Pressure balanced ring seal

Claim 2

A rigid annular ring seal comprising, when viewed in cross section, radially spaced inner and outer faces joined together by axially spaced side faces, at least a substantial portion of at least one of said side faces being completely tapered circumferentially therearound and radially inwardly from said outer face toward said inner face to form an acute angle with respect to said outer face which is slightly less than 90*, said first member being rotatably mounted in a bore formed in a second member, said ring seal freely seated in unsecured relationship in an annular groove formed in said first member to position its outer face closely adjacent to annular surface portions forming said bore to maintain an annular portion of said tapered side face in sealing contact with only an outer portion of a side wall of said groove, located adjacent to said bore, and to fully expose said inner face and said side faces to pressurized fluid, said tapered side face being disposed to diverge radially inwardly with respect to said side wall, toward said inner face.

Claim 3

A rigid annular ring seal comprising, when viewed in cross section, radially spaced inner and outer faces joined together by axially spaced side faces, at least a substantial portion of at least one of said side faces being completely tapered circumferentially therearound and radially inwardly from said outer face toward said inner face to form an acute angle with respect to said outer face which is slightly less than 90*, said first member being rotatably mounted in a bore formed in a second member, said ring seal freely seated in unsecured relationship in an annular groove formed in said first member to position its outer face closely adjacent to annular surface portions forming said bore to maintain an annular portion of said tapered side face in sealing contact with only an outer portion of a side wall of said groove, located adjacent to said bore, and to fully expose said inner face and said side faces to pressurized fluid, said tapered side face being disposed to diverge radially inwardly with respect to said side wall, toward said inner face.

Claim 4

A rigid annular ring seal comprising, when viewed in cross section, radially spaced inner and outer faces joined together by axially spaced side faces, at least a substantial portion of at least one of said side faces being completely tapered circumferentially therearound and radially inwardly from said outer face toward said inner face to form an acute angle with respect to said outer face which is slightly less than 90*, said first member being rotatably mounted in a bore formed in a second member, said ring seal freely seated in unsecured relationship in an annular groove formed in said first member to position its outer face closely adjacent to annular surface portions forming said bore to maintain an annular portion of said tapered side face in sealing contact with only an outer portion of a side wall of said groove, located adjacent to said bore, and to fully expose said inner face and said side faces to pressurized fluid, said tapered side face being disposed to diverge radially inwardly with respect to said side wall, toward said inner face.

Claim 5

The ring seal of claim 1 wherein said acute angle is selected from the range of from 85.0* to 88.5*.

Claim 6

The ring seal of claim 1 wherein each of said side faces is tapered to form an acute angle with respect to said outer face which is less than 90*.

Claim 7

The ring seal of claim 1 further comprising means forming a relief therein disposed between said tapered side face and said inner face.

Claim 8

The ring seal of claim 1 wherein said tapered side face is at least substantially flat.

Claim 9

The ring seal of claim 1 wherein said tapered side face is convex.

Claim 10

The ring seal of claim 6 wherein said arcuate side face is formed by a radius and extends between said inner and outer faces.

Claim 11

The ring seal of claim 1 wherein said first member comprises a shaft rotatably mounted in said second member.

Claim 12

In a power transmission device comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in a bore formed in a member and a rigid annular ring seal, having radially spaced inner and outer faces joined together by axially spaced first and second side faces when viewed in cross section, freely mounted in unsecured relationship in an annular groove formed in said shaft to form a seal between said shaft and said member to seal-off pressurized fluid emanating at the first side face of said ring seal, the invention comprising means formed on the second side face of said ring seal for inducing a substantial balance of fluid forces around said seal and to induce a limited area of sealing contact only between an outer portion of said second side face and an outer portion of a side wall of said groove, located adjacent to said bore, said inner face and said side faces being exposed to pressurized fluid and wherein said means comprises a taper formed on said second side face which is disposed to diverge radially inwardly with respect to said side wall toward said inner face at an angle therebetween selected from the approximate range of from 0.5* to 5*.

Claim 13

In a power transmission device comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in a bore formed in a member and a rigid annular ring seal, having radially spaced inner and outer faces joined together by axially spaced first and second side faces when viewed in cross section, freely mounted in unsecured relationship in an annular groove formed in said shaft to form a seal between said shaft and said member to seal-off pressurized fluid emanating at the first side face of said ring seal, the invention comprising means formed on the second side face of said ring seal for inducing a substantial balance of fluid forces around said seal and to induce a limited area of sealing contact only between an outer portion of said second side face and an outer portion of a side wall of said groove, located adjacent to said bore, said inner face and said side faces being exposed to pressurized fluid and wherein said means comprises a taper formed on said second side face which is disposed to diverge radially inwardly with respect to said side wall toward said inner face at an angle therebetween selected from the approximate range of from 0.5* to 5*.

Claim 14

The power transmission of claim 9 wherein each of said first and second side faces is tapered.

Claim 15

The power transmission of claim 10 further comprising means forming a relief in said second side faCe disposed between said tapered side face and said inner face.

Claim 16

The power transmission of claim 10 wherein said tapered side face is at least substantially flat.

Claim 17

The ring seal of claim 10 wherein said tapered side face is convex.