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:
Jul. 08, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 11, 2000
Norman Stewart Jones, Leighton Buzzard, GB;
David Woodroffe, Luton, GB;
Smiths Group PLC, London, GB;
Abstract
A seal arrangement provides a seal between a bore and a rod movable in the bore with a gap formed between the bore and the rod. The seal arrangement includes a floating elastomeric sealing ring which is accommodated in a circumferential groove around the rod. The sealing ring sealingly engages the wall of the bore. An annular resilient biasing device is also accommodated in the groove. The biasing device acts between one wall of the groove and the sealing ring to urge the sealing ring against an opposing wall of the groove. In addition, the biasing device is configured to allow passage of fluid past the biasing device between a region of the groove disposed radially inwardly of the sealing ring and the gap between the rod and the bore on the side of the sealing ring opposite the opposing wall. The biasing device has, at least at some circumferential positions therearound, a cross-sectional profile that reduces in radial width towards one wall of the groove. The biasing device can be provided as an elastomeric loading ring that provides at least one passage for fluid flow between its radially outer side and its radially inner side.