초록 ▼

A bi-directional dynamic seal advantageously provides for the return of captured lubricant to the lubricant side regardless of a direction of relative rotation between the seal and the shaft. The seal utilizes a pattern of symmetrical pumping elements to facilitate the hydrodynamic pumping of the ca

A bi-directional dynamic seal advantageously provides for the return of captured lubricant to the lubricant side regardless of a direction of relative rotation between the seal and the shaft. The seal utilizes a pattern of symmetrical pumping elements to facilitate the hydrodynamic pumping of the captured lubricant in response to the relative rotation. The symmetrical pumping elements have ending points that stop short of the seal edge of the seal. The seal may utilize secondary pumping elements that communicate with the primary pumping elements to capture lubricant that is not captured by the primary pumping elements.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A bi-directional seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having a leading seal edge and an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including an annular circumferential groove extending into said active surface away from the shaft and a

What is claimed is: 1. A bi-directional seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having a leading seal edge and an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including an annular circumferential groove extending into said active surface away from the shaft and a plurality of angular grooves extending into said active surface away from the shaft, said plurality of angular grooves extending from said annular circumferential groove toward a liquid side of the seal, said circumferential groove being at a substantially constant distance from said leading seal edge as said circumferential groove extends annularly, said plurality of angular grooves including a repeating pattern of angular grooves with each pattern having a plurality of immediately adjacent angular grooves with a positive approach angle without grooves having a negative approach angle therebetween and a plurality of immediately adjacent angular grooves with a negative approach angle without grooves having a positive approach angle therebetween, wherein within each pattern of angular grooves said plurality of grooves with a positive approach angle and said plurality of grooves with a negative approach angle approach one another as said grooves extend toward said annular circumferential groove. 2. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said active surface includes an annular static dam disposed adjacent to said circumferential groove. 3. The seal according to claim 2, wherein said static dam is disposed between said repeating pattern of angular grooves and an air side of said active surface. 4. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said active surface includes a pair of annular static dams on opposite ends of said active surface, said plurality of angular grooves is between said pair of annular static dams, and each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side without entirely circumscribing the shaft. 5. The seal according to claim 4, wherein said circumferential groove is disposed between said pair of annular static dams. 6. The seal according to claim 1, wherein each groove in said plurality of angular grooves has a same length. 7. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said active surface includes an annular static dam provided at a tip of each said angular groove between said plurality of angular grooves and said liquid side, and each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side without entirely circumscribing the shaft. 8. The seal according to claim 7, wherein each of said angular grooves has a first width adjacent said circumferential groove and a second, narrower width adjacent said static dam. 9. The seal according to claim 1, wherein each of said angular grooves has an approach angle with said circumferential groove of at least 45 degrees. 10. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said angular grooves have a cross-sectional area that decreases as said grooves extend toward said liquid side of said active surface. 11. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said angular grooves open into said liquid side of said active surface. 12. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said circumferential groove is disposed between said repeating pattern of angular grooves and an air side of said active surface. 13. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said angular grooves extend from said circumferential groove along said active surface toward said liquid side in their entirety without intersecting one another. 14. The seal according to claim 1, wherein said annular circumferential groove is disposed between an air side of the seal and said angular grooves. 15. The seal according to claim 1, wherein each one of said angular grooves is open toward the shaft as each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface. 16. The seal according to claim 1, wherein each one of said angular grooves forms a discrete contiguous uninterrupted singular flow path along its entirety from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side. 17. A bi-directional seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including an annular circumferential groove extending into said active surface away from the shaft and a plurality of non-intersecting angular grooves extending into said active surface away from the shaft, each one of said angular grooves extending from said circumferential groove along said active surface toward a liquid side of the seal in its entirety without intersecting any other grooves on said active surface, said plurality of angular grooves including a repeating pattern of angular grooves with each pattern having a plurality of angular grooves with a positive approach angle and a plurality of angular grooves with a negative approach angle, and each one of said angular grooves being open toward the shaft as each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface, wherein in each pattern, each of said plurality of angular grooves having a positive approach angle has a different length, and within each pattern of angular grooves said plurality of grooves with a positive approach angle and said plurality of grooves with a negative approach angle approach one another as said grooves extend toward said annular circumferential groove. 18. The seal according to claim 17, wherein in each pattern each of said plurality of angular grooves having a negative approach angle has a different length. 19. The seal according to claim 17, wherein said annular circumferential groove is disposed between an air side of the seal and said angular grooves. 20. The seal according to claim 17, wherein said circumferential groove is at a substantially constant distance from said lip as said circumferential groove extends annularly. 21. The seal according to claim 17, wherein each one of said angular grooves forms a discrete contiguous uninterrupted singular flow path along its entirety from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side. 22. A bi-directional seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including a circumferential groove and a plurality of angular grooves extending from said circumferential groove, said plurality of angular grooves including a repeating pattern of angular grooves with each pattern having a plurality of angular grooves with a positive approach angle and a plurality of angular grooves with a negative approach angle, wherein each pattern includes a shore axially extending from said circumferential groove, said shore having a radially recessed portion discrete from said grooves, and each of said angular grooves communicating with said recess portion. 23. A bi-directional seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including an annular circumferential groove extending into said active surface away from the shaft and a plurality of non-intersecting angular grooves extending into said active surface away from the shaft, each one of said angular grooves extending from said circumferential groove along said active surface toward a liquid side of the seal in its entirety without intersecting any other grooves on said active surface, said plurality of angular grooves including a repeating pattern of angular grooves with each pattern having a plurality of angular grooves with a positive approach angle and a plurality of angular grooves with a negative approach angle, and each one of said angular grooves being open toward the shaft as each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface, wherein said plurality of angular grooves with a positive approach angle in at least one of said pattern of grooves all extend from a common area of said circumferential groove toward said liquid side. 24. The seal according to claim 23, wherein said circumferential groove is at a substantially constant distance from said lip as said circumferential groove extends annularly. 25. The seal according to claim 23, wherein each one of said angular grooves forms a discrete contiguous uninterrupted singular flow path along its entirety from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side. 26. The seal according to claim 23, wherein said active surface includes a static dam between said liquid side of the seal and said angular grooves, and each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface toward said liquid side without entirely circumscribing the shaft. 27. A seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including an annular circumferential groove extending into said active surface away from the shaft and a plurality of angular grooves extending into said active surface away from the shaft, said plurality of angular grooves extending from said annular circumferential groove toward a liquid side of the seal, said plurality of angular grooves including a repeating pattern of angular grooves with each pattern having a plurality of immediately adjacent angular grooves with a positive approach angle and a plurality of immediately adjacent angular grooves with a negative approach angle, wherein said angular grooves terminate prior to reaching said liquid side, each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side without entirely circumscribing the shaft, and within each pattern of angular grooves said plurality of grooves with a positive approach angle and said plurality of grooves with a negative approach angle approach one another as said grooves extend toward said annular circumferential groove. 28. The seal according to claim 27, wherein said active surface includes an annular static dam disposed between said repeating pattern of angular grooves and said fluid side. 29. The seal according to claim 28, wherein said circumferential groove is disposed between said repeating pattern of angular grooves and an air side of said active surface. 30. The seal according to claim 27, wherein said circumferential groove is at a substantially constant distance from said lip as said circumferential groove extends annularly. 31. The seal according to claim 27, wherein each one of said angular grooves forms a discrete contiguous uninterrupted singular flow path along its entirety from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side. 32. The seal according to claim 27, wherein each one of said angular grooves is open toward the shaft as each one of said angular grooves extends in its entirety along said active surface. 33. A bi-directional seal for sealing against a shaft, comprising: a lay down lip having an active surface for engaging the shaft, said active surface including an annular circumferential groove extending into said active surface away from the shaft and a plurality of angular grooves extending into said active surface away from the shaft, said plurality of angular grooves extending from said circumferential groove, said plurality of angular grooves including a repeating pattern of angular grooves with each pattern having a plurality of adjacent angular grooves with a positive approach angle and a plurality of adjacent angular grooves with a negative approach angle, wherein within each pattern of angular grooves said plurality of grooves with a positive approach angle and said plurality of grooves with a negative approach angle approach one another as said grooves extend toward said annular circumferential groove, and said circumferential groove is at a substantially constant distance from said lip as said circumferential groove extends annularly. 34. The seal according to claim 33, wherein said annular circumferential groove is disposed between an air side of the seal and said angular grooves. 35. The seal according to claim 33, wherein each one of said angular grooves forms a discrete contiguous uninterrupted singular flow path along its entirety from said annular circumferential groove toward said liquid side.