IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,546,394
Granted Patent B2
US 12,546,394 · App. 18/837,094 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Sealing device

Inventors: Xin Liu (Shanghai, CN); Lijuan Wu (Suzhou, CN); Lai Wei (Shanghai, CN); Jianfei Wei (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
F16J15/3204
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,546,394
App. No.
18/837,094
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sealing device, comprising includes a sealing ring including a sealing lip composed of an insulating elastic material for forming dynamic sealing with respect to a conductive component; a support body fixed on the sealing ring along the circumferential direction of the sealing ring, and a first detection unit comprising two first support bodies in the support body, first cables respectively electrically connected to the corresponding first support bodies, and a loop detection device electrically connected to the first cables, wherein the first support bodies are arranged at the sealing ring such that radial ends of the first support bodies close to the conductive component are covered with the insulating elastic material at the sealing lip and can directly contact the conductive component after the sealing lip is worn. The two first support bodies, the conductive component, the loop detection device, and the first cables jointly form a communication loop.

Claims (32)

1 . A sealing device comprising:

a sealing ring comprising a sealing lip composed of an insulating elastic material and used for forming dynamic sealing with respect to a conductive component, the sealing ring comprising a fabric portion, wherein the fabric portion is arranged on a radial end of the sealing ring away from the conductive component;

support bodies made of metal, wherein the support bodies are fixed on the sealing ring in a distributed manner along a circumferential direction of the sealing ring, and provide radial forces to the sealing lip against the conductive component; and

a first detection unit comprising two first support bodies in the support bodies, first cables respectively electrically connected to the corresponding first support bodies, and a loop detection device electrically connected to each first cable,

wherein the first support bodies are arranged at the sealing ring in such a manner that radial ends of the first support bodies close to the conductive component are covered with an insulating elastic material at the sealing lip and can directly contact the conductive component after the sealing lip is worn, thus after the sealing lip is worn for a predetermined amount, the two first support bodies, the conductive component, the loop detection device, and the first cables jointly form a communication loop that can be detected by the loop detection device.

2 . The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing lip is configured on a radially inner side of the sealing ring.

3 . The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the support bodies are composed of bent plate springs.

4 . The sealing device according to claim 3 , wherein a first radial end of the first support body is configured as at least one strip portion extending substantially along a radial direction.

5 . The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the two first support bodies of the first detection unit are adjacently arranged.

6 . The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing device comprises at least two first detection units arranged along the circumferential direction of the sealing ring.

7 . The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing device further comprises second detection units, wherein the second detection units each comprise a second support body in the support bodies and a sensor supported by the second support body.

8 . The sealing device according to claim 7 , wherein the sensor are temperature sensors, vibration sensors, and/or rotational speed sensors.

9 . The sealing device according to claim 7 , wherein the sealing device comprises at least two second detection units arranged along the circumferential direction of the sealing ring.

10 . A sealing device comprising:

a sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring is insulative and is configured to form a dynamic seal to a conductive component, the sealing ring comprising a fabric portion, wherein the fabric portion is arranged on a radial end of the sealing ring away from the conductive component;

a plurality of support bodies, wherein the plurality of support bodies are fixed on the sealing ring along a circumferential direction of the sealing ring, wherein the plurality of support bodies provide a radial force between the sealing lip and the conductive component; and

a first detection unit, wherein the first detection unit comprises two or more first support bodies from the plurality of support bodies, two or more first cables respectively electrically connected to corresponding two or more first support bodies, and a loop detection device electrically connected to each of the two or more first cables;

wherein the two or more first support bodies are arranged at the sealing ring and radial ends of the two or more first support bodies are covered with an insulating elastic material at the sealing lip, wherein the two or more first support bodies, the conductive component, the loop detection device, and the two or more first cables form a communication loop.

11 . The sealing device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing lip is positioned on an inner side of the sealing ring.

12 . The sealing device according to claim 10 , wherein one or more of the support bodies comprise one or more bent plate springs.

13 . The sealing device according to claim 10 , wherein the two or more first support bodies of the first detection unit are adjacently arranged.

14 . The sealing device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing device comprises at least two first detection units arranged along the circumferential direction of the sealing ring.

15 . The sealing device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing device comprises a second detection unit, wherein the second detection unit comprises a second support body of the plurality of support bodies and a sensor supported by the second support body.

16 . The sealing device according to claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, or a rotational speed sensor.

17 . The sealing device according to claim 10 , wherein the sealing device comprises at least two second detection units arranged along the circumferential direction of the sealing ring.

18 . A wind turbine comprising:

one or more bearings; and

one or more sealing devices, wherein at least one of the one or more sealing devices comprise:

a sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring is insulative and is configured to form a dynamic seal to a conductive component, the sealing ring comprising a fabric portion, wherein the fabric portion is arranged on a radial end of the sealing ring away from the conductive component;

a plurality of support bodies, wherein the plurality of support bodies are fixed on the sealing ring along a circumferential direction of the sealing ring, wherein the plurality of support bodies provide a radial force between the sealing lip and the conductive component; and

a first detection unit, wherein the first detection unit comprises two or more first support bodies from the plurality of support bodies, two or more first cables respectively electrically connected to corresponding two or more first support bodies, and a loop detection device electrically connected to each of the two or more first cables;

wherein the two or more first support bodies are arranged at the sealing ring and radial ends of the two or more first support bodies are covered with an insulating elastic material at the sealing lip, wherein the two or more first support bodies, the conductive component, the loop detection device, and the two or more first cables form a communication loop.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2024
From: LIU, XIN; WU, LIJUAN; WEI, LAI; WEI, JIANFEI
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 068229/0528 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250146574A1 · May 8, 2025
References Cited (33)
US 5246235A · Heinzen · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5611548A · Dahlhaus · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5648614A · Martsfeld · 1997 [cited by examiner]
US 6003872A · Nord · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 6615639B1 · Heinzen · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 9541199B2 · Rust · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10788381B2 · Lang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 12173798B2 · Karjalainen · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20040232619A1 · Bock · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20070200300A1 · Lutaud · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20120267848A1 · Saito · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20180112779A1 · Nahrwold · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180274682A1 · Shimizu · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190040959A1 · Sommers · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200047300A1 · Vorpahl · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200124180A1 · Korupp · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20220403935A1 · Lauer · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 102691795A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 105953062A · 2016 [cited by examiner]
CN 110832234A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 113028063A · 2021 [cited by examiner]
CN 113653802A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
DE 102016010926A1 · 2017 [cited by examiner]
DE 102018105393B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
DE 102018000935A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
DE 102018104753A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
EP 3450803B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 6326186B1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
JP 2021148251A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2015169795A1 · 2015 [cited by examiner]
Chinese Patent Office, International Search Report received in International Application No. PCT/CN2022/075535, Nov. 14, 2022, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Traber, “Sensor or seal?” Process Technology Online, Chemical Production Plants Processes, Oct. 24, 2018, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, Extended European Search Report received in EP Application No. 22925278.8, Jul. 29, 2025, 10 pages (including translation). [cited by applicant]