SEALING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SEALING ELEMENT

Abstract

In order to provide a sealing element, in particular for use as a rod seal, piston seal and/or shaft seal, which ensures a reliable seal and which can be produced easily and economically, it is proposed that the sealing element includes a main body formed from a thermoplastic material, wherein the main body has obtained at least part of its final outer shape in a high-pressure process and/or in a high-temperature process.

Claims

1. A sealing element, comprising a main body formed from a thermoplastic material which has obtained only part of its final outer shape in a high-pressure process or in a high-temperature process, which is an injection molding process, wherein the main body consists of a fluoro-thermoplastic material, wherein the main body is annular and comprises two radially inner dynamic sealing portions for dynamically sealing between the sealing element and a movable component, wherein the main body further comprises one or more radially outer sealing portions,0 wherein each dynamic sealing portion comprises one, two or more than two sealing lips, wherein the dynamic sealing portions have obtained their respective final outer shape by machining, wherein the one or more radially outer sealing portions have obtained their final outer shape in the high-pressure process or in the high-temperature process, wherein the main body is an injection-molded component.

2. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the main body only in part has a surface finish which comprises a body formed or completed in a high-pressure process or in a high-temperature process.

3. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the main body only in part has a surface finish which comprises a body formed or completed in an injection molding process.

4. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is configured for use as a rod seal, piston seal or shaft seal, in particular in a fuel pump or a piston pump.

5. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is a spring assisted grooved ring.

6. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the flouro-thermoplastic material of the main body is melt-processable.

7. A method for producing a sealing element, comprising: producing a main body of the sealing element from a thermoplastic material, wherein the main body obtains only part of its final outer shape in a high-pressure process or in a high-temperature process, wherein the main body consists of a fluoro-thermoplastic material, wherein the main body is annular and comprises two radially inner dynamic sealing portions for dynamically sealing between the sealing element and a movable component, wherein the main body further comprises one or more radially outer sealing portions, wherein each dynamic sealing portion comprises one, two or more than two sealing lips, wherein the dynamic sealing portions obtain their respective final outer shape by machining, wherein the one or more radially outer sealing portions obtain their final outer shape in the high-pressure process or in the high-temperature process, wherein the high-pressure process or the high-temperature process is an injection molded process.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the main body of the sealing element is subjected to a finishing operation only in part after the high-pressure process or the high-temperature process has been performed.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the main body is coated.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the main body is produced from partially fluorinated or fully fluorinated thermoplastic material which in particular is injection-moldable.

11. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein each of the one, two or more than two sealing lips are substantially annular.

12. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein an axis of symmetry is defined parallel to a longitudinal axis of the movable component and the sealing element, and wherein each of the one, two or more than two sealing lips are substantially rotationally symmetrical about the axis of symmetry.

13. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein each of the two radially inner dynamic sealing portions are configured to be pressed against the movable component by means of one or more spring elements.

14. The sealing element according to claim 13, wherein the main body further comprises one or more spring element receptacles configured to receive the one or more spring elements.

15. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the one, two or more than two sealing lips are arranged at different spacings from a transverse central plane of the sealing element which runs at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the sealing element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a main body of a sealing element, wherein the main body has its final outer shape only in part;

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration, corresponding to FIG. 1, of the main body, wherein the main body has been processed to complete an outer contour; and

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration, corresponding to FIG. 1, of a sealing element which comprises the completed main body and two spring elements.

[0074] In all figures, like or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075] An embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of a sealing element denoted as a whole by 100 is, for example, part of a high-pressure pump 102 and serves to provide a seal between two media spaces 104 in the region of a movable component 106.

[0076] The movable component 106 can be a piston of the high-pressure pump 102, for example.

[0077] The movable component 106 is in particular guided through the sealing element 100.

[0078] Here, both the movable component 106 and the sealing element 100 are preferably rotationally symmetrical about an axis of symmetry 108.

[0079] The axis of symmetry 108 is in particular oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis 110 of the movable component 106 and of the sealing element 100.

[0080] The sealing element 100 and the movable component 106 have a common axis of symmetry 108 in the assembled state.

[0081] The longitudinal axis 110 preferably defines an axial direction 112.

[0082] A direction oriented at right angles to the axial direction 112 is a radial direction 114.

[0083] The media spaces 104 are preferably separated from one another in the axial direction 112 by means of the sealing element 100.

[0084] The sealing element 100 here borders the movable component 106 in the radial direction 114 in an inwardly directed manner by means of two dynamic sealing portions 116.

[0085] The sealing element 100 borders a housing 118 of the high-pressure pump 102 in an outwardly directed manner in the radial direction 114.

[0086] The sealing element 100, in the assembled state, is fixed relative to the housing 118.

[0087] Two sealing regions 120 of the sealing element 100 associated with the two media spaces 104 thus comprise, in addition to the dynamic sealing portions 116, also two static sealing portions 122 bearing against the housing 118.

[0088] The dynamic sealing portions 116 serve to provide the dynamic seal between the sealing element 100 and the component 106 moving relative to the sealing element 100, in particular displaceable along the axial direction 112.

[0089] In order to attain an increased sealing effect, one or more spring elements 124 of the sealing element 100 can be provided.

[0090] The one or more spring elements 124 in particular can be arranged or is/are arranged in one or more spring element receptacles 126.

[0091] In particular, one or more dynamic sealing portions 116 can be pressed against the movable component 106 by means of the one or more spring elements 124.

[0092] Alternatively or additionally hereto, it can be provided that one or more static sealing portions 122 can be pressed against a housing 118 of the high-pressure pump 102 by means of the one or more spring elements 124.

[0093] Each dynamic sealing portion 116 preferably comprises one, two or more than two sealing lips 128.

[0094] Each sealing lip 128 is preferably substantially annular and substantially rotationally symmetrical about the axis of symmetry 108.

[0095] The sealing lips 128 are arranged here preferably at different spacings from a transverse central plane 130 of the sealing element 100 running at right angles to the longitudinal axis 110 of the sealing element 100.

[0096] The sealing element 100 in particular comprises a main body 132, which is formed preferably in one piece from a thermoplastic material.

[0097] The main body 132 in particular comprises one or more dynamic sealing portions 116, one or more static sealing portions 122, and one or more spring element receptacles 126.

[0098] The main body 132 by way of example can be produced as follows.

[0099] By way of example, a blank 134 of the main body 132 can be produced in an injection molding process.

[0100] The blank 134 of the main body 132 at this point has its final outer shape only in portions.

[0101] In particular, merely the spring element receptacles 126 are completed at the time of production of the blank 134.

[0102] By contrast, the sealing portions 116, 122 must be subjected to a finishing operation in order to complete the main body 132, in particular by machining, for example CNC processing.

[0103] As is clear in particular from a comparison of FIGS. 1 to 3, an outer contour can first be processed by way of example, in order to complete the radially outer static sealing portions 122. A radially inner processing can then be performed in order to complete the dynamic sealing portions 116.

[0104] Alternatively, it can be provided that the blank 134 is produced for example in an injection molding method in such a way that both the static sealing portions 122 and the spring element receptacles 126 already have the final outer shape after the execution of the injection molding process.

[0105] Merely the radially inner region then still has to be subjected to a mechanical finishing operation in order to complete the dynamic sealing portions 116.

[0106] In particular, the main body 132 and thus the entire sealing element 100 can be produced particularly efficiently and economically by a combination of production of the blank 134 in a high-pressure process and/or a high-temperature process, for example an injection molding process, on the one hand and only partial subsequent processing in order to complete the main body 132 on the other hand.