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US3761101A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Turbine regenerative seal and method of making same

Assignee: ZF Active Safety US Inc
•
Filing: 1972-03-06
•
Granted: 1973-09-25
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Expires: 1992-03-06
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Abstract

Abstract A thin, compliant seal for the regenerator of a gas turbine engine or the like and a method of making same. The seal is comprised of a plurality of individual seal elements that are interrelated with each other at their ends to preclude leakage. Two embodiments of end relationships are shown. In one embodiment two of the seal elements have interengaging portions that provide a loose connection between the elements. In the other embodiment, each of the seal ends carries a locating portion that coacts with means on the housing of the regenerator for providing a loose interrelationship between the seal ends. The end interrelationship of the seal elements in each embodiment permits relatively free movement of the seal elements under the influence of thermal expansion. This precludes warping of the seal as would occur if the seal were constructed from a single piece or if the seal was formed from pieces that were rigidly connected to each other. Each of the seal elements includes a first relatively thin, compliant part that is provided with a wear resistant coating that engages a rotating element. The coating is applied to a lightly oxidized surface of a relatively thin substrate which substrate is unstressed to reduce warpage. Cantilevered springs form another piece of each element. These cantilevered springs sealingly engage a static mating surface of the regenerator and resiliently bias the coated surface first piece into sealing engagement with the rotating element. The coating, as has been noted, is applied to an oxidized surface of the first part. In a preferred embodiment the coating is applied after the cantilevered spring is assembled to the first part. This subassembly is then held in a fixture and is preheated. A relatively thin transition layer of coating material is applied to the oxidized surface. The transition coating is formed from a material that will have an exothermic reaction with the oxidized surface. The final, wear resistant coating is then applied to the transition coating while maintaining the temperature and preventing excessive heating and, accordingly, warpage. The use of a thin seal and relatively thin coatings insures compliance of the seal with the mating surface of the rotating element.

Inventors

  • 👤 W Good
  • 👤 Grasso L Di
  • 👤 J Hoffman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 12:58
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02C; F02C7/00; F02C7/08; F02C7/10; F02C7/28; F16; F16J; F16J15/00; F16J15/16; F16J15/34; F16J15/3436; F16J15/3456; F28; F28D; F28D19/00; F28D19/04; F28D19/047

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 104 words
A seal for a regenerator of a gas turbine engine or the like comprising a first seal piece having an arcuate configuration, a second seal piece having end portions juxtaposed to end portions of said first seal piece, said first and said second seal pieces each having sealing surfaces lying in substantially the same plane and adapted to sealingly engage a portion of the engine around a gas flow path thereof, and means for locating the contiguous ends of said seal pieces relative to each other and for allowing relatively free movement of said ends for permitting independent thermal expansion of said seal pieces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 104 words
A seal for a regenerator of a gas turbine engine or the like comprising a first seal piece having an arcuate configuration, a second seal piece having end portions juxtaposed to end portions of said first seal piece, said first and said second seal pieces each having sealing surfaces lying in substantially the same plane and adapted to sealingly engage a portion of the engine around a gas flow path thereof, and means for locating the contiguous ends of said seal pieces relative to each other and for allowing relatively free movement of said ends for permitting independent thermal expansion of said seal pieces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
A seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the seal pieces includes portions interlocked with portions on the other of the seal pieces for providing a fluid tight seal at the juncture between said seal piece ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 59 words
A seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for locating the contiguous ends of the seal pieces relative to each other comprise outwardly extending tabs formed on each of said seal piece ends and elongated slots formed in each of said tabs for receiving a locating pin with sufficient clearance to permit relatively free thermal expansion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 72 words
A seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for locating the contiguous ends of the first and second seal pieces comprise hooks affixed to the ends of one of the seal pieces and complementary shaped pockets formed at the ends of the other seal piece in which said hooks are received, said hooks and said pockets having sufficient clearance to permit the independent thermal expansion of the seal pieces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
A seal as set forth in claim 4 wherein the clearance between the hook and the pocket at one of the ends is greater than the clearance at the other end, the area of greater clearance being provided in the direction of rotation of the associated engine components.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 62 words
A seal as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the seal pieces is comprised of a first part having a sealing face and a second part comprising a spring engaging the first part and having an end portion engaged with a component of the engine and biasing the first part into sealing engagement with another component of the associated engine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 44 words
A seal as set forth in claim 6 wherein at least the first part of each of the seal pieces is relatively thin and compliant for conformity of said first part with the associated component of the engine under the bias of the spring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A seal as set forth in claim 7 wherein each of the first parts have a wear resistant coating formed on its sealing surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 37 words
A seal as set forth in claim 8 wherein the substrate of the first part on which the coating is formed has a thickness in the range of one to two times the thickness of the coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 33 words
A seal as set forth in claim 6 wherein the spring comprises a cantilevered leaf spring affixed to the first part and sealingly engaging the component of the engine at its other end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 35 words
A seal as set forth in claim 10 wherein the cantilevered leaf springs of each of the seal pieces have interleaving end portions for effecting a seal at the adajcent ends of the seal pieces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 74 words
A seal as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one of the seal pieces includes a second cantilevered leaf spring fixed relative to the first leaf spring and to the first seal piece part at one of its ends, the other end of said second cantilevered spring being displaced from the other end of said first cantilevered spring in one direction and lying in substantially the same plane therewith in another direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 35 words
A seal as set forth in claim 12 wherein the other end of one of the cantilevered springs is beveled to preclude interference with the sealing of the other end of the other cantilevered springs.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 23 words
A seal as set forth in claim 12 wherein one of the leaf springs has a different rate than the other leaf spring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 21 words
A seal as set forth in claim 12 wherein one of the cantilevered leaf springs is formed with uniformly spaced slits.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 87 words
A seal as set forth in claim 1 further including a third seal piece having end portions juxtaposed to the end portions of the first and second seal pieces, one of said second and third seal pieces having an arcuate configuration, and means for locating the ends of said third seal piece relative to the contiguous ends of said first and said second pieces and for allowing relatively free movement of said third seal piece ends for permitting the inedependent thermal expansion of said third seal piece.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 30 words
A seal as set forth in claim 16 further including interlocking portions on the ends of each of the seal pieces for effecting a fluid tight seal at their junctures.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 19 words
A seal as set forth in claim 17 wherein the arcuate seal pieces have the same radius of curvature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 42 words
A seal as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of the seal piece end portions is formed with an outwardly extending tab that defines an elongated slot to receive a locating pin with sufficient clearance to permit relatively free thermal expansion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 69 words
A seal for a regenerator of a gas tubine engine or the like comprising a seal piece having a surface adapted to sealingly engage a portion of the regenerator and spring means for biasing said seal piece into engagement with the regenerator portion, said seal piece being relatively thin and compliant for conformity to the portion of the regenerator engaged thereby under the influence of thermal and other stresses.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 69 words
A seal for a regenerator of a gas tubine engine or the like comprising a seal piece having a surface adapted to sealingly engage a portion of the regenerator and spring means for biasing said seal piece into engagement with the regenerator portion, said seal piece being relatively thin and compliant for conformity to the portion of the regenerator engaged thereby under the influence of thermal and other stresses.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
A seal as set forth in claim 20 further including a wear resistant coating formed on the surface of the seal piece that engages the regenerator portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 37 words
A seal as set forth in claim 21 wherein the substrate of the seal piece on which the coating is formed has a thickness in the range of one to two times the thickness of the coating.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3192998A Cited
US3273903A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-09-24 1977-03-26 1977-09-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-09-24 1981-03-26 1981-09-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-09-24 1985-03-26 1985-09-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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