TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The embodiments of this invention generally relate to seals,
and more particularly to a seal protection assembly.
5 BACKGROUND
[002] A seal is a device that is usually disposed between parts of a
machine for preventing leakages, containing pressure or preventing
contamination. Seals have wide variety of applications in internal
combustion engine, construction equipment, manufacturing equipment,
10 vehicles and so on. In addition, seals are used on a variety of rotating
equipment, including pumps, compressors, mixers, steam turbines and
other specialty equipment, primarily in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical,
chemical processing, mineral and ore processing, and general industries.
[003] Among the parts in machineries and vehicles, one of the most
15 replaced parts is seal as most of the machineries, heavy-duty construction
equipment, and vehicles are used in dusty, muddy, soil-slurry and similar
environments, which are non-conducive to an operation of the seal.
Because seals are exposed to corrosive materials, abrasive particles or nonlubricated
environments, there is a certain amount of wear and tear, and
20 degradation associated with seals due to an increase in friction between the
parts on which a seal is disposed. The friction and accumulation of foreign
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debris lead to breakage of seals and hence, seals are more frequently
replaced than any other parts of machinery or a vehicle.
[004] Replacing the seals in machinery or a vehicle is a skill based
activity and has proven to be more time consuming. Since seals are
replaced more frequently and such replacement is time 5 consuming, the
down time for a machine or a vehicle increases and the productivity
decreases.
[005] Therefore, there is a need for a seal protection assembly that
can obviate the aforementioned drawbacks.
10
OBJECTS
[006] The principal object of the embodiments of this invention is to
provide a seal protection assembly that can reduce wear and tear of a seal
and prevent accumulation of foreign debris inside the seal.
15 [007] Another object of the embodiments of this invention is to
provide a seal protection assembly that can reduce the frequency of seal
replacement.
[008] A further object of the embodiments of the present invention
is to provide a seal protection assembly that can be easily replaced thereby
20 reducing the down time of a machine or a vehicle in which the seal is
provided.
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[009] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be
better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the
following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be
understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating
embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are 5 given by way of
illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be
made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from
the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such
modifications.
10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0010] The embodiments of this invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, through out which like reference letters indicate
corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be
better understood from the following description with reference to the
15 drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1a depicts a seal protection assembly disposed on an
axle carrier assembly of a vehicle, according to embodiments as disclosed
herein;
[0012] FIG. 1b depicts a sectional view of the seal protection
20 assembly disposed on an axle carrier assembly of a vehicle as shown in
FIG. 1a, according to embodiments as disclosed herein
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[0013] FIG. 2a depicts a seal of the seal protection assembly,
according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0014] FIG. 2b depicts a cover of the seal protection assembly,
according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0015] FIG. 3 depicts a sectional view of the 5 seal protection
assembly, according to embodiments as disclosed herein; and
[0016] FIG. 4 depicts a side view of the cover of the seal protection
assembly being clamped to a stationary member.
10
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The embodiments herein and the various features and
advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the
non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions 5 of wellknown
components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not
unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein
are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the
embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in
10 the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples
should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0018] The embodiments herein achieve reduction in wear and tear
of a main seal in a machine or a vehicle by providing a seal protection
assembly. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1
15 through 4, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the figures, there are shown preferred
embodiments.
[0019] FIGs. 1a and 1b depict a seal protection assembly 100 and a
sectional view of the seal protection assembly 100, respectively, disposed
20 on an axle carrier assembly 25 of a vehicle. For the purpose of this
description and ease of understanding, the vehicle is considered as a tractor
and the axle carrier assembly 25 is considered as that of the tractor. The
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axle carrier assembly 25 includes a carrier casing 35, which is configured to
house an axle 30. A main seal assembly 40 is provided near an outer end E
of the axle carrier assembly 25.
[0020] Further, the protective seal assembly 100 according to an
embodiment of this invention is provided adjacent 5 to the main seal
assembly 40 and near to the outer end E of the axle carrier assembly 25.
The seal protection assembly 100 includes a seal 50 and a cover 60. The
cover 60 of the seal protection assembly 100 is configured accommodate
and secure the seal 50 therein.
10 [0021] FIG. 2a depicts a seal 50 of the seal protection assembly 100
according to an embodiment. The seal 50 has a first end 55A and a second
end 55B. The seal 50 further includes a body M. The body M of the seal
50 has a first wall W1 and a second wall W2. The first and second walls
W1 and W2 define a groove G there between. The first and second walls
15 W1 and W2 are configured to be in contact with the axle 30 when the seal
protection assembly 100 is mounted onto the tractor. A width of the wall
W1 is lesser than a total width of the body M of the seal 50. Similarly, a
width of the wall W2 is lesser that the total width of the body M of the seal
50.
20 [0022] Further, since the first and second walls W1 and W2 of the
body M of the seal 50 are in contact with the axle, the contact area of the
seal 50 with the axle 30 is reduced thereby reducing the friction. A shape
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of the seal 50 corresponds to a shape of the main seal and a shape of a
member of a part of the machinery or a vehicle to which the main seal
assembly 40 is providing the sealing effect. In this embodiment, in the
below description and as shown in FIG. 2a, the seal 50 is configured to
define a substantially round shape. However, it is also within 5 the scope of
this invention to provide the seal 50 in any other shape, for example a
round seal, corresponding to a shape of the main seal and a shape of a
member of a part of the machinery or a vehicle to which the main seal
assembly 40 is intended to provide the sealing effect without otherwise
10 deterring the intended function of the seal as can be understood from this
description. Further, the seal 50 is made of rubber in an embodiment
where the seal protection assembly 100 is mounted onto an axle of the
tractor. However, in other embodiments, the seal 50 may be made of at
least on or a combination of rubber, Teflon, foam, felt, plastic and metal.
15 [0023] FIG. 2b depicts a cover 60 of the seal protection assembly
100 according to an embodiment of this invention. In an embodiment,
cover 60 includes a first part 60A and a second part 60B. In an
embodiment, each of the first and second parts 60A and 60B of the cover
60 are provided with a plurality of clamps C. A shape of the cover 60
20 corresponds to the shape of the seal 50 and the cover 60 is configured to
house and secure the seal 50 thereby preventing movement of the seal 50
and intrusion of any foreign debris into the main seal assembly 40. The
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cover 60 is made of at least one of or a combination of sheet metal, steel
and plastic.
[0024] FIG. 3 depicts a sectional view of the seal protection
assembly 100, according an embodiment. As is apparent from FIG. 3, a
width of the cover 60 is more than the total width of the 5 body M of the seal
50. In the embodiment, where the seal 50 and the cover 60 of the seal
protection assembly 100 is configured to be disposed in an axle carrier
assembly 25, then a shape of the seal 50 and the cover 60, when assembled
is substantially round and an inner diameter of the seal 50 is greater than an
10 inner diameter of the cover 60 by 1.2mm. Considering that a part of the
machinery on which the seal protection assembly is substantially round,
then depending on the size of the part on which the seal protection
assembly 100 is supposed to be disclosed, a diameter difference between
the inner diameter of the seal 50 and the inner diameter of the cover 60 will
15 be in the range of 1-1.3mm.
[0025] Further, as shown in FIG. 4, each of the clamps C of the
cover 60 is secured to a stationary member of the machine or the vehicle.
If the vehicle is a tractor as mentioned in the aforementioned embodiments,
then the cover 60 will be configured to be secured, via each of the clamps
20 C, to the carrier casing 35 thereby securing the seal 50 therein. Providing
the cover 60 in two parts 60A and 60B results in easy replacement of the
seal 50.
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[0026] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will
so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can,
by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various
applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic
concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications 5 should and are
intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents
of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or
terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of
limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in
10 terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that
the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit
and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
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STATEMENT OF CLAIMS
We Claim,
1. A seal protection assembly, said assembly comprising:
a seal having a body including at least two walls, said walls
defining a groove there between; and
a cover,
wherein
said cover is adapted to accommodate said seal in its entirety.
2. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said cover includes a first part and a second part, each of
said first and second parts having at least one clamp; and
said seal includes a first end and a second end.
3.The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
shape of said cover corresponds to a shape of said seal.
4. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
walls of said seal are configured to be in contact with a moving member
when the seal protection assembly is in fully mounted position.
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5. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a
width of each wall of said seal is lesser than a total width of the body of
said seal.
6. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein an
inner diameter of said seal if greater than an inner diameter of said cover in
an assembled position, where the first and second parts of said cover are in
contact with each other.
7. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein
each of said clamps are configured to be secured to a stationary member of
a machine on which said seal protection assembly is adapted to be
disposed.
8. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a
difference between the inner diameter of said seal and the inner diameter of
said cover is 1.2mm.
9. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
seal is be made of at least on or a combination of rubber, Teflon, foam, felt,
plastic and metal.
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10. The seal protection assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the cover is made of at least one of or a combination of sheet metal, steel
and plastic.