Patent ID: 7905495

Claim:
A circumferential sealing arrangement comprising: a structure operable to rotate about an axis and having a first surface facing radially outward; a static housing circumscribing said structure; at least one seal element connected to said static housing and having a second surface facing radially inward; a seal runner rotatable with said structure and having a third surface facing radially outward for cooperating with said second surface to form a circumferential seal between said static housing and said structure, wherein a radial gap is defined between said first surface of said structure and a fourth surface of said seal runner facing radially inward and opposing said first surface; and at least one resilient member disposed in said radial gap and operable to radially compress in response to a change in size of said radial gap to limit hoop stresses being generated in said seal runner, wherein said at least one resilient member includes at least one plate with a disc portion and a plurality of fingers each projecting at least partially radially from said disc portion such that said plurality of fingers are radially disposed between said disc portion and one of said structure and said static housing along a second axis extending normal to said axis of rotation.