Rotary Seal Protrusion Structure for Easy Stack Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing devices tend to adhere to each other when stacked, making it difficult to separate them during manufacturing, transport, and deployment processes.
Innovation Solution
A sealing device design featuring a tubular part and an annular part with elastic and rigid materials, incorporating multiple protrusions on the upper and lower surfaces that reduce contact area, preventing adherence between stacked devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple sealing devices are stacked for transport, then space utilization is improved, but the sealing devices adhere to each other making separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surfaces of the sealing device are segmented into multiple discrete protrusions instead of a continuous surface. These protrusions are distributed across the contact area, creating multiple small contact points rather than one large contact area. This segmentation reduces the total adhesion force between stacked sealing devices, enabling easy separation while maintaining stable stacking through the distributed contact points.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the contact area between stacked sealing devices is increased, then stacking stability is improved, but adhesion increases making separation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface is given non-uniform local quality through the protrusion structure. Different regions of the contact surface have different properties: the protrusions provide localized high-contact-area regions for stability, while the spaces between protrusions provide low-adhesion regions. This local quality variation allows the same surface to simultaneously achieve both stacking stability and easy separation.
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 design allows for easy separation of sealing devices by minimizing the contact area between them, enhancing handling and installation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of an upper surface of the annular part that is opposite to the tubular part and a lower surface of the tubular part that is opposite to the annular part being formed of the elastic part
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing device is located between an inner member and an outer member that rotate relative to each other. The sealing device includes a tubular part that is to be mounted on a cylindrical end portion of the outer member, an annular part connected to an end of the tubular part and having a portion located radially inside the end portion of the outer member, at least one lip extending from the annular part toward the inner member. Each of the annular part and the tubular part includes an elastic part and a rigid part. At least one of an upper surface of the annular part that is opposite to the tubular part and a lower surface of the tubular part that is opposite to the annular part is formed of the elastic part. Multiple protrusions are formed on at least one of the upper surface of the annular part and the lower surface of the tubular part, the protrusions protruding along an axial direction of the sealing device. The multiple protrusions are arranged on a circle centered on the central axis and spaced apart from each other.