MOLDED RUBBER SEAL FOR BEARING AND STAMPED HOUSING ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A resilient annular bearing seal (22,24) having an inner surface defining a central opening, an outer surface defining the seal outer periphery, and first and second side walls between the inner and outer surface and on opposite sides of the seal, the seal further having a circumferentially continuous sealing lip (30,32) extending axially outwardly from the first side wall, the first side wall having a relieved portion (34,36) adjacent to the sealing lip for receiving the sealing lip. The seal may include a sealing shoulder (26,28) adjacent to the outer surface and the first side wall. The seal may also include at least one lip (52,54) extending radially inwardly from the inner surface, and a sealing shield (56,58) adjacent to the first side wall and the inner surface and extending both radially inwardly and axially outwardly. Also, a bearing assembly having an annular outer race (6); an annular housing (10) surrounding the outer race and including side flanges (19,20) extending radially inwardly; an inner race (4) coaxially disposed relative to the outer race; and the annular seals (22,24) of the present invention mounted on either side of the inner bearing race and contacting the outer bearing race, the sealing lips of the seal contacting the housing side flanges.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a bearing seal and, more specifically, to a seal for a self-aligning bearing. Bearing assemblies are utilized in a wide variety of applications, including those in which the operating environment contains elements which are detrimental to the operation of the bearing, for example, dirt, grit and other particulates encountered in agricultural applications. If such particulates make their way into the bearing assembly and deposit on the bearing surfaces, these particulates can cause damage and substanitally decrease the life and efficiency of the bearing. Certain self-aligning bearings, for example, the bearings disclosed in US-A-3,311,429 and US-A-3,314,735, provide additional problems in that relative movement takes place between the bearing housing and the bearing outer race. The surface over which relative movement takes place must also be kept free of contaminants. The prior art contains numerous examples of seals for bearings. In the aforementioned US-A-3,311,429 and US-A-3,314,735, there is disclosed an annular bearing seal on either side of ball bearing elements and between the inner and outer races of each bearing assembly. The outer periphery of each seal is secured within an annular retainer which is press-fitted within the outer race of the bearing. The inner surface of each seal defines a central hole and includes three lips which are directed radially inwardly and which contact the inner race of the bearing. When installed in the bearing, the three lips are pushed and held in an axially outwardly direction by the inner race. The axially inwardly and outwardly facing side surfaces of each bearing seal are generally flat and are encased in a retainer. In a variation of the above described seal made by the assignee of this application, an annular metal retainer contains an elastomeric seal and secures it within the outer bearing race. This metal retainer comprises a turned-over lip which mates with corresponding grooves in the outer race. The retainer is attached to the seal along the seal outer peripheral surface and axially outward side. In short, many of the known designs mechanically lock the seals into the bearings, frequently requiring crimping of those seals into mating grooves formed in the outer ring. While such sealed bearing assemblies have exhibited improved life in difficult environmental conditions, such assemblies have been complex and costly to manufacture and assemble in conventional antifriction bearing applications. US-A-4249782 discloses a bearing assembly, according to the preamble of independent claim 5, including annular seals, according to the preamble of independent claim 1, each comprising a resilient annular member having radially inwardly extending lips contacting an inner race and a circumferential sealing lip movable between relaxed and compressed conditions, which sealing lip biases the seal towards an outer race. At least the preferred embodiment of the present invention seeks to improve the sealing of bearing elements and surfaces from environmental contamination, to provide a means for sealing a bearing which can be manufactured economically, to provide means for sealing bearing and antifriction elements in a manner which simplifies both the manufacture and assembly of the bearing, and to provide a self-aligning bearing with improved performance and life expectancy. The invention is defined by the appended Claims. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying sole figure which illustrates a longitudinal cross-section of a self-aligning bearing containing a seal. The preferred embodiment of the seal of the present invention may be understood by reference to the Figure which illustrates the seal in place in a ball-bearing assembly. The bearing assembly is shown in a cross-section along the longitudinal axis 2 of the bearing. "Radial" and "axial" directions, as used herein, will be made with reference to bearing assembly longitudinal axis 2, unless otherwise indicated. The bearing assembly comprises an outer race 6, an inner race 4 extending axially outwardly of the outer race, and ball bearing elements 8 between the two races. Encasing the outer race 6 is a housing 10 formed from pressed metal stampings. The housing 10 has an inner surface 12 that is configured to mate with the outer peripheral surface 14 of the bearing outer race 6. The housing inner surface 12 and the outer race outer peripheral surface 14 define complementary frusto-spherical surfaces. Limited angular movement, i.e., tilting of the bearing outer race relative to the housing may take place about an axis perpendicular to bearing longitudinal axis 2. In an alternative embodiment housing inner surface 12 and outer race surface 14 may define complementary cylindrical surfaces which permit relative axial movement. The stamped housing 10 has a radially outwardly extending flange 16 which may be adapted to mount the assembly onto another structural element, for example, a disc harrow. When the housing is formed in two sections as shown, an "O" ring sealing element 18 may be used between the inner portion of the housing outwardly extending flange 16 and the outer periphery 14 of the outer race. Any conventional sealing means, for example, an adhesive or a gasket material, may be employed in place of the "O" ring shown. The "O" ring functions to prevent lubricant leakage when relubricating the antifriction elements of the bearing assembly and to isolate confronting surfaces 12, 14 of the outer race 6 and housing 10 from any contaminants which may penetrate the halves of the outer flange 16. Housing side flanges 19 and 20 axially spaced on either side of the outer race 6 and edtend radially inwardly toward the bearing inner race 4. The housing side flanges 19 and 20 serve to protect the interior of the bearing assembly from contact with coarse contaminating material and also stabilize the bearing assembly during handling in assembly. The antifriction bearing outer race 6 is shown in the Figure as being in maximum misalignment relative to housing 10. Left side flange member 19 is shown touching the bearing inner race 4 while right side flange member 20 is shown spaced apart a greater distance than normal from the bearing inner race 4. The bearing seal of the present invention is shown at 22 and 24 on opposite sides of the ball bearing elements 8 of the antifriction bearing and is particularly designed to eliminate any necessity for complex and costly manufacturing operations normally required by conventional designs wherein the seals are integrally fixed to a bearing component. More specifically, the bearing seal 22, 24 is an annular member composed of a resilient elastomeric material which provides flexibility for, among other things, absorbing the applied forces due to bearing assembly misalignment as described above. Those portions of the bearing seal which are deformed as a result of the bearing assembly misalignment are shown in phantom lines in their normally relaxed, as-formed configuration. To achieve maximum flexibility in a construction featuring circumferentially continuous sealing and which is quick and easy to manufacture and assembly, each bearing seal 22, 24 has an annular sealing shoulder 26, 28 between the outer peripheral surface and the first or outer side wall of the annular member. The shoulder 26, 28 cross-section has a generally acute included angle, although any configuration is satisfactory as long as it is able to seal against the inner surface 12 of the housing 10. Extending axially outwardly from the outer side wall of the bearing seal 22, 24 is a sealing lip 30, 32. The outer side wall has a relieve portion, 34, 36 disposed adjacent to and radially inwardly of the sealing lip. Relieve portion 34, 36 is capable of receiving the sealing lip when it is pressed axially inwardly against the outer side wall. Preferably, the cross-section of the relieve portion 34, 36 corresponds to the cross-section of the second sealing lip 30, 32 when it is received in the relieve portion. As shown in this preferred embodiment, the sealing lip has a radially inward component of orientation so that an axially applied force would tend to urge the sealing lip radially inwardly. Sealing shoulder 26, 28 and sealing lip 30, 32 also serve to engage housing 10 and bias the seal axially inward toward the outer race 6. This helps to prevent rotation of the outer race and seals relative to the housing 10. To simplify both the seal structure and its assembly, seal 22, 24 is formed with a relieve groove 37, 39 which extends circumferentially about the second or internal side wall 41, 43 of the seal 22, 24 and serves as a radial pilot to the outer bearing race 6 during assembly. Groove 37, 39 permits facile assembly of seal 22, 24 which may be simply disposed in position and then assembled upon bringing flanges 19, 20 into clamped engagement. This action secures seal 22, 24 in engagement with an outboard shoulder 45, 47 and the underlying outer side wall of seal 22, 24 without any need for crimping or other special assembly techniques. The Figure illustrates the bearing assembly at maximum misalignment. During such misalignment the bearing seals continue to provide protection for the antifriction bearing components from outside contamination In each seal, the sealing shoulder 26, 28 is shown in sealing engagement with the housing inner surface 12. Seal 22 is shown with the sealing lip 30 disposed in its entirety outside relieve portion 34, but still in sealing relationship with the housing 10, as is the sealing shoulder 26. Seal 24 is shown with the sealing lip fully received within its adjacent relieve portion 36 and also still providing a sealing relationship with the housing. When fully received in relieve portion 36, seal 24 forms a portion of an essentially flat bearing seal side wall. An annular reinforcing member 38, 40 of U-shaped cross-section is shown embedded in each bearing seal 22, 24. The reinforcing member 38, 40 is coaxial with the annular sealing member 22, 24, with the base of the "U" aligned with the inner side wall of the bearing seal closest to the ball bearing elements 8. The reinforcing member is preferably made of a rigid material such as steel. To further simplify the lubrication requirements, the design of the preferred embodiment is particularly directed to eliminate any need for drilling grease ports through the outer race. Rather, grease fitting 42, preferably self-tapping, is mounted in the housing 10 for injecting grease or other lubricants into the ball-bearing assembly along a path which extends around the outer race 6 and inside seal 22, 24. Grease is initially distributed after injection into the chamber between the outer race 6 and the housing inner surface 12. Lubricant contained in this chamber provides lubrication for the complementary surfaces of the shroud and the outer race. So that grease or other lubricants may be distributed into the vicinity of the ball bearing elements 8, the bearing seal 22, 24 may contain a plurality of individual relief openings or sections 44 (shown here only in seal 22) between the outer surface and the inner side wall to provide passageways for the grease. These individual lubrication relief sections are preferably spaced about the periphery of each annular seal. If a reinforcing member is employed, corresponding relief openings or sections 48 are provided therein so as to permit passage of lubricant. To provide for sealing the ball bearing element region from contaminating particles and also to provide a one-way exit for excess lubricant when the bearing is to be relubricated, the seal member shown also includes a plurality of lips 52, 54 extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the annular seal member. The lips 52, 54 contact the inner bearing race 4 adjacent either end and are held thereby with the lips oriented in opposite axially outward directions. To provide additional protection against entry of contaminating material into the ball bearing element region, the seal of the present invention may also employ a sealing skirt 56, 58 adjacent to the seal outer side wall and inner surface. The sealing skirt 56, 58 extends axially outwardly of the outer side wall and also radially inward. Preferably, the sealing skirt 56, 58 also contacts the bearing inner race 4. When molded from a suitable elastomeric material, the seal of this invention may be economically manufactured and assembled in an improved bearing assembly in a simplified design featuring better sealing performance. By virtue of the described construction, both the inner and outer races 4, 6 may be developed from simple turnings. Such construction eliminates spot facings, customized grooves and drilled holes commonly required in the races of known bearing assemblies. The bearing assembly of this invention is readily re-lubricated around the seal 22, 24 in contrast to "through" the bearing outer race as in certain prior art structures having extra concomitant manufacturing and assembly steps and costs.

Claims: A bearing seal (22) comprising a resilient annular member having an inner surface defining a central opening, an outer surface defining the member outer periphery, and a first side wall and a second side wall (41) between said inner and outer surface and on opposite sides of said annular member, said member further having at least one radially inwardly extending lip (52) and a circumferentially continuous sealing lip (30) integrally formed on said first side wall, said sealing lip (30) being movable between a normally relaxed sealing condition extending axially outwardly from said first side wall and a compressed sealing condition, and said sealing lip (30) being capable of biasing the seal (22) axially inwardly with respect to said first side wall, when the seal (22) is mounted on a bearing, characterised in that said first side wall has a relieve portion (34) adjacent to said sealing lip (30) for receiving said sealing lip (30) in its compressed sealing condition. A seal according to Claim 1, wherein said sealing lip (30) also extends radially inwardly and wherein said relieve portion (34) is radially inwardly of said sealing lip (30). A seal according to Claim 1 or 2 including a sealing shoulder (26) adjacent to said outer surface and said first side wall. A seal according to any preceding Claim wherein said annular member includes a sealing skirt (56) adjacent to said first side wall and said inner surface, said sealing skirt (56) extending radially inwardly with respect to said inner surface and axially outwardly with respect to said first side wall. A bearing assembly comprising an annular outer bearing race (6), an annular housing (10) surrounding said outer bearing race (6), said housing (10) including side flanges (19,20) extending radially inwardly on either side of said outer bearing race (6), said flanges (19,20) being axially spaced from said outer race (6), an inner bearing race (4) coaxially disposed in said outer bearing race (6) and extending axially outwardly of said outer bearing race (6), and annular seals (22,24) coaxially mounted between said flanges and said outer race and at each end of said inner bearing race (4), said annular seals (22,24) contacting said outer bearing race (6), and each including at least one radially inwardly extending lip (52,54) contacting said inner race (4) and held in an axially outwardly direction, and a circumferentially continuous sealing lip (30,32) integrally formed on a first side wall, said sealing lip (30,32) being movable between a normally relaxed sealing condition extending axially outwardly from said first side wall and a compressed sealing condition, said sealing lip (30,32) contacting said housing side flanges (19,20) and biasing said seal (22,24) toward said outer race (6), characterised in that said seals (22,24) each have a relieve portion (34,36) adjacent to said sealing lip (30,32) for receiving said sealing lip (30,32) in its compressed sealing condition. A bearing assembly according to Claim 5, wherein said seal includes a sealing skirt (56) disposed axially outwardly of said radially inwardly extending lip (52,54) and extending both radially inwardly and axially outwardly. A bearing assembly of Claim 5 or 6 wherein each annular seal (22,24) includes a plurality of individual lubrication relief sections (44,46) spaced about the periphery thereof to allow the passage of lubricant to said bearing races (4,6). A bearing assembly according to any of Claims 5-7 wherein said outer race (6) has a frusto-spherical outer peripheral surface (14), and wherein said annular housing (10) has a frusto-spherical inner surface complementary to said outer race outer peripheral surface permitting tilting of said housing relative to said bearing outer race, said seals (22,24) further having a reinforcing member (48,50) embedded therein. A bearing assembly according to Claim 8, wherein the cross-section of said relieve portion (34,36) corresponds to the cross-section of the sealing lip (30,32) when said lip (30,32) is received in said relieve portion (34,36).

Inventors: DICKINSON, THORN W., MORSE, DAVID H.
Applicants: THE TORRINGTON COMPANY
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F16C33
IPC codes: F16C33, F16C23