Annular Seal Lip Geometry for Stable Low-Leakage Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seals fail to maintain minimal leakage under strict friction requirements across broad temperature and pressure conditions, necessitating improved designs that can withstand wider operational ranges while maintaining effectiveness over time.
Innovation Solution
A seal design featuring an annular jacket with a heel, first lip, and second lip, including an annular recess and an annular energizer within, where the heel has a cutout portion and the ratio of lip length to thickness is greater than 2, providing an outward biasing contact force with temperature variability less than 1000 N/(m circumference° C. and a contact area of at least 0.1% of the total exterior area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional seal designs are used, then the seal structure is simple, but the seal fails to maintain minimal leakage under strict friction requirements across broad temperature and pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into distinct functional segments: a heel portion, a first lip portion, and a second lip portion. Each segment serves a specific function - the heel provides structural support and force distribution, while the lips create sealing contacts. This segmentation allows optimization of each portion for its specific function, improving overall sealing performance under varying temperature and pressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a dimensional parameter by specifying that the ratio of lip length to lip thickness must be greater than 2. This dimensional constraint ensures the lips have sufficient length relative to their thickness, creating an arcuate exterior portion that maintains contact area and force distribution across temperature variations, thereby improving reliability without excessive complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the seal operates across broad temperature ranges, then the operational versatility is improved, but the contact force variability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention addresses contact force variability by carefully controlling the geometric parameters of the seal, specifically the ratio of lip length to lip thickness (greater than 2). This parameter optimization ensures that the seal maintains stable contact force across broad temperature ranges. The arcuate exterior portion of the lips, created by this dimensional relationship, allows for thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining consistent sealing contact.
3Strength
If the lip thickness is increased, then the structural strength is improved, but the contact area percentage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes curvature by creating an arcuate exterior portion on the lips. This curvature is achieved by optimizing the ratio of lip length to lip thickness to be greater than 2, which naturally creates an arched profile. The arcuate shape distributes contact forces more evenly across the sealing surface, maintaining both structural strength and adequate contact area percentage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The seal assembly achieves improved sealing performance by maintaining effective contact force and area across varying temperatures and pressures, reducing leakage and extending component lifetime through optimized force distribution and material selection.
Implementation Method 1
an annular energizer disposed within the annular recess, adjacent to at least one of the first lip and the second lip... where the seal creates an outward biasing contact force on at least one of the first member or the second member, FS
Data Source
AI summary
A seal including: annular jacket including a body including a heel, a first lip, and a second lip defining an annular recess, the first lip including an arcuate exterior portion, and having a thickness, WFL, and a length LFL; and an annular energizer disposed within the annular recess, adjacent to at least one of the first lip and the second lip, wherein the heel comprises a cutout portion, and wherein the ratio of LFL:WFL is greater than 2.