阅读说明：本技术 曲轴密封件 (Crankshaft seal ) 是由 J·M·马沙克 K·哈迈耶 于 2019-09-10 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种密封装置(10)可以包含：环形第一部分(14),包括：凸缘(32),其相对于第一部分(12)的中心轴线垂直地延伸；内圆柱形部分(21),其具有接合面(22),其中接合面(22)配置为固定地连接到机器的可旋转轴；以及突出部分(23),其在凸缘(32)与内圆柱形部分(21)之间延伸；以及环形第二部分(12),包括：刚性主体部件(16)；以及弹性部件(18),其具有主油唇(24)和封隔器唇(28),其中该主油唇(24)在第一位置(42)与该凸缘(32)接近或接触,并且其中该封隔器唇(28)在第二位置(44)与该内圆柱形部分(21)接触；其中在该第一位置(42)与该第二位置(44)之间由该第一部分(14)和该弹性部件(18)的表面限定了间隙(40),并且其中当该密封装置被安装在孔中,使得该接合面(22)被固定地连接到该轴上并且该机器被操作成使得该轴旋转时,该间隙(40)的体积变化小于或等于10％。(A sealing device (10) may comprise: an annular first portion (14) comprising: a flange (32) extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion (12); an inner cylindrical portion (21) having an engagement face (22), wherein the engagement face (22) is configured to be fixedly connected to a rotatable shaft of a machine; and a protruding portion (23) extending between the flange (32) and the inner cylindrical portion (21); and an annular second portion (12) comprising: a rigid body member (16); and an elastomeric member (18) having a primary oil lip (24) and a packer lip (28), wherein the primary oil lip (24) is proximate to or in contact with the flange (32) in a first position (42), and wherein the packer lip (28) is in contact with the inner cylindrical portion (21) in a second position (44); wherein a gap (40) is defined between the first location (42) and the second location (44) by surfaces of the first part (14) and the resilient member (18), and wherein when the sealing device is installed in a bore such that the engagement face (22) is fixedly connected to the shaft and the machine is operated such that the shaft rotates, a volume of the gap (40) varies by less than or equal to 10%.)

1. A sealing device (10) comprising:

an annular first portion (14) comprising:

a flange (32) extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion (12);

an inner cylindrical portion (21) having an engagement face (22), wherein the engagement face (22) is configured to be fixedly connected to a rotatable shaft of a machine; and

a protruding portion (23) extending between the flange (32) and the inner cylindrical portion (21); and

an annular second portion (12) comprising:

a rigid body member (16); and

an elastomeric member (18) having a primary oil lip (24) and a packer lip (28), wherein the primary oil lip (24) is proximate to or in contact with the flange (32) in a first position (42), and wherein the packer lip (28) is in contact with the inner cylindrical portion (21) in a second position (44);

wherein a gap (40) is defined between the first position (42) and the second position (44) by the first portion (14) and a surface of the resilient member (18), and wherein when the sealing device is installed in a bore such that the engagement face (22) is fixedly connected to the shaft and the machine is operated such that the shaft rotates, a volume of the gap (40) varies by less than or equal to 10%.

2. The sealing device (10) of claim 1, wherein the gap (40) has a volume variation of less than or equal to 9.75%.

3. The sealing device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the volume variation of the gap (40) is less than or equal to 9%.

4. The sealing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the packer lip (28) comprises a material having low permeability.

5. The sealing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protruding portion (23) is located at a radially inner portion of the sealing device.

6. The sealing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protruding portion (23) extends axially inwards towards an oil side of the sealing device (10) when the engagement face (22) is fixedly attached to a rotatable shaft of a machine.

7. The sealing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid body part (16) has an axially outer wall (34) extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the second portion (12).

8. The sealing device (10) according to any one of claim 7, wherein the rigid body component (16) further comprises a radially outer wall (36), and wherein an axially inner edge (38) of the rigid body component radially outer wall (36) is substantially aligned with the ledge axially inner wall (25).

9. The sealing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main oil lip (24) is located in a central portion of the sealing device (10).

10. The sealing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protruding portion (23) forms an inner region (27) having a rectangular cross-section.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to seals and, more particularly, to seals for use with rotating shafts, such as crankshafts.

Background

Seals may be used with various components of the engine to prevent the ingress or egress of fluids, such as oil. For example, a seal may be used to provide a seal between a shaft, such as a crankshaft, and an opening into which the shaft is inserted. Obtaining a proper seal is critical to the short and long term performance of the engine. When positioned within the bore of an engine, movement of the shaft and/or housing of the engine may cause expansion and contraction of the space inside the seal. The expansion of certain spaces within the seal may compromise the sealing ability of the seal due to the formation of undesirable pressure within the seal.

PCT publication No. WO 2018097268 filed on 31/5/2018, filed by Nok corp, describes a seal for use with a crankshaft of a machine. In practice, however, the seals described herein do not provide adequate sealing for the oil in the engine. Instead, oil may leak through the seal lips of the disclosed apparatus. Movement of components of the crankshaft and/or housing using the disclosed seals results in a negative pressure within the seals, resulting in leakage of oil. The laser ignition system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the invention is, however, defined by the appended claims rather than by the ability to solve any specific problem.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, the sealing device may comprise an annular first portion comprising: a flange extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion; an inner cylindrical portion having an engagement surface, wherein the engagement surface is configured to be fixedly connected to a rotatable shaft of a machine; and a protruding portion extending between the flange and the inner cylindrical portion; and an annular second portion comprising: a rigid body member; and an elastomeric member having a primary oil lip and a packer lip, wherein the primary oil lip is proximate to or in contact with the flange in a first position, and wherein the packer lip contacts the inner cylindrical portion; wherein a gap is defined between the first position and the second position by surfaces of the first portion and the resilient member, and wherein when the sealing device is installed in a bore such that the engagement face is fixedly connected to the shaft and the machine is operated such that the shaft rotates, a volume of the gap changes by less than or equal to 10%.

In another aspect, a sealing device may include an annular first portion comprising: a flange extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion; and a protruding portion, wherein the protruding portion has an axially inner wall extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion; and a radially inner cylindrical portion having an engagement surface, wherein the engagement surface is configured to be fixedly connected to a rotatable shaft of a machine; and an annular second portion comprising: a rigid body member, wherein the rigid body member has an axially outer wall that extends perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the second portion; and an elastomeric member having a primary oil lip and a packer lip, wherein the primary oil lip is proximate to or in contact with the flange in a first position, and wherein the packer lip is in contact with the inner cylindrical portion in a second position; and wherein the flange is one third to one half of the way between the inner axial wall of the protruding portion and the outer axial wall of the rigid body member.

In yet another aspect, a sealing device may include: an annular first portion, the annular first portion comprising: a flange extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion; an inner cylindrical portion having an engagement surface configured to be fixedly connected to a rotatable shaft of a machine; and a protruding portion, wherein the protruding portion has an axially inner wall extending perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the first portion and two parallel walls extending parallel to the central axis of the first portion; and an annular second portion comprising: a rigid body member; and an elastomeric member having a primary oil lip and a packer lip, wherein the primary oil lip is proximate to or in contact with the flange in a first position, and wherein the packer lip is in contact with the inner cylindrical portion in a second position; wherein the projection is sized sufficiently large so that when the seal is installed in the bore such that the engagement face is fixedly connected to the shaft and the machine is operated such that the shaft rotates, oil does not encroach into the seal past the primary oil lip.

Drawings

Fig. 1A-1B illustrate an exemplary first seal arrangement.

Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary sealing device.

Detailed Description

Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the features as claimed. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," "contains," or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the present disclosure, relative terms (e.g., "about," "substantially," and "approximately," etc.) are used to indicate a possible variation of ± 10% in the stated value. While the following disclosure refers to a crankshaft, it should be understood that the sealing devices described herein may also be used with any other type of rotating shaft of other components of an engine or machine.

1A-1B illustrate an exemplary seal 10 for use with a crankshaft or other rotating component. The sealing device 10 may be, for example, a laid elastomeric crankshaft seal. The seal 10 may fit between rotatable components such as crankshafts and between stationary parts such as housings. For example, the sealing device 10 may be fitted in a bore of a machine. The bore may be a space between a shaft (e.g., a crankshaft) and the housing. The sealing device 10 may include a stationary member 12. The stationary component 12 may have an annular shape and may remain stationary relative to the housing and/or the bore of the machine in which the sealing device 10 is installed. The sealing device 10 may also include a sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 may be annular and may rotate with a rotatable member such as a shaft. The sleeve 14 is rotatable relative to the stationary component 12 and the bore and/or housing in which the seal 10 is mounted. The sleeve 14 may be composed of a metal, such as stamped steel (e.g., stainless steel or cold rolled steel). The sleeve 14 may rotate in that it is secured to a rotatable component, such as a shaft (e.g., a crankshaft), for example, by an interference or friction fit between the sleeve 14 and the crankshaft.

The stationary component 12 may include an enclosure 16, and the enclosure 16 may be a rigid component or body. The sealing body 16 may be annular in shape and may be composed of a metal, such as stamped steel (e.g., stainless steel or cold rolled steel). The fixation component 12 may also include an elastic component 18. The resilient member 18 may be overmolded onto the seal body 16 or otherwise attached to the seal body 16. The resilient member 18 may also be annular and may be composed of any suitable flexible material. For example, the resilient member 18 may be composed of an elastomer such as a fluorocarbon material (FKM). Portions of the elastic member 18 may be composed of different materials. For example, portions of resilient member 18 may comprise Nomex or other materials having low permeability, while other portions of resilient member 18 may comprise FKM. The portions of the elastic member 18 having low permeability may not allow any air or liquid to pass through, or may not allow a significant amount of air or liquid to pass through the material.

Although the discussion herein describes the sealing device 10 having the resilient member 18 included on the fixed member 12, the resilient member 18 may alternatively be included in the sleeve 14 and may be movable (e.g., rotatable) relative to the fixed member 12.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the sealing device 10. The seal 10 is shown positioned relative to the shaft 20. As shown in fig. 2, the direction a may represent a radially outward direction relative to a central axis of the seal 10 and/or the shaft 20. The direction B may represent a radially inward direction relative to a central axis of the seal 10 and/or the shaft 20. The direction C may refer to an axially inward direction toward the oil side of the seal 10. Direction D may represent an axially outward direction toward the air side or the transmission oil side. The shaft 20 may be, for example, a crankshaft. Fig. 3A and 3B show a cut-away perspective view of the sealing device 10.

As shown in fig. 1A, 1B and 2, the sleeve 14 may include a cylindrical portion 21. The cylindrical portion 21 may be located radially inside (towards direction B) the sleeve 14. In cross section, the cylindrical portion 21 may have substantially linear sides. The cylindrical portion 21 may form an inner cylindrical surface of the annular sleeve 14, as shown in fig. 1A-1B. The cylindrical portion 21 may have a radially inward surface 22. The radially inward surface 22 may abut a surface of the shaft 20 when the sleeve 14 is positioned about the shaft 20. The sleeve 14 may be fixedly attached to the surface of the shaft 20 by any suitable mechanism. For example, the sleeve 14 may be fixedly connected to a surface of the shaft 20 via, for example, an interference fit between the inner surface 22 and the shaft 20. Additionally or alternatively, the sleeve 14 may be fixedly connected to the surface of the shaft 20 via other mechanisms, including one or more of a friction/interference fit, an adhesive, a rivet, or other mechanical fastener. As the shaft 20 rotates in operation, the inward surface 22, and thus the sleeve 14, may remain fixed relative to the shaft 20, and the sleeve 14 may rotate with the shaft 20. The sleeve 14 may also include a flange 32. The flange 32 may extend in radial direction along the directions a and/or B. The flange 32 may be disposed substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft 20. The sleeve 14 may also include a protruding portion 23. The protruding portion 23 may extend between the cylindrical portion 21 and the flange 32. The projections 23 may form a bulge in the wall of the sleeve 14. For example, the protruding portion 23 may protrude in a substantially axially inward direction (direction C) toward the oil side of the sealing device 10. Alternatively or additionally, the protruding portion 23 may protrude in another direction. As shown in fig. 2, the protruding portion 23 has three sides and is formed in a rectangular shape having one open side. The protruding portion 23 may have two parallel walls extending in the axial direction (in directions C and/or D). The protruding portion 23 may alternatively have any suitable shape and/or size. The protruding portion 23 may extend substantially towards the oil side of the sealing device 10 in an axially inward direction (direction C). In cross-section, the axially innermost wall 25 (in direction C) of the protruding portion 23 may extend in a radial direction (along directions a and/or B) in a direction substantially parallel to the flange 32. The axially inner wall 25 may be perpendicular to a central axis of the seal 10 and/or the sleeve 14, such as the flange 32. The ledge axial inner wall 25 may be more axially inward (in direction C) than the flange 32. The axial length (in direction C/D) of the protruding portion may be substantially the same as the axial length (in direction C/D) of the cylindrical portion 21.

The protruding portion 23 may define an interior region 27. The inner region 27 may be defined on three sides by the walls of the protruding portion 23, which may have the configuration described above. The inner region 27 may be defined on the fourth side by a line extending from the axially outer (in direction D) edges of the two parallel walls of the protruding portion 23, which is parallel to the axially inner wall 25. The inner region 27 may be radially inward (in direction B) of the flange 32 and axially inward (in direction C) of the inner surface 22.

The elastomeric member 18 may include a main oil lip 24. The main oil lip 24 may extend radially outward and axially inward (in directions a and C), as shown in fig. 2. The main oil lip 24 may include one or more grooves 26, which may help pump oil or other fluids. The recess 26 may have any suitable configuration, such as those known in the art. The longitudinal surface 30 of the main oil lip may extend in a substantially radially outward direction (along direction a). The main oil lip 24 may abut or be proximate to the flange 32 of the sleeve 14. Alternatively, as described above, the main oil lip 24 may be included on the sleeve 14 along with some or all of the other elements of the elastomeric member 18. In this case, the main oil lip 24 may abut or be proximate to a portion of the stationary component 12.

The elastomeric member 18 may also include a packer lip 28. The packer lip 28 may be formed of a material such as Nomex. The packer lip 28 may be used to keep contaminants, such as dust, away from the oil side of the seal 10. The packer lip 28 may abut the surface of the cylindrical portion 21 such that there is no space between the surface of the packer lip 28 and the surface of the cylindrical portion 21. In one embodiment, contact between the impermeable packer lip 28 and the surface of the cylindrical portion 21 may substantially prevent dust and/or other contaminants from entering the packer lip 28 axially inward (in direction C). Such embodiments may provide protection against dust and other contaminants. In other embodiments, the packer lip 28 may not be in contact with the surface of the cylindrical portion 21 and/or may be made of a material that is permeable to air flow (e.g., felt). Such embodiments may provide less protection against dust and/or other contaminants, but may have other advantages.

The seal body 16 may include an axially outer wall 34. The seal body axially outer wall 34 may be the axially outermost portion (in direction D) of the seal assembly 10. In cross-section, the seal body axially outer wall 34 may extend in a direction a and/or B substantially parallel to the flange 32 and the sleeve axially inner wall 25. Similar to the flange 32, the axially outer wall 34 may extend perpendicular to a central axis of the seal 10 and/or the seal stationary member 12. The seal body 16 may also include a radially outer wall 36 (in direction A) that may form the radially outermost portion of the seal assembly 10. In cross section, the seal body radially outer wall 36 may be substantially parallel to the cylindrical portion 21 and may extend in directions C and/or D. The axially inner edge 38 of the seal body radially outer wall 36 may extend generally axially inward (in direction C) of the ledge axially inner wall 25 such that the axially inner edge 38 is generally aligned with the ledge axially inner wall 25. Alternatively, the axially inner edge 38 may extend beyond the ledge axially inner wall 25, or the ledge axially inner wall 25 may extend beyond the axially inner edge 38. Alternatively, the axially inner edge 38 may be generally aligned with the flange 32.

The flange 32 may be located between (a) the seal body axially outer wall 34 and (b) the ledge axially inner wall 25 and/or the axially inner edge 38. The flange 32 may be located in the middle or central portion of the seal 10, in the axial direction (in direction C/D). The main oil lip 24 may also be located in the middle or central portion of the seal 10 in the axial direction. If the seal 10 is divided into three in the axial direction, the flange 32 may fall within one-third of the axial length of the seal 10 and/or one-third of the radially outer surface 16. The flange 32 may be slightly closer to the ledge axial inner wall 25 and/or the axial inner edge 38 than the seal body axial outer wall 34. For example, the flange 32 may be between the projection axial inner wall 25 and the seal body axial outer wall 34, closer to between one third and one half of the projection axial inner wall 25. The axially outward (in direction D) edge of the flange may be substantially aligned with the axially inward (in direction C) edge of the cylindrical portion 21.

A gap (or volume) 40 exists between the resilient member 18 and the sleeve 14 as shown in fig. 2. The gap 40 may be formed between (a) a location 42 where the main oil lip 24 is in contact with or near the flange 32 of the casing 14 and (b) a location 44 where the packer lip 28 is in contact with the casing 14. The surface of the protruding portion 23 may define a portion of the gap 40. The projection 23 may define a majority of the gap 40. In operation, a thin layer of oil may form between the longitudinal surface 30 of the main oil lip 24 and the flange 32 of the sleeve 14. Thus, the oil lip 24 may not directly contact the surface of the flange 32 of the sleeve 14. When the oil lip 24 is operative to prevent oil from flowing out of the oil side of the seal 10 (and thus not in direct contact with the flange 32), the clearance 40 may be defined as the space between (a) the oil film between the main oil lip 24 and the sleeve 14 and (b) the packer lip 28.

The size of the gap 40 may be critical to the functioning of the sealing device 10. When the sealing device 10 is used in a machine, the components of the sealing device 10 may move relative to each other in an axial or radial direction. For example, the sleeve 14 may move relative to the stationary component 12. Such movement may be in a predominantly axial direction. Movement of these portions of the sealing device 10 relative to each other may cause the volume of the gap 40 to change. For example, axial relative movement between the sleeve 14 and the stationary component 12 may cause the volume of the gap 40 to alternately expand and contract. For example, the components of the seal 10 may move approximately 3mm in either of directions C and/or D (axially inward and outward) (or any other value, depending on the characteristics of the machine on which the seal 10 is installed). The volume of the gap 40 may increase as the components of the seal 10 move away from each other.

The volume of the gap 40 when the seal 10 is not in use may be referred to herein as the nominal volume of the gap 40. For a given nominal volume of the gap 40, a given volume change may have a different effect on the sealing capability of the sealing device 10. If a volume change "x" occurs with respect to gap 40, the volume change of gap 40 may be expressed as a percentage by dividing x by the nominal volume v of gap 40 and multiplying by 100%. If the same volume change "x" occurs for (1) a seal 10 having a smaller nominal volume of gap 40 and (2) a seal 10 having a larger nominal volume of gap 40, the percentage volume change will be greater relative to a seal 10 having a smaller gap 40. In other words, the change in volume (x) relative to the nominal volume of the smaller gap 40 will be greater than the nominal volume of the larger gap 40.

When the volume change of gap 40 is large relative to the nominal volume of gap 40, the volume change may result in a pressure drop in gap 40. The reduction in pressure may be of particular concern where the seal has a packer lip 28 that contacts the sleeve 14 and does not allow air to flow in or out. In the case where the nominal volume of the gap 40 is relatively small, this reduction in pressure may cause oil to enter the seal 10 past the main oil lip 24. Therefore, the reduction in pressure in the relatively small gap 40 may compromise the performance of the sealing device 10. Conversely, when the seal 10 has a relatively large volume in the gap 40, the change in volume of the gap 40 may not cause a pressure reduction large enough to compromise the seal formed by the main oil lip 24. Thus, a sealing device 10 with a relatively large gap 40 may perform better in both short and long strokes. The pressure change may be due at least in part to the low permeability of the packer lip 28. For example, a packer lip 28 having low permeability may not allow sufficient passage of air, thereby preventing or mitigating pressure changes due to volume changes.

For example, in operation in a particular machine, portions of the sealing device 10a or 10b may move up to 3mm in one direction or the other. This movement may result in an increase in volume in gap 40 or gap 40b by an amount of about 1800 (e.g., 1820) cubic millimeters for the machine. For a particular seal configuration, a certain amount of volume change (expressed as a percentage) may be tolerated before affecting the effectiveness of the seal. For example, for the seal 10, the volume change of the gap 40 may be tolerated up to about 10%, more preferably up to about 9.75%, or even more preferably up to about 9% before the effectiveness of the seal 10 is compromised. Alternatively, volume changes in the gap 40 can be tolerated up to 8%.

The volume of interior region 27 may be at least about 15650 cubic millimeters (e.g., at least 15652 cubic millimeters), more preferably at least about 16585 cubic millimeters (e.g., at least 16589 cubic millimeters), or even more preferably at least 19710 cubic millimeters (e.g., at least 19715.3 cubic millimeters). Alternatively, the volume of the interior region 27 may be at least about 24790 cubic millimeters (e.g., at least 24794 cubic millimeters).

Given the expected volume change, the gap 40 may have a volume of at least 36570 cubic millimeters to avoid the effects of pressure drop in the gap 40 and inefficiencies in the sealing device 10. For example, the gap may have a volume of at least 37500 cubic millimeters, more preferably at least 37508 cubic millimeters, more preferably at least 40600 cubic millimeters, more preferably at least 40630 cubic millimeters, or even more preferably at least 40633 cubic millimeters. Alternatively, gap 40 may have a volume of at least 45700 cubic millimeters or at least 45712 cubic millimeters. Alternatively, the gap may have a volume between 36570 cubic millimeters and 45720 cubic millimeters, more preferably between 36571 cubic millimeters and 45712 cubic millimeters, more preferably between 36570 (or 36571) cubic millimeters and 40635 (or 40633) cubic millimeters, and even more preferably between 37510 (or 37508) cubic millimeters and 40630 (or 40633) cubic millimeters. In the event that the seal 10 has a clearance 40 having a volume less than a threshold value, the seal 10 will not be able to adequately prevent oil leakage (axially inward relative to the seal 10) from the oil side of the seal 10. Conversely, when the seal 10 has a clearance 40 that is volumetrically above a threshold value, the seal 10 will function to prevent oil from leaking out of the engine oil side (axially inward relative to the seal 10).

Industrial applicability

The effectiveness of a seal (e.g., seal 10) in retaining oil within the oil side of the seal 10 is one aspect of device performance. There is a need for an effective, durable and long lasting seal. A seal is also needed to effectively exclude contaminants from the oil side of the seal 10. A packer lip 28 of a contact sleeve (e.g., sleeve 14) made of a material such as Nomex may be used to prevent the intrusion of dust and/or other contaminants into the oil side of the seal 10. However, such a configuration of the packer lip 28 may be difficult to achieve with the goal of maintaining oil within the oil side of the seal 10. For example, movement of components of a sealing device (e.g., sealing device 10) may cause a volume of a space (e.g., gap 40) inside the device to change. Of particular relevance is a space such as the gap 40 between the main oil lip 24 and the packer lip 28. The increase in volume may cause a vacuum to form and may cause oil to flow out of the oil side of the seal 10.

In order to minimize the influence of the volume change, the space such as the gap 40 should be appropriately sized. When the volume of the clearance 40 is set to an appropriate value, such as the values described above, the seal 10 will effectively prevent oil from leaking past the main oil lip 24 and retain the oil in the oil side of the seal 10. Thus, the appropriate volume of the gap 40 may help ensure effective sealing of the engine. The disclosed embodiments overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, including the embodiments described in PCT publication No. WO 2018097268.