초록 ▼

A seal assembly adapted for use in sealing two mating surfaces spaced apart by a gap is provided. The seal assembly includes a sealing element adapted to be located in a groove in one of the mating surfaces. A back-up ring assembly is provided which includes a first back-up ring made from a relative

A seal assembly adapted for use in sealing two mating surfaces spaced apart by a gap is provided. The seal assembly includes a sealing element adapted to be located in a groove in one of the mating surfaces. A back-up ring assembly is provided which includes a first back-up ring made from a relatively soft material and a second back-up ring made from a relatively hard material. The first back-up ring includes a body with first and second sides, with one of a groove and an interlocking projection being located on the body along the second side. The second back-up ring includes a body with first and second sides, with the other of the groove and the interlocking projection being located along the first side. The groove is complementarily shaped to the projection and includes a rounded mating surface such that the first and second back-up rings can be interlocked together by connecting the interlocking projection and the groove, with the rounded mating surface reducing stress concentrations on the first and second back-up rings under load.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A seal assembly adapted for use in sealing two mating operational surfaces spaced apart by a gap, one of said surfaces including an annular seal assembly receiving groove, the seal assembly comprising:a sealing element adapted to be located in the groove;a first back-up r

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A seal assembly adapted for use in sealing two mating operational surfaces spaced apart by a gap, one of said surfaces including an annular seal assembly receiving groove, the seal assembly comprising:a sealing element adapted to be located in the groove;a first back-up ring assembly including,a first back-up ring made from a relatively soft material having a body with first and second sides, one of a groove and an interlocking projection being located on the body along the second side,a second back-up ring having a body with first and second sides and being made from a relatively hard material, the second back-up ring including the other of the groove and the interlocking projection located along the first side,the interlocking projection includes a narrow leg portion which extends outwardly from the body of the one of the first and second back-up rings which includes the interlocking projection and a rounded anchor portion connected to the leg portion, the anchor portion having a width which is greater than a width of the leg portion and having rounded sides,the groove being complementarily shaped to the interlocking projection with an opening which is narrower than the anchor portion and having a rounded mating surface such that the first and second back-up rings can be interlocked together by connecting the interlocking projection and the groove; andthe first back-up ring assembly being adapted to be located in the seal assembly receiving groove adjacent to the sealing element to prevent extrusion of the sealing element into the gap between the two mating surfaces with the rounded mating surface of the groove reducing stress concentrations in the first and second back-up rings under load.