Brush seal for sealing components, which move relative to one another, from a drop in pressure

Abstract

A brush seal for sealing off components movable relative to one another with respect to a pressure difference is disclosed. The brush seal having bristles which are arranged in a bristle housing which consists of two housing halves having free ends of legs which project into the area of the ends of the bristles, which legs carry mutually facing supporting surfaces for the bristles.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . A brush seal for sealing off components movable relative to one another with respect to a pressure difference, having bristles to which a supporting surface is assigned against which the bristles come to rest which are deflected to a side of a lower pressure, and having a bristle housing having one or more bundles of bristles and having at least two surfaces supporting in opposite directions for a purpose of sealing off the components even when a direction of a pressure is changed.  
   
   
       7 . The brush seal according to  claim 6 , wherein the bristle housing consists of two opposite, symmetrically arranged and mutually identical housing halves with legs which project into an area of an end of the bristles and whose free ends have mutually facing supporting surfaces for the bristles.  
   
   
       8 . The brush seal according to  claim 6 , wherein the bristle housing includes two separately held bristle bundles and consists of two opposite, symmetrically arranged and mutually identical housing halves with legs having supporting surfaces for the bristle bundles and a separating plate arranged between the housing halves.  
   
   
       9 . The brush seal according to  claim 6 , wherein the bristle housing has a T-like cross-section and includes bristle bundles and has a central leg whose foot area forms opposite supporting surfaces for the bristle bundles which are held between plates and the central leg, which plates engage in leg halves of a leg situated transversely to the central leg.  
   
   
       10 . The brush seal according to  claim 6 , wherein the bristles are divided into two adjoining bundles of bristles which are assigned to oppositely acting pressure differences.  
   
   
       11 . A brush seal for sealing off components movable relative to one another with respect to a reversible pressure difference, comprising: 
 a bristle housing having a first lower extending surface and a second lower extending surface; and    bristles engaged in the bristle housing;    wherein, in an operational configuration, when a pressure difference in a gap between the components is in a first direction, the bristles engage with the first lower extending surface to seal the gap between the components and wherein when the pressure difference in the gap is in a second direction, which second direction is opposite the first direction, the bristles engage with the second lower extending surface to seal the gap between the components.    
   
   
       12 . The brush seal according to  claim 11 , wherein when the pressure difference is in the first direction, the bristles are deflected in the first direction to a lower pressure side of the pressure difference to engage with the first lower extending surface and wherein when the pressure difference is in the second direction, the bristles are deflected in the second direction to the lower pressure side of the pressure difference to engage with the second lower extending surface.  
   
   
       13 . The brush seal according to  claim 11 , wherein the bristle housing includes a first housing half with a first lower extending leg and a second housing half with a second lower extending leg, wherein the first lower extending surface is included on the first leg and the second lower extending surface is included on the second leg, and wherein the first and second lower extending surfaces oppose each other and the bristles are disposed between the opposing surfaces.  
   
   
       14 . The brush seal according to  claim 11:   wherein the bristles are included in a first bundle and a second bundle and the bristle housing includes a first housing half and a second housing half divided by a separating plate, wherein the first bundle is engaged in the first housing half and the second bundle is engaged in the second housing half;    and wherein when the pressure difference is in the first direction, the first bundle engages with the first lower extending surface and wherein when the pressure difference is in the second direction, the second bundle engages with the second lower extending surface.    
   
   
       15 . The brush seal according to  claim 11:   wherein the bristles are included in a first bundle and a second bundle and the bristle housing includes a first housing half and a second housing half divided by a central leg, wherein the first bundle is engaged in the first housing half and the second bundle is engaged in the second housing half, and wherein the first and second lower extending surfaces are included on opposing sides of the central leg;    and wherein when the pressure difference is in the first direction, the first bundle engages with the first lower extending surface and wherein when the pressure difference is in the second direction, the second bundle engages with the second lower extending surface.    
   
   
       16 . The brush seal according to  claim 11 , wherein the bristles are included in a first bundle and a second bundle, and wherein when the pressure difference is in the first direction, the first bundle engages with the first lower extending surface and wherein when the pressure difference is in the second direction, the second bundle engages with the second lower extending surface.  
   
   
       17 . A method for sealing off components movable relative to one another with respect to a reversible pressure difference, comprising the steps of: 
 engaging bristles of a brush seal with a first lower extending surface of a bristle housing to seal a gap between the components when a pressure difference in the gap is in a first direction;    reversing the pressure difference in the gap such that the pressure difference is in a second direction which is opposed to the first direction; and    engaging the bristles of the brush seal with a second lower extending surface of the bristle housing to seal the gap when the pressure difference in the gap is in the second direction.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17:   wherein the step of engaging the bristles with the first lower extending surface includes the step of deflecting the bristles in the first direction to a lower pressure side of the pressure difference;    and wherein the step of engaging the bristles with the second lower extending surface includes the step of deflecting the bristles in the second direction to the lower pressure side of the pressure difference.