Torque Converter Seal Assembly Pressure Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal assemblies in torque converters face challenges with fluid leakage due to high stress and pressure differences, leading to seal degradation and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A seal assembly featuring a seal carrier with multiple annular recesses and seals, where one seal has a smaller cross-sectional area than others, and a fluid passage reduces pressure between seals, minimizing leakage and allowing for a less costly seal material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is provided at the interface between the output shaft and housing to prevent fluid leakage, then fluid sealing is improved, but the seal is subjected to high stress and pressure differences causing degradation over time
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is divided into multiple seals arranged in series around the output shaft. Each seal operates at a different pressure zone, segmenting the high pressure differential into smaller increments across multiple sealing interfaces. This segmentation reduces the stress on any single seal, preventing degradation while maintaining overall sealing integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate fluid passage is introduced between the seals to equalize pressure zones. This intermediary passage allows fluid to flow between pressure zones, reducing the pressure differential across individual seals and thereby reducing stress and degradation while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If multiple seals are used to improve sealing under high pressure, then fluid leakage is reduced, but the complexity of the seal assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal carrier serves multiple functions: it supports multiple seals, provides structural support for the seal assembly, and incorporates fluid passages for pressure equalization. By making the seal carrier multi-functional, the overall assembly complexity is reduced despite using multiple seals, as these functions are integrated into a single component rather than requiring separate elements.
3Reliability
If high pressure differential is maintained across the seal to prevent leakage, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but seal degradation accelerates due to high stress
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure differential is segmented across multiple seals rather than applied to a single seal. Each seal experiences a fraction of the total pressure differential, reducing stress and extending service life while collectively maintaining sealing effectiveness across the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Fluid passages act as intermediaries to equalize pressure between zones. By introducing these intermediary flow paths, the pressure differential across each seal is reduced, lowering stress and extending seal life while the overall sealing system maintains effectiveness through the series arrangement of seals.
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 effectively reduces fluid leakage and extends seal life by managing pressure and using less expensive materials, while maintaining seal integrity under rotational and pressure stresses.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid passage between two of the at least three seals to a location exterior with respect to the non-rotating housing such that fluid pressure between the two seals is reduced
Data Source
AI summary
A seal assembly includes a seal carrier configured to be coupled to and rotate with a shaft. The seal carrier defines at least three annular recesses configured to receive annular seals. The seal assembly further includes at least three annular seals configured to provide a seal between the seal carrier and a non-rotating housing defining an inner surface having a circular cross-section. One of the at least three seals is received in each of the at least three annular recesses, and one of the at least three seals has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of at least one of the other seals.