Rotary shaft seal

Patent · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:864832

Langebrake, Clair O ^[1]

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1. Waverly, OH

The invention is a novel rotary shaft seal assembly which provides positive-contact sealing when the shaft is not rotated and which operates with its sealing surfaces separated by a film of compressed ambient gas whose width is independent of the speed of shaft rotation. In a preferred embodiment, the assembly includes a disc affixed to the shaft for rotation therewith. Axially movable, non-rotatable plates respectively supported by sealing bellows are positioned on either side of the disc to be in sealing engagement therewith. Each plate carries piezoelectric transducer elements which are electrically energized at startup to produce films of compressed ambient gas between the confronting surfaces of the plates and the disc. Following shutdown of the shaft, the transducer elements are de-energized. A control circuit responds to incipient rubbing between the plate and either disc by altering the electrical input to the transducer elements to eliminate rubbing.

• Research Organization: MARTIN MARIETTA ENRGY SYST INC
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76OR00001
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4424975
• OSTI ID: 864832
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/277/
affixed
altering
ambient
ambient gas
assembly
axially
axially movable
bellows
carries
circuit
compressed
confronting
confronting surfaces
control
control circuit
de-energized
disc
electrical
electrical input
electrically
electrically energized
elements
eliminate
embodiment
energized
engagement
film
films
following
gas
incipient
independent
input
movable
non-rotatable
novel
operates
piezoelectric
piezoelectric transducer
plate
plates
positioned
positive-contact
preferred
preferred embodiment
produce
provides
respectively
responds
rotary
rotary shaft
rotatable plate
rotated
rotation
rubbing
seal
seal assembly
sealing
sealing engage
sealing engagement
sealing surface
sealing surfaces
separated
shaft
shaft rotation
shaft seal
shutdown
speed
startup
supported
surfaces
surfaces separated
therewith
transducer
width