Resilient Shaft Seal Accommodating Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seals between a rotatable shaft and a housing are inadequate in accommodating large misalignments, leading to lubricant leakage, as they can only tolerate limited shaft-to-opening misalignment both statically and dynamically.
Innovation Solution
A resilient seal assembly featuring an annular seal support with a radially outwardly extending flange and a projection system, combined with shock-absorbing resilient bodies, allows for radial and axial displacement, effectively sealing the interface between the shaft and housing even under significant misalignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional oil seals are used, then sealing is effective when shaft and opening are well-aligned, but sealing performance deteriorates when shaft-to-opening misalignment exceeds a certain amount
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is divided into distinct functional segments: a rigid seal body for sealing, a resilient annular body for shock absorption, and a flange for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function, enabling the seal to tolerate misalignment while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient annular body acts as an intermediary between the rigid seal body and the housing, absorbing shocks and accommodating misalignment. This intermediary component protects the sealing interface from the effects of shaft-to-opening misalignment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the seal assembly includes shock-absorbing resilient bodies and flanges, then adaptability to misalignment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flange serves multiple functions: it positions the seal assembly axially, provides a mounting surface for the resilient annular body, and helps distribute loads. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby limiting the increase in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient annular body is implemented as a flexible element that can deform to accommodate misalignment and shock loads. This flexible component provides adaptability without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
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 provides enhanced sealing performance by accommodating greater deviations between the shaft and housing, preventing lubricant leakage and maintaining effective sealing without requiring modifications to the seal bodies, thus ensuring reliable operation across varying alignments.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient annular body mounted between the seal support and the housing... for resiliently accommodating radial and axial displacement of the shaft relative to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A seal assembly configured to be mounted between a rotatable shaft and a housing has a first side and a second side axially spaced from the first side and includes an annular seal support having a first end at the first side of the seal assembly and a second end spaced axially from the first end, at least one seal body configured to form a seal between the shaft and the seal support, the at least one seal body contacting the seal support at a joint, and a resilient annular body mounted between the seal support and the housing. All portions of the resilient annular body are located radially outward of the joint.