Patent ID: 7806411

Claim:
A radial seal assembly for providing a seal around a shaft extending from stationary equipment, the shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, the radial seal assembly comprising: a sleeve disposed about the shaft; a gland connected to the stationary equipment surrounding at least a portion of the sleeve and defining a chamber on a radially inner surface thereof; and a sealing component disposed in the chamber, the sealing component comprising: a first axially extending surface formed on a radially inner surface of the sealing component, a second axially extending surface formed on the radially inner surface of the sealing component, wherein the first axially extending surface is stepped radially outward from the second axially extending surface and is connected to the second axially extending surface by a radially extending connecting wall, a plurality of seal elements integrally formed with the sealing component and extending from the first axially extending surface for sealing against a radially outer surface of the sleeve, the plurality of seal elements including a first seal element comprising a radially extending portion projecting from the first axially extending surface and a first seal surface extending in an axially rearward direction from an end of the radially extending portion of the first seal element, and a radially extending backing member integrally formed with the sealing component and extending from the first axially extending surface, wherein the first seal surface is formed on the first seal element and a second seal surface is formed on a second seal element of the plurality of seal elements that is separate from the first seal element, the second seal surface extending in an axially forward direction from an end of a radially extending portion of the second seal element, and a gap exists between the backing member and at least one of the first seal element and the second seal element.