JP2003262233A - Sealing device of water pump bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To very simply constitute a sealing structure on an impeller mounting side, to reduce the number of parts, and to maintain sealing performance in an extremely excellent state in a water pump bearing for rotating the impeller of a water pump to be mounted on an automobile or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The water pump bearing comprises a main lip 2, a sealing material A having a first sublip 3 and a second sublip 4, a shaft B, an outer ring 12 to surround the shaft B via roller bodies 13, 13, etc., a slinger body part 17 in a nearly U-shaped section, and a slinger C having a bent end edge 18 expanded from an end edge part of a shaft mounting face 17a on an inner peripheral side of the slinger body part 17 in an outer diameter direction. The main lip 2 and the first sublip 3 are made into contact with the slinger C, the second sublip 4 is made into contact with a shaft peripheral face of a large diameter shaft part 8, and at the same time, a fine clearance (t) is formed between the bent end edge 18 of the slinger C and the sealing material A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water pump bearing for rotating an impeller of a water pump mounted on an automobile or the like, and particularly, the sealing structure on the side where the impeller is mounted is extremely simple, the number of parts is reduced, and the sealing performance is high. The present invention relates to a water pump bearing seal device that can be maintained extremely well.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a water pump bearing, as a seal structure on the side where an impeller is mounted, three lips are formed on the seal, and of these three lips, two lips are the circumference of the water pump shaft. There is a structure in which the surface contacts and the remaining one lip extends in the axial direction to contact the slinger mounted on the water pump shaft. Such a seal structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-14.
No. 0906.

[0003]

Since a sealer for a water pump bearing which is provided with a slinger is directly press-fitted and fixed to the water pump shaft, a chamfer is generally formed at the end of the press-fitted portion of the slinger, A chamfer is formed on the press-fit end of the water pump shaft. These chamfer formations are necessary to easily press the slinger into the water pump shaft. However, since the slinger is provided by bending at the opening of the water pump shaft and the outer ring of the water pump bearing, the slinger is
Has been formed.

Therefore, even if a chamfer is formed in the press-fitted portion of the slinger, the chamfer is small, and it is difficult to improve the mountability to the water pump shaft. Further, if the chamfering is increased, the thickness of the end portion of the press-fitting portion of the slinger becomes thinner, and there is a risk of buckling and deformation during press-fitting, which makes stable mounting and fixing difficult. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily mount a water pump bearing on a shaft while maintaining a strong slinger and to maintain good sealing performance. .

[0005]

Therefore, as a result of intensive studies, the inventors of the present invention have solved the present invention as a result of solving the above problems.
In a water pump bearing, a sealing material having a main lip, a first sub-lip and a second sub-lip, a shaft, an outer ring surrounding the shaft with rolling elements, and a slinger main body having a substantially U-shaped cross section, A slinger having a bent edge that is formed by expanding substantially radially outward from an edge portion of the shaft mounting surface on the inner peripheral side of the slinger main body, and the main lip and the first sub-lip are connected to the slinger. The second sub-lip is brought into contact with the shaft peripheral surface of the large-diameter shaft portion, and the water pump bearing sealing device is provided with a minute gap between the bending edge of the slinger and the sealing material. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by simplifying the seal structure and maintaining the sealability at a constant level.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the present invention is applied to a bearing of a water pump mounted in an engine of a transportation machine such as an automobile or an industrial machine. First, the bearing of the water pump is housed in a pump housing composed of the housing body 20 and the housing cover, and rotates the impeller 21 in the pump chamber. A boss hole portion 20a for mounting a bearing is formed in the pump housing, and an outer ring 12 portion of the bearing described later is mounted in the boss hole portion 20a.

The bearing is mainly composed of the seal material A, the shaft B, and the outer ring 12.
And the rolling elements 13 and the like. First, from the first embodiment, the sealing material A has a main lip 2, a first sub-lip 3 and a second sub-lip 4 formed on the inner peripheral surface side of the annular portion 1. These three lips are formed in a triangular mountain shape in cross section, and each lip has the above-mentioned axis B.
The outer surface and the slinger are brought into contact with each other at appropriate positions. The main lip 2 is formed at a position intermediate between the first sub-lip 3 and the second sub-lip 4, and the first sub-lip 3 faces the outside of the axis B. 4 is located on the inner side of the axis B. Further, the main lip 2 and the second sub lip 4 are formed on the same inner peripheral surface of the annular portion 1.

Further, the first sub-lip 3 is formed so as to project in a different direction from the main lip 2 and the second sub-lip 4. Specifically, FIG. 1 (C), As shown in FIG. 2 (A), etc., the protruding direction of the main lip 2 and the protruding direction of the first sub lip 3 are substantially opposite to each other in the vertical direction, and the lip contact points are in the same direction. ,
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), the protruding direction of the first sub-lip 3 may be appropriately right angle to the protruding direction of the main lip 2, or as shown in FIG. 3 (B). In some cases, the main lip 2 and the first sub lip 3 project from different parts in the vertical direction. On the outer peripheral side of the annular portion 1, there is provided a fixed annular portion 1a which is formed in a generally brim-like shape and spreads outward. 2 (A), FIG. 3 (A),
As shown in (B) and the like, the reinforcing ring 7 is mounted, and the sealing material A can be firmly mounted and fixed to the outer ring 12 described later by the reinforcing ring 7.

The annular portion 1 is made of a rubber material, and the reinforcing ring 7 is made of a metal material. Further, on the outer side of the first sub-lip 3 of the sealing material A,
The non-contact surrounding portion 5 may be formed [see FIG. 3 (B)]. The non-contact surrounding portion 5 has a flat cylindrical shape with respect to the annular portion 1, and a minute gap s is formed between the inner peripheral side surface and the outer peripheral surface of the slinger C. . The non-contact surrounding portion 5 is formed to have a relatively large thickness, and in particular, the cross-sectional shape of almost the entire non-contact surrounding portion 5 or the tip portion thereof may be formed into a substantially circular shape. With this thick wall, the lip portion, especially the first sub-lip 3
Can be elastically strengthened and made difficult to deform. Further, the non-contact surrounding portion 5 exerts a labyrinth effect and can suppress the infiltration of water leaking from the mechanical seal.

Next, the shaft B, as shown in FIGS. 1 (B) and 2 (B), comprises a large-diameter shaft portion 8 and a small-diameter shaft portion 9, and the large-diameter shaft portion 8 and the small-diameter shaft portion are formed. A step surface portion 10 is formed between the step surface portion 10 and the step portion 9. The large-diameter shaft portion 8 is a portion that constitutes a rotation support portion together with an outer ring 12 described later. Further, the small-diameter shaft portion 9 projects toward the pump chamber, and an impeller 21 is attached to the tip end portion thereof as shown in FIG. 1 (A). The step surface portion 10 is a step portion where the large-diameter shaft portion 8 of the shaft B changes from the small-diameter shaft portion 9.

The outer circumference of the large-diameter shaft portion 8 of the shaft B is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2B, a plurality of outer circumferential rolling grooves 8a formed along the axial direction are provided in the axial direction. Further, the outer ring 12 is a member that is formed in a cylindrical shape and constitutes a rotation supporting portion of the shaft B together with the large-diameter shaft portion 8, and the outer peripheral rolling groove 8 a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 12. , 8a, ... A plurality of inner circumferential rolling grooves 1 at positions corresponding to
2a, 12a, ... Are formed. Then, between the outer circumferential rolling grooves 8a, 8a, ... Of the large diameter shaft portion 8 and the inner circumferential rolling grooves 12a, 12a ,.
... are arranged, the rolling elements 13, 13, ... are set by a retainer or the like so as to maintain a predetermined interval, and the outer ring 12 is mounted so as to surround the outer circumference of the large diameter shaft portion 8. The rolling element 13 is specifically a spherical body, but may have a cylindrical shape or a roller shape as another shape. Further, the outer peripheral rolling grooves 8a, 8a, ...
The inner peripheral rolling grooves 12a, 12a, ... Of the outer ring 12 are formed at two locations, respectively.

Next, on the inner peripheral side of the outer ring 12 near the opening on the side where the impeller 21 is mounted, as shown in FIG. 1C, a fixed groove 12b into which the fixed annular portion 1a of the sealing material A is mounted.
Are formed in the circumferential direction. The fixed annular portion 1a of the seal material A is fixed in the fixed groove 12b in an inserted state, and on the inner peripheral side of the seal material A, the main lip 2, the first sub lip 3, and the second sub lip 4 are connected to the shaft B. Is in contact with. Specifically, the second sub lip 4 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter shaft portion 8,
The main lip 2 and the first sub lip 3 contact the slinger C.

Next, the slinger C is shown in FIGS. 1 (B) and 1 (C).
As shown in FIG. 5, the cross section is substantially U-shaped, and the bent edge is formed by bending the edge portion of the mounting surface to the shaft B in the outer diameter direction. The main lip 2 and the first sub lip 3 of the sealing material A are in contact with each other in the slinger, and the second sub lip 4 is in contact with the shaft peripheral surface of the large diameter shaft portion 8. As shown in FIG. 1 (C), the slinger C is formed with a slinger main body 17 having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the slinger main body 17 is pressed into the shaft B, A shaft mounting surface 17a that abuts on the shaft peripheral surface of the shaft B, a side wall surface 17b that is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft B and extends in the outer radial direction, and a top surface that is substantially in the same direction as the axial direction. 17
It is formed from c.

Further, there is formed a bent edge 18 which expands outward (outer diameter direction of the axis B) from the edge of the shaft mounting surface 17a. The bent edge 18 has various shapes. As the first type, as shown in FIG. 1 (C), a substantially linear inclined shape is used, and as the second type, FIG. As shown in A), it has a substantially arc-shaped inclination. In addition, the bending edge 18 of the third type is shown in FIG.
It is formed in a substantially right angle shape as shown in FIG.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), the fourth type bent edge 18 may have a substantially V-shaped cross section. The tip of the bent edge 18 of the fourth type having a "V" shape is not in contact with the axis B. The bent edge 18 and the second sub lip 4 are in close proximity to each other, and the distance between them is a minute gap t. More specifically, the bent edge 1
The interval between the bent portion of the tip 8 and the portion in the vicinity of the second sub lip 4 is the minute gap t. This minute gap t
As a result, even if water enters the slinger C, the intrusion is almost blocked at the portion of the minute gap t, and the invasion into the second sub lip 4 can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 1C, the lip contact structure between the seal material A and the slinger C is such that the main lip 2 and the first sub lip 3 of the seal material A are the side wall surfaces 1 of the slinger C.
7b, and the second sub-lip 4 is in contact with the peripheral surface of the shaft B. Further, as shown in FIG.
The main lip 2 is in contact with the side wall surface 17b, the first sub lip 3 is in contact with the inner surface side of the top surface 17c, and the second sub lip 4 is in contact with the peripheral surface of the shaft B. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the main lip 2 of the sealing material A contacts the side wall surface 17b, and the first sub-lip 3 contacts the outer surface side of the top surface 17c.
The auxiliary lip 4 contacts the peripheral surface of the shaft B. Further, the main lip 2 may contact the shaft mounting surface 17a of the slinger C.

Next, as a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, in the circumferential direction of the shaft B, a seal groove 11 is formed.
Are formed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), a seal groove 11 is formed along the axial direction of the large-diameter shaft portion 8, and inside the seal groove 11 as shown in FIG. 4 (A). The second sub-lip 4 of the sealing material A comes into contact with. The main lip 2 and the first sub-lip 3
Are in contact with the slinger C.

[0018]

According to the invention of claim 1, in the water pump bearing, the sealing material A having the main lip 2, the first sub-lip 3 and the second sub-lip 4, the shaft B, and the rolling element 13 for rolling the shaft B are used. , 13, and the like, a slinger main body 17 having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the slinger main body 1
7 and a slinger C having a bent edge 18 that is formed so as to substantially expand in the outer radial direction from the edge portion of the shaft mounting surface 17a on the inner peripheral side of the sealing member A. 3 is in contact with the slinger C, the second sub-lip 4 is in contact with the shaft peripheral surface of the large-diameter shaft portion 8, and the gap between the bent edge 18 of the slinger C and the sealing material A is small. By using the water pump bearing sealing device having the gap t, the bent edge 18 serves as a guide at the time of mounting on the shaft B, and the mounting work efficiency can be improved. In this way, the contact state between the seal material A and the slinger is made good, and the minute gap t is formed between the bent edge 18 and the seal material A. Therefore, the seal material A and the slinger are formed by the minute gap t. It is possible to prevent water from leaking and infiltrating from between C and obtain a better sealing property.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the bent end edge 18 has a water pump bearing sealing device in which a tip end thereof is close to the second sub-lip 4. The tip end portion and the second sub-lip 4 can be easily brought into close proximity to each other, and the bearing can be easily assembled, and the bearing can be finished extremely efficiently.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the water pump bearing seal device according to the first or second aspect, the bent edge 18 is formed in a substantially linear slanted shape.
The slinger C is easily adapted to the shaft B and can be easily attached to the shaft B.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the water pump bearing sealing device according to the first or second aspect, the bent end edge 18 is formed in a substantially arcuately inclined shape.
When the bent end edge 18 is press-fitted with the shaft B, the press-fitting can be performed easily and can serve as a good guide.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, according to the first, second, third or fourth aspect, the shaft B is provided with a seal groove 1 in the axial direction thereof.
1 is formed, and the second sub-lip 4 is formed in the seal groove 11.
With the water pump bearing seal device in which the main lip 2 and the second sub-lip 4 are in contact with each other, the second sub-lip 4 comes into contact with the seal groove 11. Since the distance between the lips can be increased, even if water intrudes, the pressure for intruding water is reduced by the increase in the distance between lips, and further infiltration can be prevented, As a result, the sealing property can be further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a bearing mounted on a housing body in a first type of the first embodiment, FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1C, and FIG. Enlarged sectional view of essential parts

2A is a cross-sectional view of a sealing material in the first type of the first embodiment, FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a shaft in the first type of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment. Sectional view of slinger in the first type

FIG. 3A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part using a second type slinger in the first embodiment, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part using a third type slinger in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is an enlarged side view of a partial cross-section of a corresponding shaft.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Sealing material B ... axis C ... Slinger 2 ... Main lip 3 ... 1st vice lip 4 ... Second vice lip 11 ... Seal groove 12 ... Outer ring 13 ... rolling elements 17 ... Slinger body 17a ... Shaft mounting surface 18 ... Bending edge

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In a water pump bearing, a sealing material having a main lip, a first sub-lip and a second sub-lip, a shaft, an outer ring surrounding the shaft with rolling elements, and a substantially U-shaped cross section. The main lip and the first sub-lip include a slinger main body and a slinger having a bent edge that is formed to substantially expand in the outer radial direction from an edge portion of an inner peripheral side shaft mounting surface of the slinger main body. Comes into contact with the slinger,
The sub-lip contacts the shaft peripheral surface of the large-diameter shaft portion, and forms a minute gap between the bent edge of the slinger and the seal material. 2. The water pump bearing seal device according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the bent edge is close to the second sub lip. 3. The water pump bearing sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the bent edge is formed in a substantially linear slanted shape. 4. The water pump bearing seal device according to claim 1, wherein the bent edge is formed in a substantially arcuately inclined shape. 5. The seal groove according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein a seal groove is formed in the shaft circumferential direction, and the second sub-lip is in contact with the seal groove. Water pump bearing seal device.