Sealing arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467539-B2
Application number	US-202218576087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jul 2, 2021
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A sealing arrangement ( 100 ) for a shaft, including at least a first seal element ( 10 a ) arranged around the shaft ( 30 ); at least a second seal element ( 10 b ) arranged around the shaft ( 30 ); wherein the first ( 10 a ) and second ( 10 b ) seal element include adjustable seal elements, wherein the first ( 10 a ) and second ( 10 b ) seal element include, respectively, an outer shell ( 14 a, 14 b ) of elastic material and a hollow core ( 12 a, 12 b ), wherein the hollow core ( 12 a, 12 b ) of the first ( 10 a ) and/or the second ( 10 b ) seal element is pressurized with a fluid for an adjustable sealing effect.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A sealing arrangement for a shaft comprising:
an outer structure extending around the shaft, wherein the outer structure includes a circumferential inner surface extending circumferentially around the shaft and facing a circumferential outer surface of the shaft; a first annular seal element between the inner surface of the outer structure and the outer surface of the shaft, wherein the first annular seal is arranged around and in sliding contact with the shaft, wherein the first seal element includes a first annular outer shell of elastic material and a first annular hollow core within the first annular outer shell, and the first annular outer shell includes a first sidewall extending outward radially with respect to an axis of the shaft aligned; a second annular seal element between the inner surface of the outer structure and the outer surface of the shaft, wherein the second annular seal arranged around and in sliding contact with the shaft, wherein the second annular seal element includes a second annular outer shell of elastic material and a second annular hollow core within the second annular outer shell, and the second annular outer shell includes a second sidewall facing the first sidewall along a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft and the second sidewall extending outward radially with respect to the axis of the shaft; an annular fluid space arranged around the shaft between the first seal element and the second seal element, wherein opposite radially extending ends of the annular fluid space spaced apart along the direction parallel to the axis of the shaft are defined by the first and second sidewalls, a radially outer circumference of the annular fluid space is defined by the inner surface of the outer structure, and a radially inner circumference of the annular fluid space is defined by the outer surface of the shaft and/or a gland mounted on the shaft, wherein the radially outer circumference of the annular fluid space extends radially outward at least as far as the radial outer surface of the first annular seal element or the second annular seal element, wherein the hollow core of the first seal element and/or the second seal element is pressurized with a fluid to provide an adjustable sealing effect, wherein the first seal element and/or the second seal element comprises an electric circuit element configured to break due to the outer shell being worn or torn, wherein the electric circuit is on or in the outer shell adjacent a surface of the outer shell in sliding contact with the outer surface of the shaft, and wherein the electric circuit forms a conductive path extending a length of the outer shell, in the direction parallel to the axis of the shaft, wherein the length extends entirely across the outer surface of the outer shell in sliding contact with the shaft.

2 . The sealing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the outer shell of the first seal element and/or the second seal element comprises an outer layer of braided material.

3 . The sealing arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising valves connected, respectively, to an inlet port for supplying the fluid for pressurizing the first seal element and the second seal element.

4 . The sealing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas.

5 . The sealing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a pressure in the annular fluid space is lower than pressures in the first hollow core and in the second hollow core.

6 . The sealing arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the pressure in the fluid space is adjustable.

7 . The sealing arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a shaft of a rotary filter unit.

8 . A rotary filter unit comprising the sealing arrangement of claim 1 .

9 . An assembly comprising:
an outer structure extending around the shaft, wherein the outer structure includes a circumferential inner surface extending circumferentially around the shaft and facing a circumferential outer surface of the shaft; a shaft configured to rotate about a rotational axis and having a first end region; a first annular seal element between the inner surface of the outer structure and the outer surface of the shaft, wherein the first annular seal encircles and is in sliding contact with the first end region of the shaft, the first annular seal element including a first annular outer elastic material shell, a first annular hollow core within the first annular outer elastic material shell, and a first pressure inlet port configured to pass a pressurized fluid into the first annular hollow core, wherein the first annular outer shell includes a first sidewall extending radially relative to an axis of the shaft; a second annular seal element between the inner surface of the outer structure and the outer surface of the shaft, wherein the second annular seal encircles and is in sliding contact with the first end region of the shaft, the second annular seal element including a second annular outer elastic material shell, a second annular hollow core within the second annular outer elastic material shell and a second pressure inlet port configured to pass a pressurized fluid into the second annular hollow core, wherein the second annular outer shell includes a second sidewall extending radially relative to the axis of the shaft and the second annular seal element is separated from the first annular seal element along a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft; and an annular fluid space arranged around the shaft between the first seal element and the second seal element, wherein opposite radially extending ends of the annular fluid space spaced apart along the direction parallel to the axis of the shaft are defined by the first and second sidewalls and a radially outer circumference of the annular fluid space is defined by the inner surface of the outer structure, and a radially inner circumference of the annular fluid space is defined by the outer surface of the shaft or a gland mounted on the shaft, wherein the radially outer circumference of the annular fluid space extends radially outward at least as far as the radial outer surface of the first annular seal element or the second annular seal element; wherein a pressure in the first annular hollow core adjustable to adjust a seal between the first annular seal element and the first end region of the shaft, wherein a pressure in the second annular hollow core is adjustable to adjust a seal between the second annular seal element and the first end region of the shaft, wherein the first seal element includes an electric circuit element configured to break due to the outer shell of the first seal element being worn or torn, wherein the electric circuit element is on or in the outer shell adjacent a surface of the outer shell in sliding contact with the outer surface of the shaft, wherein the electric circuit element forms a conductive path extending a length of the outer shell in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of the shaft, and wherein the length of the outer shell extends entirely across the surface of the outer shell in sliding contact with the outer surface of the shaft.

10 . The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the annular fluid space is pressurized to a pressure greater than pressures in the first hollow core and in the second hollow core.

11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the gland is mounted to and encircles the first end region of the shaft, wherein the gland is between the first annular seal element and the second annular seal element, and the gland is aligned with the annular fluid space in a plane perpendicular to the axial len

Assignees

• Andritz Oy

Inventors

• Hammarberg Tommi
• Hirvasniemi Sonja

Classifications

• G01M3/2869

  for seals not incorporated in a pipe joint · CPC title

• F16J15/3296

  Arrangements for monitoring the condition or operation of elastic sealings (F16J15/326 takes precedence); Arrangements for control of elastic sealings, e.g. of their geometry or stiffness · CPC title

• F16J15/3284

  characterised by their structure; Selection of materials · CPC title

• F16J15/3268

  Mounting of sealing rings · CPC title

• F16J15/3492

  with monitoring or measuring means associated with the seal · CPC title