Having Pressure Relief Or Venting Feature Patents (Class 277/552)
  • Patent number: 7093820
    Abstract: A low leakage seal for separating two environments and contacting a component surface is provided. The seal includes a base and an annular rib. The annular rib is coupled to and extends from the base. The annular rib includes at least one contact surface configured to contact the component surface having a plurality of angularly cut radial grooves formed therein. The annular rib flexes and pressure energizes in the presence of a pressure differential between the two environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Anderson, William L. Giesler, Brad King, Jimmy D. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 7090223
    Abstract: A shaft sealing module is proposed for sealing a shaft which extends driving rotationally from a normal pressure chamber into a high vacuum chamber. It is essential for the shaft sealing module according to the invention that the dynamic seal of the shaft takes place not on the shaft itself but on a bushing mounted rotatably in a housing through which is guided a shaft and which is held on the shaft in friction connection, statically sealed, by elastic rings so that the bushing rotates with the shaft. The dynamic seal between the bushing and the housing is achieved by several radial shaft sealing rings which are preferably arranged so that between them is provided a prevacuum chamber with intermediate evacuation so that a two-stage dynamic seal is provided, where the prevacuum acts on the static seal between the bushing and the shaft in the sense of a gas penetration barrier towards the high vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Reinhard Feinmechanik GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Reinhard
  • Patent number: 7083170
    Abstract: A rod or piston primary seal, which includes a primary seal (2) facing the space (1) to be sealed and a secondary seal (3) facing away from it, in which the primary seal (2) is fitted into the groove (4), of a holding element (5), open in the direction of the relatively movable machine part (11) which is bounded, on the side facing away from the space (1) to be sealed, by a first side surface (7) which extends essentially at right angles to the sealing axis (6), and includes a sealing edge ring (8) made of tough, hard plastic which has a sealing edge (9) lying adjacent to the machine part (11) and is pressed with its sealing edge (9) onto the machine part (11) by a profile ring (10) made of elastomeric material which is supported on the bottom surface (12) of groove (4) and lies adjacent to sealing edge ring (8) with its inner surface (13), the sealing edge ring (8) having a profile bounded essentially by a right angle between the sealing edge (9) and the bounding surface (14) facing the first side surface (7
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventors: Dieter Von Borstel, Günter Reichow, Hans-Jürgen Timmermann
  • Patent number: 7066927
    Abstract: A seal having a body and several bands extending away from the body. The bands extend around an axial portion of the body. In some embodiments, the bands project from and are formed integral with the body. For example, the bands can be rings. Two bands can be located on the outside of the body and two additional bands can be located on the inside of the body to provide redundant sealing components between separated fluids. A vent aperture can be positioned between the two bands on each side of the body. The two inner bands can be offset from the two outer bands. The seal can be used in a surgical cutting device, among other things.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Medical Instrument Development Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Chen, Erik W. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6945536
    Abstract: A two liquid type oil seal 10 having a first seal 13 and a second seal 14, is provided with a communication hole 16 in the first seal 13. The communication hole 16 communicates a space 24 defined by the first and second seals 13, 14 and a crank shaft 2, with a gap 25 between an outer casing 11 and the first seal 13. Negative pressure induced in the space 24 is eliminated by sucking air from the outside through the communication hole 16 while lubrication oil having entered into the space 24 is removed from a groove 15 which is formed in the first and second seals 13, 14, thereby it is possible to restrain the first and second seals 13, 14 from being worn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisaku Iwakata, Tomoki Shimauchi
  • Patent number: 6896269
    Abstract: A seal for a hydraulic cylinder rod is provided. The seal includes a main body that defines an opening therein. The seal includes an inner surface and an outer surface. A first radial face having a generally planar surface extends from the inner surface to the outer surface. A second radial face having a groove disposed therein also extends from the inner surface to the outer surface. The groove defines an inner lip adjacent the inner surface and an outer lip adjacent the outer surface. The seal also includes a relief feature in the outer surface of the main body. The relief feature extends from the first radial face towards the second radial face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Donald S. Jackson
  • Patent number: 6866270
    Abstract: A C-section ring fixed on a steel-mill roll and coaxially surrounding its stub has inner and outer axially extending legs defining an axially open cavity. The inner leg is tapered away from the roll and is formed adjacent the free end with a radially outwardly open annular groove. An annular cover part fixed on a stationary support, engaged in the cavity, forming a drain compartment open axially away from the roll, and formed with a radially outwardly open catchment groove radially aligned with a free end of the inner leg is also formed with a passage extending from the catchment groove to the drain compartment. An annular extension on the cover part has an inner surface carrying a seal ring that bears radially inward on the stub. An add-on part on the extension forms with the extension, with the cover part, and with the C-section ring a labyrinth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: SMS Demag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Keller, Konrad Roeingh
  • Patent number: 6857637
    Abstract: A rotation shaft seal disposed between a housing and a rotation shaft, and provided with a seal member of rubber having a lip end portion which extends as to diminish in diameter to a fluid storing chamber side, wherein the lip end portion has a contact portion which contacts a surface of the rotation shaft and an end face which is facing the rotation shaft, and a concave portion, generating a component of force in diameter direction to raise the lip end portion outward in the diameter direction when receiving pressure in the fluid storing chamber, is formed on the end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Atsushi Hosokawa, Hideo Nagaoka, Takeshi Yamada, Yuji Kaneshige
  • Patent number: 6851676
    Abstract: An inner seal ring is disclosed for use in an oil film bearing for a roll in a rolling mill. The roll has a neck with an intermediate section tapering from an end face to a reduced diameter end section contained within a sleeve. The sleeve is fixed in relation to the roll neck and is journalled for rotation in a bushing contained within a chock. A flexible neck seal is mounted on the intermediate section of the roll neck for rotation with the roll within a seal end plate fixed to the chock. The inner seal ring comprises a circular midsection with an annular face on one side and with inner and outer flanges projecting from an opposite side. The inner flange is configured to engage the neck seal, the outer flange is configured to coact in spaced relationship with the seal end plate to define a first labyrinth, and the annular face is contoured to coact in an abutting relationship with the roll end face in defining a second labyrinth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Morgan Construction Company
    Inventors: Armando S. Martins, Dennis Shriner, Peter N. Osgood
  • Patent number: 6827351
    Abstract: A scraper device for a reciprocating compressor piston rod that comprises at least one scraper ring, provided with at least one lip which faces the surface of the said rod, and a box to contain the scraper ring and for centering on the rod, wherein this scraper ring is produced by means of mechanical processing of deformable plastics materials and wherein this container box is accommodated in support elements with radial play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Holding S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Graziani, Massimo Iacobelli, Simone Pratesi
  • Patent number: 6820876
    Abstract: A boot for a universal joint is constructed by a boot body and a boot adapter. The one end of the boot is fitted on a propeller inner shaft via its one-end fitting portion and the other end of the boot is fitted on the outer race of the universal joint via its other-end fitting portion, thereby substantially covering the universal joint. The foregoing one-end fitting portion has an annular lip portion at its end portion. Passages for flowing air are formed on the one-end fitting portion and its annular lip portion, respectively. The passages communicate with each other through an annular partial passage between both passages. The existence of the annular partial passage increases the flowing resistance of air between the inside and the outside of the boot to reduce the pressure fluctuation in the boot and to improve the effectiveness in preventing splashed water or muddy water from intruding into the boot along with the suction of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Iwano
  • Patent number: 6783130
    Abstract: A seal mechanism with improved pressure tightness is provided to eliminate a return piping to a fuel tank used for reducing pressure applied to the seal mechanism in a high pressure fuel pump. The seal mechanism includes a stress reduction mechanism for reducing the stress generated at the junction between its retaining member and flexible member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Hashida, Hideki Machimura, Hideaki Yamauchi, Masayoshi Kotaki, Takefumi Yamamura
  • Patent number: 6722658
    Abstract: A wiper having an integrated seal, comprising at least one dynamically stressed, first sealing lip arranged in the direction of a space to be sealed, and at least one wiping lip disposed on the side facing away from the space to be sealed. The wiper having an integrated seal also includes quasi-statically stressed second, third and fourth sealing lips which are each configured to be placed against at least one counter-surface of a mounting space of the wiper with integrated seal. The second sealing lip is fluid-conductive. The third and fourth sealing lips are each configured as a pressure relief valve, and sealing lips are arranged in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
    Inventors: Uwe Siegrist, Otmar Braun
  • Patent number: 6641141
    Abstract: A self contained anti-blowout seal includes a seal jacket having a static seal surface and a dynamic seal lip with a cavity therebetween. A retaining ring is provided and disposed, in part, within a cavity of the seal jacket and proximate the static seal surface for pressing the static seal surface against a mounting surface. The retaining ring includes a surface extending outside the cavity for bearing against a mounting surface and a depending portion is provided which extends over the cavity opening and includes at least one port communicating with the cavity for enabling a sealing medium to enter and exit the cavity as the seal is pressure energized. A biasing element is provided and disposed in the cavity for forcing the dynamic seal lip against a moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering
    Inventor: John W. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6609716
    Abstract: A wiper seal for a hydraulic component is provided. The wiper seal includes a support member with a first leg that has an inner surface, a first end, and a second end and that extends substantially parallel to a reference axis. The support member further includes a second leg that has an outer surface extending substantially perpendicular to the reference axis from the first end of the first leg. The wiper seal also includes a body portion that defines an opening therethrough and includes an outer peripheral surface configured to receive the inner surface of the first leg of the support member. A first radial face extends substantially coplanar with the outer surface of the second leg and a second radial face extends generally perpendicular to the reference axis from the second end of the first leg of the support member. The second radial face includes a cutout defining a first cavity. An inner surface defines a first sealing lip adjacent the first radial face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Anthony David Friend, Steven Louis Arianoutsos, Bart James Ferrero
  • Patent number: 6607197
    Abstract: A sealing device for sealing the gap between two relatively moving members is provided with a pivot point on its cross-sectional perimeter. As pressure against the seal increases, the seal rotates about the pivot point, resulting in an increased sealing surface area on the seal. Additionally, a recess is provided on the cross sectional perimeter, advantageously offering a more frictionless sealing relationship between the seal and the moving member. Further, a recess is provided on outer portion of the cross sectional perimeter on a surface of the seal that would contact an energizer ring, the recess eliminating a dynamic interface between the energizer ring and the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Polymer Sealing Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Baehl, Larry Castleman
  • Patent number: 6595524
    Abstract: A buffer seal adapted for use in a seal assembly including at least a primary seal, the seal assembly being adapted to provide a fluid seal between two relatively moving machine elements, such as a piston or rod of a first machine element moving within a cylindrical bore of a second machine element. The buffer seal comprises a sealing element and a resiliently deformable biasing element. The material, shape, and/or volume of the biasing element are selected to provide a desired biasing force sufficient to maintain a surface of the sealing element in sealing contact with a surface of the first machine element and to simultaneously maintain another surface of the sealing element in sealing contact with a surface of the second machine element. In one embodiment, the buffer seal may be configured such that axial movement and tilting of the buffer seal within its associated gland are substantially eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Macrotech Polyseal, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel K. Zitting
  • Patent number: 6561519
    Abstract: A pair of spaced apart radial shaft seals are held together by an interlocking pair of support members. The support members form an inner cavity which is in flow communication with the annulus between the shaft seals and the shaft. The inner cavity is vented to the atmosphere by means of a partial hole formed in the outer diameter portion of the support members. Any fluid that accumulates between the seals in the annulus is permitted to drain out through the inner cavity and the vent hole. The vent hole also prevents the formation of a vacuum in the annulus during operation. A channel between the support members is in flow communication with the annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventors: Christopher C. Frese, Tigree M. Butcher
  • Patent number: 6523833
    Abstract: A ring-shaped low load seal attached into a ring-shaped dovetail groove having an opening portion, a first side wall face, a second side wall face, and a bottom wall face. This seal has a trileaf cross-sectional configuration composed of a first arc portion, a second arc portion, a protruding portion, and a concave portion disposed between the first arc portion and the second arc portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd., SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Ishigaki, Mamoru Fukuda, Yasuyuki Nishimura, Kazumasa Nishida
  • Publication number: 20020175477
    Abstract: Sealing device for sealing at least one zone of underpressure or overpressure adjoining a moving surface that includes at least one sealing element, positionable opposite the moving surface to form a front and a rear, with respect to a surface running direction, with a sealing section located at the front and a ventilation section located at the rear. The sealing section is structured to sealingly interact with the moving surface and the ventilation section is structured to contact the moving surface and includes a run off surface having at least one of a substantially sawtooth and wavy shape surface arranged at an end of the rear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: VOITH PAPER PATENT GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Schrefl, Rudiger Keinberger, Valentin Weiss, Anton Luger
  • Publication number: 20020096838
    Abstract: A vacuum pump has a housing accommodating a rotary shaft and a gas transferring assembly driven by the rotary shaft. The housing has an exhaust passage for exhausting gas outside the housing. The gas transferring assembly creates a vacuum. A lip seal for shaft seal is disposed between a pump chamber communicating with the exhaust passage and a region in which oil exists so as to slide relative to a circumferential surface of the rotary shaft. The lip seal has a back pressure surface in a back pressure region facing the pump chamber and a pressure surface facing the region in which the oil exists. A communicating passage in the housing intercommunicates the back pressure region and the exhaust passage for applying at least substantially the pressure in the exhaust passage to the back pressure surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Shinya Yamamoto, Yoshinari Suzuki, Masahiro Ida, Masahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6422570
    Abstract: A lip type seal is provided with an outer ring part (31) which is tightly fitted to a seal installation part (12) of a housing (1); a seal main body (32) which is fixed to the outer ring part (31) and whose inner circumferential part extending in a bent state to the side of a sealed space (A) is sealably brought into slidable contact with an outer circumferential surface of a rotary shaft (2) inserted in the housing (1); a rear surface support plate (33) which is arranged on the rear side of the seal main body and whose outer circumferential part together with the seal main body (32) is fixed to the outer ring part (31); and a movable support plate (34) which is engaged movably in a radial direction between the seal main body (32) and the rear surface support plate (33) and whose inner diameter is clearance fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignees: Eagle Industry Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ikeda, Takeshi Yamada, Takayuki Imai
  • Publication number: 20020084593
    Abstract: A sealing device for sealing the gap between two relatively moving members is provided with a pivot point on its cross-sectional perimeter. As pressure against the seal increases, the seal rotates about the pivot point, resulting in an increased sealing surface area on the seal. Additionally, a recess is provided on the cross sectional perimeter, advantageously offering a more frictionless sealing relationship between the seal and the moving member. Further, a recess is provided on outer portion of the cross sectional perimeter on a surface of the seal that would contact an energizer ring, the recess eliminating a dynamic interface between the energizer ring and the seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Jeff Baehl, Larry Castleman
  • Patent number: 6364316
    Abstract: An annular sealing apparatus is disclosed for disposition in cooperation with a body defining a bore and a rotating member rotatably received in the bore, the bore and rotating member bounding a high fluid pressure region and a relatively lower pressure fluid region therebetween, the sealing apparatus inhibiting fluid leakage between the high and lower fluid pressure regions, the sealing apparatus has a fore cover plate disposed in the high fluid pressure region and aft cover plate disposed in the lower pressure fluid region. A sealing element comprised of a plurality of comb-like diaphragm members is disposed between the two cover plates. Each of the diaphragm members has a foot portion with a groove. At low rotational speeds the foot portion abuts against the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Gulshan K. Arora
  • Patent number: 6338490
    Abstract: The seal is composed of butt-jointed segments (1) in which the bearing surface (18) on a rotating part (2) subject to wear, includes a hollow chamber (20) communicating through calibrated orifices (22) with a high pressure containment (8). Therefore, it fills up with gas which tends to force it away from the surface, thus reducing the contact pressure without introducing excessive leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation “Snecma”
    Inventor: Daniel Olivier Bainachi
  • Patent number: 6325175
    Abstract: In order to improve a compressor for refrigerant, comprising a housing, at least one refrigerant-compressing element arranged in the housing, a shaft which has a section extending in the housing and driving the refrigerant-compressing element, a section passing through a wall of the housing and a drive section projecting out of the housing as well as a sealing arrangement effective between the section of the shaft passing through the wall and the housing and having a slide ring seal and an outer sealing ring, between which an oil receiving chamber is arranged, from which oil can be discharged via an oil outlet, in such a manner that, on the one hand, as little oil as possible leaks out and, on the other hand, as good a shut-off as possible in relation to the entry of air can be achieved it is suggested that an oil collecting area of the oil receiving chamber communicate via a siphon arrangement with an ascending channel which leads to an outlet for the oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Bitzer Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Dittrich, Volker Pollrich
  • Patent number: 6308959
    Abstract: An elastic sealing element in the form of bellows, which is used to seal the contact surface between at least two components movable in relation to one another is described, which has low-elasticity contact zones as well as a deformation zone whose elasticity is higher than that of the contact zones, wherein the said deformation zone defines a chamber for accommodating lubricants on its inner side facing the movable components. An overpressure relief means (14) is arranged at least in the area of one of the two low-elasticity contact zones (6 or 7). The overpressure relief means (14) has at least one relief opening (15) connecting the lubricant chamber (11) with the outside of the sealing element (1) and a closing element (16) covering the said relief opening. The closing element (16) is in turn made in one piece with the sealing element (1) and closes the relief opening (15) up to an overpressure limit in the lubricant chamber (11) due to the intrinsic elasticity of the material of the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Dirk Sokolihs, Uwe Petersen
  • Patent number: 6293558
    Abstract: A gasket is inserted between a housing filled with pressurized oil and a rotating shaft projects out from said housing. This gasket has two sealing lips which delimit between them a collecting chamber provided with a discharge passage for lubricant. A calibrated nozzle allows oil to be fed into the collecting chamber at a predetermined flow rate in order to lubricate the outer lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hutchinson
    Inventor: René Crapart
  • Patent number: 6290235
    Abstract: Fluid sealing system for installation within an assembly including a stationary machine part having a generally annular surface, and a reciprocable machine part having a generally cylindrical surface disposed concentrically with the annular surface of the stationary machine part. The system includes annular primary and secondary seal members each configured to be received within a corresponding gland of the annular surface coaxially intermediate the cylindrical surface of the movable machine part and a peripheral wall of the glands. The primary seal member has axially spaced-apart upper and lower end faces, and radially spaced-apart inner and outer diameter faces. The inner diameter face is formed to contact the cylindrical surface of the movable machine part along at least one dynamic sealing surface, and the outer diameter face is formed to contact the peripheral side wall of the gland along at least one static sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Albertson
  • Patent number: 6146020
    Abstract: A circular seal assembly is provided for a roll in a rolling mill. The roll has a neck with a tapered section leading from a roll end face to a reduced diameter section rotatably supported in a non-rotating bearing chock. The chock is spaced axially from the roll end face to define a circular gap therebetween, and the seal assembly is adapted to span the gap. The seal assembly comprises a rigid circular seal end plate adapted to be fixed to the chock at a location cooperating with associated resilient seal components to subdivide the gap into an inboard chamber adjacent the roll end face and an outboard chamber adjacent the chock. A vent connection is provided in an upper quadrant of the seal end plate between the inboard and outboard chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Morgan Construction Company
    Inventor: Charles L. Innis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6142393
    Abstract: A cap assembly for covering an injector of a lubricant metering device to sealingly protect the injector from moisture and dirt. The injector has a generally cylindric body and an end structure narrower than the body projecting endwise from the body. The assembly has a cap including a generally cylindric tube having a side wall, an open end, a closed end and a configuration such that the cap is shaped and sized for detachable mounting on the body of the injector in a covering position in which the tube encloses the end structure of the injector. A flexibly resilient gasket has an annular shape with an inner edge sized for surrounding the end structure to enable the gasket to be sealingly secured to the structure and an outer edge sized for engaging an inner surface of the side wall of the cap and forming a fluid-tight seal thereon when the cap is mounted in its covering position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Lincoln Industrial Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Kotyk
  • Patent number: 6113108
    Abstract: A buffer seal is provided and adapted to absorb high pressures. The buffer seal includes a body portion and a sealing portion with a backup ring disposed in a groove adjacent to the sealing portion. The sealing portion has a first surface that is perpendicular to a reference axis of the buffer seal and a second surface that forms an acute angle with the reference axis, preferably less than thirty degrees. The first surface of the sealing portion extends axially from the body portion to form a shoulder. The shoulder functions during use to provide a surface that pressurized fluid can act against to urge the sealing portion against a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Friend, Donald S. Jackson, Mark J. Kiesel
  • Patent number: 6098987
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a groove or seal gland in a relatively stationary machine part for sealing an axially displaceable machine part extending therethrough comprises a relatively flexible seal element supported by a relatively rigid support element. The seal element has a static seal that bears on a radial wall of the seal gland to provide superior back-pressure relief while maintaining proper seal element position in the seal gland.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Macrotech Polyseal, Inc.
    Inventor: Tadd McBride
  • Patent number: 6053501
    Abstract: For use in a seal assembly having a nonrotatable component surrounding and spaced radially from a tapered section of a roll neck in a rolling mill, a seal comprising a flexible circular seal body with at least first and second resilient outer circular flanges. The seal body is configured and dimensioned to be mounted on the roll neck for rotation therewith. The first flange has a peripheral lip projecting at an angle therefrom in the direction of the second flange, with a contact surface on the first flange positioned to contact the nonrotatable component. The second flange projects in the same direction at an angle with respect to the first flange and is spaced from the nonrotatable component. The first flange is bendable to an extent sufficient to contact the second flange at a static interface, resulting in the space therebetween being reduced in size and enclosed with respect to the surrounding atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Morgan Construction Company
    Inventors: Charles L. Innis, Jr., Jerome J. Churba
  • Patent number: 6029980
    Abstract: A radial shaft seal for use on a shaft, said radial shaft seal including a rigid insert generally having a L-shaped cross section. The shaft seal including a circumferential seal body molded around the insert. The shaft seal further including an exclusion lip integral with the seal body, the exclusion lip having a venting mechanism. The venting mechanism allows fluid transfer into the primary sealing lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventor: Michael Downes
  • Patent number: 5988591
    Abstract: A packing mounting groove formed in a spool has a wider portion of a large groove width and a narrower portion of a small groove width, and a packing that is mounted in the packing mounting groove has a first portion that fits in the wider portion and a second portion that fits in the narrower portion. A plurality of fixing protrusions formed concentrically on both sides of the second portion are pressure-contacted with a groove wall of the narrower portion to fixedly mount the packing in the mounting groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Akimoto, Masamichi Tajima, Makoto Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5984315
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump system is provided with a leakage fluid reclamation sub-system having connected eductor and fluid line elements that function to return hydraulic fluid leaked from around the system drive shaft to the reservoir of the hydraulic fluid pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Denison Hydraulics Inc.
    Inventors: Michele Lee Burkhardt, Jack W. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 5899460
    Abstract: A refrigeration compressor seal for inhibiting the loss of refrigerant between a compressor shaft and a compressor housing. The seal includes a face seal comprising a seal nose and a mating ring positioned in opposing relation to the seal nose. The mating ring includes tungsten carbide (e.g., solid tungsten carbide with 6% nickel binder). The seal nose comprises a maximum of about 0.5 weight percent lead (e.g., a low lead tin bronze allow, such as alloy C90300). A lip seal is operatively positioned between the compressor housing and the compressor shaft. The lip seal and the face seal collectively form a seal cavity for retaining fluid adjacent to the face seal. The seal assembly can further include a bypass channel for bypassing fluid around a top portion of the lip seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventor: Keith L. Altieri
  • Patent number: 5852952
    Abstract: A transmission operating apparatus includes a booster for increasing the transmission operating force, and a buffer device for suppressing rapid shift-changes caused by a change in the load due to the damper action of a hydraulic damper mechanism. A by-pass is incorporated into the buffer to permit working fluid to flow into damper chamber by-passing an orifice when necessary. A sealing member having a sealing portion is interposed in the by-pass to seal the by-pass under normal conditions but is resiliently deformed releasing the seal when the working fluid flows into the damper chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignees: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd., Sanwa Seiki Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Okamoto, Jun Kajinami, Kazunari Imasato
  • Patent number: 5758881
    Abstract: A shaft seal comprises a resilient sealing ring 1 with a peripheral sealing lip which is deflected axially in use so as to bear radially against a shaft. The sealing contact area 2 on the sealing lip is between predetermined limits, each defined by a change in angle of the surface of the sealing lip so that a substantial contact stress is maintained across the whole sealing contact area 2 in use. The seal can be used in an assembly including a carrier 5, 5' in which the seal is mounted. The seal can be used cooperatively with another shaft seal to prevent contaminants passing along the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Dowty Seals Limited
    Inventor: Clive John Stanley