Seal arrangement utilizing deflector seals of reduced radial dimension

Claim 1

A seal arrangement between a stationary member and a rotatable member disposed therein so as to have a predetermined gap therebetween defining an annular space for reducing the flow of fluid across said annular space from a high pressure to a low pressure region, said seal arrangement comprising: a plurality of spaced apart circumferential seal strips extending generally radially into said annular space from one of said members and having distal margins spaced from the other of said members; a plurality of spaced apart circumferential deflector strips extending generally radially into said annular space a distance that is generally 50% to 75% of the distance from the distal margin of the seal strip to the other member and the deflector strips having distal margins spaced from said one member; said seal and deflector strips being spaced apart axially generally on the same pitch and disposed generally one-half pitch out of phase with respect to the other so that if extended radially, they would interdigitate and each strip extends into said space a distance such that the sum of the radially extending distance of adjacent opposing strips is less than the gap between the stationary and rotatable members.