Patent ID: 8905879

Claim:
A pulley assembly comprising: a pulley having an axis of rotation and comprising a pulley shell and a bearing, the pulley shell having an annular wall that defines an opening for housing the bearing, the bearing being in the opening, the bearing having an inner race, an outer race, and a rolling element therebetween; a shaft having a pulley-receiving end that includes a mounting base; and a first bearing shield disposed at the pulley-receiving end of the shaft, the first bearing shield comprising a plate and a deflected sealing member connected thereto, the deflected sealing member comprising a sealing material, the plate defining a spring bend that renders the plate self-deflecting in an unloaded state such that the plate biases and deflects at least a portion of the sealing material of the deflected sealing member against one of the outer race of the bearing and the inner race of the bearing to create a first contact seal to protect the bearing from contaminants, and the deflected sealing member includes a flange that extends in a direction generally parallel with the axis of rotation of the pulley and overhangs the annular wall of the pulley shell to create a labyrinth seal; wherein the plate defines an opening to receive a portion of the pulley-receiving end of the shaft and at least a portion of the plate is sandwiched between the mounting base of the shaft and the inner race of the bearing; wherein as the sealing material wears thinner as a result of friction, the first bearing shield continues to bias the deflected sealing member against at least one of the outer race of the bearing and the pulley shell.