Fluid Passage To The Sealing Face Patents (Class 277/401)
  • Patent number: 11619142
    Abstract: A device has two components that delimit a space containing oil. A rotationally fixed component is moved axially to press against an axial sealing surface of a rotatable component by an actuating force to seal the space in a region of another axial sealing surface. An air flow between the two sealing surfaces results in a further actuating force, acting on the fixed component in the axial direction to counteract the actuating force and move the fixed component away from the rotatable component once a defined speed of rotation of the rotatable component is reached. The rotatable component and the fixed component are supplied with oil close to the sealing surfaces. In the installed position of the fixed component, oil is passed from an upper region of the fixed component in the circumferential direction of the fixed component in the direction of a lower region of the fixed component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Markus Blumrich
  • Patent number: 11608751
    Abstract: An apparatus has a first member, a shaft rotatable relative to the first member about an axis, and a seal system. The seal system has: a seal carried by the first member and having a seal face; and a seat carried by the shaft and having a seat face in sliding sealing engagement with the seal face. The seal system is a dry face seal system. The seat further includes a section having: an outer diameter surface encircled by the seal; and a rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph H. Polly, Sean P. McGee, Joseph B. Phelps
  • Patent number: 11585271
    Abstract: A seal system for a bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine includes an annular rotating seal seat in contact with the seal element to form a dry seal interface therebetween to separate am oil-wetted zone from a dry zone. The annular rotating seal seat forms a dry zone annular space adjacent to the annular seal element and the rotating component. The annular rotating seal seat having an oil return passageway through the rotating seal seat to provide a communication path from the dry zone annular space outboard of the rotating component back to the oil-wetted zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Peters, Arnold Zandonella, Jr., Kurt Link
  • Patent number: 11441448
    Abstract: A rotating seal rotatable about a rotational axis is provided. The rotating seal includes a body having a first surface disposable to face the rotational axis and a second surface disposable to contact with a stationary element. The body defines a cooling channel including one or more entrance channels respectively extending from the first surface, one or more exit channels and a plenum. The plenum extends circumferentially through the body and has a hot side adjacent to the second surface. The plenum is fluidly interposed between the one or more entrance channels and the one or more exit channels whereby fluid exiting the one or more entrance channels and entering the plenum impinges against the hot side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sin Chien Siw, Timothy Castaldo, Charles Joseph Banas, Jorn Axel Glahn
  • Patent number: 11371441
    Abstract: A fluid delivery device is provided that includes a sleeve and a tube. The sleeve extends axially along an axis between a sleeve first end and a sleeve second end. The sleeve extends radially from a sleeve inner side to a sleeve outer side. The sleeve extends circumferentially around the axis thereby forming an internal bore at least partially formed by a bore surface at the sleeve inner side. The internal bore extends axially along the axis through sleeve between the sleeve first end and the sleeve second end. The tube is connected to the sleeve and projects out from the sleeve outer side to a tube distal end. The tube is configured with a delivery device fluid passage fluidly coupled with the internal bore. The delivery device fluid passage extends radially through the tube to a fluid passage outlet at the tube distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Nasman, Michael M. Davis
  • Patent number: 11325136
    Abstract: A seal assembly for providing a seal between a first zone and a second zone includes a rotatable sealing member including a first sealing ring, a stationary sealing member including a second sealing ring and a device for bringing the first and second sealing rings into engagement with each other. The first and second sealing rings are arranged so that a double contact seal having at least one chamber arranged at a radial plane is formed upon engagement between the first and second sealing rings. The seal assembly further includes at least one fluid connection to the chamber. A centrifugal separator includes such a seal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Klas Hilding, Jouko Pitkämäki, Peter Thorwid, Anders Ekström
  • Patent number: 11293307
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a bearing compartment, a seal assembly configured to establish a seal of the bearing compartment. The seal assembly includes a seal plate. The gas turbine engine further includes a gutter configured to collect oil slung from the seal plate. The gutter extends only partially around the seal plate. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher T. Anglin, Kaleb Von Berg, Marios C. Soteriou, Graham B. Fulton, III, Shiling Zhang
  • Patent number: 11143046
    Abstract: A seal runner assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a non-rotational annular wear seal, and an annular seal runner having an annular body defining an annular front face contacting the wear seal, the annular body defining an aperture extending axially through the seal runner, the aperture configured for receiving therein a part of a shaft of the gas turbine engine, the seal runner having a plurality of axially-extending slots at locations that are distributed around a wall of the seal runner that extends circumferentially about at least a portion of the annular front face and extends from the front face in a direction away from the wear seal. A method for sealing a gap between a part of a machine and a rotatable shaft of the machine is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Bruno Martin
  • Patent number: 11131388
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a piece of rotational equipment. This assembly includes a stationary component, a rotating component, and a dry seal assembly. The dry seal assembly is configured to substantially seal an annular gap between the stationary component and the rotating component. The dry seal assembly includes a seal element and a seal land. The seal element is mounted to the stationary component and is configured to sealingly engage the seal land. The seal land is mounted to the rotating component and is configured to permit gas leakage across the dry seal assembly through a passageway in the seal land.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Peters
  • Patent number: 11125333
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine. This gas turbine engine assembly includes a pin, a seal support assembly and a seal element. The pin is configured with a pin fluid passage. The seal support assembly is mated with and slidable along the pin. The seal element is mounted to the seal support assembly. The seal element is configured with a seal element fluid passage that is fluidly coupled with the pin fluid passage through the seal support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Nasman, Michael M. Davis
  • Patent number: 10975723
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and at least one rotatable shaft. The engine further includes a seal assembly including a seal plate mounted for rotation with the rotatable shaft and a face seal in contact with the seal plate at a contact area. The seal plate includes a cooling passageway having a circumferentially-extending section radially aligned with the contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark F. Zelesky
  • Patent number: 10927760
    Abstract: A contacting seal for a gas turbine engine includes a seal seat configured to rotate circumferentially about an axis of rotation and a seal element configured to contact the seal seat at an interface surface. The seal element is rotationally fixed relative to the axis of rotation. An actively-controlled actuation system is operably connected to the seal element to control a contact force between the seal element and the seal seat at the interface surface based on a level of lubricant flow to the interface surface. A method of operating a contacting seal includes positioning a rotationally fixed seal element in contact with a rotating seal seat at an interface surface between the seal seat and the seal element, and actively-controlling a contact pressure between the seal seat and the seal element at the interface surface utilizing an actuation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Russell B. Witlicki
  • Patent number: 10774684
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes a shaft rotatable about an axis, a bearing disposed about the shaft and within a bearing compartment, and a seal assembly positioned to seal the bearing compartment. The seal assembly includes a fixed seal and a seal runner rotatable with the shaft. The first axial face and a second axial face axially opposite the first axial face with respect to the axis. The first axial face includes a first surface rotatable against the seal, and the second axial face includes a trough portion. A second surface is angled relative to a radial baseline plane defined perpendicular to the axis, and a dam between the trough portion and the second surface. An oil source is positioned to provide oil into the trough portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jorn Axel Glahn, Denman H. James, Anthony Sr. Demitraszek
  • Patent number: 10746051
    Abstract: A wet-dry face seal seat includes a main body having a mating face configured to mate with a sealing member and an outer diameter surface, and defining a pool feed passage that extends to the mating face and a cooling hole that extends to the outer diameter surface. The wet-dry face seal seat further includes an oil capture scoop extending from the main body and defining an oil volume radially inward from the oil capture scoop and in fluid communication with the pool feed passage and the cooling hole, the oil capture scoop having a radial distance that allows oil to flow through the cooling hole in response to oil flow from an oil jet being below a threshold value and through the pool feed passage in response to the oil flow from the oil jet reaching or exceeding the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Martin J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 10422245
    Abstract: A sealing apparatus for rotational equipment includes an annular seal plate rotatable around an axis. The annular seal plate includes an annular seal land surface, an internal plenum, a plurality of inlet passages, a plurality of cooling passages and a plurality of outlet passages. The inlet passages are arranged about the axis. Each of the inlet passages extends into the annular seal plate to the internal plenum. The cooling passages are arranged about the axis. Each of the cooling passages extends into the annular seal plate from the annular seal land surface to the internal plenum. The outlet passages are arranged about the axis. Each of the outlet passages extends into the annular seal plate to the internal plenum. The outlet passages are arranged radially between the inlet passages and the cooling passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, Christopher T. Anglin
  • Patent number: 9868502
    Abstract: In a stern tube sealing device, slurry contained in outboard water is suppressed from depositing on sliding portions between a wall surface of a seal ring chamber or an outer peripheral surface of a propeller shaft and a sealing surface of a seal ring. A first seal ring (121) is arranged in a first seal ring chamber (111), and a second seal ring (122) is arranged in a second seal ring chamber (112) which is formed at an inboard side of the first seal ring chamber. The first seal ring chamber and the second seal ring chamber are in communication with each other through the sliding portions between a wall surface of the first seal ring chamber and a sealing surface (121a) of the first seal ring. Outboard water is filled into the first seal ring chamber, and clear water is filled into the second seal ring chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: EAGLE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Saito, Hiroyuki Sada
  • Patent number: 9394799
    Abstract: An air riding seal between a rotor and a stator in a turbine of a gas turbine engine, where an annular piston is movable in an axial direction within a housing that extends from the stator, and a bellows is secured to the annular piston to form a flexible air passageway from a compressed air inlet through the annular piston and into a cushion cavity that forms an air riding seal between the annular piston and the rotor sealing surface. In another embodiment, a flexible seal secured to and extending from the annular piston forms a sealing surface between the annular piston chamber and the annular piston to provide a seal and allow for axial movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: S & J DESIGN LLC
    Inventors: Jacob A Mills, Wesley D Brown, Thomas D Sexton, Russell B Jones
  • Patent number: 8998213
    Abstract: A mechanical seal device in which, between a processing equipment which performs processing under a sterile condition and a rotary shaft used with its one end inserted in the processing equipment from an atmosphere side, seal parts are disposed outside the processing equipment at least at two places along a length direction of the rotary shaft from the processing equipment side toward the atmosphere side seals the rotary shaft, and when the inside of the processing equipment and the seal parts are sterilized, the atmosphere-side seal part is also easily and surely sterilized similarly to the other seal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: JGC Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kojima, Shinichi Yamagami
  • Patent number: 8905407
    Abstract: A segment of a seal assembly for sealing against a rotating member is disclosed. The segment includes a radial external surface, a radial internal surface for sealing against said rotating member, a face groove, and a secondary sealing surface. In embodiments, the segment may include a radial feed groove, and the face groove has an axial depth from the surface of the secondary sealing surface that is greater than the axial depth of the radial feed groove. Additionally, in embodiments, the face groove may include a relief groove, the face groove has a radial length at the axial position of the secondary sealing surface, the relief groove is axially offset from the secondary sealing surface, and the relief groove includes a portion with a radial length greater than the radial length of the face groove at the axial position of the secondary sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edward N. Ruggeri, Gerald M. Berard
  • Patent number: 8899593
    Abstract: An intershaft seal is provided for inner and outer coaxial shafts which rotate relative to each other. The seal is located in an annular space between the shafts and maintains an axial pressure differential between a fluid pressure on a first side of the seal and a different fluid pressure on a second side of the seal. The seal includes first and second runners which project into the annular space from a first one of the shafts and extend circumferentially around the first shaft such that a cavity is formed between the runners. The seal further includes a sealing ring which is coaxial with the shafts and is located in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Ingo Henry Johannes Jahn, Christopher Davies
  • Patent number: 8888104
    Abstract: An intershaft seal system capable of communicating a balanced pressure profile onto forward and aft faces along a piston ring is presented. The seal system includes forward and aft mating rings and a piston ring. Mating rings include a plurality of divergent flow grooves adjacent to the piston ring. Each divergent flow groove includes a pair of grooves which intersect at and are substantially symmetric about an apex. The piston ring includes channels which direct a fluid from a high pressure region upward or downward and through the piston ring and onto the divergent flow grooves. The divergent flow grooves separate the fluid in a symmetrically divergent fashion prior to communication onto the piston ring. The divergent flow grooves communicate a substantially symmetric pressure force onto each side of the piston ring so as to minimize twist thereof, thus reducing wear along the piston ring and increasing seal life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Stein Seal Company
    Inventor: Glenn M. Garrison
  • Patent number: 8800995
    Abstract: Provided is a small mechanical seal device which can efficiently wash a sealing surface, and can appropriately seal a sealed fluid and a quenching liquid. In a mechanical seal device (1), two sealing surfaces, i.e., an objective fluid sealing surface (131) and a quenching fluid sealing surface (132) are formed in a stationary sealing ring (130), and a quenching fluid passes through a sealing groove (133) provided between the sealing surfaces. Quenching bores (134) which penetrate through the stationary sealing ring (130) in the axial direction are formed in the stationary sealing ring (130). The quenching fluid passes between an intermediate chamber (C) provided on the back side of the stationary sealing ring (130) and the sealing groove (133) via the quenching bores (134).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Suefuji
  • Patent number: 8708342
    Abstract: A pneumatically controlled, two part, rotational face seal is disclosed that has dual modes of operation. There is a first, static mode where a face of each of the two parts of the seal touch each other and provide an air, liquid and water vapor tight, very low leakage rate with high rotational friction between the two parts of the seal. In the second, dynamic mode wherein the two parts of the seal are separated by inert gas and the face seal functions as a gas bearing having very low rotational friction as the two parts are rotated with respect to each other. One part of the seal may be attached to a rotatable turret and the other part may be attached to a base on which the turret is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Philip M Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140097573
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing system, in particular for sealing pump shafts of vertically arranged pumps for conveying for example liquefied natural gas (LNG) or other cryogenic fluids below ?80° C. The sealing system has a mechanical seal arrangement which is flowed through by a barrier fluid at a barrier fluid pressure. The mechanical seal arrangement prevents an exiting of a sealing fluid from a sealing chamber, wherein the barrier fluid pressure is higher than a sealing fluid in the sealing chamber. To allow a sealing system which can be manufactured inexpensively and is particularly simple to handle, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that a piston rod of a barrier fluid pressure device required for the setting of the barrier fluid pressure is arranged at least partly outside a cylinder. The cylinder can thus be made short and thus light weight and inexpensively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventor: Clint ZENTIC
  • Patent number: 8668155
    Abstract: A high pressure rotary nozzle having a rotating shaft operating within a fixed housing wherein the of axial force which acts upon the shaft due to the fluid pressure at the shaft inlet is balanced by allowing passage of a small amount of the pressurized fluid to be bled to an area or chamber between the outside of the opposite end of the shaft and the inside of the housing where the fluid pressure can act axially in an opposing direction upon the shaft to balance the axial inlet force. The balance of axial forces is self-regulating by controlling escape of the fluid through a tapered or frusto-conical region between the shaft and housing. This further provides a fluid bearing between the two surfaces and allows use of interchangeable rotating jet heads having jet orifices which can be oriented in virtually any desirable configuration including axially forward of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Stoneage, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Wright
  • Patent number: 8613450
    Abstract: Disclosed is a completely nonmetallic pipe connection mechanism for a seal device. In the pipe connecting mechanism of the present invention, a metallic reinforcing pipe (60) is screwed in a through-bore (53) of a flange (50), and a resin connecting pipe (70) is inserted into a through-bore (67) and an expanding diameter portion (68) of the metallic reinforcing pipe (60). Also, a metallic cap (80) is installed in a head (63) of the metallic reinforcing pipe (60), and a large diameter portion (74) of the resin connecting pipe (70) is sandwiched between the metallic reinforcing pipe (60) and the metallic cap (80). Also, a tapered male screw (96) of a resin connector (90) is screwed in a tapered female screw (76) of the large diameter portion (74) of the resin connecting pipe (70) to connect a tube (98) with the resin connecting pipe (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sato, Yoichi Ogata
  • Patent number: 8585060
    Abstract: A mechanical seal device for obtaining appropriate sliding properties under any conditions, such as a pressure of seal is low or high. Both first grooves 463 and second grooves 464 are formed on a sliding face 46 of a stationary ring 46. The first grooves which are not in communication externally and act for reducing contact resistance of a sliding face by a dynamic pressure action when a rotary shaft rotates, the second grooves act for reducing the contact resistance of the sliding face constantly by introducing a pressure from external. Thus, a mechanical seal device which is available to seal sealed fluid under an appropriate dry contact status wherein a sliding face load is reduced in any condition can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Oshii, Koji Akiyama, Joji Watanabe, Atsushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8408555
    Abstract: An intershaft seal system capable of communicating a balanced pressure profile onto forward and aft faces along a piston ring is presented. Seal system includes forward and aft mating rings and a piston ring. Mating rings include a plurality of divergent flow grooves adjacent to the piston ring. Each divergent flow groove includes a pair of grooves which intersect at and are substantially symmetric about an apex. The piston ring includes channels which direct a fluid from a high pressure region upward, downward, or directly through the piston ring and onto the divergent flow grooves. The divergent flow grooves separate the fluid in a symmetrically divergent fashion prior to communication onto the piston ring. The divergent flow grooves communicate a substantially symmetric pressure force along the radial width of the piston ring so as to minimize twisting thereof, thus reducing wear along the piston ring and increasing seal life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Stein Seal Company
    Inventor: Glenn M. Garrison
  • Patent number: 8220724
    Abstract: A high pressure rotary nozzle having a rotating shaft operating within a fixed housing wherein the of axial force which acts upon the shaft due to the fluid pressure at the shaft inlet is balanced by allowing passage of a small amount of the pressurized fluid to be bled to an area or chamber between the outside of the opposite end of the shaft and the inside of the housing where the fluid pressure can act axially in an opposing direction upon the shaft to balance the axial inlet force. The balance of axial forces is self-regulating by controlling escape of the fluid through a tapered or frusto-conical region between the shaft and housing. This further provides a fluid bearing between the two surfaces and allows use of interchangeable rotating jet heads having jet orifices which can be oriented in virtually any desirable configuration including axially forward of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Stoneage, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Wright
  • Patent number: 8215645
    Abstract: A floating air seal to seal a lower pressure chamber from a higher pressure chamber and allow for both axial and radial shifting of the rotor with respect to the stator while maintaining the sealing capability. The floating seal includes an annular piston that slides within an annular groove formed within the stator in an axial direction with an annular flange secured to it that forms an annular manifold between the piston and the flange. The annular piston includes a plurality of feed holes that open into the annular manifold, and the annular flange includes a plurality of baffle holes that open into the annular manifold but offset from the feed holes so that Helmholtz excitations of the rotor disk do not occur. The baffle holes open into an outer annular groove that forms an air cushion against the rotor disk surface due to the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wilho V Aho, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8162322
    Abstract: A seal assembly which operates efficiently at high altitudes and low surface speeds includes a first seal ring, a second seal ring, and hydropads. The first seal ring is of a generally annular shape and defining radial and circumferential directions. The second seal ring is positioned in facing relation to the first seal ring and rotatably mounted relative to the first seal ring about an axis of rotation. A plurality of hydropads formed on one of the first seal ring and second seal ring provides a lift force that varies about the circumference of the mating ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Rexnord Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew L. Flaherty
  • Patent number: 8016210
    Abstract: A high pressure rotary nozzle having a rotating shaft operating within a fixed housing wherein the of axial force which acts upon the shaft due to the fluid pressure at the shaft inlet is balanced by allowing passage of a small amount of the pressurized fluid to be bled to an area or chamber between the outside of the opposite end of the shaft and the inside of the housing where the fluid pressure can act axially in an opposing direction upon the shaft to balance the axial inlet force. The balance of axial forces is self-regulating by controlling escape of the fluid through a tapered or frusto-conical region between the shaft and housing. This further provides a fluid bearing between the two surfaces and allows use of interchangeable rotating jet heads having jet orifices which can be oriented in virtually any desirable configuration including axially forward of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Balanced Body, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Wright
  • Patent number: 8006920
    Abstract: A high pressure rotary nozzle having a rotating shaft operating within a fixed housing wherein the of axial force which acts upon the shaft due to the liquid pressure at the shaft inlet is balanced by allowing passage of a small amount of the pressurized liquid to be bled to an area or chamber between the outside of the opposite end of the shaft and the inside of the housing where the liquid pressure can act axially in an opposing direction upon the shaft to balance the axial inlet force. The balance of axial forces is self-regulating by controlling escape of the liquid through a tapered or frusto-conical region between the shaft and housing. This further provides a liquid bearing between the two surfaces and allows use of interchangeable rotating jet heads having jet orifices which can be oriented in virtually any desirable configuration including axially forward of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Stoneage, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Wright, John E. Wolgamott
  • Patent number: 7883093
    Abstract: A mechanical non-contact gas seal including a rotary scaling ring and a stationary sealing ring that is engaged and held in an inner periphery of a seal case by means of O-rings so as to move in an axial direction thereof. The O-rings engage with the outer periphery of the stationary sealing ring and come in press contact with the inner periphery of the seal case to seal a gap between the stationary sealing ring and the seal case while allowing the stationary sealing ring to move in an axial direction. A resin coating of a thickness in the range of 5 to 100 ?m is formed on the inner periphery of the seal case at least within a range in which the O-rings relatively move with the movement of the stationary sealing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Pillar Packing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ueda, Satoshi Fujiwara, Mitsuru Kudari, Masanobu Ninomiya
  • Publication number: 20100270749
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mechanical seal device for obtaining appropriate sliding properties under any conditions, such as a pressure of seal is low or high. In the present invention, both first grooves 463 and second grooves 464 are formed on a sliding face 46 of a stationary ring 46. The first grooves which are not in communication externally and act for reducing contact resistance of a sliding face by a dynamic pressure action when a rotary shaft rotates, the second grooves act for reducing the contact resistance of the sliding face constantly by introducing a pressure from external. Thus, a mechanical seal device which is available to seal sealed fluid under an appropriate dry contact status wherein a sliding face load is reduced in any condition can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Oshii, Koji Akiyama, Koji Watanabe, Atsushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7797948
    Abstract: A transition-to-turbine seal (320) including an upstream portion (322) adapted to engage a flange (416) of a transition (400). The upstream portion (322) may be U-shaped in cross-sectional profile and include a primary wall (324) that includes a proximal section (325) and a distal section (326) relative to a hot gas path (170). The proximal section (325) includes a plurality of recesses (327) which are spaced apart and separated by intervening wall (328). In each recess (327) is provided one or more outlets (329) of cooling fluid holes (339). The outlets (329) communicate via the cooling fluid holes (339) with a supply of compressed cooling fluid, such as compressed air that is provided from the compressor. During operation the outlets (329) release this fluid into the respective recesses (327). The flow of cooling fluid provides for a more uniform cooling effect that includes impingement and convective cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam J. Weaver, Raymond S. Nordlund
  • Patent number: 7758051
    Abstract: A gas seal assembly includes a pair of mutually rotatable sealing members, each of which has a front face adjacent a gap between the two members which constitutes a leakage path through the seal assembly. The two sealing member are urged, in use, in a direction to close the gap and a gas bleed arrangement is provided for allowing gas from a high pressure side of the seal to bleed into the gap so as to apply a force tending to separate the members. The gas bleed arrangement includes a bore extending between the front face and a rear face of one of the sealing members, a generally radial groove formed in the rear face of the sealing member and a plate overlying the rear face to cover the groove and thereby define between the rear face of the sealing member and the plate a bleed passage connecting the bore to the high pressure side of the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd
    Inventors: Lev Uryevitch Roberts-Haritonov, Julian Oliver Reed
  • Patent number: 7726659
    Abstract: The present invention provides a static pressure type non-contact gas seal which, even when supply of seal gas 6 to the space between sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a has stopped unexpectedly, can be safely used with no possibility that the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a collide severely against each other and consequently the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a are damaged or destructed. In this static pressure type non-contact gas seal, the seal gas 6 is supplied to the space between the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a from a seal gas passage 5, thereby generating an opening force that acts on the stationary sealing ring 4 in a direction that the space between the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Pillar Packing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Fujiwara, Mitsuru Kudari, Masanobu Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 7635096
    Abstract: A high pressure rotary nozzle having a rotating shaft operating within a fixed housing wherein the of axial force which acts upon the shaft due to the liquid pressure at the shaft inlet is balanced by allowing passage of a small amount of the pressurized liquid to be bled to an area or chamber between the outside of the opposite end of the shaft and the inside of the housing where the liquid pressure can act axially in an opposing direction upon the shaft to balance the axial inlet force. The balance of axial forces is self-regulating by controlling escape of the liquid through a tapered or frusto-conical region between the shaft and housing. This further provides a liquid bearing between the two surfaces and allows use of interchangeable rotating jet heads having jet orifices which can be oriented in virtually any desirable configuration including axially forward of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: StoneAge, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Wright, John E. Wolgamott
  • Patent number: 7252291
    Abstract: A mechanical seal (e.g., single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals, tandem mechanical seals, bellows, pusher mechanical seals, and all types of rotating and reciprocating machines) with reduced contact surface temperature, reduced contact surface wear, or increased life span. The mechanical seal comprises a rotating ring and a single-piece, perforated mating ring, which improves heat transfer by controllably channeling coolant flow through the single-piece mating ring such that the coolant is in substantially uniform thermal contact with a substantial portion of the interior surface area of the seal face, while maintaining the structural integrity of the mechanical seal and minimizing the potential for coolant flow interruptions to the seal face caused by debris or contaminants (e.g., small solids and trash) in the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
    Inventors: Michael M. Khonsari, Anoop K. Somanchi
  • Patent number: 7222861
    Abstract: System for providing sealing between a rotor and a turbine casing in a hydraulic turbomachine includes a sealing ring arranged in a peripheral region of the rotor. The sealing ring forms at least one hydrostatic bearing with respect to at least one of the rotor and the turbine casing. The at least one hydrostatic bearing includes at least two bearing surfaces which face one another. At least one of the at least two bearing surfaces is arranged on the sealing ring. At least another of the at least two bearing surfaces is arranged on at least one of the rotor and the turbine casing. At least one groove is formed on at least one of the at least two bearing surfaces. At least one pressure-liquid line is coupled to each of the at least one groove and a pressure-liquid supply. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Inventor: Philipp Gittler
  • Patent number: 7144016
    Abstract: A gas seal assembly comprises a pair of mutually rotatable sealing members A, B, each of which has a face adjacent a gap between the two members. One of the members B is urged in a direction attempting to close the gap h which constitutes a leakage path through the seal assembly. A gas bleed arrangement 7 allows gas from a high pressure side P3 of the seal assembly to bleed into the gap at a position radially spaced between an inner diameter of the members and an outer diameter of the members A,B so as to apply a force tending to separate the members, the force decreasing as the size of the gap increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Corac Group PLC
    Inventor: Richard Julius Gozdawa
  • Patent number: 7112033
    Abstract: A sanitary centrifugal pump with a hygienic mechanical seal flushing system. The pump has a housing with a pumping chamber defined therein. An impeller is at least partially contained in the housing and is connected to a shaft for rotation. The rotation of the impeller creates a first liquid flow path through the pumping chamber between the inlet port and the outlet port, and the first liquid flow path creates a high pressure area in the pumping chamber. The pump includes additional seal flushing passages by which liquid is delivered to the seal cavity from the pumping chamber and returned back to the pumping chamber, to cool and flush at least a portion of the mechanical seal in the seal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Wright Pumps, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Holdorf
  • Patent number: 7044470
    Abstract: A rotary seal assembly including a first member having a sealing face and a second member having a sealing face with a number of pumping grooves therein. At least a first set of pumping grooves stating proximate a center portion of the sealing face and extending outward and at least a second set of pumping grooves starting proximate the center portion of the sealing face and extending inward to direct fluid fed to the center portion of the sealing face simultaneously both inwardly and outwardly from the center portion of the sealing face to provide a uniform fluid film thickness between the sealing faces of the first and second members when one sealing face cones due to thermal and/or pressure effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: PerkinElmer, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaoqing Zheng
  • Patent number: 6959929
    Abstract: A seal for a rotary compressor comprises a casing, at least one assembly having a rotating seal face ring which rotates as one with a sleeve intended to be mounted on a shaft of the compressor and of a stationary seal face ring mounted on the casing, the seal face rings being urged to press against one another via their rubbing face. The seal design further incorporates fluid circulation for heating leaks of compressible fluid conveyed by the compressor that occur between the seal face rings, this fluid circulation being formed in the casing and extending at least partially downstream of the seal face rings with respect to the direction of flow of the fluid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Thermodyn
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Pugnet, Daniel Bolusset, Patrick Friez
  • Patent number: 6942219
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to enhance the overall performance of mechanical seals in one of the following ways: by reducing seal face wear, by reducing the contact surface temperature, or by increasing the life span of mechanical seals. The apparatus is a mechanical seal (e.g., single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals, tandem mechanical seals, bellows, pusher mechanical seals, and all types of rotating and reciprocating machines) comprising a rotating ring and a double-tier mating ring. In a preferred embodiment, the double-tier mating ring comprises a first and a second stationary ring that together form an agitation-inducing, guided flow channel to allow for the removal of heat generated at the seal face of the mating ring by channeling a coolant entering the mating ring to a position adjacent to and in close proximity with the interior surface area of the seal face of the mating ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
    Inventors: Michael M. Khonsari, Anoop K. Somanchi
  • Publication number: 20040232622
    Abstract: A gas seal assembly comprises a pair of mutually rotatable sealing members A, B, each of which has a face adjacent a gap between the two members. One of the members B is urged in a direction attempting to close the gap h which constitutes a leakage path through the seal assembly. A gas bleed arrangement 7 allows gas from a high pressure side P3 of the seal assembly to bleed into the gap at a position radially spaced between an inner diameter of the members and an outer diameter of the members A,B so as to apply a force tending to separate the members, the force decreasing as the size of the gap increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Richard Julius Gozdawa
  • Patent number: 6814668
    Abstract: A universal joint includes a pair of bifurcated yokes interconnected by a cruciform. The cruciform includes four orthogonal trunnions each including a lubricant passage. A seal includes a plurality of protrusions engaging a portion of the trunnion to provide a purging path for trapped air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Salvatore N. Grupido
  • Patent number: 6705844
    Abstract: A seal is disposed between a rotating part and a stationary part. At least one of the parts is provided with projections which protrude into the seal gap. The seal gap (5) extends approximately radially so that both parts are provided with projections which extend in an axial direction, which are located concentrically in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotating parts and which engage with each other. Said projections are configured in the form of rows of blade-like elements. This effectively seals approximately radially extending seal gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Leybold Vakuum GmbH
    Inventor: Heinrich Engländer
  • Publication number: 20040026871
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a machinery housing includes a seal ring having a micro heat exchanger and a gland plate for securing the seal ring to the machinery housing. The gland plate includes a cooling fluid port in communication with the micro heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Lyndon Scott Stephens, Kevin W. Kelly