Patent ID: 8459654

Claim:
A hydrodynamic shaft seal assembly comprising: a carrier; said carrier being formed of a rigid, metallic material; said carrier having a generally annular configuration; said carrier including an annular outer wall; said carrier including an annular flange extending radially inwardly relative to said outer wall; said carrier including a rubber casing enveloping at least a portion of said outer wall and said annular flange; at least one excluder member extending radially inwardly from said carrier; said excluder member having at least one cantilevered rubber lip; said excluder member directly contacting said annular flange of said carrier; an annular PTFE seal member mounted on said carrier and extending radially inwardly therefrom in a free-state condition; said seal member having an outer section adjacent said carrier, an inner section, and a mid portion disposed between said inner and outer sections; said outer section in direct bonded engagement to said rubber casing of said carrier; said inner section being flexible for establishing a dynamic sealing surface with a rotating shaft in surface-to-surface contact therewith; said sealing surface having at least one cut-in spiral hydrodynamic groove terminating adjacent said mid portion of said PTFE seal member; and said PTFE seal member including at least one coined-in annular undulation formed in said mid portion thereof; said undulation having complimentary concave and convex distortions; said mid portion of said sealing member having a thickness less than the thickness of said inner and outer sections.