Patent ID: 6120036
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: F16J,Y10S

Abstract:
A circular interference type extrusion resistant hydrodynamic seal for location within a circular seal gland of a housing defining a lubricant chamber for dynamic sealing engagement with a relatively rotatable surface and defining a circular clearance with the relatively rotatable surface, and serving as a partition between the lubricant chamber and a contaminated environment and for controlling seal deformation and interfacial contact force between said hydrodynamic seal and the relatively rotatable surface and thus regulating lubricant film thickness between said hydrodynamic seal and the relatively rotatable cylindrical surface, comprising:(a) a circular ring-like seal body being composed of resilient material defining a lubricant end at one axial end thereof for exposure to the lubricant chamber and a contaminant end at the opposite axial end thereof for exposure to the contaminated environment;(b) a circular dynamic sealing lip being defined by said seal body and projecting therefrom, said circular dynamic sealing lip having a peripheral sealing surface for sealing engagement with the relatively rotatable surface, said circular dynamic sealing lip defining a hydrodynamic geometry at one axial extremity thereof having an axially varying hydrodynamic edge for facing the lubricant chamber and for hydrodynamically wedging a film of lubricant between said dynamic sealing lip and the relatively rotatable surface and defining an abrupt axially nonvarying exclusionary geometry at the opposite axial extremity of said dynamic sealing lip for facing the contaminated environment;(c) a circular non-lubricated peripheral static sealing surface being defined by said circular ring-like body for static sealing engagement with said housing; and(d) a non-planar flexible transitional heel geometry being defined by said circular dynamic sealing lip having circular intersection with said circular end surface radially remote from said peripheral sealing surface and having circular intersection with said peripheral sealing surface axially remote from said circular end surface.