Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A device for metering a fluid flow between two overlapping members subject to relative displacement and separated by a gap for spreading the fluid as a film over the overlapped member, said metering device comprising a flexible seal having one end which is connected to one of said members with the other end being free, said seal being of such length that said free end will engage in sealing contact with the other of said members when urged outwardly by the fluid, said seal further including orifice means for providing an essentially constant flow area through which the flow passes irrespective of the size of the gap due to differences in relative displacement of said members.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A device for metering a fluid flow between two overlapping members subject to relative displacement and separated by a gap for spreading the fluid as a film over the overlapped member, said metering device comprising a flexible seal having one end which is connected to one of said members with the other end being free, said seal being of such length that said free end will engage in sealing contact with the other of said members when urged outwardly by the fluid, said seal further including orifice means for providing an essentially constant flow area through which the flow passes irrespective of the size of the gap due to differences in relative displacement of said members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said overlapping member is undercut to form a fluid cavity therein for partially receiving the overlapped member so as to provide said gap for the passage of the fluid from said cavity as a film over the overlapped member, said members partially defining to their radial interior a plenum for receiving the fluid in a pressurized state and said orifice means providing an essentially constant flow area between said plenum and said cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said members are generally coaxial and of different diameters, said members partially defining to their radial interior a plenum for receiving the fluid in a pressurized state, and wherein said seal comprises a ring, and orifice means of generally constant area formed within said ring for providing an essentially constant flow area between said plenum and said gap irrespective of the size of the gap due to differences in relative displacement of said members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device as recited in claim 3 wherein the free end of said ring is slotted in the axial direction to form a plurality of generally rectangular flexible fingers of such length as to engage in sealing contact the other of said members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device as recited in claim 4 wherein said ring is connected to said overlapped member and wherein said other member comprises said overlapping member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device as recited in claim 4 wherein said orifice means comprises the slots between flexible fingers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device as recited in claim 6 wherein said orifice means further comprises a plurality of holes formed within said ring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device as recited in claim 3 wherein said orifice means comprises a plurality of holes formed within said ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device as recited in claim 3 wherein the area of said orifice means is less than or equal to the minimum annular area of said gap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said flexible seal is connected to one of said members by connecting means which also serve as standoff means disposed between said elements to maintain at least a minimum gap size therebetween.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
197 words
A device for metering a fluid flow between two generally coaxial members which are of different diameters and located with relation to each other with the member of the smaller diameter projecting for a portion of its length into the member of the larger diameter so as to provide an annular gap between the members for the passage of a fluid as a film over the member of the smaller diameter, said members partially defining to their radial interior a plenum for receiving the fluid in a pressurized state, said metering device comprising a ring, one end of which is connected to the interior of the member of the smaller diameter and the other end of which is slotted in the axial direction to form a plurality of generally rectangular flexible fingers of such length as to engage in sealing contact the member of the larger diameter when urged radially outwardly by the pressurized fluid, and a plurality of orifices of generally constant area formed within said ring for providing as essentially constant flow area between said plenum and said gap irrespective of the size of the gap due to differences in relative displacement of said members.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
197 words
A device for metering a fluid flow between two generally coaxial members which are of different diameters and located with relation to each other with the member of the smaller diameter projecting for a portion of its length into the member of the larger diameter so as to provide an annular gap between the members for the passage of a fluid as a film over the member of the smaller diameter, said members partially defining to their radial interior a plenum for receiving the fluid in a pressurized state, said metering device comprising a ring, one end of which is connected to the interior of the member of the smaller diameter and the other end of which is slotted in the axial direction to form a plurality of generally rectangular flexible fingers of such length as to engage in sealing contact the member of the larger diameter when urged radially outwardly by the pressurized fluid, and a plurality of orifices of generally constant area formed within said ring for providing as essentially constant flow area between said plenum and said gap irrespective of the size of the gap due to differences in relative displacement of said members.