Patent ID: 9650906
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: F01D,F02C,F05D,F16J

Claim:
1. A seal for a machine, the seal comprising: a first rotating member having a cavity formed between a first runner and a second runner that extend axially in a first linear direction from the first rotating member; a second rotating member having at least one fin with outer and inner surfaces tapering transversely toward each other and extending axially to a distal end in a second linear direction from the second rotating member and toward the first rotating member, the fin having a base section with the outer and inner surfaces at the base section spanning wider than the cavity, the fin having a tapered section extending from the base section towards the first rotating member, the tapered section having an aperture extending between the outer and inner surfaces at the tapered section, the fin having an elongated section with an axial length and a radial width, wherein the length of the elongated section extends axially from the tapered section to the distal end of the fin and into the cavity between the first runner and the second runner, wherein the width of the elongated section is generally uniform, wherein the length of the elongated section of the fin is larger than an axial length of the cavity, and wherein blockage of the aperture by at least one of the first and second runners is resisted due to the length of the elongated section being greater than the length of the cavity and due to a width of the tapered section being greater than a radial width of the cavity; a first clearance between the cavity and the fin; and a second clearance between the cavity and the fin, wherein said first and second rotating members are arranged to rotate at different speeds about a common rotational axis.