US Patent 11326694 Cryogenic piston ring improvement

A piston ring set of a cryogenic pump includes a first piston ring and a second piston ring which are dissimilarly shaped and cooperatively shaped to form a hollow cylindrical shape when in abutment to one another. The first piston ring is C-shaped and defines a middle portion disposed between a first end portion and a second end portion. A piston ring gap is disposed between a first distal end of the first end portion and a second distal end of the second end portion. When the first piston ring is in abutment with the second piston ring forming the hollow cylindrical shape, the second piston ring does not extend along the middle portion of the first piston ring while the second piston ring does extend along the first end portion and second end portion of the first piston ring.