Patent ID: 8215645

Claim:
A floating seal comprising: a rotor having a floating seal forming surface substantially perpendicular to a rotating axis of the rotor; a stationary stator located adjacent to the rotor; an annular groove formed within the stator and opening toward the floating seal forming surface of the rotor; an annular floating piston axially movable within the annular groove of the stator; the annular floating piston having an annular flange with an annular groove formed on the rotor side; the annular piston having a plurality of feed holes opening into an annular manifold formed between the annular piston and the annular flange; the annular flange having a plurality of baffle holes passing through and opening into the annular manifold; the feed holes being offset from the baffle holes in order to reduce a Helmholtz excitation from an air flow through the feed holes and the baffle holes; two of the baffle holes are used for each one of the feed holes; the annular floating piston having a fluid pressure reacting surface on an opposite side to the annular groove; and, the annular floating piston having a fluid passage connecting the fluid pressure reacting surface to the annular groove to supply a fluid pressure and form a fluid cushion for the floating seal.