Patent ID: 7631878

Claim:
A shaft seal assembly comprising: a. a fixed stator, wherein said fixed stator is secured within a housing, and wherein said fixed stator is formed with an annular groove along the radial-interior surface thereof; b. a shaft sealing member, wherein said shaft sealing member fits within said annular groove of said fixed stator, and wherein said shaft sealing member comprises: i. a floating stator, wherein the radial-exterior surface of said floating stator is separated from said annular groove in said fixed stator in the radial dimension, and wherein the radial-interior surface of said floating stator is substantially concave in shape; and, ii. a labyrinth seal, wherein said labyrinth seal has a radial-exterior surface with a substantially convex shape that corresponds to the radial-interior surface of said floating stator so as to create a spherical interface, wherein said labyrinth seal has a radial-interior surface with a plurality of labyrinth pattern annular grooves, and wherein said labyrinth seal radial-interior surface is positioned adjacent a rotatable shaft.