Contact Seal System and Method for Rotary Air Ducts

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed to seal a sector-plate at a diaphragm for an air duct. The apparatus includes a flexible seal including a radial seal body. The radial seal body produces a travel path with a major axis when operatively coupled with the diaphragm. Mounting hardware includes a rail to maintain a defined beam position of the radial seal body relative to the diaphragm.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus to seal a sector-plate at a diaphragm for an air duct, the apparatus comprising:
 a flexible seal including a radial seal body, the radial seal body having a major axis of displacement operatively coupled with a mounting hardware for motion relative to the diaphragm; the mounting hardware including a rail to maintain a beam position of the radial seal body relative to the diaphragm.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm includes a radial plate that provides a surface to which the radial seal body coupled to the rail seals. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the major axis operatively coupled for motion relative to the diaphragm includes a parallel displacement of a radial seal contact surface as referenced to the diaphragm. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the radial seal body operates with an arc-shaped path along the major axis parallel to a mounting surface of the mounting hardware. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a support stop that maintains a relative position of the radial seal body along the major axis of displacement during a seal flexing and a seal release. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the support stop prevents motion of the radial seal body farther than a stop displacement along a major axis of displacement, the major axis includes a further parallel displacement as referenced to the diaphragm. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a leaf spring that provides a constant spring force to preload and maintain positive contact of a radial seal contact surface during changes in elevation. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , comprising a wear strip fastened to at least one of a leading or trailing edge at extents of the flexible seal to dissipate a predetermined spring force to the support stop. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a shield stop that maintains a seal stop during flexing or wear of the radial seal body. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a support stop that maintains a pushing force against the radial seal body to maintain axial alignment with the radial seal body to the diaphragm. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting hardware includes a rail that forms part of an angled mount with a diaphragm reference plane. 
     
     
         12 . A method to provide a rotary seal of air compartments during air input and exhaust within an air duct, the method comprising:
 disposing a radial seal body on a rail;   mounting the radial seal body aligned along one end with a diaphragm; and   displacing an arc-shaped path of a radial seal contact surface along a plane parallel to the diaphragm.   
     
     
         13 . The methods of  claim 12 , comprising providing a support stop to restrict movement along an arc-shaped path of displacement of the radial seal contact surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising providing a shield stop to restrict movement of the arc-shaped path in an opposing direction of the arc-shaped path during seal flexing and releasing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising disposing a rotor shell including segmented compartments that are each capable of being sealed in a rotary fashion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising providing a single point of reference at a seal contact surface of the radial seal body. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising forming one or more sealed compartments along extents of the radial seal body, wherein a rail acts as a fulcrum and a radial seal body acts as a beam to provide a force needed to maintain a constant sealing spring force along an entire range of travel of the extents of the radial seal body. 
     
     
         18 . A system to provide a rotary seal for air compartments of an air duct, the system comprising:
 a radial seal body disposed on an rail disposed to form an angled beam mount reference plane; and   a diaphragm operatively disposed to create an arc-shaped path with a radial seal contact surface of the radial seal body to which a major axis of the arc-shaped path lies along a plane parallel to the diaphragm.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , comprising a support stop operatively secured to restrict movement along the arc-shaped path limiting displacement of the radial seal body. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , comprising a shield stop operatively coupled to restrict movement along the arc-shaped path in an opposing direction of a rotor during rotary seal flexing and flexible seal release. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , comprising a rotor shell disposed including segmented compartments that are each capable of being sealed in a rotary fashion using a single point of reference at a contact location edges of the radial seal body. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , comprising of one or more sealed compartments formed along extents of the radial seal body, and a rail acts fixably providing a fulcrum and the radial seal body acts as a beam to provide a force needed to maintain a constant sealing spring force along an entire range of travel of the extents of the radial seal body.