US4155560A — Water pump seal and method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

A method for sealing the annular space between a shaft of a fluid pump and a bore of the pump housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow of a fluid mixture containing a material that can precipitate out at a shaft/seal interface as particles that can cause wear, said method comprising the steps of: (a) mounting on said housing, an annular elastomeric shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element including a primary lip and an auxiliary sealing element including an auxiliary lip, (b) positioning said primary lip in sealing contact with said shaft, (c) positioning said auxiliary lip in sealing contact with said shaft axially inside of said primary lip and in contact with said shaft over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, (d) precipitating out, at the shaft/seal interface of said auxiliary lip, said material as particles, and (e) substantially preventing said precipitated-out particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 159 words

A method for sealing the annular space between a shaft of a fluid pump and a bore of the pump housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow of a fluid mixture containing a material that can precipitate out at a shaft/seal interface as particles that can cause wear, said method comprising the steps of: (a) mounting on said housing, an annular elastomeric shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element including a primary lip and an auxiliary sealing element including an auxiliary lip, (b) positioning said primary lip in sealing contact with said shaft, (c) positioning said auxiliary lip in sealing contact with said shaft axially inside of said primary lip and in contact with said shaft over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, (d) precipitating out, at the shaft/seal interface of said auxiliary lip, said material as particles, and (e) substantially preventing said precipitated-out particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method according to claim 1 including providing said auxiliary lip with a shaft contact width of between about 0.05 inch and 0.10 inch.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method according to claim 1 wherein said preventing step comprises holding said particles at said auxiliary lip.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method according to claim 1 including pumping particle-containing fluid that passes said auxiliary lip axially inwardly back toward said auxiliary lip.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method according to claim 1 including positioning an integral secondary sealing element having a secondary lip in sealing contact with said shaft and between said primary lip and said auxiliary lip for sealing against the leakage of any of said particles past said auxiliary lip to said primary lip.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 67 words

The method according to claim 5 wherein said pump is a vehicular type water pump of the type that operates with water, anti-freeze, and anti-corrosion materials and wherein said preventing step comprises preventing precipitated-out anti-corrosion material particles from reaching said primary lip, and wherein said mounting step comprises mounting on said housing a one-piece, molded annular, elastomeric shaft seal having said integral primary and auxiliary sealing elements.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method according to claim 1 wherein said pump is a vehicular type water pump of the type that operates with water, anti-freeze, and anti-corrosion materials and wherein said preventing step comprises preventing precipitated-out anti-corrosion material particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method according to claim 1 wherein said mounting step comprises mounting on said housing a one-piece, molded, annular, elastomeric shaft seal having said integral primary and auxiliary sealing elements.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 154 words

An annular shaft seal for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing a material that can precipitate out at a shaft/seal interface as particles that can cause wear, comprising an annular elastomeric shaft seal adapted to be mounted on a housing and including an integral primary sealing element and auxiliary sealing element, said primary sealing element having a primary lip being adapted to sealingly contact a shaft and said auxiliary sealing element having an auxiliary lip also being adapted to sealingly contact the same shaft axially inside of said primary lip, and over a lip contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, for causing said material to precipitate out at the shaft/seal interface of said auxiliary lip, said auxiliary lip being adapted to prevent said particles from flowing to said primary lip.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 154 words

An annular shaft seal for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing a material that can precipitate out at a shaft/seal interface as particles that can cause wear, comprising an annular elastomeric shaft seal adapted to be mounted on a housing and including an integral primary sealing element and auxiliary sealing element, said primary sealing element having a primary lip being adapted to sealingly contact a shaft and said auxiliary sealing element having an auxiliary lip also being adapted to sealingly contact the same shaft axially inside of said primary lip, and over a lip contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, for causing said material to precipitate out at the shaft/seal interface of said auxiliary lip, said auxiliary lip being adapted to prevent said particles from flowing to said primary lip.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The article according to claim 9 wherein said auxiliary lip contacts said shaft over a width of between about 0.05 and 0.10 inch.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The article according to claim 9 including pumping vanes on said auxiliary sealing element axially outwardly from said auxiliary lip for pumping particle-containing fluid away from said primary lip.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 23 words

The article according to claim 9 wherein said shaft seal is a one-piece, molded member having said integral primary and auxiliary sealing elements.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 56 words

The article according to claim 9 wherein said seal includes an integral secondary sealing element having a secondary lip adapted to sealingly contact the same shaft and located in-between said auxiliary lip and said primary lip for sealing any particles that get past said auxiliary lip and for preventing them from getting to said primary lip.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The article according to claim 13 wherein said primary sealing element, said secondary sealing element and said auxiliary sealing element are all integral parts of a one-piece, molded annular elastomeric body.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

The article according to claim 14 wherein said shaft seal includes a metal reinforcing shell and a garter spring for biasing said primary lip into contact with a shaft.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 147 words

A method for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing a material that can precipitate out at a seal/shaft interface as particles that can cause wear comprising: (a) mounting on said housing, an annular shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element having a primary lip and an auxiliary sealing element having an auxiliary lip, (b) positioning said primary lip in sealing contact with the shaft, (c) positioning said auxiliary lip in contact with said shaft axially inside of said primary lip and in contact with said shaft over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, (d) precipitating out, at the shaft/seal interface of said auxiliary lip, said material as particles, and (e) substantially preventing said precipitated-out particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 147 words

A method for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing a material that can precipitate out at a seal/shaft interface as particles that can cause wear comprising: (a) mounting on said housing, an annular shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element having a primary lip and an auxiliary sealing element having an auxiliary lip, (b) positioning said primary lip in sealing contact with the shaft, (c) positioning said auxiliary lip in contact with said shaft axially inside of said primary lip and in contact with said shaft over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, (d) precipitating out, at the shaft/seal interface of said auxiliary lip, said material as particles, and (e) substantially preventing said precipitated-out particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method according to claim 16 including providing said auxiliary lip with a shaft contact width of between about 0.05 and 0.10 inch.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method according to claim 16 wherein said preventing step comprises holding said particles at said auxiliary lip to prevent them from flowing to said primary lip.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method according to claim 16 including pumping particle-containing fluid that passes said auxiliary lip axially inwardly back toward said auxiliary lip.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method according to claim 16 including positioning an integral secondary sealing element having a secondary lip in sealing contact with said shaft between said primary lip and said auxiliary lip for sealing against the leakage of any of said particles past said auxiliary lip to said primary lip.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 121 words

A method for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing particles that can cause wear comprising: (a) mounting on said housing, a one-piece, molded, elastomeric annular shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element including a primary lip and an auxiliary sealing element including an auxiliary lip, (b) positioning said primary lip in sealing contact with said shaft, and (c) positioning said auxiliary lip in contact with said shaft axially inside of said primary lip and over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, whereby said auxiliary lip substantially prevents said particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 121 words

A method for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing particles that can cause wear comprising: (a) mounting on said housing, a one-piece, molded, elastomeric annular shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element including a primary lip and an auxiliary sealing element including an auxiliary lip, (b) positioning said primary lip in sealing contact with said shaft, and (c) positioning said auxiliary lip in contact with said shaft axially inside of said primary lip and over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, whereby said auxiliary lip substantially prevents said particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method according to claim 21 including pumping particle-containing fluid axially inwardly away from said primary lip.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method according to claim 21 including contacting said auxiliary lip with said shaft over a contact width of from about 0.05 to 0.10 inch.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method according to claim 21 including positioning an integral secondary lip in sealing contact with said shaft between said primary lip and said auxiliary lip for sealing against the leakage of any of said particles past said auxiliary lip to said primary lip.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 119 words

An annular shaft seal for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing particles which can cause wear to a shaft and seal comprising: (a) a one-piece, annular, molded, elastomeric shaft seal including an integral primary sealing element having a primary lip and auxiliary sealing element having an auxiliary lip, and (b) said primary lip being adapted to contact a shaft and said auxiliary lip being adapted to contact the same shaft axially inside of said primary lip and over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, for preventing said particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 119 words

An annular shaft seal for sealing the annular space between a shaft and a bore of a housing through which the shaft extends, against the flow therethrough of a fluid containing particles which can cause wear to a shaft and seal comprising: (a) a one-piece, annular, molded, elastomeric shaft seal including an integral primary sealing element having a primary lip and auxiliary sealing element having an auxiliary lip, and (b) said primary lip being adapted to contact a shaft and said auxiliary lip being adapted to contact the same shaft axially inside of said primary lip and over a shaft contact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip, for preventing said particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 20 words

The article according to claim 25 wherein said auxiliary lip has a shaft-contacting width between about 0.05 and 0.10 inch.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 29 words

The article according to claim 25 including pumping vanes on said auxiliary sealing element axially outwardly from said auxiliary lip for pumping particle-containing fluid away from said primary lip.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 50 words

The article according to claim 25 including an integral secondary sealing element having a secondary lip adapted to sealingly contact the same shaft and being located in-between said auxiliary lip and said primary lip for preventing any particles that get past said auxiliary lip from getting to said primary lip.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 153 words

A vehicular water pump for pumping a fluid mixture containing a material that can precipitate out at a shaft/seal interface as particles that can cause wear to a shaft and seal including: (a) a pump housing having a bore, (b) a shaft extending through said bore, and (c) an annular shaft seal for sealing the annular space between said shaft and bore, said seal comprising: (i) an annular, one-piece, molded elastomeric shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element including a primary lip and auxiliary sealing element including an auxiliary lip, and (ii) said primary lip being in sealing contact with said shaft, and said auxiliary lip also being in sealing contact with said shaft at a location axially inside of said primary lip and having a shaftcontact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip for precipitating out said particles and for preventing said precipitated-out particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 153 words

A vehicular water pump for pumping a fluid mixture containing a material that can precipitate out at a shaft/seal interface as particles that can cause wear to a shaft and seal including: (a) a pump housing having a bore, (b) a shaft extending through said bore, and (c) an annular shaft seal for sealing the annular space between said shaft and bore, said seal comprising: (i) an annular, one-piece, molded elastomeric shaft seal having an integral primary sealing element including a primary lip and auxiliary sealing element including an auxiliary lip, and (ii) said primary lip being in sealing contact with said shaft, and said auxiliary lip also being in sealing contact with said shaft at a location axially inside of said primary lip and having a shaftcontact area substantially larger than that of said primary lip for precipitating out said particles and for preventing said precipitated-out particles from reaching said primary lip.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said seal includes a metal shell press-fitted in said housing bore.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1982-05-21	1982-11-20	1983-05-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1986-05-21	1986-11-20	1987-05-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1990-05-21	1990-11-20	1991-05-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Water pump seal and method

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