Rotary union having pressure sleeve
A rotary union includes a non-rotating component forming a bore, and a non-rotating seal carrier slidably disposed in the bore. A pressure sleeve is slidably disposed in the bore between the non-rotating component and the non-rotating seal carrier. A non-rotating seal member is disposed on the non-rotating seal carrier, and a rotating seal carrier has a rotating seal member disposed thereon. Wherein the rotating seal member is disposed in opposed relation to the non-rotating seal member such that a sliding mechanical face seal is formed between the non-rotating and rotating seal members when the non-rotating seal carrier slides towards the rotating seal carrier in the presence of fluid pressure.
1. A rotary union, comprising:
a non-rotating component forming a bore;
a pressure sleeve slidably disposed in the bore;
a non-rotating seal carrier slidably disposed within a portion of the pressure sleeve, wherein the pressure sleeve is slidably disposed between both the non-rotating component and the non-rotating seal carrier;
a non-rotating seal member disposed on the non-rotating seal carrier; and
a rotating seal carrier having a rotating seal member disposed thereon, wherein the rotating seal member is disposed in opposed relation to the non-rotating seal member such that a sliding mechanical face seal is formed between the non-rotating and rotating seal members when the non-rotating seal carrier slides towards the rotating seal carrier in the presence of fluid pressure.
2. The rotary union of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first radial seal disposed in a first channel formed along the bore, the first radial seal forming a sliding seal between the non-rotating component and the pressure sleeve; and
a second radial seal disposed in a second channel formed along an outer surface of the non-rotating seal carrier, the second radial seal forming a sliding seal between the non-rotating seal carrier and the pressure sleeve.
3. The rotary union of claim 2 , further comprising seal retainers disposed in the first and second channels adjacent the first and second radial seals.
4. The rotary union of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing having a cylindrical bore extending through a body of the housing, the cylindrical bore being substantially straight, wherein the non-rotating component is a carriage disposed within the cylindrical bore of the housing; and
a shaft rotatably supported within the cylindrical bore of the housing;
wherein the rotating seal carrier is an annular plate rotatably engaged to rotate with the shaft.
5. The rotary union of claim 4 , wherein the non-rotating component, the non-rotating seal carrier, the pressure sleeve, the non-rotating seal member, and the rotating seal carrier together define a seal stage, and wherein the housing further includes a plurality of seal stages in stacked relation to define a multi-passage rotary union.
6. The rotary union of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sleeve includes a cylindrical portion disposed in sliding and sealing relation between the bore and the non-rotating seal carrier, and a shoulder disposed adjacent the non-rotating seal carrier.
7. The rotary union of claim 6 , wherein the pressure sleeve is configured to slide under a hydraulic or pneumatic force such that the shoulder abuts a portion of the non-rotating seal carrier when the fluid pressure is present internally relative to the non-rotating seal carrier.
8. A multi-media rotary union, comprising:
a housing having a cylindrical bore extending through a body of the housing, the cylindrical bore being substantially straight;
a shaft rotatably supported within the cylindrical bore of the housing;
a carriage forming a bore and radial passages, the carriage disposed in sealed relation within the cylindrical bore of the housing;
a non-rotating seal carrier slidably disposed in the bore;
a pressure sleeve slidably disposed in the bore between the carriage and the non-rotating seal carrier;
a non-rotating seal member disposed on the non-rotating seal carrier; and
a rotating seal carrier having a rotating seal member disposed thereon and additional radial passages, the non-rotating seal carrier being engaged to rotate with the shaft;
wherein the rotating seal member is disposed in opposed relation to the non-rotating seal member such that a sliding mechanical face seal is formed between the non-rotating and rotating seal members when the non-rotating seal carrier slides towards the rotating seal carrier in the presence of fluid pressure to provide a sealed fluid passage extending between the radial passages and the additional radial passages.
9. The multi-media rotary union of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first radial seal disposed in a first channel formed along the bore, the first radial seal forming a sliding seal between the carriage and the pressure sleeve; and
a second radial seal disposed in a second channel formed along an outer surface of the non-rotating seal carrier, the second radial seal forming a sliding seal between the non-rotating seal carrier and the pressure sleeve.
10. The multi-media rotary union of claim 9 , further comprising seal retainers disposed in the first and second channels adjacent the first and second radial seals.
11. The multi-media rotary union of claim 9 , wherein the rotating seal carrier is an annular plate rotatably engaged to rotate with the shaft.
12. The multi-media rotary union of claim 8 , wherein the pressure sleeve includes a cylindrical portion disposed in sliding and sealing relation between the bore and the carriage, and a shoulder disposed adjacent the non-rotating seal carrier.
13. The multi-media rotary union of claim 12 , wherein the pressure sleeve is configured to slide under a hydraulic or pneumatic force such that the shoulder abuts a portion of the non-rotating seal carrier when the fluid pressure is present in the radial passages.
14. The multi-media rotary union of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of carriages and a plurality of non-rotating seal carriers disposed in alternating fashion along the cylindrical bore of the housing, each of the plurality of carriages and plurality of non-rotating seal carriers having respective non-rotating seal members and rotating seal members thereon to define respective sliding mechanical face seals along the housing.