The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1998
Michael D. Anderson, Franklin, NC (US);
Billy R. Bedford, Peoria, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
Metal-to-metal face seals are commonly used between relatively rotating components to maintain a quantity of lubricating fluid within one component while keeping dirt and abrasives from entering. The positioning of the sealing faces of the seal rings is critical to their function and, for any number of reasons, the interface between the seal rings has been known to become angled with respect to the axis about which they are positioned. The present invention provides a seal assembly that have a pair of seal rings that are maintained in engaging contact with one another by a pair of load rings. Each load ring has a first end portion that engages the respective seal ring and a second end portion that engages a recess in an adjacent housing. The recess defines an angled surface that is adapted for engagement with an annular surface of the load ring to stabilize the seal assembly to maintain proper positioning of the seal rings.