Seal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9388906-B2
Application number	US-201113313170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2011
Priority date	Dec 23, 2010
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A seal assembly for sealing between a first member and a second member of a joint, the first member being able to pivot about an axis of the joint relative to the second member, is disclosed. The seal assembly includes a first ring, a load ring, a first seal ring, and a resilient second seal ring. The first ring is for a first seal cavity of the first member. The load ring is for a second seal cavity of the second member. The first seal ring may have a sealing surface extending in a radial direction. The resilient second seal ring may have an annular seal lip. The first seal ring is held stationary by the first ring in the first seal cavity of the first member, and the second seal ring is forced axially by the load ring into axial sealing engagement with the first seal ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seal assembly for sealing between a first member and a second member of a joint, the first member being able to pivot about an axis of the joint relative to the second member, comprising:
a first ring for a first seal cavity of the first member;
a load ring for a second seal cavity of the second member;
a first seal ring of metal having a sealing surface extending in a radial direction, the first seal ring having a groove receiving the first ring, the groove defined by a bottom surface and substantially parallel first and second side surfaces;
a resilient second seal ring having an annular seal lip; and
an inner member positioned circumferentially inside of the second member and in direct contact with the first seal ring,
wherein the first seal ring is held stationary in the first seal cavity and in direct contact with the first member, and the second seal ring is forced axially by the load ring into axial sealing engagement with the first seal ring.

2. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first ring is an o-ring.

3. The seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein the o-ring is between a first annular surface of the first seal cavity and a second annular surface of the first seal ring, wherein the first and second annular surfaces extend in the axial direction.

4. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring is held stationary by additional means in the first seal cavity.

5. The seal assembly of claim 4 , wherein the additional means is a retaining dowel.

6. The seal assembly of claim 4 , wherein the additional means is an adhesive.

7. The seal assembly of claim 4 , wherein the additional means is a second ring.

8. The seal assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first ring is between surfaces of the seal assembly extending in the axial direction and the second ring is between surfaces of the seal assembly extending in the radial direction.

9. The seal assembly of claim 7 , further comprising an annular groove for the second ring.

10. The seal assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first ring and the second ring are o-rings.

11. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring is integral with a thrust ring.

12. The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein the thrust ring is fabricated by powder metallurgy and comprises the sealing surface for engaging the annular seal lip, and wherein the sealing surface comprises a material placed via high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process or a coating placed by a physical vapour deposition process.

13. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring is of either an abrasion resistant or a corrosion resistant metal, or both.

14. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring comprises the sealing surface for engaging the annular seal lip and the sealing surface comprises a material placed via high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process or a coating placed by a physical vapour deposition process.

15. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal lip comprises one out of the following group: urethane, thermoplastic, and polyurethane.

16. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring comprises stellite.

17. The seal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an annular protrusion in the second seal cavity engaging the load ring.

18. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second seal ring has an L-shaped cross sectional configuration defining a first flange portion extending in a radial direction and a second flange portion extending in an axial direction, and
wherein the annular seal lip extends from the first flange portion of the second seal ring.

19. A track joint comprising the seal assembly according to claim 1 .

20. A vehicle comprising the seal assembly according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Kupper David G
• Diekevers Mark S
• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Kupper David G
• Diekevers Mark S

Classifications

• B62D55/0887

  Track-articulation sealings against dust, water, mud or the like (sealing of bearings in general F16C33/72; chain bushings in general F16G15/00) · CPC title

• F16J15/344 Primary

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