Belleville spring loaded seal

Claim 2

In a joint having a first member (11,111) and a second member (12) variably spaced adjacent said first member, an improved sealing structure (10,110) for sealing said first member to said second member across the movable space therebetween, said sealing structure comprising: a frustoconical Belleville spring (17,117); an annular support spring (18,118) defining an arcuate cross section having an end (19,119) connected to an outer portion of the Belleville spring and an opposite end (20,120) sealingly mounted to said first member (11,111), the spring constants of said Belleville (17,117) and support springs (18,118) being preselected to cumulatively cause a biasing sealing force developed thereby to continuously increase with an increase in deflection of said springs over the range of variable spacing between said members (11,111,12) notwithstanding a decrease in the sealing force developed by the Belleville spring alone over a portion of the range of increasing deflection; and a seal element (21,121) fixed to said Belleville spring and having a lip portion (22,122) urged into dynamic sealing engagement with said second member (12) by said cumulative continuously increasing biasing action of said spring.

Claim 3

The joint of claim 1 wherein the spring constant of said support spring (18,118) is substantially a constant over said range of variable spacing between said members.

Claim 4

The joint of claim 1 wherein said Belleville spring (17,117) passes over center in the range of variable spacing between said members.

Claim 5

The joint of claim 1 wherein said support spring (18,118) is formed unitarily integrally with said Belleville spring.

Claim 6

The joint of claim 1 wherein said Belleville spring (17,117) defines a plurality of through openings (23,123) and said seal element (21,121) extends through said openings.

Claim 7

The joint of claim 1 wherein said seal element (21,121) comprises a body of synthetic resin set in situ about said Belleview spring (17,117).

Claim 8

In a sealing structure (10,110) comprising: an apertured frustoconical Belleville spring (17,117) having a plurality of through openings (23,123); a body (21,121) of elastic synthetic resin set in situ on said spring (17,117) and having a lip portion (22,122), a retaining portion (24,124), and a connecting portion (25,125) extending through said openings to retain said lip portion fixedly secured to said spring; and means for causing the load deflection characteristics of the sealing structure to provide a continuously increasing sealing force to be provided in said body notwithstanding a decrease in the sealing force produced by the apertured Belleville spring over a range of increasing deflection of the Belleville spring.

Claim 9

In a sealing structure (10,110) comprising: an apertured frustoconical Belleville spring (17,117) having a plurality of through openings (23,123); a body (21,121) of elastic synthetic resin set in situ on said spring (17,117) and having a lip portion (22,122), a retaining portion (24,124), and a connecting portion (25,125) extending through said openings to retain said lip portion fixedly secured to said spring; and means for causing the load deflection characteristics of the sealing structure to provide a continuously increasing sealing force to be provided in said body notwithstanding a decrease in the sealing force produced by the apertured Belleville spring over a range of increasing deflection of the Belleville spring.

Claim 10

The seal of claim 7 wherein said openings (23,123) are spaced equiangularly about the axis of the spring.

Claim 11

The seal of claim 7 wherein said openings define a first, radially inner plurality of openings (23a,123a) spaced about the axis of the spring, and a second, radially outer plurality of openings (23b,123b) spaced about the axis of the spring.

Claim 12

The seal of claim 7 wherein said openings define a first, radially inner plurality of openings (23a,123a) spaced about the axis of the spring, and a second, radially outer plurality of openings (23b,123b) spaced about the axis of the spring and offset angularly relative to said inner openings (23a,123a).

Claim 13

In a joint having a first member (11,111) provided with a recess (26,126) and a second member (12) variably spaced adjacent said first member, an improved sealing structure (10,110) for sealing said first member to said second member across the movable space therebetween, said sealing structure comprising: a frustoconical Belleville spring (17,117); an annular support spring (18,118) defining an arcuate cross section having one end (19,119) connected to an outer portion of the Belleville spring and an opposite end (20,120) sealingly mounted to said first member (11,111) in said recess (26,126), the spring constants of said Belleville (17,117) and support springs (18,118) being preselected to cumulatively cause a biasing sealing force developed thereby to continuously increase with an increase in deflection of said springs over the range of variable spacing between said members (11,111,12) notwithstanding a decrease in the sealing force developed by the Belleville spring alone over a portion of the range of increasing deflection; and a seal element (21,121) sealingly mounted to said Belleville spring and having a lip portion (22,122) urged into dynamic sealing engagement with said second member (12) by said cumulative continuously increasing biasing action of said spring.

Claim 14

In a joint having a first member (11,111) provided with a recess (26,126) and a second member (12) variably spaced adjacent said first member, an improved sealing structure (10,110) for sealing said first member to said second member across the movable space therebetween, said sealing structure comprising: a frustoconical Belleville spring (17,117); an annular support spring (18,118) defining an arcuate cross section having one end (19,119) connected to an outer portion of the Belleville spring and an opposite end (20,120) sealingly mounted to said first member (11,111) in said recess (26,126), the spring constants of said Belleville (17,117) and support springs (18,118) being preselected to cumulatively cause a biasing sealing force developed thereby to continuously increase with an increase in deflection of said springs over the range of variable spacing between said members (11,111,12) notwithstanding a decrease in the sealing force developed by the Belleville spring alone over a portion of the range of increasing deflection; and a seal element (21,121) sealingly mounted to said Belleville spring and having a lip portion (22,122) urged into dynamic sealing engagement with said second member (12) by said cumulative continuously increasing biasing action of said spring.

Claim 15

The joint of claim 11 wherein said opposite end (20,120) comprises a right circularly cylindrical portion.

Claim 16

The joint of claim 11 wherein said arcuate cross section (118) extends less than 90° in its free state.

Claim 17

The joint of claim 11 wherein said arcuate cross section (18) extends more than 90° in its free state and includes a first portion (27) joined to the portion in said recess extending arcuately away from the axis of the cross section (18), and a second portion (28) joined to said Belleville spring (17) extending arcuately toward the axis of the spring cross section (18).

Claim 18

The joint of claim 11 wherein said opposite end (20,120) comprises a right circularly cylindrical portion received substantially fully within said recess (26).

Claim 19

The joint of claim 11 wherein said opposite end (20,120) comprises a right circularly cylindrical portion having only a distal portion thereof received in said recess (126).