Radial Sliding Seal Assembly with Segmented Spring Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radial sliding seal assemblies in dosing devices face challenges with reproducibility and uniformity of radial prestressing force due to large shape tolerances and material property scattering of rubber-elastic components.
Innovation Solution
A radial sliding seal assembly featuring a spring carrier with separately designed radial spring sections that provide a defined and adjustable prestressing force, supported by a spring carrier to absorb reaction forces, allowing for precise control and uniform prestressing across the sealing surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an O-ring is used as a prestressing component, then the sealing assembly is simple in structure, but the radial prestressing force varies greatly due to large shape tolerances and material property scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The prestressing component is divided into multiple separate radial spring sections (at least two) instead of using a single O-ring. Each spring section can be independently manufactured with tighter tolerances, and the segmented design allows for more uniform distribution of prestressing force around the sealing surface, eliminating the scattering issues associated with single-piece rubber-elastic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material and structural parameters from rubber-elastic O-ring to metal radial spring sections. This parameter change enables precise control of the prestressing force through the spring constant and geometry of each spring section, providing reproducible and uniform radial prestressing force while maintaining structural simplicity through the modular spring design.
2Manufacturing precision
If radial spring sections are used to provide defined prestressing force, then manufacturing precision and force uniformity are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple radial spring sections are arranged adjacently in the circumferential direction to form a complete prestressing component that surrounds the sealing component. This merging of multiple simple spring sections creates a unified structure that provides uniform prestressing force without requiring complex individual components, thus improving manufacturing precision while keeping the overall device complexity manageable.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate radial spring sections are used, then reproducible radial prestressing force is achieved, but assembly effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The prestressing component is segmented into multiple radial spring sections that can be manufactured separately with high precision, ensuring reproducible prestressing force. The segmented design allows for simplified assembly where each spring section can be independently positioned and secured to the spring carrier, potentially reducing overall assembly complexity compared to manufacturing a single complex precision component.
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
This design ensures a reproducible and uniform radial prestressing force, reducing manufacturing costs and assembly effort while maintaining precise control over the sealing surface, effectively addressing the variability issues in prior art technologies.
Implementation Method 1
the radial spring sections (22) each having a biasing axial section (24) resting on the biasing surface (20) and exerting a radial prestressing force (FR) with its free longitudinal end in the radial direction based on the longitudinal axis (L) of the piston rod (28)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The dosing device has a piston-cylinder-arrangement and a radial sliding seal assembly (10) sealing a radial gap between a wall of a cylinder (142) and a wall of a piston rod (28) moving relative to the cylinder. A sealing component (12) and a pretensioning component (14) are provided, which interact with each other. The pretensioning component has a spring carrier (26) and multiple separately formed radial spring sections (22), which are flexibly supported on the spring carrier in radial direction.