Seal Cartridge Assembly Without Screws for Easier Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical seal cartridges for rotating assemblies are complex and require specific knowledge and skills for assembly and disassembly, with potential for misalignment and failure due to screw rupture or thread damage.
Innovation Solution
A seal cartridge utilizing a tenon and mortise joint system for coupling ring-shaped sealing components, eliminating the need for screws and bolts, which simplifies assembly and disassembly and enhances the compactness and tensile strength of the cartridge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If screws and bolts are used to couple housing components, then the cartridge can be assembled, but the assembly process becomes complex and requires specific knowledge and skills
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into modular housing components that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each component features standardized coupling elements (tenons and mortises) that enable simple, tool-free assembly through basic insertion and rotation actions, eliminating the need for complex screw-and-bolt fastening procedures
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using threaded fasteners that require winding and tightening actions, the invention inverts the coupling mechanism by using tenons that insert into mortises and are secured through simple rotation. This reverses the traditional fastening approach, making assembly more intuitive and less skill-dependent
2Reliability
If traditional screw coupling is used, then components can be joined, but misalignment and failure risks increase due to screw rupture or thread damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates screws and bolts from the coupling system, removing the source of potential failures such as screw rupture, thread damage, and fastener loosening. The coupling is achieved through purely mechanical tenon-and-mortise engagement secured by rotation, eliminating harmful factors associated with threaded fasteners
Solution Approach 2:
The tenon-and-mortise design inherently provides alignment tolerance and mechanical cushioning before final engagement. The tenon guides insertion and the mortise accommodates minor misalignments, preventing the kind of stress concentration and sudden failure that occurs with rigid screw-thread engagement
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple housing components are used to form the cartridge, then the sealing can be adapted to different shaft sizes, but the cartridge complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing components are designed with universal coupling features (standardized tenons and mortises) that allow the same component designs to be used across different cartridge configurations and shaft sizes. This modular universality enables adaptability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge structure employs nested housing components that fit together through the tenon-and-mortise coupling system. This nesting arrangement allows multiple sealing stages and components to be compactly integrated, managing complexity through hierarchical organization rather than scattered, independent parts
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention proposes a method for assembling a seal cartridge and a seal cartridge, wherein the seal cartridge (1) comprises a set of sealing components configured for be- ing removably assembled to each other so as to form the seal cartridge (1) and wherein at least one of said sealing components is configured for being secured to another sealing component and/or to a shaft casing (21) by means of a tenon and mortise joint system (3).