Seal Ring with Segmented Contact Areas for Torque and Sealing Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seal rings for annular gaps between rotating shafts and housings face challenges in maintaining stable sealing performance while reducing rotational torque, as the contact area can become excessively small, leading to degradation and instability in sealing performance due to varying environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A seal ring design with recessed portions and protruding portions on its outer surface, configured to reduce the effective pressure-receiving area on the inner circumferential surface, allowing for stable sliding against the shaft hole and reducing rotational torque by optimizing the contact area and pressure distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the contact area of the sliding portions is reduced to lower rotational torque, then rotational torque is reduced, but the contact region becomes excessively small leading to unstable sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The seal ring is divided into multiple functional regions: a first sliding portion with a first contact area for stable sealing, and a second sliding portion with a second contact area for reduced torque. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the seal ring are given different contact area characteristics. The first sliding portion has a larger contact area for reliable sealing, while the second sliding portion has a smaller contact area for torque reduction. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between sealing stability and torque reduction.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the effective pressure-receiving area is reduced to minimize sliding resistance, then sliding resistance is reduced, but the sealing performance may become unstable under varying pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-receiving areas are segmented into a first effective pressure-receiving area and a second effective pressure-receiving area. The first area is optimized for maintaining sealing under pressure, while the second area is minimized to reduce sliding resistance, achieving both goals simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the seal ring have different pressure-receiving characteristics. The first sliding portion has a larger effective pressure-receiving area for stable sealing, while the second sliding portion has a smaller effective pressure-receiving area for reduced friction, resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and sliding resistance.
3Loss of energy
If the contact region is made small to reduce rotational torque, then rotational torque is reduced, but the contact region becomes sensitive to gap size variations leading to unstable sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The seal ring is segmented into two sliding portions with different contact area characteristics. The first sliding portion has a larger contact area that is less sensitive to gap variations, providing stable sealing, while the second sliding portion has a smaller contact area for torque reduction, achieving both objectives.
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 achieves stable sealing performance and reduced rotational torque by ensuring consistent sliding contact and minimizing sliding resistance, even under varying gap sizes and pressure conditions, while allowing for easy lubrication and reduced heat generation.
Implementation Method 1
configured such that an effective pressure-receiving area on an inner circumferential surface side that contributes to a force from fluid pressure that presses against the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole
Implementation Method 2
sliding against an inner circumferential surface of a shaft hole of the housing through which the shaft is inserted
Data Source
AI summary
A seal ring (100) makes contact with a low-pressure-side (L) side wall surface of an annular groove (510) and slides against an inner circumferential surface of a shaft hole of a housing (600) through which a shaft (500) is inserted. The seal ring includes a pair of recessed portions (130) extending in a circumferential direction on an outer surface, wherein a distance between a side surface on one side of a protruding portion (120) that is disposed between the pair of recessed portions (130) and a side surface on another side of the seal ring (100), and a distance between a side surface on another side of the protruding portion (120) and a side surface on one side of the seal ring (100) are set to be shorter than a distance between an inner circumferential surface of the seal ring and an outer circumferential surface of the protruding portion (120).