One-Piece Pump Shaft Packing Gland Bushing for High-Pressure Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fluid pumps with rotating shafts face challenges in sealing to prevent fluid leakage, as existing two-piece packing gland and bushing systems are difficult to maintain and may fail under high lubricant pressures, leading to fluid loss.

Innovation Solution

A one-piece combination packing gland and bushing component is introduced, featuring a proximal packing gland portion for compression and a distal bushing portion with an inner gasket channel to mitigate leakage, allowing for higher lubricant pressures and easier removal, potentially eliminating the need for packing material with a slip-fit configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a two-piece packing gland and bushing system is used, then the sealing function is provided, but the component is difficult to remove and maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removalVSAvoidcomponent assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the packing gland and bushing into a single integrated one-piece component. This merging eliminates the complexity of assembling and disassembling multiple parts, allowing the entire sealing assembly to be installed or removed as one unit, thereby significantly improving ease of maintenance while maintaining the sealing function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If traditional packing gland and bushing components are used, then sealing is provided, but the system fails under high lubricant pressures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidlubricant pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the packing gland and bushing into a single monolithic component, the patent creates a unified sealing system that can better withstand high lubricant pressures. The integrated structure eliminates potential failure points at interfaces between separate components, improving reliability under high-pressure conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The one-piece component is pre-configured with the precise geometry and sealing surfaces needed to maintain sealing integrity under high pressure. The integrated design ensures proper alignment and contact between sealing surfaces before installation, preventing premature failure under pressure loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If packing material is used in the shaft seal, then fluid leakage is mitigated, but the component requires complex assembly and disassembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid leakage preventionVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The integration of packing gland and bushing into one piece simplifies maintenance operations. The entire sealing assembly can be removed and installed as a single unit, eliminating the need to manually pack and compress packing material, thereby reducing maintenance complexity while maintaining fluid leakage prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the packing material function from the traditional two-piece assembly and incorporates it into the integrated one-piece component design. This extraction allows the sealing function to be maintained while eliminating the complex operation of installing and adjusting separate packing materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3526496B1Pump shaft packing gland and bushing
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 VIKING PUMP INC
  • EP3526496B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3526496B1 patent drawingFigure 1C
  • EP3526496B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for mitigating fluid loss or leakage from a fluid pump (50) with a rotating shaft (154) driving a pumping mechanism. A one-piece, combined packing gland-bushing component (102) can have an internal seal (208) that allows for use of lubricants at higher pressures. Further, the combined packing gland-bushing component (102) can be configured with a removal component (304) that allows for easier removal of the packing gland-bushing component (102) from a pump shaft (154), and shaft packing box.