US 12,392,411 B2
Seal arrangement with low drag seal gland
Tyler Walter, Ashland, OH (US); David Avins, Burbank, OH (US); and Victor Norwich, Wooster, OH (US)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/726,979.
Prior Publication US 2023/0341055 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. F16J 15/3268 (2016.01); F16J 15/16 (2006.01)
CPC F16J 15/3268 (2013.01) [F16J 15/166 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seal arrangement, comprising: a first part having a seal gland including a first side surface, a second side surface, and a bottom support surface; a seal located in the seal gland between the first side surface and the second side surface, the seal having an outer sealing surface and an inner support surface that is supported on the bottom support surface of the seal gland, the inner support surface being flat from a first lateral side to a second lateral side of the seal; a second part having a sealing surface against which the outer sealing surface of the seal is pressed; wherein the second part includes a lead-in area configured to compress the seal during assembly of the first and second parts; and a relief area formed in a portion of the bottom support surface of the seal gland, the relief area being configured to receive a resiliently deflected portion of the inner support surface of the seal during assembly, wherein the relief area has a parabolic form in cross-section; wherein the first side surface of the seal gland is positioned adjacent and non-contacting a first side of the seal, the second side surface of the seal gland is positioned adjacent and non-contacting a second side of the seal, and the bottom support surface of the seal gland is positioned adjacent and contacting the inner support surface of the seal.