Sliding Seal Face Recess and Groove for Long-Lasting Lubricity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding components with annular bodies that rotate relative to each other face challenges in maintaining high lubricity for a long period, especially when the sealed fluid and leakage side fluid are gases, as the lubricant is easily pushed out due to relative rotation.
Innovation Solution
A sliding component design featuring an annular recess portion on one of the annular bodies, which communicates with a supply groove extending radially, allowing efficient introduction and retention of a liquid lubricant between the sliding surfaces, thereby maintaining high lubricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid lubricant is supplied by dripping on the edge of the sliding surface, then lubrication is provided to the sliding surfaces, but the liquid is not easily guided toward the center of the sliding surface and is thrown off due to relative rotation, resulting in inability to maintain high lubricity for a long period
Solution Approach 1:
The annular recess portion is formed in advance on the sliding surface to create a reservoir that captures and holds the liquid lubricant before it can be thrown off by rotation. The supply groove is also pre-formed to guide the liquid from the edge toward the center, ensuring the lubricant is positioned correctly before relative rotation begins or during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular recess portion acts as an intermediary structure between the lubricant supply point and the sliding surface. It temporarily stores the liquid lubricant and releases it gradually to the sliding surface, mediating the transfer of lubricant and preventing direct loss due to rotation.
2Force
If the lubricant is applied between sliding surfaces to reduce friction, then friction is reduced, but the lubricant is pushed out from between the sliding surfaces due to relative rotation and gradually decreases, causing lubricity to deteriorate over time
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing the lubricant to be completely discarded (pushed out) from the sliding surfaces, the annular recess portion recovers the lubricant by capturing it before it escapes. The recess acts as a recovery zone that collects lubricant that would otherwise be lost to rotation, making it available for continued lubrication.
3Reliability
If a small amount of liquid lubricant is dripped to supply between sliding surfaces when both sealed fluid and leakage side fluid are gas, then lubrication is attempted, but the supplied liquid does not effectively contribute to improvement of lubricity due to being thrown off to inner or outer radial side
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from a simple surface-level lubricant application (2D) to utilizing the depth dimension by forming an annular recess portion that extends into the sliding surface. This third dimension (depth) creates a reservoir volume that captures and holds the lubricant, preventing it from being immediately thrown off by rotation and allowing it to effectively lubricate the sliding surfaces.
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
This design effectively maintains high lubricity for a long period by efficiently using the liquid lubricant between the sliding surfaces, even in environments where the sealed and leakage side fluids are gases.
Implementation Method 1
an annular recess portion opening radially over entire circumference is formed on an inner radial side or an outer radial side of at least one of a pair of sliding surfaces of the sliding component and a supply groove communicating with the annular recess portion and extending radially on the sliding surface
Data Source
AI summary
A sliding component capable of maintaining high lubricity for a long period of time by efficiently using a liquid supplied between sliding surfaces is provided. An annular recess portion opening radially over the entire circumference is formed on an inner radial side or an outer radial side of at least one of a pair of sliding surfaces of the sliding component and a supply groove communicating with the annular recess portion and extending radially on the sliding surfaces is formed on at least one of the pair of sliding surfaces.