Plate between ring assemblies of a ring seal system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11333249-B2
Application number	US-201816222502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

A ring seal system is disclosed. The ring seal system may include a first ring assembly that includes a first sealing surface. The ring seal system may include a second ring assembly that includes a second sealing surface. The ring seal system may include a plate, between the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly, that includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The ring seal system may include a coating on the first contact surface and the second contact surface. The first contact surface may be mechanically connected to the first sealing surface to form a first seal with the first sealing surface. The second contact surface may be mechanically connected to the second sealing surface form a second seal with the second sealing surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ring seal system, comprising:
a first ring assembly that includes a first sealing surface;
a second ring assembly that includes a second sealing surface;
a plate, between the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly, that includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface,
wherein the plate comprises:
a metal,
a ceramic, or
a carbon alloy, and

wherein the plate has at least one of:
a triangular cross-section, or
a T-shaped cross section, wherein the T-shaped cross section includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is wider than the second portion, and wherein the first portion is above the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly; and

a coating on the first contact surface and the second contact surface,
wherein the coating is to prevent wear between the first contact surface and the first sealing surface and between the second contact surface and the second sealing surface,
wherein the first contact surface is mechanically connected to the first sealing surface to form a first seal with the first sealing surface, and
wherein the second contact surface is mechanically connected to the second sealing surface to form a second seal with the second sealing surface.

2. The ring seal system of claim 1 , wherein the plate is mechanically connected to the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly via friction and compression pressure between the first contact surface and the first sealing surface, and between the second contact surface and the second sealing surface.

3. The ring seal system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first toric associated with the first ring assembly; and
a second toric associated with the second ring assembly.

4. The ring seal system of claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises a set of plate bores that match respective sets of ring bores associated with the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly.

5. The ring seal system of claim 1 , wherein a first hardness of the first contact surface approximately matches a first hardness of the first sealing surface, and
wherein a second hardness of the second contact surface approximately matches a second hardness of the second sealing surface.

6. The ring seal system of claim 1 , wherein a first coefficient of friction of the first contact surface approximately matches a first coefficient of friction of the first sealing surface, and
wherein a second coefficient of friction of the second contact surface approximately matches a second coefficient of friction of the second sealing surface.

7. A machine that includes a ring seal system, the ring seal system comprising:
a plurality of ring assemblies; and
a plate between the plurality of ring assemblies, comprising:
a plate of material with a first contact surface and a second contact surface adjacent to an exterior edge of the plate of material,
wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are aligned relative to each other based on an alignment of a first sealing surface of the plurality of ring assemblies, and a second sealing surface of the plurality of ring assemblies,
wherein the plate of material and the plurality of ring assemblies include different materials,
wherein a hardness of the first contact surface is within 10 percent of a hardness of the first sealing surface,
wherein a coefficient of friction of the first contact surface is within 10 percent of a coefficient of friction of the first sealing surface,
wherein a hardness of the second contact surface is within 10 percent of a hardness of the second sealing surface, and
wherein a coefficient of friction of the second contact surface is within 10 percent of a coefficient of friction of the second sealing surface.

8. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the machine includes a crawler track that includes the ring seal system.

9. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the plate comprises:
a first coating on the first contact surface, and
a second coating on the second contact surface,
wherein the first coating and the second coating are a same coating.

10. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of ring assemblies is at least one of:
a plurality of metal-faced ring assemblies, or
a plurality of heavy duty dual faced (HDDF) seal rings.

11. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the plate comprises a set of plate bores, and
wherein the set of plate bores is aligned with respective sets of ring bores included in the plurality of ring assemblies.

12. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the plate prevents the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface from contacting each other.

13. A plate, comprising:
a plate of material with a first contact surface and a second contact surface adjacent to an exterior edge of the plate of material,
wherein the plate of material comprises a ceramic or a carbon alloy, and
wherein the plate has at least one of:
a triangular cross-section, or
a T-shaped cross section, wherein the T-shaped cross section includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is wider than the second portion, and wherein the first portion is above the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly;

a first coating on the first contact surface to prevent wear to the first contact surface or to a first sealing surface of a ring seal system based on a first hardness of the first coating; and
a second coating on the second contact surface to prevent wear to the second contact surface or to a second sealing surface of the ring seal system based on a second hardness of the second coating,
wherein the first contact surface is to form a first seal with the first sealing surface, and
wherein the second contact surface is to form a second seal with the second sealing surface.

14. The plate of claim 13 , wherein the first coating and the second coating comprise at least one of:
a high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) coating,
a high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) coating,
an amorphous diamond-like carbon (ADLC) coating, or
a nitrogen-based coating.

15. The plate of claim 13 , wherein the first hardness and the second hardness are at least a 40 on a Rockwell scale.

16. The plate of claim 13 , wherein the plate of material has an annular shape, and
wherein the exterior edge is an annular surface of the annular shape of the plate of material.

17. The plate of claim 16 , further comprising:
a plate bore defined by an interior surface of the annular shape of the plate of material.

18. The plate of claim 13 , further comprising a debris expulsion component mechanically connected to the plate of material.

19. The plate of claim 13 , wherein a hardness of the first contact surface is within 10 percent of a hardness of the first sealing surface.

20. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the plate of material comprises a ceramic or a carbon alloy.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Jones Benjamin
• Hakes David
• Pitman Jacob
• Ellmann Thomas

Classifications

• F16J15/3404 Primary

  and characterised by parts or details relating to lubrication, cooling or venting of the seal · CPC title

• F16J15/344 Primary

  the pressing force being applied by means of an elastic ring supporting the slip-ring · CPC title

• F16J15/3204

  with at least one lip · CPC title

• F16J15/3284 Primary

  characterised by their structure; Selection of materials · CPC title

• F16J15/3496

  use of special materials · CPC title