Lip sealing ring

Abstract

A lip sealing ring for a relatively movable machine element ( 1 ), including a flexible sealing lip ( 2 ) made of polymeric material which adjacently encloses the machine element ( 1 ) in the region of a sealing gap ( 3 ) under elastic prestressing, the sealing gap ( 3 ) being penetrated in the longitudinal direction ( 5 ) in at least one circumferential location by a spiral stage ( 4 ); the spiral stage ( 4 ) being bounded by a screw thread-shaped groove ( 6 ) in the sealing lip and by the surface ( 7 ) of the machine element ( 1 ) to be sealed, facing the groove; and the groove ( 6 ) connecting the space ( 8 ) to be sealed to the surroundings ( 9 ). Sealing gap ( 3 ) is closed by a thixotropic medium ( 10 ) in the region of groove ( 6 ) bounding the spiral stage ( 4 ).

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
     
     
         11 . A method for closing a spiral stage of which is bounded by a screw thread-shaped groove in a sealing lip of a lip sealing ring and by a surface to be sealed, facing the groove, of a machine element to be sealed, comprising: 
 introducing a thixotropic medium, presented in a liquid form in an agitated container, in at least one partial region of the groove of the lip sealing ring which is at rest;    automatically solidifying the thixotropic medium after its introduction into the groove; and    subsequently mounting the lip ring on the machine element.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the introduction of the liquid thixotropic medium into the groove is done by spraying.