Bearing isolator with porous seal
View Patent ↗A bearing isolator assembly for sealing a rotating shaft with a porous sealing element including a rotor configured to sealingly engage with a shaft, and a stator configured to sealingly engage with a housing of an assembly. The rotor and stator are configured to engage with each other to define a labyrinthine pathway and one or more cavities, in which may be disposed a unitizing element and a porous sealing element. The porous sealing element provides a barrier to particulate contaminants from entering the interior of the housing, and to prevent egress of lubricants from the interior of the housing. The unitizing element limits axial and/or radial movement of the rotor with respect to the stator, and helps prevent wear of the rotor and/or stator by helping prevent the rotor from contacting the stator during operation.
1. A seal comprising:
a rotor configured to sealingly engage with a shaft;
a stator engaged with the rotor to define a labyrinthine pathway and a first and second cavity, the stator configured to sealingly engage with a housing;
at least one unitizing element disposed within the first cavity, the unitizing element comprising:
a stator engaging member;
a rotor engaging member;
a rear member having a top edge, a side edge, and a bottom edge; and
two adjoining areas of differing diameters, one area corresponding to the rotor engaging member and the other corresponding to the rear member; and
at least one porous sealing element disposed within the second cavity.
2. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the porous sealing element comprises a micro-cellular material.
3. The seal of claim 2 , wherein the micro-cellular material comprises silicone foam.
4. The seal of claim 2 , wherein the micro-cellular material comprises at least one of polyurethane, polysulfone, or polyethylene.
5. The seal of claim 2 , wherein the micro-cellular material comprises a fibrous material.
6. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the porous sealing element comprises pores with diameters of approximately 500 to 600 microns.
7. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the porous sealing element comprises pores with diameters less than approximately 100 microns.
8. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the porous sealing element comprises pores with diameters greater than or equal to approximately 100 microns
9. The seal of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of porous sealing elements.
10. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the unitizing element comprises rubber, a fluorinated polymer, or resin.
11. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the unitizing element comprises a lubricious plastic material.
12. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the unitizing element comprises a filled polytetrafluoroethylene.
13. The seal of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of unitizing elements.
14. An apparatus comprising:
a rotatable shaft;
a housing;
a rotor sealingly engaged with the rotatable shaft;
a stator sealingly engaged with the housing and engaged with the rotor to define a labyrinthine pathway and a first and second cavity;
at least one unitizing element disposed within the first cavity, the unitizing element comprising:
a stator engaging member;
a rotor engaging member;
a rear member having a top edge, a side edge, and a bottom edge; and
two adjoining areas of differing diameters, one area corresponding to the rotor engaging member and the other corresponding to the rear member; and
at least one porous sealing element disposed within the second cavity.