Aircraft Piston Seal Ring Anti-Rotation Receiver Cavity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing piston seal rings in gas turbine engines experience high wear and incorrect installation due to symmetrical geometry, leading to increased cavity leakages and hardware temperature issues.

Innovation Solution

A piston seal ring design featuring a raised material section with a receiver cavity to support a lug, preventing unwanted rotation and ensuring correct installation through mistake-proofing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a symmetrical piston seal ring geometry is used, then the seal ring can accommodate large deflections and maintain air sealing capabilities, but it creates high risk of incorrect installation and unwanted rotation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair sealing capabilityVSAvoidinstallation correctness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces asymmetrical features (receiver cavity and lug) into the otherwise symmetrical piston seal ring design. The receiver cavity is positioned at a specific location on the seal ring body, and the lug fits into this cavity to prevent rotation. This asymmetrical configuration allows the seal ring to be installed only in the correct orientation, eliminating the risk of incorrect installation while maintaining the symmetrical benefits for accommodating deflections and maintaining air sealing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If a piston seal ring with symmetrical geometry is used, then it can provide secondary air flow sealing, but it experiences significant relative motion leading to excessive wear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair flow sealingVSAvoidservice life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetrical receiver-lug feature prevents unwanted rotation and circumferential motion of the piston seal ring. By eliminating this relative motion, the wear between the seal ring and mating surfaces is significantly reduced, thereby extending the service life of the seal ring while maintaining its air flow sealing function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Productivity

If an incorrectly installed piston seal ring is used, then installation is faster, but it results in increased cavity leakages and higher temperatures to hardware

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation speedVSAvoidcavity leakage and hardware temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetrical receiver cavity and lug configuration provides mistake-proof installation. The lug can only fit into the receiver cavity in the correct orientation, making it physically impossible to install the seal ring incorrectly. This ensures proper sealing and prevents cavity leakages and hardware overheating, while the simple additive feature does not significantly complicate the installation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS12264586B2Aircraft piston seal ring including anti-rotation provisions

Publication Date: 2025.04.01 RTX CORP

AI summary

A piston seal ring including a body shaped as an annular ring having an inner diameter and an outer diameter; an end gap formed in the body; a first interface surface formed on the body between the inner diameter and the outer diameter; a second interface surface orthogonally adjacent the first interface surface; and a receiver extending from the first interface surface substantially opposite the end gap, the receiver including a cavity configured to support a lug.