US 7,543,822 B2
	Composite rotary seal assembly
Michael P. Grimanis, Wayland, Mass. (US); and Joseph K. Kaleshian, Burlington, Mass. (US)
Assigned to A.W. Chesterton Company, Woburn, Mass. (US)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/889,246.
Prior Publication US 2006/0006605 A1, Jan. 12, 2006
Int. Cl. F16J 15/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 277—500  [277/543; 277/580; 277/581]

13 Claims

1. A composite seal assembly for providing a seal between a shaft and a static surface, the shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, the composite seal assembly comprising: a first annular seal element having a dynamic sealing surface for contacting the shaft to provide a seal between the first annular seal element and the shaft; and a static housing having a compressible annular gap at a radially inner end for receiving the first annular seal element therein, the static housing comprising: an outer housing defining a static sealing surface at a radially outer end for contacting the static surface; and an inner housing component received in the outer housing component and having a flex region comprising: a protrusion defining a radially outer boundary of the annular gap for directly contacting with and applying the radial loading force to the first annular sealing element to bias the first sealing element into engagement with the shaft when the first annular sealing element is received in the annular gap, a flexible arm integrally attached to the inner housing, and the protrusion extends between an axially extending groove formed in the static housing and the annular gap, and is spaced from an axially forward end of the static housing by a first radially extending gap and from an axially rearward end of the static housing by a second radially extending gap.