Wave Spring Mechanical Seal With Low-Waste Rotational Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical seals face high production costs due to material removal processes for teeth formation, mechanical stress on teeth, non-uniform force distribution, and environmental pollution from graphite inserts, leading to inefficient and costly assembly and disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical seal design featuring axially constrained wave springs with recesses and teeth that minimize material waste, eliminate sharp edges, and use environmentally friendly materials like chromium steel, ensuring uniform force distribution and safer assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If teeth are made on the annular body by material removal to transfer rotational motion, then rotational coupling is achieved, but production costs increase and material waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing material to create teeth on the annular body, the patent inverts the approach by forming teeth on the sealing element that engage with corresponding recesses on the annular body. This inversion eliminates material removal from the annular body, reducing production costs and material waste while achieving the same rotational coupling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the teeth formation process from the annular body and relocates it to the sealing element. By taking out the material removal operation from the annular body manufacturing process, the solution reduces both production complexity and material waste, while the extracted teeth on the sealing element still provide the necessary rotational coupling.
2Ease of manufacture
If recesses are made radially through the annular body wall to receive spring teeth, then rotational coupling is achieved, but production costs increase and overall size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotational coupling interface from the annular body by forming teeth on the sealing element instead. This extraction eliminates the need for radial recesses through the annular body wall, thereby reducing the annular body's volume and simplifying its manufacturing process.
3Reliability
If graphite inserts are used for sealing, then sealing function is achieved, but environmental pollution occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the sealing element from graphite to environmentally friendly materials such as chromium steel or other non-polluting alternatives. This parameter change maintains the sealing function while eliminating the environmental pollution associated with graphite disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful aspect of graphite (environmental pollution) into a benefit by replacing it with environmentally friendly materials. This substitution maintains the beneficial sealing function while eliminating the harmful environmental impact, effectively turning a harmful material choice into a beneficial sustainable solution.
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 design reduces production costs, minimizes material waste, enhances assembly safety, and promotes environmentally friendly operation by eliminating graphite inserts, while ensuring effective fluid sealing and prolonged service life.
Implementation Method 1
The rotating annular body is kept in contact with the stationary one by elastic means that push it axially against the stationary body. Preferably, such elastic means consist of a wave spring with a substantially annular profile.
Implementation Method 2
The wave spring, having a substantially annular profile, is placed between the sealing element and the annular body to absorb such axial movements and maintain mutual pressure between the coupling surfaces.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A mechanical seal (1) comprises a rotating part (100) connectable to a rotating shaft and a fixed part (200) connectable to a fixed wall (P). The rotating part (100) comprises an annular body (110) integrally connectable to the rotating shaft and a sealing element (130) which has a rotating coupling surface (101) configured to abut against a respective static coupling surface (201) of the fixed part (200). A wave spring (150) having a substantially annular profile is active between the annular body (110) and the sealing element (130). A first rotationally-shaped coupling is configured to rotationally constrain the wave spring (150) to the annular body (110) and a second rotationally-shaped coupling is configured to rotationally constrain the sealing element (130) to the wave spring (150). An axial coupling is configured to axially and reversibly constrain the wave spring (150) to the annular body (110).