Floating Ring Seal Using Magnetic Bias to Dampen Shaft Vibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seal devices for rotating fluid machines, such as pumps, face issues with seal ring wear and vibration, leading to increased radial gaps and ineffective sealing due to preload spring displacement and limited vibration reduction.

Innovation Solution

A seal device utilizing a floating ring with a bias mechanism, such as magnets, to contactlessly bias the ring, allowing it to follow the rotation shaft's movement and maintain sealing while reducing vibration through magnetic forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a preload spring is used to press the seal ring to the housing, then sealing force is improved, but the seal ring becomes restrained and cannot freely move in the ring groove due to wear and dents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing forceVSAvoidmovability of seal ring

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical preload spring system with a magnetic field-based biasing system. Magnets are embedded in the floating ring to provide continuous contactless biasing force, eliminating mechanical contact and associated wear. This substitution resolves the contradiction by maintaining sealing force through magnetic attraction while preventing wear-induced restrictions on ring movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary between the floating ring and the housing. The magnetic field transmits the biasing force without requiring direct mechanical contact, allowing the seal ring to maintain sealing pressure while moving freely in the ring groove without experiencing wear from spring contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the seal ring is pressed firmly to maintain sealing, then sealing efficiency is improved, but vibration increases and the seal ring cannot follow rotation shaft movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing efficiencyVSAvoidvibration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the rigid mechanical spring pressing system with a magnetic field-based biasing system. The magnetic field provides continuous, smooth biasing force without mechanical contact, reducing vibration while maintaining sealing efficiency. The contactless nature of magnetic biasing allows the seal ring to follow rotation shaft movement without the vibration and impact caused by spring-mechanism interactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Stress or pressure

If a preload spring is used to bias the seal ring, then sealing pressure is maintained, but the spring displaces relatively with the seal ring causing wear and restricting movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing pressureVSAvoidservice life of seal ring

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the mechanical preload spring with embedded magnets in the floating ring that provide contactless biasing. This eliminates relative displacement and mechanical wear between the biasing mechanism and seal ring, maintaining sealing pressure indefinitely without the wear-related movement restrictions that limit spring-based systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The magnets embedded in the floating ring provide self-contained, contactless biasing force that automatically maintains sealing pressure without requiring external spring mechanisms. This self-service magnetic biasing system eliminates wear between moving parts, extending the service life of the seal ring while maintaining continuous sealing pressure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 solution ensures the seal ring can freely move with the rotation shaft, reducing wear and maintaining optimal radial gaps, thereby enhancing sealing efficiency and vibration damping.

Implementation Method 1

a magnet (12) provided in an outer periphery of the seal ring (13), and the floating ring (15) is contactlessly biased to the seal ring seal face (13c) by magnetic force of the magnet (12)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic force: Magnetism

Implementation Method 2

a seal ring (13) provided in an inner periphery of the floating ring (15), a seal ring seal face (13c) formed on a low pressure fluid side end face of the seal ring (13), and the seal ring seal face (13c) and the holder seal face (11c) are pressed by pressure of a fluid from the high pressure fluid side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS11428324B2Seal device

Publication Date: 2022.08.30 EAGLE INDS

AI summary

In an exemplary embodiment, a seal device (10) that seals between a housing (11) and a rotation shaft (20) passing through the housing (11) includes: a floating ring (15) arranged with a gap h with respect to the rotation shaft (20), a seal portion (14) formed by bringing one end face of the floating ring (15) into contact with the housing (11), and a space portion j provided between the floating ring (15) and the housing (11), and the floating ring (15) includes bias means that contactlessly biases the floating ring (15) to the seal portion via the space portion j. The seal device in which the floating ring follows movement of the rotation shaft is capable of exerting a sealing operation so that vibration of the rotation shaft can be reduced.