Spring-Energized Seal Assembly for Stable Lip Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring energized seals face issues with wear and increased friction due to the geometry of the seal lip, leading to potential mechanical failure, and have limited options for consistent loading of the seal lips, which can result in tilting or rolling of the canted coil springs.
Innovation Solution
The use of canted coil springs with complex coil shapes and spring energized seal assemblies that include a sealing element with a seal body and a spring cavity, where the canted coil spring is oriented to bias the flanges away from each other, providing even load distribution and preventing rolling or tilting, and can be made from various materials including metal or elastomeric materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal lip protrudes from the seal body and extends towards the dynamic member surface, then the sealing surface area increases with wear, but friction increases leading to increased wear, temperature, and resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The seal lip geometry is modified by adding a wear compensation feature that maintains a relatively constant sealing surface area during wear. This is achieved by designing the seal lip with a specific profile where material wear does not proportionally increase the sealing surface area, thereby controlling friction parameters while maintaining sealing effectiveness throughout the seal's service life.
2Ease of operation
If conventional spring energized seals are used, then sealing function is provided, but the canted coil spring may tilt or roll causing off-optimal loading position and reduced load on seal lip
Solution Approach 1:
The spring cavity is pre-configured with orientation features such as recesses, protrusions, or asymmetric geometries that guide and constrain the canted coil spring into its correct orientation during installation. These features establish the proper spring angle and position before the seal begins operation, preventing tilting and rolling that would occur with conventional unrestricted spring cavities.
Solution Approach 2:
Orientation features act as intermediaries between the spring cavity and the canted coil spring, providing mechanical guidance that ensures the spring assumes its intended orientation. These features mediate the interaction between the spring and cavity, preventing direct contact that would allow tilting or rolling, thereby maintaining stable and consistent loading on the seal lip.
3Manufacturing precision
If the canted coil spring is not properly oriented, then loading consistency is reduced, but maintaining proper orientation requires complex spring cavity modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The spring cavity incorporates asymmetric orientation features such as non-circular recesses, angled surfaces, or positioned protrusions that create a unique fit for the canted coil spring. This asymmetric geometry ensures the spring can only be installed in the correct orientation, providing consistent loading without requiring overly complex structural modifications. The asymmetry is designed to be simple yet effective, adding minimal complexity while achieving precise load consistency.
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 configuration enhances the stability and longevity of the seal by maintaining optimal load positioning, reducing friction, and preventing mechanical failure, while allowing for various applications including dynamic sealing and EMI shielding.
Implementation Method 1
A canted coil spring can be located in the spring groove... The canted coil springs described herein can be used with a sealing element to bias the inside and outside flanges away from one another
Implementation Method 2
a seal lip that may undergo gradual wear due to friction between the seal lip and the dynamic member
Data Source
AI summary
Spring energized seal assemblies each with one or two sealing elements and a canted coil spring located in a spring cavity of the sealing element or of the two sealing elements to bias an inner flange and an outer flange of the respective spring cavity away from one another. The canted coil springs can have un-conventional coil shapes with one or more straight coil segments and/or with curved connecting ends. The coils can have dimples to provide multiple biasing points. The coils can have loops. The canted coil springs with un-conventional coil shapes can be used to improve spring loading on a sealing element.