti-rotation slot allow for greater relative movement of the labyrinth seal 3 in response to angular misalignment of the shaft 1. The labyrinth pattern seal grooves 14 could be made equal pressure by venting through one or more vents 9. If desired, the vents could be supplied with a pressurized sealing fluid to relieve excess pressure from the labyrinth area 14 and shaft seal separation 6 in order to increase the effectiveness of the shaft seal assembly 25. A spherical interconnection 11 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 allows for angular misalignment between the shaft 1 and the stationary stator 2. The O-ring channels 19 are annular with the shaft 1 and, as shown, are machined into the stationary stator 2 and positioned at the interconnection between the stationary stator 2 and the floating stator 4. The O-ring channel 19 could also be positioned in the floating stator 4 for sealing contact with the stationary stator 2. Figure 3A illustrates the shaft seal integrity during angular and radial shaft alignment. This view highlights the alignment of axial face 17 of the labyrinth seal 3 and axial face 18 of the floating stator 4. Particular attention is drawn to the alignment of axial faces 17 and 18 at the spherical interconnection 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3. Figure 3B illustrates the shaft-seal integrity during angular and radial shaft alignment on the surface opposite that shown in Figure 3A. This view highlights the alignment of axial faces 17 and 18 of the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4, respectively, for the opposite portion of the shaft seal assembly 25 as shown in Figure 3A.Those experienced in the techniques will appreciate that because shaft 1 and shaft seal assembly 25 are circular in nature and shape, the surfaces are shown 360 degrees around shaft 1. Again, particular attention is drawn to the alignment of axial faces 17 and 18 in the spherical interconnection 11 between labyrinth seal 3 and floating stator 4. Figures 3A and 3B also illustrate the first defined separation 20 between floating stator 4 and fixed stator 2 and the second defined separation 21 between floating stator 4 and fixed stator 2, opposite the first defined separation 20. In Figures 2, 3, 3A and 3B, shaft 1 does not experience radial, angular or axial movement and the width of the defined separations 20 and 21, which are substantially equal, indicate little movement or misalignment on the floating stator 4. Figure 4 shows an outer end view of the shaft seal assembly 25 with the rotating shaft 1 misaligned within it. Figure 5 shows a cutaway view of the first configuration of the shaft seal assembly 25 as shown in Figure 3 with both angular and radial misalignment of shaft 1 applied. The shaft 1 as shown in Figure 5 is also of the type that could experience radial, angular, or axial movement relative to the fixed stator portion 2 of the shaft seal assembly 25. As shown in Figure 5, the defined radial separation 6 of the labyrinth seal 3 from the shaft 1 has been maintained even when the misalignment angle of the shaft 31 has changed. The shaft 1 is still allowed to move freely in the axial direction even when the misalignment angle of the shaft 31 has changed. The arrangement of the shaft seal assembly 25 allows the labyrinth seal 3 to move with the floating stator 4 as a function of the radial movement of the shaft 1. The labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 are securely connected by one or more compression O-rings 7. Rotation of the labyrinth seal 3 within the floating stator 4 is prevented by anti-rotation means, which may include screws, bolts, or similar devices 12 that prevent rotation. Rotation of the labyrinth seal assembly 3 and the floating stator 4 within the fixed stator 2 is prevented by anti-rotation bolts 8.The bolts shown in Figures 3, 3A, 3B, 5, 6 and 7 are a means of preventing rotation of the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4, as stated in the claims. A lubricant or other media to be sealed by the labyrinth seal 3 may be collected and drained to rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi through one or more optional drains or lubricant return lines 5. The labyrinth seal 3 may be pressure equalized by venting through one or more vents 9. If desired, the vents 9 may be supplied with pressurized air or another gas or fluid medium to overpressure the labyrinth seal 3 in order to increase seal efficiency. The combination of tight tolerances between the cooperatively connected mechanical portions of the shaft seal assembly 25 and the pressurized sealing fluid prevents product and contaminant contact with the internal parts of the shaft seal assembly 25. The spherical interconnection 11 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 allows for angular misalignment between the shaft 1 and the stationary stator 2.The O-ring channel 19 and the O-ring 13 located therein collaborate with the opposite faces of the floating stator 4, which are substantially in a perpendicular relationship to axis 1, to seal (or trap) fluid migration between and along the connected floating stator 4 while permitting limited relative (vertical) radial movement between stator 4 and the fixed stator 2. Figure 5A illustrates the shaft seal integrity permitted by the shaft seal assembly 25 during angular and radial shaft misalignment. This view highlights the displacement or articulation of the axial faces 17 of the labyrinth seal relative to the axial faces 18 of the floating stator 4 for a first portion of the shaft seal assembly 25. Particular attention is drawn to the displacement of axial faces 17 and 18 at the spherical interconnection 11 between the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4. Figure 5B illustrates the shaft seal integrity for a second surface opposite the first surface shown in Figure 5A, during angular and radial shaft misalignment. This view highlights that during shaft 1 misalignment, the axial faces 17 and 18 of the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4, respectively, are not aligned but rather move (articulate) relative to each other. The shaft for sealing the gap 6 is maintained in response to the shaft misalignment, and the overall seal integrity is not compromised because the seal integrity of the floating stator 4 with the fixed stator 2 and of the floating stator 4 with the labyrinth seal 3 is maintained during the shaft misalignment. Those experienced in the techniques will appreciate that because shaft 1 and the shaft seal assembly 25 are circular in nature and shape, the surfaces are shown 360 degrees around shaft 1. rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi Figures 5A and 5B also illustrate the first space or separation 20 between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2 and the second space or separation 21 between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2 and the first opposite space or separation 20. In Figures 4, 5, 5A, and 5B, shaft 1 is undergoing radial, angular, or axial movement during shaft 1 rotation, and the width of the gaps 20 and 21 has changed in response to this radial, angular, or axial movement. (Compare with Figures 3, 3A, and 3B.) The change in the width of the gaps 20 and 21 indicates that the floating stator 4 has moved in response to the movement or angular misalignment of shaft 1. The shaft seal assembly 25 allows articulation between the axial faces 17 and 18, maintenance of the spherical interconnection 11, and radial movement in the first and second gaps 20 and 21, respectively, while maintaining the shaft seal gap 6. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a second configuration of shaft seal 25, as shown in Figure 2, for overpressurization with alternative labyrinth seal pattern grooves 14. In this figure, the labyrinth seal pattern grooves 14 are made of a friction-reducing material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which forms a tight gap with shaft 1. PTFE is sometimes referred to as Teflon®, which is manufactured and marketed by DuPont. PTFE is a plastic with high chemical resistance, low and high temperature capability, weather resistance, low friction, electrical and thermal insulation, and slip resistance. The slip resistance of the material could also be described as its slickness or the fact that it imparts a slippery quality to the material.Carbon or other materials could be substituted for PTFE to provide the necessary sealing qualities and slippery qualities to the labyrinth seal pattern grooves 14. Pressurized sealing fluids are supplied to overpressurize the lubricating labyrinth pattern 26, as shown in Figure 6. The pressurized sealing fluids travel to the annular groove 23 of the regulator 26 through one or more inlets. The regulator 26 is also referred to as an alignment slide by those familiar with the techniques. The regulator 26 allows the labyrinth seal 3 to respond to shaft movement caused by misalignment of shaft 1. The pressurized sealing fluid escapes through the narrow gap formed between shaft 1 and the labyrinth seal 3 of the regulator 26. The close proximity of the regulator 26 to shaft 1 also creates resistance to the flow of sealing fluid through shaft 1, causing pressure to build up inside the annular groove 23.The floating annular groove 27, in conjunction with the annular groove 23, also provides an outlet for excess sealing fluid to be purged from the shaft seal assembly 25. This allows for pressure equalization or continuous fluid purging of the shaft seal assembly 25 during operation. An advantage of this feature of the shaft seal assembly 25 is its suitability for applications where clean-in-place (CIP) seal decontamination procedures are preferred or required. Examples include food-grade applications. Figure 7 illustrates the shaft seal assembly 25 with the anti-rotation bolt 12 removed to improve visibility of the ports. Typically, but not limited to, there are a number of ports, ports, or passages around the circumference of the shaft seal assembly 25. Figure 7 also shows that the shape and pattern of the labyrinth seal 3 can be varied. The shape of the regulators 26 can also be varied, as shown by the square profile in the regulator groove 22, in addition to the circular type 26. It is also noted that where direct contact with shaft 1 is not desired, the shaft seal assembly 25 is used in combination with a separate sleeve 24, which is coupled to shaft 1 by various means. Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the present description in which the shaft seal assembly 25 is fixed to a vessel wall 34. The shaft seal assembly 25 may be fixed to the vessel wall 34 by means of securing devices such as mounting screws 33 to ensure improved sealing where shaft 1 is subjected to angular misalignment. The mounting screws 33 and the slots (not numbered) through the outer shaft seal assembly 25 constitute a means of mounting the shaft seal assembly 25, as stated in the claims. In certain applications, particularly those where the process side of the shaft seal assembly 25 (generally the area to the left of the shaft seal assembly 25 as shown in Figures 3-3B and 5-7) is under increased pressure, it is desirable that the shaft seal assembly 25 be configured to balance the pressure experienced by the shaft seal assembly 25 in the axial direction. A pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 that balances the pressure (in the axial direction) applied to the inner face of the labyrinth seal 42 and the inner face of the floating stator 44 is shown in Figures 9-12. In the first embodiment of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly as shown in Figures 9-10B, the shaft sealing member (i.e., the labyrinth seal 3 in combination with the floating stator 4) includes a pressure-balance annular channel 46. Except for the pressure-balance annular channel 46, the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 operates in the same manner as the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1-8 and as described in detail above. That is, the floating stator 4 is positioned in the annular groove of the fixed stator 48. The first separation between the floating stator and the fixed stator 20, which in the embodiments depicted herein is between the outer radial surface of the floating stator 45 and the inner radial surface of the annular groove 48a (shown in Figures 9A and 9B), takes into account at least the radial disturbances of the shaft 1.The spherical interconnection 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 takes into account at least the angular disturbances of shaft 1. The pressure-balancing annular channel 46 is formed in the floating stator 4 adjacent to the first radial interconnection 47a between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, as shown in Figures 9-10 for the first modality. As shown in the various modality depicted herein, the first radial interconnection 47a between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2 is adjacent to the portion of the fixed stator 2 designed with the cavity for the anti-rotation device 16. That is, the axial face of the floating stator 4 is positioned within the fixed stator 2 and further from the process side of the pressure-balancing shaft seal assembly 40.A second radial interconnection 47b between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2, which is substantially parallel to the first radial interconnection 47a, is positioned closer to the process side of the pressure balanced shaft seal assembly 40 compared to the first radial interconnection 47a. In many applications, the optimum radial dimension of the pressure-balancing annular channel 46 will be substantially similar to the radial dimension of the floating stator inner face 44, so that the product-driven area of ​​the floating stator 4 and the sealing fluid-driven area of ​​the floating stator 4 have the same surface areas. In this configuration, axial forces will be balanced if the product and the sealing fluid are pressurized to approximately the same value. Consequently, the optimum radial dimension of the pressure-balancing annular channel 46 will depend on the design characteristics of the entire system, and the radial dimension of the pressure-balancing annular channel 46 could be any quantity suitable for a particular application, whether larger or smaller than the radial dimension of the floating stator inner face 44.The axial dimension of the pressure-balancing annular channel 46 will also vary depending on the design characteristics of the entire system, including, but not limited to, the specific sealing fluid used, the product pressure, and the sealing fluid pressure. In some applications, the optimum axial dimension of the pressure-balancing annular channel 46 will be 0.127 mm (0.005 in), although it could be larger in some configurations and smaller in others. The pressure-balancing annular channel 46 allows the sealing fluid introduced at the first gap between the floating stator and the fixed stator 20 (from where the sealing fluid could enter the pressure-balancing annular channel 46) to drive the floating stator in an axial direction. Typically, the process side of the pressure-balancing shaft seal assembly 40 (generally the area to the left of the pressure-balancing shaft seal assembly 40 as shown in Figures 9-12) experiences the forces of the process fluid acting on the inner face of the labyrinth seal 42 and the inner face of the floating stator 44. These forces are most often due to the pressure generated by the rotating equipment to which shaft 1 is coupled. For example, if shaft 1 is coupled to a fluid pump that generates 4.At a discharge pressure of 92149 kg / cm2 (70 psi), the process side of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 will be pressurized to approximately 4.92149 kg / cm2 (70 psi). This pressurized fluid will act on the inner face of the labyrinth seal 42 and the inner face of the floating stator 44, and consequently push the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 in the axial direction away from the process side of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 (i.e., generally toward the right side of the figure as depicted in Figures 9-12).In contrast, the sealing fluid located in the pressure balance annular channel 46 will push the labyrinth seal 3 and the floating stator 4 in the axial direction towards the process side of the pressure balance shaft seal assembly 40, which could substantially cancel the axial force that the product exerts on the pressure balance shaft seal assembly 40, depending on the design of the sealing fluid rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi system. Figures 11 and 12 show a second and third embodiment of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40. In general, the second and third embodiments of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 correspond to the second and third embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 25 as shown in Figures 7 and 8 and as described in detail above. However, with respect to the first embodiment of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 as shown in Figures 9-10B, the second and third embodiments include an annular pressure-balance channel 46. The various embodiments of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 depicted and described herein are formed with the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4 comprising two distinct portions. These embodiments facilitate the assembly of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 because, in the embodiments depicted herein, the majority of the floating stator 4 is positioned within the fixed stator 2. When a pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40 is installed according to the first embodiment (as depicted in Figures 9-10B), the first portion of the fixed stator 2 (i.e., the portion adjacent to the process side of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40) would be secured in a housing 30. Next, the floating stator 4 and labyrinth seal 3 could be positioned as an assembled piece (where the components forming the spherical interconnection 11 have been previously assembled) between the shaft 1 and the first portion of the stationary stator 2. The placement of the floating stator 4 and labyrinth seal 3 within the stationary stator 3 forms the second axial interconnection 47b between the stationary stator 2 and the floating stator 4. Finally, the second portion of the stationary stator 2 (i.e., the portion furthest from the process side of the pressure-balanced shaft seal assembly 40) could be positioned adjacent to and secured to the first portion of the stationary stator 2. The positioning of the second portion of the stationary stator 2 subsequently forms the first radial interconnection 47a between the stationary stator 2 and the floating stator 4. Alternatively, the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3 could be positioned separately within the fixed stator annular groove 48. For example, once the first portion of the fixed stator 2 has been fixed in the housing 30, the first portion of the floating stator 4 could be positioned within the fixed stator annular groove 48. The placement of the first portion of the floating stator 4 within the fixed stator annular groove 48 forms the second axial interconnection 47b between the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4. The labyrinth seal 3 could then be positioned adjacent to the shaft 3, the placement of which forms a portion of the spherical interconnection 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3.Next, the second portion of the floating stator 4 could be positioned adjacent to the first portion of the floating stator 4 and could be secured to it with a plurality of anti-rotation bolts 8, thus completing the spherical interconnection 11 between the floating stator 4 and the labyrinth seal 3. Finally, the second portion of the fixed stator 2 is secured to the first portion of the fixed stator 2 with a plurality of screws or rivets, the placement of which forms the first axial interconnection 47a between the floating stator 4 and the fixed stator 2. Any type of suitable securing members known to those skilled in the art could be used to secure the first and second portions of the floating stator 4 to each other or to secure the first and second portions of the fixed stator 2 to each other. Although the embodiments represented herein are intended for pressurizing balanced shaft seal assemblies 40 where the fixed stator 2 and the floating stator 4 are comprised of two separate portions, in other embodiments not represented herein, the fixed stator 2 and / or the floating stator 4 are formed of an integral member. rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi LIST OF ELEMENTS (FIGURES 13-22D) Description Part No. Shaft 10 Bearing Isolator 18 Housing 19 Rotor 20 Stator 30, 31a Fixed Stator 31 Passage 40, 40a Spherical Surface 50, 51 Clearance 52 Friction Seal 60 Flange Unit 61a Center Point 80 Conduit 99 Fluid 100 Bolt 101 Annular Recess 102 Shaft Seal Assembly 200 Multi-Shaft Seal Assembly 202 Retainer 204 Opening 206 Fixed Stator 210 Main Body 211 Faceplate 212 Bolt Recess 212a Inlet 214 Annular Recess 216 Sealing Member 218 Floating Stator 220 Radial Outer Surface 222 Bolt 224 First Radial Passage 226 Concave Surface 228 Rotor 230 Roller cavity 232 Cavity wall 233 pawn Ln / zznz / E / YiAi LIST OF ELEMENTS (FIGURES 13-22D) (Continued) Description Part No. Roller 234 Second radial passage 236 Convex surface 238 First seal 240 Collar 241 Collar lip 241a Collar cut 242 Second seal 250 Cut 251 Shaft seal assembly 300 O-ring channel 302 O-ring 303 Unifying ring 304 Slip ring 305 First collapsible cavity 306a Second collapsible cavity 306b Axial passage 307 Radial passage 308 Stator 310 Stator body 311 Projection 312 Radial hole 313 Axial projection 314 Radial projection 315 Axial channel 316 Radial channel 317 Unifying ring channel 318 Rotor 320 Rotor body 321 Rotor axial projection 324 Rotor radial projection 325 Rotor axial channel 326 Radial channel Rotor 327 Rotor unifying ring channel 328 Figure 13 shows another embodiment of a bearing isolator 18 mounted on a shaft 10. The shaft 10 extends through the bearing isolator 18 and the housing 19. A gas or fluid source 100, which could include water or lubricant, could also be in communication with the bearing isolator 18 by means of the conduit 99. The rotor 20 is fixed to the shaft 10 by means of a friction seal 60, which could be configured as one or more O-rings. The rotor 20 follows the rotational movement of the shaft 10 due to the frictional clutch of the seals 60. Passages 40 and 40a are as shown, although they will not be described in detail here because this description is already understood by those skilled in the art. A pair of corresponding spherical surfaces 50 and 51 could be used to create a self-aligning radial clearance 52 between the rotor 20 and the stator 30 before, during, and after use. This clearance 52 could be maintained at a constant value even as 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 illustrated in Figures 15-17. An annular recess 102 between the stator 30 and the stationary stator 31 allows the bearing isolator 18 to accommodate a predetermined amount of the radial shaft displacement. In the embodiments shown herein, the spherical surfaces 50, 51 have an identical center point on the axial faces of both the rotor and stator 20, 30, respectively. However, the spherical surfaces 50, 51 could be separated radially, and / or as shown, vertically. These spherical surfaces 50, 51 could move radially in response to and / or in connection with and / or in conjunction with the radial positioning of other components of the bearing isolator 18. Typically, if the shaft 10 is misaligned with respect to the housing 19, the rotor 20 will consequently be misaligned with respect to it, and then the spherical surfaces 50, 51 and / or the stator 30 moving radially within the annular recess of the fixed stator 31 could compensate for the misalignment. Figures 15 and 17 illustrate that in one embodiment of the bearing isolator 18, the rotor 20 could move with respect to the stator 30, 31 as the shaft 10 is misaligned with respect to the housing 19 through the interaction between the spherical surfaces 50, 51 to ensure that the distances between the center points of the rotor 20 and the stator 30 and a fixed point in the housing 19 are constant. In the bearing isolator 18 configuration shown in Figures 14 and 15, the spherical surfaces 50, 51 could be positioned on a fixed stator 31 and the stator 31a instead of in the rotor 20 and stator 30. Still with reference to Figures 14 and 15, this design allows the rotor 20 and stator 31a to move with respect to the fixed stator 31, the flange unit 61a, and the housing 19. The rotor 20, stator 31a, and the fixed stator 31 could move in a radial direction with respect to the flange unit 61a (and consequently, with respect to the housing 19) as best shown in Figure 15. In this embodiment of the bearing isolator 18, there is a very small amount of relative rotation between the spherical surfaces 50, 51. The bearing isolator 18 configuration shown in Figures 14 and 15 could provide controlled radial movement of the stationary stator 31, stator 31a, and rotor 20 with respect to the flange unit 61a. This flange unit 61a could be securely mounted in a housing 19. Rotational movement of the stationary stator 30 with respect to the flange unit 61a could be prevented by anti-rotation bolts 101. The stationary stator 31 could be frictionally secured to the flange unit 61a using a friction seal 61, which could be made of any material with sufficient elastic and frictional characteristics to retain the stationary stator 31 in a fixed radial position with respect to the flange unit 61a, while still responding to radial forces when the shaft 10 is misaligned.Changes in the radial position of the fixed stator 31, stator 31a, and rotor 20 and the resulting positions thereof (as well as the resulting position of the interconnection between the fixed stator 31 and stator 31a) occur until the radial force is fully accommodated or the unit of the maximum radial displacement of the bearing insulator 18 is reached. In operation, the rotor 20 could be moved radially as the shaft 10 is misaligned with respect to the housing 19. The radial movement of the spherical surfaces 50, 51 between the stator 31a and the stationary stator could originate from this pressure. Figure 3 shows the resulting radial movement of the center point 80 as the shaft 10 is misaligned. During normal operation, the shaft 10 is usually horizontal with respect to the orientation shown in Figure 3, as represented by line A. As the shaft 10 is misaligned in a manner represented by line B, the center point 80 could move to a point along line A. As the shaft 10 is misaligned in a manner represented by line B', the center point 80 could move to a point along line A'.However, in other misalignments of shaft 10, the radial positions of the rotor 20, stator 30, and / or the fixed stator rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi could be constant, and the spherical surfaces 50 could compensate for the shaft misalignment. From the above description, it will be clear that the bearing isolator 18 provides a constant seal around shaft 10 because the distance between the spherical surfaces 50 and 51 is maintained as a constant, regardless of any normal or design misalignment of shaft 10. The physical dimensions of the spherical surfaces 50 and 51 may vary in linear value and center point distance 80, depending on the specific application of the bearing isolator. These variations will be used to accommodate different shaft and seal sizes and varying amounts of misalignment. AXIAL DISPLACEMENT SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY Another embodiment of a shaft seal assembly 200 is shown in Figures 18 and 18A. This embodiment is similar to the bearing isolator embodiment 18 described earlier and shown in Figures 13, 16, and 17. The shaft seal assembly 200 could include a fixed stator 210, a floating stator 220, and a rotor 230, as shown. In the embodiment depicted, the rotor 230 typically rotates with the shaft 10, while the fixed stator 210 and stator 220 do not. Consequently, a rotational interconnection could exist between the concave surface 228 of the floating stator 220 and the convex surface 238 of the rotor 230. In other embodiments of the shaft seal assembly 200 not shown herein, although these embodiments are a corollary to the bearing insulator embodiment 18 shown in Figures 14 and 15, the floating stator 220 could be configured with a convex surface corresponding to a concave surface of the fixed stator. In this embodiment, the rotational interconnection could be located in a different position than the interconnection between the concave and convex surfaces. The shaft seal assembly 200 shown in Figures 18 and 18A includes a fixed stator 210 that can be securely mounted in a housing (not shown in Figures 18 and 18A) using any suitable methods and / or structures. The fixed stator 210 can include a main body 211 and a faceplate 212 that can be secured to each other. It is envisaged that a fixed stator 210 consisting of a main body 211 and a faceplate 212 can facilitate the simple installation of the shaft seal assembly 200 in certain applications. In these applications, the main body 211 can be fixed in the housing, the rotor 230 and the floating stator 220 can be positioned appropriately, and then the faceplate 212 can be secured to the main body 211. The stationary stator 210 may be formed with an annular recess 216 within which a portion of the floating stator 220 and / or the rotor 230 may be positioned. A predetermined clearance between the radial outer surface 222 of the floating stator 220 and the inner surface of the annular recess 216 may be selected to permit relative radial movement between the stationary stator 210 and the floating stator 220. At least one bolt 224 may be fixed to the floating stator 220, and a portion of the bolt 224 may extend into a bolt recess 212a formed in the faceplate 212 to prevent the floating stator 220 from rotating with the rotor 230. The axial interconnections between the floating stator 220 and the stationary stator 210 may be sealed with sealing members 218; these sealing members may be configured as gaskets. torics. The floating stator 220 could also be formed with a concave surface 228 on a radial inner portion thereof. This concave surface 228 could form a hemispherical interconnection with a corresponding convex surface 238 formed on the radial outer portion of the rotor 230. Consequently, the shaft seal assembly 200 shown in Figures 18 and 18A accommodates or adapts the shaft misalignment 10 and radial movement in a manner identical and / or similar to that described above for the bearing insulators 18. The shaft seal assembly 200 could be configured with Ln / zznz / E / YiAi to accommodate axial movement of shaft 10. In the depicted embodiment, this is achieved by forming at least one roller cavity 232 in the rotor 230 adjacent to shaft 10. The illustrative embodiment includes two roller cavities 232 joined by a cavity wall 233 on either side thereof. At least one roller 234 could be positioned in each roller cavity 232. Axial movement of shaft 10 could be accommodated by a roller 234 rolling along the surface of shaft 10 and within the roller cavity 232. The illustrative embodiment includes two roller cavities 232 with one roller 234 in each roller cavity 232, although the shaft seal assembly 200 is in no way limited by the number of roller cavities 232 and / or rollers 234 associated with it.The rollers 234 could be constructed from any material suitable for the specific application of the shaft seal assembly 200. It is envisaged that an elastomeric material (e.g., rubber, silicone rubber, other polymers) will be particularly suitable for many applications. The illustrative embodiment of shaft seal assembly 200 also includes several fluid passages for applying a sealing fluid to the shaft seal assembly 200. The stationary stator 210 is formed with an inlet 214 for introducing a sealing fluid to the shaft seal assembly 200. The inlet 214 may be in fluid communication with one or more first radial passages 226 in the floating stator 220. These first radial passages 226 may, in turn, be in fluid communication with one or more second radial passages 236 in the rotor 230. The rollers 234, roller cavity(ies) 232, and cavity walls 233 may be configured so that the sealing fluid introduced through the inlet 214 exits the shaft seal assembly 200 from an area between the rotor 230 and the shaft 10 at a predetermined velocity for a given assembly. given operating parameters (e.g., viscosity and pressure of the sealing fluid, shaft 10 rpm, etc.).The illustrative embodiment of the shaft seal assembly 200 could be formed with eight first radial passages 226 formed in the floating stator 220, corresponding to eight second radial passages 236 formed in the rotor 230, and the first radial passages 226 and the second radial passages 236 could be uniformly spaced around the circumference of the shaft seal assembly 200. However, in other embodiments, different numbers, spacing, and / or configurations of the first radial passages 226 and / or the second radial passages 236 could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the shaft seal assembly 200 as described and claimed herein. In one embodiment of shaft seal assembly 200 not shown herein, although this embodiment is a corollary to the embodiment shown in Figures 14 and 15, it will be clear from the present description that in this embodiment, the rotor 20 includes at least one roller cavity adjacent to shaft 10 with at least one roller positioned therein in place of a friction seal 60. As with the previous embodiments of shaft seal assembly 200 described herein, the rollers could be configured to rotatably engage the rotor 20 with the shaft 10. The rotor cavity and / or roller cavity could also be configured to allow the shaft 10 to move axially with respect to the shaft seal assembly 200. MULTI-SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY Figure 19 provides a perspective view of a first embodiment of a multi-axis seal assembly 202. It is envisaged that a multi-axis seal assembly 202 could be particularly useful in applications where two shafts 10 are positioned in relatively close proximity to each other, as shown for the illustrative embodiment depicted herein. The shafts 10 depicted herein are also oriented such that their longitudinal axes are parallel to each other. However, the multi-axis seal assembly 202 is not limited in this way, and other embodiments exist for use with shafts 10 that are oriented differently from those depicted herein. The illustrative embodiment of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 includes a first seal 240. A sealing portion of the first seal 240 surrounds a shaft 10 and could be configured to operate in a mode substantially similar to other bearing isolators 18 and / or shaft seal assemblies 25, 200 described herein. A sealing portion of a second seal 250 surrounds the other shaft 10 and could also be configured to operate in a mode substantially similar to the other bearing isolators 18 and / or shaft seal assemblies 25, 200 described herein. For example, Figure 21 provides an axial cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202, wherein both the first and second seals 240, 250 are configured to operate in a mode substantially similar to the bearing isolator 18 shown in Figures 13-17.However, in other embodiments of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202, either the first or second seal 240, 250 could be configured differently. For example, the first and second seals 240, 250 could be configured as in the embodiment of a shaft seal assembly 200 shown in Figures 18 and 18A. Furthermore, in other embodiments of the multi-shaft seal 202, the first seal 240 and the second seal 250 could be configured differently relative to each other. For example, the first seal 240 could be configured to operate in a mode substantially similar to the bearing isolator 18 shown in Figures 13-17 and the second seal 250 could be configured to operate in a mode substantially similar to the shaft seal assembly 200 shown in Figures 18 and 18A. Accordingly, the specific internal configuration of either the first or second seal 240, 250 in no way limits the scope of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 as described herein. As shown in Figure 21, each seal 240, 250 could be configured to include the fixed stator 210, the floating stator 220, the faceplate 212, and the rotor 220, all of which are as shown in Figure 21 and are configured to operate in a mode substantially similar to the mode of a bearing isolator 18 as shown in Figures 13-17, as previously mentioned. The rotor 230 could be secured to a shaft 10, such that the rotor 230 is coupled with it and rotates with it in any suitable mode (several of which are described previously for other modes of a bearing isolator 18 and / or shaft seal assemblies 25, 200).The fixed stator 210 could be secured in a housing rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi in any suitable mode (several of which are described above for other modes of a bearing isolator 18 and / or shaft seal assemblies 25, 200 and which include, but are not limited to, mechanical fasteners 204, chemical adhesives, welding, press fit, and / or combinations thereof). A suitable mode includes the fasteners 204 shown in Figures 19, 20, and 22 and the corresponding openings 206. The floating stator 220 could be positioned within a portion of an annular recess 216 formed in the fixed stator 10, wherein the axial outer limit of the annular recess 216 could be defined by the inner surface of a faceplate 212, which could be connected to the fixed stator 210 as described above for other embodiments of the bearing isolator 18 and shaft seal assemblies 25, 200. The fixed stator 210, the floating stator 220, the rotor 230, and / or the faceplate 212 could work together to form a labyrinth seal. The fixed stator 210, the floating stator 220, and / or the rotor 230 could be constructed in a two-piece configuration. As mentioned, in the illustrative embodiment, the fixed stator 210 could be configured to connect a faceplate 212 by means of a plurality of fasteners 204, which could be different from the fasteners 204 used to connect the fixed stator 210 to the housing 19. Other methods and / or structures for connecting the faceplate 212 to the fixed stator 210 could be used without limitation.Furthermore, an interconnection between two portions of the rotor 230, two portions of the fixed stator 210, the fixed stator 210 and the floating stator 220, the rotor 230 and the floating stator 220, and / or the rotor 230 and the fixed stator 210 could be hemispherical, as shown for the interconnection between the rotor 230 and the floating stator 220 for the embodiment depicted in Figure 21. Additionally, the seals 240, 250 could be formed with an inlet 214 therein, as described above for the other embodiments of a bearing isolator 18 and shaft seal assemblies 25, 200 described herein to provide a sealing fluid to different passages within the multi-shaft seal assembly 202. To accommodate two shafts 10 in relatively close proximity, the illustrative embodiment of a multi-shaft seal assembly 202 employs a configuration in which the first and second seals 240, 250 are configured in a stacked manner (see Figures 20 and 21). That is, the first seal 240 could reside in a radially different plane than the plane in which the second seal 250 resides. In the illustrative embodiment, the planes are parallel to each other. However, in other embodiments of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 not shown herein, the planes could have other orientations; these orientations could depend at least in part on the orientation of the shafts 10 and / or the housing 19. A collar 241 could be secured to the housing 19 and / or the first seal 240 to provide adequate axial clearance for the stacking arrangement of the first and second seals 240, 250. In the illustrative embodiment, the collar 241 could be formed separately from either the first seal 240 or the housing 19 and subsequently secured to the first seal 240 and / or the housing 19. As clearly shown in Figure 19B, which provides a rear side perspective view of the illustrative embodiment of a multi-shaft seal assembly 202, the collar 241 could be formed with a collar cut 242 therein to accommodate a portion of the second seal 250. As shown, the collar cut 242 could be configured with an angled portion to interconnect with the outer surface of the first seal 240. In most applications, the prominent surface shown in Figure 19B is adjacent to the housing 19 during the use of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202. Consequently, the surface of the collar 241 and / or the first seal 240 adjacent to the housing 19 could be formed with an O-ring channel therein to accommodate an O-ring. An O-ring positioned in this way could serve to prevent air and / or other fluid from entering / exiting between collar 241 and housing 19 and / or between the first seal 240 and housing 19. The shape, dimensions and / or specific configuration of the collar cut 242 will vary from one form of twin shaft seal assembly 202 to the next, and at least could be dependent on the shaft spacing 10 and / or the configuration of the first and second seals 240, 250, and is therefore in no way limited to the scope of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202.As shown for the illustrative embodiment, the collar 241 could be secured in the housing 19 by means of one or more fasteners 204 and the corresponding openings 206. However, in other embodiments of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 depicted herein, the collar 241 could be integrally formed with a portion of the first seal 240. Still in other embodiments of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 not depicted herein, the collar 241 could be integrally formed with the housing 19. In yet another embodiment of a multi-shaft seal assembly 202 not depicted herein, the collar 241 could be integrally formed with the second seal 250. Accordingly, the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 is not limited by the specific configuration of the first collar 241 with respect to the housing 19, the first seal 240, and / or the second seal. Ln / zznz / E / YiAi. 250. Collar 241 could serve as an axial spacer between the equipment housing and the second seal 250, as clearly shown in Figures 20 and 21. In this embodiment, the axial dimension of collar 241 is approximately equal to the axial dimension of the first and second seals 240, 250. However, collar 240 could be formed with a collar lip 241a within which a portion of the second seal 250 could be seated, as shown in Figure 21. Consequently, in applications where the radial dimension of the first and / or second seals 240, 250 would be too large for mounting in the same radial plane due to the separation of two adjacent shafts 10, the first and second seals 240, 250 could be applied to the shafts 10 in an axially offset configuration. The multi-shaft seal assembly 202 could also include a cut 251 formed in a portion of the second seal 250. A cut 251 might be required to accommodate certain configurations of adjacent shafts 10 where the shafts 10 are in relatively close proximity to each other. As best shown in Figures 20 and 22, the shaft configurations 10 in the illustrative embodiment of the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 are in relatively close proximity to each other, so the second seal 250 must be formed with a cut 251 to accommodate the proper clearance from the shaft 10 corresponding to the first seal 240. However, in other configurations of adjacent shafts 10, the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 might not require a cut 251. Consequently, the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 is in no way limited by the presence, absence, and / or configuration of a cutout 251. Generally, a cutout 251 could reduce the radial dimension of the fixed stator 210 and / or the faceplate 212, as shown in Figure 21. However, in other configurations, the cutout 251 could alternatively or additionally reduce the radial dimension of the floating stator 220 and / or the rotor 230. Although the illustrative embodiment of a multi-shaft seal assembly 202 is configured to accommodate two shafts 10, other embodiments not shown herein are configured to accommodate more than two shafts 10. Accordingly, the multi-shaft seal assembly 202 is not limited by the number of shafts 10 and / or seals 240, 250 associated with it. ADDITIONAL MODALITIES OF A SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY Another embodiment of a shaft seal assembly 200 is shown in a perspective view in Figure 22A. The illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 22A includes both a stator 310 and a rotor 320, which may rotate relative to each other. The stator 310 may connect to a housing 19 and may surround a shaft 10 that is rotatable relative to and extends from the housing 19. In the illustrative embodiment, an O-ring 303 positioned in an O-ring channel 302 formed in the stator 310 may be used to suitably connect the stator 310 to the housing 19. However, any other suitable method and / or structure may be used to suitably connect the stator 310 to the housing 19 with the shaft seal assembly 300 without departing from the spirit and scope as described herein. The rotor 320 could also surround the shaft 10 and could also be connected to the shaft 10 to rotate with it. In the illustrative embodiment, an O-ring 303 positioned in an O-ring channel 302 formed in the rotor 320 could be used to suitably connect the rotor 320 to the shaft 10. However, any other method and / or structure suitable for suitably connecting the rotor 320 to the shaft 10 could be used with the shaft seal assembly 300 without departing from the spirit and scope as described herein. It is envisaged that this could be particularly suitable for applications in which the shaft 10 and / or the housing 19 are oriented in a generally vertical arrangement and extend upwards relative to the housing 19, although the application of the shaft seal assembly 300 in no way limits its scope.Furthermore, any of the modes of a shaft seal assembly 25, 200, 202 could be configured with advantageous features described herein relating to the mode of a shaft seal assembly 300 shown in Figures 22A-22D without limitation alone or in combination. The stator 310 may be formed with a stator body 311 having one or more axial projections 314 and / or radial projections 315 extending therefrom. Furthermore, an axial projection 314 may extend from a radial projection 315 or vice versa. The embodiment of a shaft seal assembly 300 of Figure 22A is as shown in Figure 22C with the stator 310 and rotor 320 separated from each other. As shown, a projection 312 may be formed on the stator body 311 to provide an interconnection with a housing 19. An O-ring channel 302 may be formed on the projection 312 to accommodate an O-ring 303, facilitating the proper connection of the stator 310 and the housing 19, as described above. Another 302 O-ring channel could form on the inner surface of the stator body rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 311 adjacent to shaft 10. A slip ring 305 could be positioned in this O-ring channel 302 to mitigate lubricant leakage from the housing 19 and contaminant ingress into the housing 19 through the space between shaft 10 and stator 310. The stator body 311 could also be formed with one or more radial holes 313 to facilitate optional sealing fluid (e.g., air, water, etc.), which further mitigates the leakage and / or ingress described above. The rotor 320 could be formed with a rotor body 321 having one or more axial rotor projections 324 and / or radial rotor projections 325 extending therefrom. Furthermore, an axial rotor projection 324 could extend from a radial rotor projection 325, or vice versa. A unifying ring 304 could reside partially within a unifying ring channel 318 formed in the stator 310 and partially within a rotor unifying ring channel 328, and could function to permit only a predetermined amount of relative axial movement between the stator 310 and the rotor 320.From a comparison of Figures 22B and 22C, it will be apparent to those of ordinary experience in the art that the various axial projections 314, radial projections 315, axial channels 316, and / or radial channels 317 formed in the stator 310 could collaborate with several of the rotor axial projections 324, rotor radial projections 325, rotor axial channels 326, and / or rotor radial channels 327 to create a labyrinth seal having a working path and / or circuit of one or more axial channels 316 and / or one or more radial channels 317 for the exit of lubricants from the housing 19 and / or the entry of contaminants into the housing 19.An infinite number of configurations for the various axial projections 314, radial projections 315, axial channels 316, and / or radial channels 317 formed in the stator 310 could collaborate with various rotor axial projections 324, rotor radial projections 325, rotor axial channels 326, and / or rotor radial channels 327, and consequently, the specific number, existence and / or configuration thereof in no way limits the scope of the shaft seal assembly 300 as described and claimed herein. In the illustrative embodiment of a shaft seal assembly 300 shown herein, the axial projections 314, radial projections 315, axial channels 316, and / or radial channels 317 formed in the stator 310 could cooperate with several of the rotor axial projections 324, the rotor radial projections 325, the rotor axial channels 326, and / or the rotor radial channels 327 could be configured to form a first cooperation cavity 306a, a second cooperation cavity 306b, and an axial passage 307 for the first possible point of entry of contaminants.With reference to Figure 22D, which shows the illustrative embodiment of shaft seal assembly 300 connected to a shaft oriented in a generally vertical direction 10 projecting upwards from a housing 19, contaminants must traverse the path of the illustrative embodiment of shaft seal assembly 300, which is excessively tortuous. The only point of entry is a downward-facing end of an axial passage 307, the entry of which requires gravity. After a radial passage 308, contaminants are directed to another axial passage 307, requiring them to overcome gravity once more. This axial passage 307 leads to a first cooperating cavity 306a. Contaminants retained in the first 306a cooperation cavity could simply be drained downwards by gravity. An axial passage 307 at the top of the first 306a cooperation cavity requires contaminants to completely fill the first 306a cooperation cavity and then overcome gravity to exit the first 306a cooperation cavity through the top of the axial passage 307. A radial passage 308 could seamlessly connect the axial passage 307 at the top of the first cooperating cavity 306a with a second cooperating cavity 306b. In the illustrative embodiment, three sides of the second cooperating cavity 306b could be formed by means of the rotor 320, which typically rotates with shaft 10 during use. Consequently, contaminants entering the second cooperating cavity 306b could be ejected radially outward due to the centrifugal force imparted to the contaminants by the rotation of the rotor 320.If contaminants within the second cooperation chamber 306b are drained by gravity through an axial passage 307 at the bottom of the second cooperation chamber 306b, these contaminants must pass through a radial passage 308 before encountering a comparatively long radial passage 308 leading to another axial passage 307 adjacent to the far end of an axial projection 314 formed in the stator 310. Another comparatively long radial passage 308 could be in fluid communication with the axial passage 307 adjacent to the far end of an axial projection 314 formed in the stator 310, the pathway through which the radial passage 308 could be interrupted by a unifying ring 304 occupying a portion of a unifying ring channel 318 formed in the stator 310 and a portion of a rotor unifying ring channel 328.Contaminants must pass through this radial passage 308; these contaminants must also pass through this axial passage 307 in fluid communication with the radial passage 308 before making contact with shaft 10. To enter the housing 19, contaminants positioned on shaft 19 between stator 310 and rotor 320 must pass through a slip ring 305 which, in the illustrative embodiment of a shaft seal assembly 300, could be positioned in an O-ring channel 302 in the stator 310 adjacent to shaft 10. In the illustrative embodiment of the 300 shaft seal assembly shown herein, the various transitions between the axial passages 307 and the radial passages 308 could be configured as right angles. Furthermore, all axial passages 307 could be parallel to each other and perpendicular to all radial passages 308. However, in other embodiments, the axial passages 307 and / or the radial passages 308 could have different orientations without limitation. For example, in an embodiment not shown herein, an axial passage 307 could be angled at 45 degrees to the rotational axis of shaft 10. rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi POROUS MEDIUM SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi LIST OF ELEMENTS (FIGURES 23-270) Description Part No. Shaft 10 Housing 12 Housing contents 13 Porous medium 14 Sealing surface 14a Open surface 14b O-ring 16 Stator 20 Stator groove 20a Bolt cavity 20b Stator main body 21 Port 21a Passage 21b First floating stator portion 22a Second floating stator portion 22b Stator cap 23 Cap groove 23a Connector 24 Bolt 26 Seal 30 Seal convex surface 32 Seal passage 34 Rotor 40 Rotor collar 42 Interconnecting member 44 Rotor connector 46 Deflection member 50 Cone sealing structure 60 First end 62 Second end 64 Retainer 66 Porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 A perspective view of a first illustrative embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 is shown in Figure 23. Unless otherwise indicated, the orientation of all Figures 23 and 25-27C places the fluid side of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 to the left of the figure and the outer side to the right of the figure. In general, the configuration of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 shown in Figure 23 functions in a manner analogous to the configuration of the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1-7 or 9-12. In general, the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 could accommodate angular misalignment of the shaft 10, as well as axial and radial movement of the shaft, using the same principles as those explained above for the shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1-7 or 9-12. Accordingly, the stator 20 could include a main stator body 21 and a first and / or second floating stator portion 22a, 22b positioned within a cavity formed by the main stator body 21 and a stator end cap 23. The seal 30 could be connected to the first and / or second floating stator portion 22a, 22b around a spherical or hemispherical interconnection as described above for the shaft seal assembly 25. Regarding the form of a shaft seal assembly 25 shown in Figures 1-7 or 9-12, a sealing fluid (which can often be pressurized, and which could be a gas, liquid, vapor, and / or combinations thereof) could be introduced into the porous half-shaft seal assembly 100 by means of a port 21a, which could be formed in the stator 20. The sealing fluid could communicate with the seal 30 through the stator 20 (for example, by means of the passages 21b formed in the first and / or second floating stator portions 22a, 22b). It is contemplated that in one embodiment, a plurality of radially oriented passages 21b could be formed in the second portion of the floating stator 22b and could serve to communicate the sealing fluid from an area between the main stator body 21 to the seal 30.These same passages 21b could correspond to one or more seal passages 34 formed in the seal 30; these seal passages 34 could also be oriented radially. In the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, a layer of the porous medium 14 could connect with the surface of the seal 30 that orients the shaft 10, as shown in Figure 23. The porous medium 14 could comprise one or more sealed surfaces 14a and one or more open surfaces 14b. The sealing surfaces 14a could be configured to be impermeable to the desired fluid or fluid group (which could include the sealing fluid). Accordingly, the open surfaces 14b could be configured to be permeable to the desired fluid and / or fluid group (which could include the sealing fluid). In this way, the sealing fluid could be introduced into the porous medium 14 and could exit the porous medium 14 only at the open surfaces 14b, which could constitute the active surface of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. Special compounds are used in the air-filled porous bearing industry to provide this sealing capability. For the embodiment shown in Figure 23, it is contemplated that the axial faces of the porous medium 14 could comprise the sealed surfaces 14a, as well as the surface of the porous medium 14 positioned adjacent to the seal 30.This configuration could serve to retain the internal pressure of the sealing fluid, although other configurations of the sealed surfaces 14a and the open surfaces 14b could be used with the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 without limitation. It is also contemplated that the inner periphery (or a portion thereof) of the porous medium 14 could be configured as an open surface 14b, so that the sealing fluid could exit the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 along the shaft 10. A perspective view of a second illustrative embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 is shown in Figure 24. In general, this embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 operates in a manner analogous to the embodiment of the bearing isolator 18 and / or the shaft seal assembly 200, various embodiments of the rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi which are as shown in Figures 13-18A and as described in detail above. However, in the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, a layer of the porous medium 14 could be connected to the surface of the rotor 40 adjacent to the interconnection between the first floating stator portion 22a and the rotor 40 (which could be configured as a hemispherical interconnection). Alternatively, a layer of the porous medium 14 could connect with the surface of the first floating stator portion 22a adjacent to the interconnection between the first floating stator portion 22a and the rotor 40.Regarding the modality shown in Figure 23, the porous medium 14 in this modality could comprise one or more sealed surfaces 14a and one or more open surfaces 14b. Regarding the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 shown in Figure 23, a sealing fluid could be introduced into the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 through a port 21a, which could be formed in the stator 20. The sealing fluid could communicate with the interconnection between the first floating stator portion 22a and the rotor 40 (for example, through the passages 21b formed in the first floating stator portion 22a). For the embodiment shown in Figure 24, it is envisaged that for most applications it will be advantageous to configure the porous medium 14 in an inner portion of the first floating stator portion 22a, so that the porous medium 14 does not rotate and is secured to the stator 20.In one embodiment, a plurality of radially oriented passages 21b could be formed in the first floating stator portion 22a and could serve to communicate the sealing fluid of a stator slot 20a with the interconnection between the first floating stator portion 22a and the rotor 40. These same passages 21b could correspond to one or more open surfaces 14b in the porous medium 14 adjacent to the first floating stator portion 22a. It is further contemplated that the axial faces of the porous medium 14 could comprise the sealed surfaces 14a, as well as at least a portion of the porous medium 14 surface positioned adjacent to the first floating stator portion 22a (e.g., any portion of this surface that does not align with passage 21b). This configuration could serve to retain the internal pressure of the sealing fluid. It is also contemplated that the inner periphery (or a portion thereof) of the porous medium 14 could be configured as an open surface 14b, so that the sealing fluid could exit the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 along the interconnection between the first floating stator portion 22a and the rotor 40. However, other configurations of the sealed surfaces 14a and the open surfaces 14b with the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 could be used without limitation. Furthermore, in any of the configurations of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, one or more O-rings (with or without a corresponding groove) could be used to provide a seal between different surfaces. In another embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, not depicted herein but similar to that shown in Figure 24, the rotor 40 may comprise two separate portions deflected away from each other (and consequently, toward the stator 20). The deflecting member may be a magnetic field, a spring, or any other suitable method and / or apparatus for deflecting the relevant portions away from each other. The sealing fluid may serve to push the two portions toward each other. Consequently, the deflecting member may cooperate with the rotor 40 and the stator 20 (and / or the first and / or second floating stator portions 22a, 22b) to physically seal the housing 12 from the external environment in the event of a pressurized fluid leak in the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. The upper portion of another embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 is shown in cross-section in Figure 25. In this embodiment, the rotor 40 may include a rotor collar 42 and an interconnecting member 44. The rotor collar 42 may be connected to the shaft 10 so that the axial position of the rotor collar 42 on the shaft 10 may be fixed. This connection may be achieved by means of a rotor connector 46, which may be an adjusting or regulating screw as shown in the illustrative embodiment. However, any suitable structure and / or method may be used to properly connect the rotor collar 42 to the shaft 10, and the scope of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 is in no way limited by the structure and / or method used. The interconnecting member 44 may be configured to move along a portion of the shaft 10 in the axial dimension.An O-ring 16 could be positioned in a groove in the interconnecting member 44 adjacent to the shaft 10 and can be configured to allow movement of the interconnecting member 44 with respect to the shaft 10 in the axial dimension with a predetermined amount of force applied to the interconnecting member 44 in an axial dimension with respect to the shaft 10. The stator 20 may be connected to the housing 12. This connection may be achieved by any structure and / or method suitable for the specific application of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, including but not limited to mechanical fasteners, press-fit connections, chemical adhesives, and / or combinations thereof. A deflection member 50 may be used to push the interconnecting member 44 of the rotor 40 toward a portion of the stator 20. Consequently, the axial position of the interconnecting member 44 on the shaft 10 may be variable as described above. In the embodiments described above, a layer of the porous medium 14 may be positioned between the fixed and rotating portions of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. The porous medium 14 may comprise one or more sealed surfaces 14a and one or more open surfaces 14b. A sealing fluid may be introduced into the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 by means of a port 21a, which may be formed in the stator 20. The sealing fluid may communicate with the porous medium 14 by means of one or more passages 21b formed in the stator 20. In the embodiment shown in Figure 25, the interconnecting member 44 may be rotated with respect to the stator 20, so that a layer of the porous medium 14 may be positioned on the stator 20. In the embodiment shown in Figure 25, the deflection member 50 may comprise a single spring positioned on the outer diameter of the shaft 10. However, other types of deflection members 50 may be used without limitation.The corresponding protrusions and / or recesses rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi formed in the rotor collar 42 and / or the interconnecting member 44 could be used to adequately retain the deflection member 50 within the porous medium shaft seal 100. The sealing fluid could communicate with the porous medium 14 in a series around the stator 20. The porous medium 14 could be configured such that only the surfaces adjacent to the passage 21b in the stator 20 and the surface of the porous medium 14 adjacent to the interconnecting member 44 of the rotor 40 are the open surfaces 14b, and the remaining surfaces of the porous medium could be configured as the sealed surfaces 14a. In this configuration, the sealing fluid could exit the stator 20 adjacent to an interconnecting member 44 of the rotor 40 (in the direction shown by the arrows in Figure 25) to form an air barrier between them (which could be configured as any air bearing).Consequently, the flow characteristics of the sealing fluid could be manipulated so that, under normal operating conditions, the sealing fluid acts against the deflector member 50 and pushes the interconnecting member 44 out of the porous medium 14. If the flow characteristics of the sealing fluid are deflected in a predetermined way (e.g., pressure drop), the force of the deflector member 50 could overcome the force of the sealing fluid and cause the interconnecting member 44 to make contact with the porous medium 14, thereby closing the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 and isolating its interior from its exterior. However, other configurations of the sealed and open surfaces 14a, 14b could be used without limitation. An axial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 is shown in Figure 26. This embodiment is similar to that shown in Figure 25 and could be configured to operate in a similar mode to that shown in Figure 25. The rotor collar 42 and interconnecting member 44 could be connected to the shaft 10, and the stator 20 could be connected to a housing 12 in any of the modes described above for the embodiment shown in Figure 25, and the structure and / or method used for it in no way limits the scope of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. The embodiment shown in Figure 26 could employ multiple deflection members 50 between the rotor collar 42 and the interconnecting member 44. Accordingly, in the embodiment shown in Figure 25, one or more deflection members could be positioned around the periphery of the shaft 10 in a series or other arrangement. It is contemplated that both the embodiment shown in Figure 25 and the embodiment shown in Figure 26 could be configured to mount directly in a housing 12 having a rotating shaft 10 protruding from the housing 12, or either embodiment could be configured for use in conjunction with a stuffing box, wherein the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 could be used in addition to or instead of a packing material. A cone sealing structure 60 is shown in the embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, as shown in Figure 27A. In this embodiment, the cone sealing structure 60 may be mounted internally or externally in a housing 12, depending on the specific application, as described in further detail later. The cone sealing structure 60 may include a first end 62 and a second end 64. In the illustrative embodiment shown in detail in Figure 27B, the first end 62 may provide a connection area for the shaft 10, and the second end 64 may provide a connection area for the rotor 40. The first end 62 may be connected to a shaft 10 by means of a fastener 66 that connects to a portion of the first end 62. The second end 64 may be connected to a rotor 40 by means of a fastener 66 that connects to a portion of the second end 64.Both fasteners could be configured as elastomeric members, wherein the fastener for the first end 62 comprises an elastomeric band and the fastener for the second end 64 comprises an elastomeric ring. Each fastener 66 could be configured to permit a certain amount of movement of the first end 62 with respect to the second end 64. However, any suitable fastener 66 could be used without limitation, including but not limited to chemical adhesives, other mechanical fasteners, and / or combinations thereof. An O-ring 16 could be positioned between the lower surface of the rotor 40 and the shaft 10 and is configured to permit movement of the rotor 40 with respect to the shaft 10 in the axial dimension with a predetermined amount of force applied to the interconnecting member 44 in an axial dimension with respect to the shaft 10. As in the previous embodiments described herein, a deflector member 50 could be used to deflect a portion of the cone sealing structure 60 toward or away from a second surface, which could be a portion of a housing 12 or a stator 20 mounted thereon. In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 27A, a stator 20 could be connected to a housing 12. This engagement could be achieved by any suitable structure and / or method as previously described herein for other embodiments of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 without limitation. The force of the deflector member 50 could be opposed by pressurized fluid flowing through a portion of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. The force of the deflector member 50 could be supplemented by fluid within a vessel moving in the cone sealing structure 60 in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the deflector member 50 moves in the cone sealing structure 60. Alternatively, the cone sealing structure 60 could have an integrated deflector member between the first and second ends 62, 64. In general, it is envisaged that the porous medium could be applied and / or connected, in the most advantageous manner, to a non-rotating portion of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 to limit the complexity of supplying the sealing fluid to the porous medium. For the embodiments shown in Figures 27A-27C, the cone sealing structure 60 could be rotated with the shaft 10 by means of the clutch or connection between the first end 62 and the shaft 10, which, consequently, could cause the second end 64 and the rotor 40 to rotate. Consequently, it is envisaged that the porous medium 14 could be applied and / or connected, in the most advantageous manner, to a stator surface 20 that orients the rotor 40 for those embodiments. However, in other embodiments, it could be advantageous to apply the porous medium 14 to elements and / or surfaces other than the porous medium itself.For example, in an embodiment not shown herein, the cone sealing structure 60 could be connected to a housing 12 adjacent to the second end 64, such that the cone sealing structure 60 does not rotate with the shaft 10. A rotor 40 could be connected to the shaft 10 so that it rotates with it, and such that a portion of the rotor 40 is positioned adjacent to the first end of the cone sealing structure 60. The porous medium 14 could be connected to the first end 62 either directly through the first end 62 of the cone sealing structure or through a stator 20 connected to the cone sealing structure 60. In any configuration (the fixed or rotational cone sealing structure 60), the sealing fluid may communicate with the porous medium 14 of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 by means of one or more of the ports 21a and / or passages 21b as described above for other embodiments of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. The porous medium 14 may be configured with sealed surfaces 14a and open surfaces 14b to retain the internal pressure of the sealing fluid, as described above for other embodiments of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. Also as described above for other embodiments, the flow characteristics of the sealing fluid may be controlled so that under normal operating conditions, the sealing fluid moves against the deflector member 50 and pushes the rotor 40 out of the porous medium 14.If the flow characteristics of the sealing fluid are deflected in a predetermined way (for example, by a pressure drop), the force of the deflecting member 50 could overcome the force of the sealing fluid and cause the rotor 40 to make contact with the porous medium 14, thereby closing the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 and isolating its interior from its exterior. However, other configurations of the sealed and open surfaces 14a, 14b may be used without limitation. Another embodiment of a porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 using a cone-shaped sealing structure 60 is shown in detail in Figure 27C. This embodiment could operate in a substantially identical manner to the embodiment shown in Figure 27B. However, the porous medium 14 could be configured as a ring embedded in the stator 20. The porous medium 14 could comprise the sealed surfaces 14a and the open surfaces 14b, as described above for other embodiments of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100. The porous medium 14 could be secured to the stator 20 by any suitable method and / or structure, including but not limited to mechanical interlocking, mechanical fasteners, chemical adhesives, and / or combinations thereof. It is envisaged that the embodiments shown in Figures 27A-27C could be positioned in a pump gland or other housing. The cone-shaped sealing structure 60 could be used instead of the packing, which is normally employed in a gland. Alternatively, the embodiments shown in Figures 27A-27C could be mounted outside a housing 12 instead of inside a gland. In the various configurations shown in Figures 25-27D, the seal fluid flow characteristics (pressure, flow rate, and surface configuration over which the seal fluid flows) required to overcome the force of the deflection member 50 and to separate the porous medium 14 from the opposite face create a pressurized fluid barrier between the porous medium 14 and the opposite face. However, unlike the mechanical seals found in the prior art, the porous medium shaft seal 100 is not sensitive to separation between the porous medium 14 and the opposite face. If a clearance or separation exists, the seal fluid pressure can be adjusted to prevent product leakage from the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 and the entry of contaminants into the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100.Furthermore, in the embodiments shown in Figures 25-27C, the fluid pressure of the product inside the container (or housing 12) could push together the porous medium 14 and the opposite face to close any gap between them. The porous medium 14 may consist of carbon graphite or any other suitable natural or synthetic material. It is envisaged that the porous medium 14 may have characteristics that allow the fluid pressure to be uniformly distributed throughout the porous medium 14. Furthermore, it is envisaged that certain surfaces of the porous medium 14 may be configured as the sealing surfaces 14a, such that the fluid within the porous medium 14 cannot escape from the porous medium 14 through these sealing surfaces 14a. The sealing fluid used to prevent the sealing fluid from escaping the porous medium 14 may be any suitable sealing fluid for the particular application of the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100, and in some applications, it may consist of an epoxy material.The porous medium 14 could be connected to and / or secured to the desired element using any suitable method and / or structure including but not limited to mechanical fasteners, snap-fit ​​securing, O-rings 16, chemical adhesives, and / or combinations thereof without limitation. Typically, during operation, the porous medium 14 could become saturated with the sealing fluid introduced through port 21a (this sealing fluid could communicate with the porous medium 14 via one or more passages 21b in the stator 20 and / or the sealing passages 34 in the seal 30), and consequently, it could flow out of the porous medium 14 through any open surface 14a at a predetermined and generally predictable rate. Therefore, the porous medium 14 could act as a regulator of the sealing fluid flow regardless of the separation between the open surfaces 14a of the porous medium 14 and adjacent components (e.g., shaft 10 in Figure 23). This results in the sealing fluid consumption being determined by the characteristics of the porous medium 14 rather than by the separation between the porous medium 14 and the other relevant structure. Consequently, in this configuration, this separation could impose product pressure within the housing 12 and / or another structure different from the porous medium shaft seal assembly 100 can effectively seal. If air were used as the sealing fluid, then the air could act as a lubricant between the porous medium 14 and an adjacent component. This configuration rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi could allow for lower air consumption and a more predictable air velocity compared to product seals found in the prior art. ADDITIONAL ASPECTS OF A SHAFT SEAL ASSEMBLY LIST OF ELEMENTS (FIGURES 28A-29) rcon ίη / ζζηζ / E / γίΛΐ Description Part No. Shaft Seal Surface 10 Housing 12 Shaft 14 Radial Shaft Clearance 15 Drive Ring 16 Radial Housing Clearance 17 Theoretical Gasket 18 Seal Ring 19 Stator 20 Stator Main Body 20a Stator / Shaft Clearance 21 Stator Inward Radial Projection 22 Annular Recess 22a Stator / Rotor Radial Clearance 23 Barrier 24 Outer Groove 24a Projection 24b Stator / Rotor Axial Clearance 25 Collection Groove 26 Drain 26a Inner Wall 28a Outer Wall 28b Floor 28c Stator Seal Ring Groove 29 Rotor 30 Rotor Main Body 30a Rotor Axial Projection 32 Rotor Seal Ring Groove 39 In one aspect, a shaft seal assembly 10, such as that shown in Figures 28A and 28E herein, could be specifically designed to provide a level of protection at the level of the industry standard IP-66, as defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) IP level of protection codes (IEC Standard 60529). In one aspect of a shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A-28D, the shaft seal assembly 10 could achieve this level of performance over a much shorter axial length (in one aspect, 9.5 mm (0.375 in), although not limited to this unless so stated in the following claims) than has been previously possible. Providing this level of protection to a smaller shaft seal assembly 10 allows the IP-66 level of protection to be applied to smaller rotating equipment than was possible in the prior art. In one aspect, the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A-28E and 29 could comprise a stator 20 and a rotor 30. In general, the stator 20 and rotor 30 could work together to prevent contaminants from entering a housing 12 having a shaft 14 protruding therefrom, while at the same time preventing lubricant from escaping from the housing 12. The stator 20 of the shaft seal assembly 10 could include a main stator body 20a and could be mounted in a relatively fixed housing 14 (which could be a housing 14 having an electric motor therein, although this housing 14 is not thus limited unless so indicated in the following claims). The rotor 30 may include a rotor main body 30a and may be mounted on a rotating shaft 14 protruding from the housing 12, such that the rotor 30 rotates with the shaft 14. In one aspect, the rotor 30 may be connected to the shaft 14 by means of a drive ring 16. The drive ring 16 may be constructed of an elastomeric material and may be configured to seal a radial shaft gap 15 between the shaft 16 and the rotor 30. The drive ring 16 may also be configured to cause the rotor 20 to rotate with the shaft 16. The stator 20 may be connected to the housing 12 by means of an O-ring 18. This O-ring 18 may be employed in conjunction with an interference fit between the outer surface of the stator 20 and the inner surface of the housing 12. In one aspect, an outer portion of the stator 20 may be configured with a stepped annular channel. where the O-ring 18 could be positioned.The stepped feature of the annular channel could be positioned on the inner side of the annular channel, such that the outer side of the annular channel is deeper (i.e., larger in the radial dimension) than the inner side of the annular channel. It is envisaged that this annular channel configuration could facilitate the installation of the shaft seal assembly 10 in a housing 12, while simultaneously providing adequate sealing between the stator 20 and the housing 12, at least in part, by means of the O-ring 18. The O-ring 18 could be constructed of an elastomeric material and could be configured to seal a radial space 17 between the housing 12 and the stator 20.However, the stator 20 could be connected to and / or secured in a housing 12 and the rotor 30 could be connected to and / or secured on a shaft 14 using any type of structures and / or methods (several of which are described above for other embodiments of a bearing isolator 18 and / or shaft seal assemblies 25, 200 and which include, but are not limited to, mechanical fasteners, chemical adhesives, welding, press fit, and / or combinations thereof) without limitation unless so indicated in the following claims. In one aspect of a shaft seal assembly 10 as shown in Figures 28A-29, the entire rotor 30 could be positioned within a portion of the stator 20, so that the rotor 30 could be effectively encapsulated by the stator 20. That is, the shaft seal assembly 10 could be configured so that its surfaces directly exposed to the external environment could be the surfaces of the stator 20 instead of one or more of the surfaces of the rotor 30, so that the entire rotor 30 is positioned inward with respect to at least one surface of the stator 20. It is envisaged that this configuration could provide improved sealing attributes in a smaller axial dimension when compared to the prior art. The shaft seal assembly 10 could be configured to effectively seal (and / or mitigate) contamination by preventing it from entering the housing 12. In one aspect, an inward radial projection of the outer stator 22 could form a stator / shaft gap 21 between the far end of the inward radial projection of the outer stator 22 and the shaft 14. The resulting stator / shaft gap 21 could be configured as a close-space seal gap between the inward radial projection of the outer stator 22 and the shaft 14. This close-space seal gap could serve to prevent and / or mitigate the entry of contaminants due to the small space available for these contaminants. Any contaminants that enter the shaft seal assembly 10 through the stator / shaft gap 21 could subsequently encounter a first radial stator / rotor gap 22.In one respect, a first radial separation of stator / rotor 22 could be formed between the corresponding radially oriented surfaces of the stator 20 and the rotor 30. rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi The first radial stator / rotor separation 23 could be in communication with and / or could lead to an axial stator / rotor separation 25. As shown, the first radial stator / rotor separation 23 could be perpendicular to the axial stator / rotor separation 25, although other orientations between them could be used (e.g., less than ninety degrees, greater than ninety degrees) without limiting the scope of the shaft seal assembly 10 unless so indicated in the following claims. The axial stator / rotor gap 23 may be in communication with and / or lead to a second radial stator / rotor gap 25. As shown, the second radial stator / rotor gap 23 may be perpendicular to the axial stator / rotor gap 25, although other orientations between them (e.g., less than ninety degrees, greater than ninety degrees) may be used without limiting the scope of the shaft seal assembly 10 unless so indicated in the following claims. Generally, it is contemplated that in one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10, the radial stator / rotor gaps 23 and / or the axial stator / rotor gaps 25 may be configured to prevent the entry of contaminants into the shaft seal assembly 10. Contaminants passing through the stator / rotor radial separations 23 and / or the stator / rotor axial separations 25 could encounter a collection slot 26, which could form in the stator 20 and could be relatively large in size compared to the stator / rotor radial separations 23 and / or the stator / rotor axial separations 25. For example, in one aspect, the axial length of the collection slot 25 could be more than ten times larger than the stator / rotor axial separation 25 and the radial depth of the collection slot 25 could be more than ten times larger than the stator / rotor radial separations 23. Next, with specific reference to Figure 28C, the boundary of the inwardly oriented radial surface of the collection slot 26 (where the inward direction is generally in the direction toward the left side of Figure 28C and the outward direction is generally in the direction toward the right side of Figure 28C) could be formed as an inner wall 28a. The radially oriented outer surface of the collection slot 26 could be formed as an outer wall 28b. Together, the inner wall 28a and the outer wall 28b could serve to define the width of the collection slot 26 (where width is used to denote the axial dimension of the collection slot 26).In one aspect of shaft seal assembly 10, the height of the inner wall 28a (i.e., the radial dimension) could be large enough to accommodate a predetermined volume of contaminants within the collection groove without rising to a level that could cause contaminants to flow through the far end of the inner wall 28a. During operation, it is envisaged that the rotor 30 could transmit centrifugal force to contaminants passing through the radial stator / rotor clearances 23 and / or the axial stator / rotor clearances 25 and encountering the collection slot 26. This centrifugal force could cause the contaminants to move radially outward to the axially oriented surface of the collection slot 26, this surface being referred to herein as a floor 28c. With reference once again to Figures 28B and 28C, contaminants in contact with the floor 28c, the inner wall 28a, and the outer wall 28b could drain by gravity to the lower portion of the collection slot 26, exiting the shaft seal assembly through a drain 26a in fluid communication with the collection slot 26.In general, a drain 26a could be formed in a portion of an outer groove 24a (this outer groove 24 is discussed in further detail later) to provide a pathway for fluid passage from the collection groove 26 to an outer groove 24a. In one aspect, it could be advantageous to position the drain 26a at the lowest point of the collection groove 26 to aid in the expulsion of contaminants from the shaft seal assembly 10. In another aspect, it could be advantageous to position a barrier 24 adjacent to and on the outer side of the drain 26a. Still with reference to Figure 28C, a barrier 24 could be configured as an annular wall extending radially. It is envisaged that this barrier 24 could prevent the direct entry of contaminants into the shaft seal assembly 10 and / or the collection groove 26. In one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10, the far edges of the barrier 24 could be rounded and / or smooth. As shown in Figures 28B and 28C, the corners at the far end of the barrier 24 could be curved or otherwise configured so that they are not right angles.It is envisaged that this configuration could at least prevent the removal of protrusions and / or unintended capture of foreign objects in the stator 20, which could increase the safety of operators near the shaft seal assembly 10. Furthermore, an annular barrier 24 such as the one shown in Figures 28A - 29 could facilitate an external slot rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 24a, which could be formed as an annular channel on an axially oriented outer surface of the stator 20. The annular barrier 24 could collaborate with an annular projection 24b to form two axially oriented walls of an outer groove 24a. It is envisaged that an outer groove 24a could serve to guide contaminants on the outer face of the housing 12 around the bore of the housing 12 (in which a portion of the shaft seal assembly 10 could be positioned), thereby reducing the likelihood of contaminants entering the shaft seal assembly 10 through the stator / shaft gap 21 and / or reducing the exposure of the stator / shaft gap 21 to contaminants on the outer face of the housing 12. The rotor 30 could be formed with an axial rotor projection 32. In one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10, it is contemplated that an axial rotor projection 32 could collaborate with an annular recess 22a formed in the inward radial projection of the stator 22 to form one or more radial stator / rotor gaps 23 and / or one or more axial stator / rotor gaps 25. Although in one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A-29, two radial stator / rotor gaps 23 are depicted with an axial stator / rotor gap 25 positioned between them adjacent to the axial rotor projection 32, the scope of the present description is not thus limited unless indicated in the following claims.Accordingly, in other aspects of the shaft seal assembly 10, additional axial rotor projections 32 could be formed on the rotor 30 together with additional cooperating annular recesses 22a formed in the inward radial projection of the stator to facilitate additional radial stator / rotor clearances 23 and / or one or more axial stator / rotor clearances 25. For example, and as described in further detail below, a sealing ring 19 between the stator 20 and the rotor 30 could be positioned so that the axial rotor / stator clearance 25 could be positioned on either side of the sealing ring 19. A phenomenon observed in the study of the prior art is that the air movement caused by the rotation of the rotor 30 within a large annular channel (such as the collection groove 26) could lead to the formation of a lubricant bubble. The lubricant bubble could form when the air movement caused by the rotation of the rotor 30 prevents contaminants within the collection groove 26 from exiting the shaft seal assembly 10 through the drain 26a. If the lubricant bubble grows large enough to contact the rotor 30, the seal is likely to fail due to the escape of contaminants through the seal and into the housing 12.Configuring the collection groove 26 so that its radial dimension (depth) is sufficiently large relative to the shaft diameter 14 to avoid and / or mitigate the probability of a lubricant bubble making contact with the rotor 30 increases the performance capabilities of the shaft seal assembly 10. In one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A–29, the dimensions of the collection groove 26 could be correlated with the entire length (axial dimension) of the shaft seal assembly 10. For example, if the entire length of the shaft seal assembly 10 is 9.5 mm (0.375 in.), the collection groove 26 could be configured to be 3.81 mm (0.150 in.) deep and 4.45 mm (0.175 in.) wide. In this aspect, the width of the collection groove 26 could be approximately 46.7% of the entire length of the shaft seal assembly 10, and the depth of the collection groove 26 could be approximately 40.0% of the entire length of the shaft seal assembly 10.However, the shaft seal assembly 10 could employ other relative dimensions of the entire length of the shaft seal assembly 10 with respect to the depth and / or width of the collection groove 26 without limitation unless so indicated in the following claims. In one aspect, if the diameter of shaft 14 is 50.8 mm (2.0 in.), the depth of the collection groove 26 could be 9.52 mm (0.375 in.). Consequently, the depth of the collection groove 26 could be approximately 19% of the diameter of shaft 14. The radial dimension (width) of the collection groove 26 could also be 9.52 mm (0.375 in.), so that it could also be approximately 19% of the diameter of shaft 14. However, in other aspects of the shaft seal assembly 10, the depth and / or width of the collection groove 26 could be larger than approximately 19% of the diameter of shaft 14 without limitation unless so stated in the following claims.And still in other aspects of the shaft seal assembly 10, the depth and / or width of the collection groove 26 could be less than approximately 19% of the shaft diameter 14 without limitation unless so indicated in the following claims. A sealing ring 19 could be positioned between the stator 20 and the rotor 30 in an inward direction with respect to the collection groove 26. The sealing ring 19 could serve as an additional barrier to the entry of contaminants into the housing 12 through the seal and / or the lubricant outlet of the housing 12. A stator sealing ring groove 29 and a rotor sealing ring groove 39 could work together to position the sealing ring 19 between the stator 20 and the rotor 30 appropriately. In one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A-29, the shaft seal assembly 10 could be configured such that one axial stator / rotor gap 25 leads to the sealing ring 19 on the outer side of the shaft, and another axial stator / rotor gap 25 leads to the sealing ring on the inner side. internal to the same. In one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A-28E, the width (axial dimension) of both the stator sealing ring groove 29 and the rotor sealing ring groove 39 could be approximately the same as each other and the cross-sectional width of the sealing ring 19. However, as described below, other configurations exist, and the specific configuration of the stator sealing ring groove 29 and the rotor sealing ring groove 39 in no way limits the scope of the shaft seal assembly 10 unless so stated in the following claims. In one respect, the sealing ring 19 could be static with respect to the rotor 30, and the sealing ring 19 could be configured so that it does not rotate with the shaft 14. One benefit of a static sealing ring 19 that does not rotate with the rotor 30 and / or the shaft 14 is that the sealing ring 19 could provide and may function as another tight gap seal in a manner similar to that described above for the stator / shaft 21 separation. Simultaneously, the sealing ring 19 could be configured so that it allows the rotor 20 to move in both the radial and axial directions with the corresponding movements of the shaft 12 while avoiding and / or mitigating the metal-to-metal contact that is usually associated with those types of shaft 12 movements.In one aspect, when metal-to-metal contact is avoided and / or mitigated, the longevity or useful life of the shaft seal assembly 10 is generally increased and / or premature failure of the same is avoided and / or mitigated. In one respect, the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figures 28A-29 could be disassembled, unlike many of the bearing seals and / or insulators of the prior art. Furthermore, one aspect of this shaft seal assembly 10, which has a portion of the stator 20, being the outermost portion of the entire shaft seal assembly 10 (i.e., 12), could reduce the likelihood of separation of the rotor 30 from the stator 20 during the installation of the shaft seal assembly 10 with the equipment housing 12. That is, a portion of the inward radial projection of stator 22 immediately adjacent to the rotor 30 (i.e., in one aspect, the distant portion of the radial projection into stator 22) could prevent and / or mitigate unwanted movement of the rotor 30 in an axially outward direction during the installation of the shaft seal assembly 10 as the rotor 30 connects with shaft 14.Because the rotor 30 could be secured to the shaft 14 by means of a drive ring 16 having elastomeric properties, it is envisaged that in this configuration a predetermined amount of axially directed force will be required to push the rotor 30 into the proper position on the shaft 14. It is envisaged that to install the shaft seal assembly 10, a user could apply the axially directed force to the outer surface of the inward radial projection of the stator 22 (this surface could be collinear with the outer surface of the barrier 24), and could temporarily connect between the inner surface of the inward radial projection of the stator 22 and the rotor 30 during installation. This force could then be imparted to the rotor 30 to move it axially in the same direction as the stator 20 until the shaft seal assembly 10 is properly positioned with respect to the housing 12 and the shaft 14.The stator 20 could be formed with an annular projection 24b (as discussed above in relation to an outer groove 24a that could be formed in the stator 20), which could serve at least in part to properly locate the stator 20 and / or the shaft seal assembly 10 with respect to the housing 12. In one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figure 29, the stator sealing ring groove 29 and / or the rotor sealing ring groove 39 may be configured differently than those shown in the shaft seal assembly in Figures 28A-28E. The cross-sectional area of ​​the rotor sealing ring groove 39 may be smaller in the aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figure 29 than in the aspect shown in Figures 28A-28E. The smaller cross-sectional area may result from the reduced width (in the axial dimension) and / or depth (in the radial dimension). In this respect, a smaller volume of a sealing ring 19 is positioned within the rotor sealing ring groove 39 when compared to the volume of a sealing ring 19 positioned within the rotor sealing ring groove 39 shown in Figures 28As-28E.Advantageously, it is envisaged that the rotor sealing ring groove 39 could be deep enough to prevent the sealing ring 19 from being axially misaligned with the rotor sealing ring groove 39 during installation. Furthermore, it is envisaged that configuring the rotor sealing ring groove 39 with a width approximately equal to the cross-sectional width of the sealing ring 19 could serve to mitigate and / or prevent axial misalignment between the sealing ring 19 and the rotor sealing ring groove 39 during the installation of the shaft seal assembly 10. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the stator sealing ring groove 29 may be smaller in one aspect of the shaft seal assembly 10 shown in Figure 29 than in the aspect shown in Figures 28A-28E. The smaller cross-sectional area may result from the reduced width (in the axial dimension) and / or depth (in the radial dimension). In other aspects of a shaft seal assembly 10, the stator sealing ring groove 29 and / or the rotor sealing ring groove 39 may be configured differently without limitation unless otherwise specified in the following claims.Accordingly, the specific quantity of O-ring 17 positioned within the annular groove in the rotor and the specific quantity of O-ring 17 positioned within the annular groove in the stator in no way limit the scope of this description unless so indicated in the following claims. It is contemplated that for some applications of the shaft seal assembly 10, it might be advantageous to increase the depth of the stator sealing ring groove 29 to accommodate the radial expansion rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi of the sealing ring 19.However, it might be desirable to ensure that the depth of the stator sealing ring groove 29 is selected so that it is no larger than the cross-sectional width of the sealing ring 19, so that when the sealing ring 19 is at the radial limit of the stator sealing ring groove 29, contaminants do not have a straight path between the sealing ring 19 and the rotor 30 to the inner side of the shaft seal assembly 10. The materials used to construct shaft seal assemblies 10, 25, 100, 200, 202, and various components thereof, will vary depending on the specific application. However, it is envisaged that bronze, brass, stainless steel, or other non-sparkling materials and / or metal alloys and / or combinations thereof could be particularly useful for some applications. Accordingly, the aforementioned components may be constructed of any material known to persons skilled in the art or subsequently developed, provided that such material is suitable for the specific application of the shaft seal assembly, without departing from the spirit and scope of shaft seal assemblies 25, 100, 200, and 202 as described and claimed herein.Furthermore, the drive ring 16, the O-ring 18, and / or the sealing ring 19 could be constructed of any suitable material for the specific application of the shaft seal assembly 10, this material including but not limited to polymers, synthetic materials, elastomers, natural materials, and / or combinations thereof without limitation unless so indicated in the following claims. Having described the preferred embodiments, other features of the shaft seal assemblies described herein will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art, as well as numerous modifications and alterations to the embodiments illustrated herein, all of which could be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the shaft seal assemblies described herein. Accordingly, the methods and embodiments represented and described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and the scope of this description extends to all methods and / or structures that provide the various benefits and / or features of the shaft seal assemblies unless otherwise indicated in the following claims.Furthermore, the methods and modalities represented and described herein are not in any way limiting the scope of the support cover 10 unless so indicated in the following claims. 100 It is understood that the shaft seal assemblies described herein extend to all alternative combinations of one or more of the individual features mentioned, which are evident from the text and / or figures, and / or are inherently described. All these different combinations constitute distinct alternative aspects of the shaft seal assemblies and / or their components. The embodiments described herein explain the best known methods for implementing the shaft seal assemblies and / or their components and will enable other persons skilled in the art to utilize them. The claims shall be construed to include the alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art. While shaft seal assemblies have been described in connection with preferred embodiments and specific examples, the scope is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments indicated, since the embodiments herein are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects. Unless expressly stated otherwise, no method described herein is intended to be interpreted as requiring its steps to be performed in a specific order. In rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 101 Consequently, where a method claim does not actually state the order in which its steps will be followed, or where it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps will be limited to a specific order, the order is in no way intended to be inferred in any respect. This holds to any possible unexpressed basis for interpretation, including, but not limited to: the matter of logic with respect to the arrangement of steps or operational flow; the meaning of the plan derived from the organization or grammatical punctuation; the number or type of modalities described in the specification. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope or spirit. Other embodiments will be clear to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice described herein. The specification and examples are intended to be illustrative only, with the true spirit and scope indicated by the following claims. OTHER IMPLEMENTATIONS: CLAUSES 1. A shaft seal assembly, comprising; a stator configured to connect with a housing, the stator comprising: rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 102 a. a main stator body; b. an inward radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, wherein a distant end of the inward radial stator projection is configured to provide stator / shaft clearance between the distant end of the inward radial stator projection and a shaft extending from the housing; and, iii. a collection slot adjacent to the inward radial stator projection, wherein an inner side of the inward radial stator projection forms an inner wall of the collection slot; b. a rotor positioned within the stator, the rotor is configured to connect to the shaft, the rotor comprises: i. a main rotor body; ii. an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body, wherein the axial rotor projection is positioned adjacent to the far end of the inward radial stator projection, wherein none of the rotor surfaces are directly exposed to the external environment. 2. The shaft seal assembly according to clause 1, wherein the stator further comprises an annular recess formed at the far end of the radial projection rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 103 inwards. 3. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1-2, wherein the annular recess collaborates with the axial rotor projection to form a first radial stator / rotor separation and an axial stator / rotor separation between the stator and the rotor. 4. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2 or 3, wherein the annular recess and rotor axial projection are further defined as working together to form a second radial stator / rotor separation between the stator and the rotor. 5. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the stator further comprises a barrier extending radially outward from the main stator body. 6. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the stator further comprises a projection extending radially outward from the main stator body. 7. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the stator further comprises an outer groove positioned between the projection and the barrier. 8. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein the stator comprises rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 104 also a drain in fluid communication with the collection slot. 9. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the stator further comprises a stator sealing ring groove formed in the main stator body. 10. The shaft seal assembly according to clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the rotor further comprises a rotor sealing ring groove formed in the main rotor body, and wherein the shaft seal assembly further comprises a sealing ring, wherein a first portion of the sealing ring is positioned in the stator sealing ring groove, and wherein a second portion of the sealing ring is positioned in the rotor sealing ring groove. 11. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, wherein an axial dimension of the stator sealing ring groove is defined that is approximately equal to the axial dimension of the rotor sealing ring groove, and wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the sealing ring groove is smaller than the axial dimension of the stator sealing ring groove. 12. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, where the rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 105 The radial dimension of the stator sealing ring groove is defined as being larger than the radial dimension of the rotor sealing ring groove, and wherein the radial dimension of the rotor sealing ring groove is larger than its axial dimension. 13. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein the first radial stator / rotor clearance and the second radial stator / rotor clearance are defined as generally parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axial stator / rotor clearance. 14. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein the width of the collection groove in the axial dimension is approximately 4-6% of the entire length of the shaft seal assembly in the axial dimension. 15. The shaft seal assembly in accordance with clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14, wherein the depth of the collection groove in the radial dimension is approximately 40% of the entire length of the shaft seal assembly in the axial dimension. 16. A method comprising: a. connecting a stator to a housing, wherein the stator comprises: i. a main stator body; rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 106 ii. an inward radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, wherein a distant end of the inward radial stator projection is configured to provide stator / shaft clearance between the distant end of the inward radial stator projection and a shaft extending from the housing; and, iii. a collection slot adjacent to the inward radial stator projection, wherein an inner side of the inward radial stator projection forms an inner wall of the collection slot; b. connecting a rotor to the extending shaft that can rotate with respect to the housing, the rotor comprising: i. a main rotor body; ii. an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body, wherein the axial rotor projection is positioned adjacent to the far end of the inward radial stator projection, wherein none of the rotor surfaces are directly exposed to the external environment; c. collect a contaminant in the collection slot; and, d. allow the contaminant to exit the shaft seal assembly by means of a drain in fluid communication rcon ίη / ζζηζ / E / γίΛΐ 107 with the collection slot. 17. The method in accordance with clause 16, wherein the collection slot is further defined as comprising an inner wall axially separated from an outer wall by a floor. 18. The method in accordance with clause 16 or 17, further comprising ensuring that the inner and outer walls are sufficiently deep to prevent a lubricant bubble within the collection groove from making contact with the rotor. 19. A method for installing a shaft seal assembly, the method comprising: a. Place the shaft seal assembly in a concentric position around a shaft; b. move the shaft seal assembly axially inwards along the shaft into a housing, wherein the shaft protrudes from the housing and can rotate relative to it; c. pressing a stator of the shaft seal assembly into the housing, wherein the stator comprises: i. a main stator body; ii. an inward radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, wherein a distant end of the inward radial stator projection is configured rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 108 to provide stator / shaft clearance between the distant end of the inward radial projection of the stator and a shaft extending from the housing; and, iii. a collection slot adjacent to the inward radial projection of the stator, wherein an inner side of the inward radial projection of the stator forms an inner wall of the collection slot; d. connecting the inward radial projection of the stator to a rotor to communicate an axially inward force placed on the stator to a rotor of the shaft seal assembly, wherein the rotor comprises: i. a main rotor body; 11. an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body, wherein the axial rotor projection is positioned adjacent to the far end of the inward radial stator projection, wherein none of the rotor surfaces are directly exposed to the external environment; and, e. Move the rotor in an inward axial direction along the axis by means of the inward axial force placed on the stator. It is hereby stated that, as of this date, the best method known to the applicant for putting the aforementioned invention into practice is the one that is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

1. A shaft seal assembly, characterized in that it comprises: a stator configured to connect with a housing, the stator comprising: a main stator body; an inward-facing radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, wherein a distant end of the inward-facing radial stator projection is configured to provide stator / shaft separation between the distant end of the inward-facing radial stator projection and a shaft extending from the housing; a collection slot adjacent to the inward-facing radial stator projection, wherein an inner side of the inward-facing radial stator projection forms an inner wall of the collection slot; and a drain in fluid communication with the collection slot; and a rotor positioned within the stator, the rotor being configured to connect with the shaft, the rotor comprising: a main rotor body;and rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 110 an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body, wherein the axial rotor projection is positioned adjacent to the distant end of the inward radial stator projection, wherein none of the rotor surfaces are directly exposed to the external environment.; 2. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the stator further comprises an annular recess formed at the far end of the inward radial projection.

3. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the annular recess collaborates with the axial rotor projection to form a first radial stator / rotor separation and an axial stator / rotor separation between the stator and the rotor.

4. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the annular recess and axial rotor projection are further defined to work together to form a second radial stator / rotor separation between the stator and the rotor.

5. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the stator further comprises a barrier extending radially outward from the main stator body.

6. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 5 of rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 111, characterized in that the stator further comprises a projection extending radially outward from the main stator body.

7. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that the stator further comprises an outer groove positioned between the projection and the barrier.

8. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the stator further comprises a stator sealing ring groove formed in the main stator body.

9. The shaft seal assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor further comprises a rotor sealing ring groove formed in the main rotor body, and wherein the shaft seal assembly further comprises a sealing ring, wherein a first portion of the sealing ring is positioned in the stator sealing ring groove, and wherein a second portion of the sealing ring is positioned in the rotor sealing ring groove.

10. A method, characterized in that it comprises: connecting a stator to a housing, wherein the stator comprises: a main stator body; an inward-facing radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, wherein a distant end of the inward-facing radial stator projection is configured to provide stator / shaft separation between the distant end of the inward-facing radial stator projection and a shaft extending from the housing; and a pickup slot adjacent to the inward-facing radial stator projection, wherein an inner side of the inward-facing radial stator projection forms an inner wall of the pickup slot; connecting a rotor to the extending shaft, which is rotatable with respect to the housing, the rotor comprising: a main rotor body;and an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body, wherein the axial rotor projection is positioned adjacent to the distant end of the inward radial stator projection, wherein none of the rotor surfaces are directly exposed to the external environment; collecting a contaminant in the collection groove; and permitting the contaminant to exit the shaft seal assembly by means of a drain in fluid communication with the collection groove.

11. The method according to claim rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi 113 10, characterized in that the collection slot is further defined as comprising an inner wall axially separated from an outer wall by a floor.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises ensuring that the inner and outer walls are sufficiently deep to prevent a lubricant bubble within the collection groove from making contact with the rotor.

13. A method of installing a shaft seal assembly, characterized in that it comprises: placing the shaft seal assembly in a concentric position around a shaft; moving the shaft seal assembly axially inward along the shaft into a housing, wherein the shaft protrudes from the housing and is rotatable with respect thereto; pressing a stator of the shaft seal assembly into the housing, wherein the stator comprises: a main stator body; an inward radial stator projection extending radially inward from the main stator body, wherein a distant end of the inward radial stator projection is configured to provide a stator / shaft clearance between the distant end of the inward radial stator projection and a shaft extending from the housing;and a collection slot adjacent to the inward radial stator projection, wherein an inner side of the inward radial stator projection forms an inner wall of the collection slot; connecting the inward radial stator projection to a rotor to communicate an inward axial force placed on the stator to a rotor of the shaft seal assembly, wherein the rotor comprises: a main rotor body; and an axial rotor projection extending from the main rotor body, wherein the axial rotor projection is positioned adjacent to the distant end of the inward radial stator projection, wherein none of the rotor surfaces are directly exposed to the external environment; and moving the rotor in an inward axial direction along the shaft by means of the inward axial force rcon Ln / zznz / E / YiAi placed on the stator.

Images