Support Ring Seal Assembly for High-Pressure Lip Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sealing arrangements in technical applications, such as piston-cylinder units and drive shafts, face challenges in achieving high tightness and service life while maintaining low production costs, with existing solutions being complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
A sealing arrangement featuring a support ring with a convexly curved or obliquely angled side flank that directly supports a primary sealing lip, which is also secured by profile projections, providing reliable protection against mechanical and thermal overload, and includes a secondary sealing lip or wiper lip for enhanced sealing and contamination prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the primary sealing lip is directly supported by the support ring over a large portion of its longitudinal extent, then the seal reliability and protection against mechanical/thermal overload is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the specific geometric design of the support ring
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring features a convexly curved or obliquely angled first side flank that directly supports the primary sealing lip over a large portion (preferably more than 80%) of its longitudinal extent. This curved geometry distributes mechanical and thermal loads along the sealing lip, preventing localized stress concentrations and improving seal reliability without requiring additional complex components.
2Reliability
If the support ring is designed with a convexly curved or obliquely angled side flank, then the protection of the primary sealing lip against deformation and extrusion is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring is designed with specific geometric parameters including a convexly curved or obliquely angled first side flank with defined angles (α, β) relative to the axis of movement. These parameter optimizations allow the component to be manufactured using standard machining processes while achieving the desired load distribution and protection functions. The curvature radius and angle parameters can be adjusted based on specific application requirements.
3Reliability
If the primary sealing lip contacts the sealing surface in the contact area, then the sealing capacity is improved, but the contact pressure between the seal and sealing surface increases causing excessive wear
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring acts as a counterbalancing element that opposes the high-pressure forces acting on the primary sealing lip. By providing reactive support through its convexly curved or obliquely angled first side flank, the support ring counteracts excessive contact pressure between the sealing lip and sealing surface, preventing wear while maintaining effective sealing contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The convexly curved geometry of the support ring's first side flank distributes the contact pressure along the length of the primary sealing lip rather than concentrating it at a single point. This curved support structure maintains necessary contact for sealing while reducing peak pressures that would cause excessive wear and extend service life.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the seal is designed to compensate for eccentricity and directed relative movements, then the adaptability to misalignment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The primary sealing lip is designed with a curved profile that extends in both axial and radial directions, enabling it to compensate for eccentricity between machine elements in radial sealing applications and for directed relative movements in axial sealing applications. This geometric design provides adaptability without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms or complex multi-component structures.
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 solution offers a cost-effective, reliable sealing arrangement that withstands high pressures and mechanical stresses, maintains sealing integrity under eccentricities and relative movements, and prevents fluid transfer and contamination, with a simplified assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
The primary sealing lip, extending in both axial and radial directions, allows it to compensate for eccentricity between the two machine elements
Implementation Method 2
the primary sealing lip rests directly against the first side flank of the support ring over a large part of its longitudinal extent
Implementation Method 3
the support ring counteracts excessive and therefore wear-inducing contact pressure between the seal, the sealing edge, and the sealing surface. This is achieved by the second machine part carrying the support ring radially in the case of a radially sealing seal, and axially in the case of an axially sealing seal
Implementation Method 4
The retaining section of the seal is arranged in a radial press fit between the support ring and the first machine element and rests against the first machine element directly or indirectly in a statically sealing manner
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a seal assembly comprising the following: • - a first and a second machine element (12, 14) which are mutually spaced, thereby forming a seal gap (18) arranged between the two machine elements (12, 14), and which are arranged in a movable manner relative to each other along/about a movement axis (16), • - a seal (20) for sealing a seal gap (18) high-pressure side H, to which pressure can be applied by means of a fluid, from a seal gap (18) low-pressure side N; and • - a support ring (30) with a first lateral flank (36) which faces the high-pressure side H and which is curved in a convex manner towards the high-pressure side H at least in some sections or which runs diagonally relative to the movement axis (16) of the two machine elements (12, 14) at least in some sections so as to form an acute angle a, ß , wherein • - the seal (20) has a holding portion (22) and at least one primary seal lip (24) which extends away from the holding portion (22) on the high-pressure side and which lies against a seal surface (28) of the second machine element (14) in a dynamically sealing manner.