Seal Seat Ring With Mechanical Lock for Axial Alignment Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seal assemblies for appliances, such as those between a rotatable shaft and a stationary base, often suffer from misalignment and disengagement due to friction coupling, leading to poor performance or failure.

Innovation Solution

A seal seat assembly comprising an annular seat component and a ring component with a flange extending radially outward, where the flange's outer diameter and radial thickness form a mechanical lock to inhibit axial movement of the seat component relative to the ring component, ensuring secure coupling and alignment during assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If friction coupling is used to connect the drive ring and seal seat, then assembly is simple, but misalignment and disengagement occur during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidcomponent alignment stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The seal seat assembly is divided into separate components (drive ring and seal seat) that can be assembled independently, with the drive ring featuring a flange that interfaces with the seal seat to prevent misalignment during assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flange extends radially outward from the drive ring, adding a radial dimension to the coupling mechanism. This radial extension creates a mechanical lock that prevents axial movement and misalignment, transforming a simple friction-based connection into a multi-dimensional mechanical coupling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If a mechanical lock is added to prevent axial movement, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent coupling stabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking feature is merged into the drive ring itself through the radially extending flange, rather than being a separate component. This integration maintains reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of adding complex locking mechanisms to the seal seat, the invention inverts the approach by creating the mechanical lock feature on the drive ring's flange, which naturally prevents axial movement of the seal seat during assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS7673479B2Seal seat ring component with locking and venting features

Publication Date: 2010.03.09 FREUDENBERG NOK GEN PARTNERSHIP

AI summary

A seal assembly includes a ring component for coupling a seat component to a shaft. The ring component includes a first portion having an annular shape and configured to have a sealed engagement with the shaft. The ring component also includes a second portion having a flange extending radially outwardly therefrom. The ring component is configured to receive the seat component between the flange and the first portion and thus form a seal seat assembly. The flange is configured to mechanically lock the seat component relative to the ring component when the seal seat assembly is disposed on the shaft.