Water pump seal assembly

Abstract

A water pump is disclosed for use in an internal combustion engine. The water pump includes a seal assembly for use between the rotatable pump shaft and the water pump housing which is fixed relative to the shaft. The seal assembly includes a base carrier member which is fixed longitudinally and rotationally with respect to the pump shaft so as to rotate with the shaft. The base carrier member includes a seat for a first end of a compression spring member disposed coaxially about said cylindrical body. The seal assembly also includes a sliding carrier member which extends coaxially relative to the pump shaft in longitudinally slidable, rotationally fixed, coaxial disposition with the base carrier member so as to rotate with the base carrier member and the pump shaft and move longitudinally relative to said base carrier member. A spring member operates to move the sliding carrier member longitudinally along the water pump shaft relative to the fixed base carrier. A hydrodynamic sealing disc is disposed between the sliding carrier member and the fixed housing and is fixed relative to the carrier member so as to rotate against the fixed housing to define a hydrodynamic seal therebetween. The sliding carrier operates to locate the sealing disc longitudinally against the fixed housing under the bias of the compression spring. An elastomeric sealing member is disposed between the sealing disc and the pump shaft to define a seal therebetween.