Liquid lubricant seal with oleophobic coating

Claim 1

A clearance-type liquid lubricant seal assembly comprising: (a) a shaft member; (b) a wall member extending axially along and circumferentially around said shaft member, one of said members being fixed and the other member being rotatable relative to said fixed member, said members being closely spaced for at least a portion of their axial length; (c) lubricant collection means comprising a recess in said wall member in flow communication with said closely spaced portion positioned between said closely spaced portion and a source of lubricant; (d) means for supplying sealing gas to said closely spaced portion such that a sealing gas flow stream is caused to flow from said closely spaced portion toward said source of lubricant; and (e) an oleophobic coating on said fixed member in the vicinity of said lubricant collection means, whereby liquid lubricant entering the vicinity of said lubricant collection means and flowing on the fixed member is caused to form beads which are entrained in said sealing gas flow stream and thus substantially prevented from entering said closely spaced portion.