Shock Absorber Seal Housing Structure to Prevent Seal Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seal members in shock absorbers can become separated from the annular member during assembly, leading to degradation in sealing properties due to gaps forming between seal members.

Innovation Solution

A sealing device comprising a seal housing, an inner seal, and an outer seal, where the outer seal has a contact face with a concave or convex portion that fits with a corresponding structure formed by the seal housing and inner seal, preventing separation and maintaining sealing integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the seal member is made up of two members (inner seal and outer seal), then the sealing capability is improved, but a gap may form between the two members leading to degradation in sealing properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing capabilityVSAvoidgap formation between seal members

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The outer seal is disposed between the inner seal and the seal housing, with the outer seal being in contact with both the inner seal and the seal housing. This nested arrangement where one seal member is positioned between the other seal member and the housing ensures close contact and prevents gap formation while maintaining the enhanced sealing capability of the two-member structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the seal member is made up of two members, then the sealing capability is improved, but the seal member may become separated (displaced upward) either partially or entirely from the annular member during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing capabilityVSAvoidassembly process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The outer seal acts as an intermediary element disposed between the inner seal and the seal housing. During assembly, the outer seal mediates the interaction between the inner seal and the housing, preventing the inner seal from being displaced upward while maintaining proper positioning. This intermediary structure ensures stable assembly without compromising the sealing function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a gap forms between the two seal members, then the assembly flexibility is improved, but the sealing properties are degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidsealing properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The outer seal is specifically positioned at the local region between the inner seal and the seal housing, providing localized sealing quality. This local quality enhancement ensures that the critical interface between the inner seal and housing is sealed, preventing gap formation at this specific location while allowing overall assembly flexibility to be maintained through the modular two-member design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12345310B2Sealing device

Publication Date: 2025.07.01 NOK CORP

AI summary

A sealing device includes a seal housing disposed between a cylinder and a rod, an inner seal disposed between the rod and the seal housing, the inner seal being in contact with the rod, and an outer seal disposed between the inner seal and the seal housing, the outer seal being in contact with both the inner seal and the seal housing, in which one of the outer seal and the seal housing has a contact face that is in contact with the other of the outer seal and the seal housing, and the contact face has a concave portion.