Seal assembly for use in harsh environments

摘要

A sealing assembly, for example a piston ring, for use in harsh environments, e.g., high radiation levels. The piston ring has an annular sealing surface which together with a member forming a radially outer annular cylinder surface, e.g., a cylinder, forms a seal pocket. Received in the seal pocket is an annular seal comprised of a plurality of wraps of at least one strand of a substantially incompressible and inelastic material such as graphite fiber. The assembly further includes a compression ring and compression assembly which compresses the seal body between the support surface and the compression ring to displace the seal body into sealing engagement with the radially inner and outer sealing surfaces.

主权项

1. An assembly for sealing between an annular, radially outwardly facing, seating surface and an annular, radially inwardly facing, seating surface comprising:
an annular carrier having an outer periphery and forming said annular, radially outwardly facing, seating surface having a first circumference, said carrier having an annular, axially facing support surface adjacent its outer periphery, an annular recess being formed by said annular, radially outwardly facing seating surface and said annular, axially facing support surface; a housing forming said annular, radially inwardly facing, seating surface having a second circumference; said annular, radially outwardly facing seating surface and said annular, radially inwardly facing seating surface both having axial widths W; an annular seal, said seal comprising an annular seal body comprised of a plurality of wraps of at least one strand of a substantially incompressible and inelastic material, an annular, axially facing first side surface, an annular, axially facing second side surface, a seal body inner circumference and a seal body outer circumference, said seal body inner circumference being greater than said first circumference, said seal body outer circumference being greater than said second circumference, said seal body having an annular, radially inwardly facing sealing surface and an annular, radially outwardly facing sealing surface, said annular, radially inwardly facing sealing surface and said annular, radially outwardly facing sealing surface both having axial thicknesses T, said seal body being positioned in said annular recess between said annular, radially outwardly facing seating surface and said annular, radially inwardly facing seating surface; a compression ring operatively positioned on said upper surface of said seal body; and a compression assembly operatively connected to said compression ring to force said compression ring toward said support surface whereby the entire axial thicknesses T of said annular, radially inwardly facing sealing surface and said annular, radially outwardly facing sealing surface are forced into sealing engagement with the entire axial widths W of said annular, radially outwardly facing seating surface and said annular, radially inwardly facing seating surface, respectively.