Patent ID: 7370866
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: F16J

Abstract:
1. A sleeve element for sealing between a piston element surface and a bore surface disposed thereabout comprising: a substantially annular body including an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end region, and a second end region, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface is configured as a bearing surface oriented to face at least one of the piston element surface and the bore surface, and wherein a portion of the other surface of the inner surface and the outer surface is sized and configured to maintain circumferential contact with the other of the piston element surface and the bore surface; wherein at least a portion of the first end region of the substantially annular body is configured to be biased laterally in a first direction into at least one recess formed in the piston element surface; at least one sealing feature formed on the substantially annular body proximate to the at least a portion of the first end region and longitudinally spaced from the bearing surface, the at least one sealing feature being configured to be biased laterally into a laterally adjacent first recess of the at least one recess formed in the piston element surface in response to contact between the first sealing feature of the substantially annular body and the bore surface, the at least one sealing feature sized and configured to sealingly engage against the bore surface; a second sealing feature, wherein at least a portion of the second end region of the substantially annular body is configured to be biased laterally into the second recess formed in the piston element surface in response to contact between the second sealing feature of the substantially annular body and the bore surface, the second sealing feature being positioned proximate to the at least a portion of the second end region configured to be biased into the second recess; and at least one depression formed in at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the substantially annular body, wherein at least a portion of the at least one depression is sized, located and configured to lie over the at least one recess to provide increased lateral flexure for the biasing of the at least a portion of the first end region into the at least one recess, the at least one depression positioned proximate to the at least one sealing feature, the at least one depression including a first depression and a second depression, each depression formed in the outer surface of the substantially annular body, wherein the first depression is positioned proximate to the first sealing feature and the second depression is positioned proximate to the second sealing feature.