Variable height backup assembly for articulating boots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10247311-B2
Application number	US-201615152846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A backup assembly is provided for backing up a seal assembly that seals a gap between two components of a joint assembly. The backup assembly may include an elastomer, a spring element embedded within the elastomer, and first and second rings located adjacent to the elastomer on opposite sides of the spring element. The spring element may be a garter spring, and the elastomer may be over-molded around the spring. The elastomer may have opposing wing extensions that extend respectively along the first and second rings, and the rings may be steel rings. The elastomer, spring element, and rings form an annular backup ring. The backup assembly may be employed in a seal assembly for sealing a gap between two components of a joint assembly. The seal assembly may include a diaphragm seal component, and the backup assembly operates to provide backup and extrusion resistance for the seal component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seal assembly for sealing a gap between two components of a joint assembly, the seal assembly comprising:
a diaphragm seal component; and
a backup assembly comprising an elastomer, a spring element embedded within the elastomer, and first and second rings that are located adjacent to the elastomer on opposite sides of the spring element;
wherein the backup assembly supports the diagraph seal assembly against pressures applied to the diaphragm seal component; and
wherein the elastomer with the embedded spring is positioned to extend into a gap between the first and second rings such that the spring element and elastomer expand and compress to accommodate different spacings at the gap between the first and second rings.

2. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring element is a garter spring.

3. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is over-molded around the spring element.

4. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer has a plurality of opposing wing extensions that extend respectively along the first and second rings, and the wing extensions reduce strain in the diaphragm seal component adjacent to the spring element.

5. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rings are steel rings.

6. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer, spring element, and rings are annular components that form an annular backup ring; and
the diaphragm seal component is an annular diaphragm and is supported by the backup ring.

7. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring element is at least partially exposed from the elastomer.

8. The seal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a filler located on a side of the diaphragm seal component opposite from the backup assembly.

9. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rings are bonded to the elastomer.

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Frederick William Brooks

Classifications

• F16J15/52 Primary

  by means of sealing bellows or diaphragms (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• F16J15/121

  with metal reinforcement · CPC title

• E21B2200/01

  Sealings characterised by their shape · CPC title

• E21B2033/005

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B17/04

  between rod {or the like} and bit or between rod and rod {or the like} · CPC title