Modular Radial Seal with Interchangeable Outer Casing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of manufacturing radial seals for various industrial applications is exacerbated by the need for custom designs due to small customer orders, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs from custom manufacturing runs, as maintaining a large inventory of different sizes and configurations is impractical.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a modular approach using a generally annular sealing element and an outer casing blank, where the diameter is adjusted to fit specific applications, allowing for a flexible sealing solution that can be adapted to different shaft diameters through the removal of portions of the sealing element and casing blanks, enabling efficient assembly and use of a kit for versatile sealing applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom manufacturing runs are used for small seal orders, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a modular seal system where a single base seal assembly can be adapted to multiple applications through interchangeable outer casing blanks. The standardized interface between the sealing element and various outer casing blanks allows one sealing component to serve multiple functions across different diameter requirements, reducing the need for custom manufacturing runs while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is segmented into distinct modular components: a universal sealing element and interchangeable outer casing blanks. This segmentation allows the sealing element to be produced in standard quantities, while only the outer casing blanks need to be customized for specific diameter requirements, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining adaptability.
2Productivity
If a large inventory of different seal sizes and configurations is maintained, then customer order fulfillment is improved, but inventory cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a universal sealing element that can interface with multiple outer casing blank sizes, the inventory requirement is dramatically reduced. Instead of maintaining separate inventory for each seal size and configuration, the system requires inventory of only the modular outer casing blanks, which can be combined with the universal sealing element to fulfill various customer orders.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmentation of the seal into standardized sealing elements and size-specific outer casing blanks allows the business to maintain minimal inventory of high-value sealing elements while keeping inventory of lower-cost outer casing blanks in various sizes. This reduces overall inventory costs while maintaining the ability to fulfill diverse customer orders.
3Device complexity
If the seal design is simplified to reduce part count, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different applications decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The simplification is achieved by segmenting the seal into two main components: a universal sealing element and interchangeable outer casing blanks. This reduces the part count compared to fully custom seals, while the modular outer casing blanks provide the necessary adaptability for different applications through their varying diameters and configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
The method includes providing a generally annular sealing element, the sealing element having an inner circumferential sealing surface configured to engage with a relatively movable member, and an outer casing blank including one of: a generally axially-extending section and a generally radially-extending section extending inwardly from the axially-extending section; and a generally annular disk and a generally cylindrical tube. The method may also include determining a desired diameter for a generally annular outer casing, removing a portion of the provided one of the radially-extending section and the annular disk, such that a diameter of the outer casing blank is about equal to the desired diameter, and coupling the sealing element to the outer casing blank after removing the portion of the provided one of the radially-extending section and the disk.