Spring Bias Patents (Class 277/522)
  • Patent number: 11746925
    Abstract: One or more packing systems and/or methods of manufacture are disclosed for a valve seal with lowered emissions while being complaint with fire standards. The packing system may have alternating mid-layers, a top layer, a bottom layer, and a first end cap and a second end cap. The layers can be formed of a flexible graphite-based material and/or a perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA) material. The layers may be bonded together and expand under compression to form a seal between a valve stem and a stuffing box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Garlock, Brian Biller, Thom Jessup
  • Patent number: 10935023
    Abstract: A pump for a liquid product including a body inwardly delimiting a compression chamber, in which a piston is mounted sliding, as well as an external motor coupled to the piston for movement thereof by a piston rod passing through a wall secured to the pump body, through a passage opening equipped with a sealing device including a stack of seals kept gripped axially against the pump body, the sealing device including an axial compression member inserted between a crown, included in the sealing device, and the wall secured to the pump body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventors: Nicolas Plantard, Boussif Khaldi
  • Patent number: 9103810
    Abstract: When a sealing member held in a cavity of a housing is pressed by a cap toward the bottom of the cavity, the side surface of the sealing member is inclined to laterally expand. As a result, in the opening-side portion of the sealing member, the side surface is strongly pressed on the wall surface of the cavity, causing a strong friction force at the contact surface, which prevents the pressing force applied from the opening side from being transmitted to the bottom side. Therefore, at the beginning of the pressing operation, the internal stress of the sealing member is higher in the opening-side portion than in the bottom-side portion. With the lapse of time from the beginning of the pressing operation, the opening-side portion of the sealing member under the higher internal stress gradually moves toward the bottom side against the friction force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Maeda
  • Publication number: 20150108721
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a passive shutdown sealing device (20) for a reactor coolant pump unit comprising: a split sealing ring (23) having an inactivated position in which a leakage flow is permitted and an activated position in which said ring stops said leakage flow; at least one piston (22) designed to position said split sealing ring (23) in its activated position; locking/unlocking means (25) designed to lock said at least one piston (22) in its inactivated position when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is below a temperature threshold and to release said at least one piston (22) when the temperature of said locking/unlocking means is above said temperature threshold; elastic means (24) designed to move said at least one piston (22) when said piston is released, so as to position said sealing ring (23) in its activated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Romain Thuillier
  • Patent number: 8714560
    Abstract: A seal assembly for use with valves is described. An example seal assembly includes a first seal and a second seal opposite the first seal. The first and second seals are to sealingly engage a closure member of a valve and a sealing surface opposite the closure member. A spacer ring is disposed between the first and second seals to prevent the first and second seals from contacting each other. Additionally, the spacer ring is sized so that the spacer ring does not contact the closure member or the sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC
    Inventor: Wayne Russell Faas
  • Patent number: 8702056
    Abstract: A plug valve and stem sealing assembly capable of preventing leakage under demanding environmental and operating conditions while also improving the reliability of the valve seal. The valve includes a body, a flow-element, a bonnet and a self-adjusting stem sealing assembly. The body has a first port and a second port with a passage configured to flow a media extending between the first port and the second port. The flow-element is positioned between the first and second port and has a stem configured to actuate the flow-element between a closed position and an open position. The bonnet may be secured to the valve body and configured to secure the flow-element and stem sealing assembly in position. The self-adjusting stem sealing assembly is positioned adjacent to the stem and is configured to prevent media leakage from the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Aegis Flow Technolofies, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Kevin W. Crochet, Sr., Norman Eger, Sideny A. Rovira, III
  • Publication number: 20140049010
    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: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Ingo Henry Johannes JAHN, Christopher DAVIES
  • Patent number: 8631878
    Abstract: A ring like seal assembly for a wellhead assembly that seals between a pair of coaxial tubulars. The seal assembly includes a spring member for exerting an axial force on the seal. The spring member projects from an end of the seal assembly substantially parallel to the axis of the seal assembly and is compressed when installing the seal assembly between the tubulars. Compressing the spring member maintains an axial force on the seal assembly to keep the seal assembly radially deformed so that it can maintain sealing contact with both coaxial tubulars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventor: Khanh A. Duong
  • Patent number: 8132785
    Abstract: A shaft seal packing exhibits high sealability at the time of initial assembly and also exhibits, even after the packing is retightened, excellent sealability by an increased seal surface pressure obtained through an effect of pressing and by self-sealability obtained through an effect of fluid pressure. A shaft seal structure for a valve includes a body for a valve, a valve shaft, a valve disc disposed within the body so as to be rotatable or capable of ascending and descending, a valve shaft seal chamber having the valve shaft axially attached thereto, a shaft seal packing that is attached to the shaft seal chamber and comprises annular packing bodies stacked and substantially V-shaped in cross section, with stacked layer faces on the inner-diameter side of the packing bodies brought into tight contact with one another and stacked layer faces on the outer-diameter side of the packing bodies formed with prescribed gaps between the adjacent stacked layer faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Kitz Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Sugita, Yoshihiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8104769
    Abstract: A liquid and gas tight bi-directional metal frustro-conical seal is energized by compression between planar, annular faces causing its inner and outer diameters to sealingly engage opposing cylindrical surfaces of inner and outer metal pipes. The contact forces between the concentric sealing surfaces are high in order to locally deform the softer metal and eliminate leakage paths. The sealing ring is backed-up by a similar ring that is reduced in cross-sectional width, such that when compressed the ring does not engage the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces. The second ring is nested with and directly below the sealing ring, and equally axially compressed when the joint is assembled. When the pipe joints are disassembled, the second ring serves to restore the seal ring to its original, deeper frustro-conical shape, allowing the pipe joints to be easily separated for reuse of the piping in a different location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Seal Science & Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Horace P. Halling
  • Patent number: 8100407
    Abstract: A package cartridge is provided for use in the maintenance of a packing bore for a plunger-type pump. According to one aspect, a packing cartridge includes: a generally-cylindrical sleeve adapted to be at least partially positioned in the packing bore, a first abutment ring positioned in the sleeve, and a second abutment ring positioned in the sleeve and co-axially spaced apart from the first abutment ring. Telescoping structures are operatively positioned between the first abutment ring and the second abutment ring. According to another aspect, a structure forming a circumferential pressure-ring groove is provided. A pressure ring is positioned in the pressure-ring groove, the pressure ring having at least one smaller external dimension than an internal dimension of the pressure-ring groove, whereby at least one clearance is provided between the pressure-ring groove and the pressure ring. These aspects can be advantageously practiced together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Inventors: Eddie N. Stanton, Michael L. Strickland
  • Publication number: 20110174506
    Abstract: A ring like seal assembly for a wellhead assembly that seals between a pair of coaxial tubulars. The seal assembly includes a spring member for exerting an axial force on the seal. The spring member projects from an end of the seal assembly substantially parallel to the axis of the seal assembly and is compressed when installing the seal assembly between the tubulars. Compressing the spring member maintains an axial force on the seal assembly to keep the seal assembly radially deformed so that it can maintain sealing contact with both coaxial tubulars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventor: Khanh A. Duong
  • Patent number: 7883073
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for adjusting a spring load in an actuator are described. An example actuator includes a housing and a plate. Further, the example actuator includes one or more springs disposed in the housing to apply a force to the plate. Additionally, the example actuator includes a spring load adjuster having a collar extending through and movably engaged to the plate to enable an adjustment of the position of the collar relative to the plate to change a load provided by the one or more springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Emerson Process Management Power and Water Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Paul Sinka, Richard Peter Natili, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100066032
    Abstract: A seal includes a main body portion having fingers that extend outward to seal against the sides of one or more flexible conduit sections. The seal embodies several features that minimize the effect of compressing the seal over extended use. In one embodiment, the seal include a tab that isolates compression forces from the fingers. Other embodiments, include a recessed hinge point between the fingers and the main body. Still other embodiments, incorporate a material that fills the region between the fingers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: POLYMER CONCEPTS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert F. GIRMAN, Audie D. GREAVES
  • Publication number: 20090212503
    Abstract: A rotating assembly of a mechanical seal includes a retainer, a pair of compression rings, a shaft sleeve, a first rotating seal ring and a second rotating seal ring. The retainer includes a plurality of spring members and a plurality of slide legs longitudinally extended in opposite directions to define limiting spaces where the compression rings are correspondingly restricted. The compression rings are located at opposite sides of the retainer between which the spring members are arranged. In assembling, the retainer, the compression rings, the first rotating seal ring and the second rotating seal ring are assembled on the shaft sleeve. Spring forces of the spring members can actuate the compression rings to push the first rotating seal ring and the second rotating seal ring in the opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Cheng-Shiou Huang
  • Patent number: 7311182
    Abstract: To make a sealing and guiding packet available to shock dampers in order to minimize or even entirely prevent the negative effects of the so-called stick-slip effect and thus permit greater riding comfort, a sealing and guiding packet is proposed which comprises the following features: a) A cylindrical gasket (6) surrounding an oscillating piston rod (10) and in contact with the latter, which has a first and a second end face (6a, 6b) and a cylindrical mantle surface (6c), b) a cylindrical elastomer element (7) surrounding the ring (6), which has two radially extending flanges (7a, 7b), which thrust the ring (6) resiliently against the end faces, and which [elastomer element] has a radially extending third flange (7c) which biases the ring against the piston rod surface; as well as c) tightening elements (1; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; 4) which in the working state keep the elastomer element (7) under bias both in the axial and in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Bilstein GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Nevoigt, Steffen Lang
  • Patent number: 6796324
    Abstract: A fugitive emission collection device for acquiring an atmosphere sample around a seal is provided. The emission collection device has a rigid member that forms a low impedance cavity shaped to overlay a seal. The emission collection device has a conduit with an inlet in fluid communications with the low impedance cavity and an outlet that can be connected to a chemical sensing system to analyze the atmosphere sample for emissions leaking from the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International, LLC
    Inventors: John Patrick Dilger, Jerry Marvin Ceaser
  • Patent number: 6145845
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for biasing a seal assembly in a high pressure fluid pump. In one embodiment, the fluid pump includes a reciprocating plunger, a seal carrier disposed about the plunger, and a seal supported by the seal carrier and sealably engaged with the plunger. The seal may be biased toward the seal carrier with a spring and may include a flange that engages the spring to restrict lateral motion of a spring relative to the reciprocating plunger. The flange may engage an inner and/or an outer surface of the spring. Where the spring is a coil spring, the flange may be continuous around the circumference of the spring or may include a plurality of spaced apart projections located around the circumference of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Flow International Corporation
    Inventors: Olivier L. Tremoulet, Jr., Chidambaram Raghavan, Katherine M. Madden
  • Patent number: 6120006
    Abstract: A valve device includes a valve stem 2 vertically movably inserted in a packing box 1a; a gland packing 6 interposed between the packing box 1a and the valve stem 2; a packing follower 15 disposed on the gland packing 6; and one or more arched plate springs 19 for pressing the gland packing 6 via the packing follower 15 or a packing flange 7 disposed on the packing follower 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Yamaki, Ryuji Shinozaki, Kenichi Kawazoe
  • Patent number: 6098986
    Abstract: A seal (14) for use between a pair of substantially concentric elements (10 and 11) capable of relative movement with respect to each other, said seal comprising a sealing element (17) having a configuration of a helix wherein the opposed axial faces of the helix are of complementary configuration and are in close abutting relationship with each other, said sealing element (17) being formed of a rigid resilient wear resistant material having a low coefficient of sliding friction, said sealing element (17) being adapted to be supported from one element (11) by a support means (13) and being in close abutting relationship with the other element (10), a clamping means (19) for causing resilient compression of the seal against the other element, a resilient means (20) mounted between the axial ends of the sealing element (17) and adapted to resiliently resist relative rotation between the ends of the sealing element (17) in a direction which will cause the sealing element (17) to expand radially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignees: Aileendonan Research Pty Ltd, Gian Research Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Stanley Nowak
  • Patent number: 6076831
    Abstract: A switch fitting, in particular a cock, ball cock, flap or likewise, with a switch rod for a switch member, which is rotatably and slightly tiltably guided in a switch shaft bore of a fitting housing and which has a sealing surface which is formed on a collar on the side opposed to the switch member, with a sealing ring cooperating with the sealing surface and being supported on a graduation of the switch shaft bore, and with a spring pressing the sealing surface against the sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring has essentially a fine contact with the sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Pfannenschmidt GmbH
    Inventor: Erhard Pfannenschmidt
  • Patent number: 6062570
    Abstract: A stem seal having first and second wiping members circumjacent a stem is disposed within a bore. A lubricant-bearing ring is disposed about the stem within the bore between the wiping members, under compression therefrom. Projections from the wiping members intrude into the lubrication ring so as to depress the central surface areas thereof. Similar projections are used to center a coil spring against one of these seal members and against an additional seal member. By forming the lubricant ring of open-cell loam or mesh construction, superior lubricant bearing capacities may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Barber-Colman
    Inventor: Irving C. Erickson
  • Patent number: 5927685
    Abstract: A valve includes a column having an outer end portion defining a threaded bore, an outer mediate portion defining a first receiving recess communicating with the threaded bore, an inner mediate portion defining a passage communicating with the first receiving recess, and an inner end portion extending outwardly from a valve body and defining a second receiving recess communicating with the passage, and a valve stem having a first end portion formed with an outer thread, and a second end portion extending through the passage and formed with an annular flange received in the second receiving recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: JVP, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Gosling
  • Patent number: 5860633
    Abstract: A valve assembly configured to maintain a seal during thermal cycling includes a valve body defining a flow passage, and a fluid control member disposed in the flow passage for controlling the flow of fluid. An actuating shaft is interconnected with the fluid control member for moving the fluid control member. A housing including an internal wall defining a shaft bore is connected to the valve body, and the actuating shaft extends through the shaft bore with the internal wall of the housing radially spaced from the actuating shaft to define a sealing cavity. A seal is located within the sealing cavity for inhibiting fluid flow between the actuating shaft and the housing. The seal includes a plurality of first surfaces and the housing defines a plurality of opposed surfaces such that sealing contact of the seal with the actuating shaft and the housing is maintained during thermal cycling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Inventors: Ryan E. Murphy, Thomas F. Spock, Jr., Geoffrey R. McLaughlin