Shaft coupling seal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201801-A1
Application number	US-201614990336-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2016
Priority date	Jan 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sealing element for a shaft coupling is disclosed. The sealing element may include an annular seal body and a plurality of projections circumferentially spaced around the seal body. One or more of the plurality of projections may include at least one of an axial component extending longitudinally in an axial direction from the seal body and/or a radial component extending radially inwards from the seal body towards the center axis. The sealing element is configured to retrofit into existing standard o-ring grooves and provides optimal lubrication, for example in a spline joint, by keeping the spline joint contact area submerged in lubricant and includes heat and debris removal with lubricant flow-through.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sealing element for a connection between a male shaft and a female shaft, comprising:
an annular seal body, defining a sealing face and a radially opposite mounting face, and a leading side and an axially opposite trailing side, relative to a center axis of the seal body; a plurality of projections circumferentially spaced around the seal body; wherein one or more of the projections include at least one of (i) an axial component extending longitudinally in an axial direction from the seal body and (ii) a radial component extending radially inwards from the seal body towards the center axis.

2 . The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein the axial component extends longitudinally from at least one of the leading side and the trailing side of the seal body, the axial component having a greater axial extent than an axial extent of the seal body.

3 . The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein the radial component has a radial extent greater than a radial extent of the seal body.

4 . The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein another circumferentially adjacent projection includes a radial component extending radially inwards from the seal body, wherein the two adjacent radial components define a radial gap on the mounting face for flow through of a fluid.

5 . The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein another circumferentially adjacent projection includes an axial component extending in the axial direction from the seal body, wherein the two adjacent axial components define an axial gap on at least one of the leading side and the trailing side for flow through of a fluid.

6 . The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein the sealing face is an outer diameter surface of the seal body and includes a smooth profile to enhance sealing.

7 . The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein the seal body is configured to control a depth of a fluid flow as a function of at least one of a radial extent of the seal body and an inner diameter defined by the inner diameter surface of the seal body.

8 . A shaft coupling, comprising:
an inner male shaft having a circumferential outer surface received in an outer female shaft having a circumferential inner surface, the male shaft interacting with the female shaft at an interface; an annular groove disposed between the male shaft and the female shaft at the interface; and a sealing element arranged in the groove, the sealing element including:
an annular seal body, defining a mounting face and a radially opposite sealing face, and a leading face and an axially opposite trailing face, relative to a center axis of the seal body;
a plurality of projections circumferentially spaced on the seal body, wherein at least one projection includes (i) a radial component extending from the mounting face in a radial direction of the center axis and (ii) an axial component extending in an axial direction of the center axis from the leading side and the trailing side;
wherein the sealing face of the seal body abuts one of the inner surface of the female shaft and the outer surface of the male shaft, and the radial component of the at least one projection mounts a base of the groove thereby lifting the seal body from the base of the groove.

9 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein at least one of (i) the axial component engages opposing walls of the groove to axially center the seal body within the groove, and (ii) opposing outer axial ends of the axial component contact corresponding inner wall surfaces of the groove to prevent the sealing element from forming an axial seal at least in one region of the seal body.

10 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein the sealing element includes a first radial extent in a region of the at least one projection greater than a second radial extent in a region circumferentially spaced away from the at least one projection.

11 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein the sealing element includes a first axial extent in a region of the at least one projection greater than a second axial extent in a region circumferentially spaced away from the at least one projection.

12 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein the sealing face is an outer diameter of the seal body and generates an outer radial seal with the inner surface of the female shaft to dam a fluid flow of a lubricating fluid.

13 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein at least two of the plurality of projections include a radial component extending radially inwards from the mounting face towards the center axis, wherein the respective radial components define a radial gap between the seal body and the base of the groove for a lubricating fluid to flow around the seal body.

14 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein at least two of the plurality of projections include an axial component extending axially from at least one of the leading face and the trailing face of the seal body, the respective axial components defining at least one of a first axial gap between the leading face and a corresponding inner wall surface of the groove and a second axial gap between the trailing face and another corresponding inner wall surface of the groove for a lubricating fluid to flow around the seal body.

15 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein the sealing element is composed of a material having a density greater than or equal to a density of a lubricating fluid associated therewith.

16 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein the sealing element is configured to control a depth of a fluid flow as a function of at least one of a radial extent the seal body and an inner diameter defined by the mounting face of the seal body.

17 . The shaft coupling of claim 8 , wherein the seal body is composed of a material different from the plurality of projections.

18 . A spline joint assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a male shaft including a splined portion having rows of splines and an annular groove axially spaced therefrom, the groove defining a surface extending circumferentially around the male shaft; a sealing element disposed in the groove and including:
an annular seal body defining an outer diameter face and a radially opposite inner diameter face, and a leading side and an axially opposite trailing side, relative to a center axis of the seal body;
a plurality of projections circumferentially spaced on the seal body, the plurality of projections respectively including: (i) a radial component extending radially inwards from the inner diameter face towards the center axis, the radial component mounting the seal body in the groove thereby lifting the inner diameter face from the surface of the groove, and (ii) an axial component extending axially from the leading side and the trailing side, wherein opposing ends of the axial component contact corresponding inner wall surfaces of the groove to prevent the leading side and the trailing side from pressing against the corresponding inner wall surface;
at least one radial gap defined between the inner diameter face of the seal body and the surface of the groove, the at least one radial gap configured to permit a lubricating fluid to flow around the inner diameter face of the seal body; and
at least one first axial gap defined between the leading side and the corresponding inner wall surface of the groove and at least one second axial gap defined between the trailing side and the corresponding inner wall surface of the groove, wherein the at least one first axial gap and the at least one second axial gap are configured to permit the lubricating fluid to flow

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Harral Jacob W

Classifications

• F16D2001/103

  the torque is transmitted via splined connections · CPC title

• F05D2260/403

  through the shape of the drive components · CPC title

• F05D2240/60

  Shafts · CPC title

• F01D25/183

  Sealing means · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title