High speed metal face seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656707-B2
Application number	US-201514832304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A face seal assembly and rotating assembly for a track machine are disclosed. The face seal assembly includes a first seal ring, an annular housing, a second seal ring, and a bias member. The first seal ring is fixed to a rotating part for rotation about an axis. The first seal ring includes a seal face and a radially outer surface press-fittingly confronting an annular bore in the rotating part. The annular housing is spaced axially inward from the first seal ring and rotationally fixed. The annular housing includes an axially inner surface and a radially inner surface. The second seal ring is disposed axially between the first seal ring and the annular housing. The second seal ring includes a seal face confronting the seal face of the first seal ring. The bias member is compressed between the annular housing and the second seal ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A face seal assembly for a rotating part, comprising:
a first seal ring fixed to the rotating part for rotation therewith about an axis, said first seal ring having
a seal face and
a radially outer surface, said radially outer surface press-fittingly confronting and in sealing engagement against a radially inner surface of an annular bore formed in the rotating part;

an annular housing spaced axially inward from said first seal ring and rotationally fixed with respect to said axis, said annular housing having
an axially inner surface and
a radially inner surface;

a second seal ring disposed axially between said first seal ring and said annular housing, said second seal ring having
a seal face confronting and in mutual sealing engagement with the seal face of said first seal ring to define a seal plane between the seal faces, wherein substantially all of the seal face of the first seal ring is in sealing engagement with substantially all of the seal face of the second seal ring; and

a bias member compressed between the annular housing and the second seal ring.

2. The face seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radially outer surface of the first seal ring extends parallel to the axis, and provides sustained contact with the radially inner surface of the annular bore formed in the rotating part across 50% or more of the radially outer surface of the first seal ring.

3. The face seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first seal ring further comprises a groove formed in the radially outer surface; and
wherein the face seal assembly further comprises an elastomeric O-ring, said O-ring being located in the groove formed in the radially outer surface of the first seal ring.

4. The face seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular housing further comprises a transition region between the axially inner surface and the radially inner surface, said transition region having a variable radius;
wherein the second seal ring further comprises an axially outer surface, a radially outer surface and a transition region between the axially outer surface and the radially outer surface, said transition region having a variable radius.

5. The face seal assembly of claim 4 , wherein the bias member is positioned between the transition region of the annular housing and the transition region of the second seal ring.

6. The face seal assembly of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the transition region of the annular housing and the transition region of the second seal ring is a concave surface.

7. The face seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotating part is a rotating component of a tracked machine.

8. A face seal assembly for a rotating part, comprising:
a first seal ring fixed to the rotating part for rotation therewith about an axis, said first seal ring having
a seal face and
a radially outer surface, said radially outer surface press-fittingly confronting and in sealing engagement against a radially inner surface of an annular bore formed in the rotating part;

an annular housing spaced axially inward from said first seal ring and rotationally fixed with respect to said axis, said annular housing having
an axially inner surface,
a radially inner surface, and
a transition region between the axially inner surface and the radially inner surface, said transition region having a variable radius;

a second seal ring disposed axially between said first seal ring and said annular housing, said second seal ring having
an axially outer surface,
a radially outer surface,
a transition region between the axially outer surface and the radially outer surface, said transition region having a variable radius, and
a seal face confronting and in mutual sealing engagement with the seal face of said first seal ring to define a seal plane between the seal faces, wherein the seal plane is defined by a substantial entirety of the seal face of the first seal ring and a substantial entirety of the seal face of the second seal ring; and

a bias member compressed between the annular housing and the second seal ring.

9. The face seal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the radially outer surface of the first seal ring extends parallel to the axis, and provides sustained contact with the radially inner surface of the annular bore formed in the rotating part across 50% or more of the radially outer surface of the first seal ring.

10. The face seal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first seal ring further comprises a groove formed in the radially outer surface; and
wherein the face seal assembly further comprises an elastomeric O-ring, said O-ring being located in the groove formed in the radially outer surface of the first seal ring.

11. The face seal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bias member is positioned between the transition region of the annular housing and the transition region of the second seal ring.

12. The face seal assembly of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the transition region of the annular housing and the transition region of the second seal ring is a concave surface.

13. The face seal assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rotating part is a rotating component of a tracked machine.

14. A rotating assembly for tracked machine comprising:
a rotating part rotatable about an axis, said rotating part having
an axially outer end, and
an annular bore formed in the axially outer end;

a first seal ring fixed to the rotating part for rotation therewith, said first seal ring having
a seal face and
a radially outer surface, said radially outer surface press-fittingly confronting and in sealing engagement against a radially inner surface of the annular bore formed in the rotating part;

an annular housing spaced axially inward from said first seal ring and rotationally fixed with respect to said axis, said annular housing having
an axially inner surface,
a radially inner surface, and
a concave surface between the axially inner surface and the radially inner surface, said concave surface having a variable radius;

a second seal ring disposed axially between said first seal ring and said annular housing, said second seal ring having
an axially outer surface,
a radially outer surface,
a concave surface between the axially outer surface and the radially outer surface, said concave surface having a variable radius, and
a seal face confronting and in mutual sealing engagement with the seal face of said first seal ring to define a seal plane between the seal faces, wherein all of the seal face of the first seal ring is in sealing engagement with all of the seal face of the second seal ring; and

a bias member compressed between the concave surface of the annular housing and the concave surface of the second seal ring.

15. The rotating assembly of claim 14 , wherein the radially outer surface of the first seal ring extends parallel to the axis, and provides sustained contact with the radially inner surface of the annular bore formed in the rotating part across 50% or more of the radially outer surface of the first seal ring.

16. The rotating assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first seal ring further comprises a groove formed in the radially outer surface; and
wherein the rotating assembly further comprises an elastomeric O-ring, said O-ring being located in the groove formed in the radially outer surface of the first seal ring.

17. The rotating assembly of claim 14 , wherein the rotating part is roller in a track roller assembly of a tracked machine; and
wherein the annular housing is an end collar in the track roller assembly of a tracked machin

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc
• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Johannsen Eric James

Classifications

• F16J15/3464

  Mounting of the seal · CPC title

• F16J15/3436

  Pressing means · CPC title

• B62D55/15 Primary

  Mounting devices, e.g. bushings, axles, bearings, sealings {(with lubrication means B62D55/092)} · CPC title

• F16J15/344

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