WO1989012761A1 - Annular seal - Google Patents

Annular seal Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1989012761A1
WO1989012761A1 PCT/GB1989/000657 GB8900657W WO8912761A1 WO 1989012761 A1 WO1989012761 A1 WO 1989012761A1 GB 8900657 W GB8900657 W GB 8900657W WO 8912761 A1 WO8912761 A1 WO 8912761A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
seal
face
body portion
axial
bearing assembly
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1989/000657
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Simon Brown
Original Assignee
West & Sons (Engineers) Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by West & Sons (Engineers) Limited filed Critical West & Sons (Engineers) Limited
Publication of WO1989012761A1 publication Critical patent/WO1989012761A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C33/00—Parts of bearings; Special methods for making bearings or parts thereof
    • F16C33/72—Sealings
    • F16C33/76—Sealings of ball or roller bearings
    • F16C33/78—Sealings of ball or roller bearings with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members
    • F16C33/7886—Sealings of ball or roller bearings with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members mounted outside the gap between the inner and outer races, e.g. sealing rings mounted to an end face or outer surface of a race
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
    • F16J15/00—Sealings
    • F16J15/16—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces
    • F16J15/34—Sealings between relatively-moving surfaces with slip-ring pressed against a more or less radial face on one member
    • F16J15/3436—Pressing means
    • F16J15/3456—Pressing means without external means for pressing the ring against the face, e.g. slip-ring with a resilient lip
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C19/00—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement
    • F16C19/02—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing balls essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows
    • F16C19/04—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing balls essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows for radial load mainly
    • F16C19/06—Bearings with rolling contact, for exclusively rotary movement with bearing balls essentially of the same size in one or more circular rows for radial load mainly with a single row or balls
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C2240/00—Specified values or numerical ranges of parameters; Relations between them
    • F16C2240/30—Angles, e.g. inclinations

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an annular seal, in particular an annular seal for sealing a roller or ball bearing assembly.
  • a roller or ball bearing assembly includes an inner and outer race separated by a plurality of balls or rollers.
  • lubricating grease is applied to the space between the inner and outer races which is also occupied by the balls or rollers. It is a particular aim of the present invention to provide an annular seal which is able to create a seal between the inner and outer races of the bearing assembly in order to retain lubricating grease therein and prevent ingress of contaminants such as dirt.
  • an annular seal for providing a seal between the inner and outer race of a roller or ball bearing assembly, the seal being a unitary moulding of a suitable plastics material and including a body portion having an axial inner face for abutment with an axial face of one of said races, and a lip portion extending radially from the body portion and having a terminal face for abutment with an axial face of the other of said races.
  • Figure 1 is an axial section through a bearing assembly sealed by a pair of seals according to the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is an axial section through an alternative seal according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a bearing assembly 10 having an inner race 11 and an outer race 12. Located between the races 11, 12 are a plurality of balls 14 which are spaced circumferentially about the races 11, 12. An annular ga 16 is defined between the inner and outer races 11, 12 and this gap 16 is filled with a lubricating grease (not shown) i accordance with conventional practice.
  • the inner race 11 is located on a shaft 17 and outer race 12 is located in a bore 18 formed in a supporting body 19.
  • the shaft 17 is rotatably supported relative to body 19 by the bearing assembly 10. It will be appreciated that the shaft 17 may be intended to rotate whilst the body 19 remains stationary, or that the shaft 17 may be intended to be stationary whilst the body 19 rotates about the shaft 17.
  • a pair of seals 20 are provided, one on either axial side of the bearing assembly 10.
  • Each seal 20 includes a body portion 21 and a radially inwardly directed lip portion 22.
  • the radial dimension of the seal 20 is sufficient for the seal 20 to bridge the gap 16.
  • the body portion 21 has an axial inner face 23 which as shown in Figure 1 abuts against the opposed axial face of the outer race 12.
  • the lip portion 22 extends from the opposite axial outer side of the body portion 21 to abut with its terminal face 24 against the opposed axial face of the inner race 11.
  • the terminal face 24 of the lip portion 22 extends axially inwardly beyond the axial face 23 of the body portion 21 so that when the axial face 23 abuts against the outer race 12, the lip portion 22 is placed under an axial loading. This axial loading of the lip portion 22 causes the terminal face 24 to be biased into contact with the inner race 11.
  • the seal 20 is provided with an axially extending annular flange 28 located at the outer periphery of the seal 20.
  • the flange 28 has a radially inwardly directed barb-like formation 29 which is seated in a complementary shaped annular groove 30 formed in the outer periphery of the outer race 12, the flange 28 and groove 30 co ⁇ operating with one another to restrain axial separation.
  • the outer periphery of the seal body portion 21 is slightly conical having a greater diameter at the outer axial side of the seal 20.
  • the smaller diameter of the conical oute periphery is substantially the same as the outer diameter of th outer race 12 so that the larger diameter of the conical outer periphery is greater than the outer diameter of the outer race 12.
  • the seal 20 when the seal 20 is located in bore 18 it is radially compressed by a progressively greater amount from its axially inner to its axially outer side. This has the effect of creating a twisting loading about the outer edge 25 of the outer race thereby urging the axial inner face 23 into abutment with the outer race.
  • the outer peripheral edge 36 of the seal 20 is preferably chamfered to facilitate entry of the seal 20 into bore 18.
  • the seal 20 may be bonded to the bearing assembly 10 by, for example, the provision of a suitable adhesive between the axially inner face 23 and the opposed axial face of the outer race 12.
  • the provision of adhesive assists in providing a seal between the body portion 21 and the outer race.
  • the conical outer periphery of the seal may be dispensed with when adhesive is used.
  • annular flange 28 may be dispensed with and that the axial inner face 23 be maintained in abutment with the opposed axial face of the outer race 12 either by bonding, as indicated above, or by mechanically sandwiching the bearing assembly 10 between a pair of seals 20.
  • a seal 20 of this type is illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the reference numerals used in Figure 1 have been used to indicate like parts in Figure 2.
  • the seal 20 is preferably moulded by an injection moulding process from a suitable plastics material, preferably an elastomer, such as polyester elastomer.
  • the degree of inwardly directed bias on the lip portion 22 may be altered to suit specific applications by altering the radial length of the lip portion and/or its axial thickness. It will be appreciated that, if desired, the radial positions of the body portion 21 and lip portion 22 may be reversed so that the body portion 21 abuts against the inner race 11 and the lip portion 22 abuts against the outer race 12.
  • the above described seal 20 provides an effective seal even if the shaft 17 undergoes lateral displacement relative to the body 19 since the lip portion 23 seals against the axial face of the inner race (or outer race) and therefore remains in sealing contact.
  • the axial bias of the lip portion 22 serves to accommodate axial displacement of the shaft 17 relative to the bod3 r 19 and thereby maintains sealing contact.
  • the seal 20 also provides little resistance to relative rotation of the races 11, 12. This arises since the resistance against such rotation results from sliding contact of the terminal face 24 over the opposed axial face of the inner race 11.
  • the terminal face 24 has a relatively small contact area with the inner race 11 and thereby generates little friction.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sealing Of Bearings (AREA)

Abstract

An annular seal (20) for providing a seal between the inner and outer race of a roller or ball bearing assembly, the seal being a unitary moulding of a suitable plastics material and including a body portion (21) having an axial inner face (23) for abutment with an axial face of one of said races, and a lip portion (22) extending radially from the body portion and having a terminal face (24) for abutment with an axial face of the other of said races.

Description

ANNULAR SEAL
The present invention relates to an annular seal, in particular an annular seal for sealing a roller or ball bearing assembly.
In the context of the present invention, a roller or ball bearing assembly includes an inner and outer race separated by a plurality of balls or rollers. In use lubricating grease is applied to the space between the inner and outer races which is also occupied by the balls or rollers. It is a particular aim of the present invention to provide an annular seal which is able to create a seal between the inner and outer races of the bearing assembly in order to retain lubricating grease therein and prevent ingress of contaminants such as dirt.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an annular seal for providing a seal between the inner and outer race of a roller or ball bearing assembly, the seal being a unitary moulding of a suitable plastics material and including a body portion having an axial inner face for abutment with an axial face of one of said races, and a lip portion extending radially from the body portion and having a terminal face for abutment with an axial face of the other of said races.
Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an axial section through a bearing assembly sealed by a pair of seals according to the present invention; and
Figure 2 is an axial section through an alternative seal according to the present invention.
Referring initially to Figure 1 there is shown a bearing assembly 10 having an inner race 11 and an outer race 12. Located between the races 11, 12 are a plurality of balls 14 which are spaced circumferentially about the races 11, 12. An annular ga 16 is defined between the inner and outer races 11, 12 and this gap 16 is filled with a lubricating grease (not shown) i accordance with conventional practice. The inner race 11 is located on a shaft 17 and outer race 12 is located in a bore 18 formed in a supporting body 19. Thus the shaft 17 is rotatably supported relative to body 19 by the bearing assembly 10. It will be appreciated that the shaft 17 may be intended to rotate whilst the body 19 remains stationary, or that the shaft 17 may be intended to be stationary whilst the body 19 rotates about the shaft 17.
A pair of seals 20 are provided, one on either axial side of the bearing assembly 10. Each seal 20 includes a body portion 21 and a radially inwardly directed lip portion 22. The radial dimension of the seal 20 is sufficient for the seal 20 to bridge the gap 16. The body portion 21 has an axial inner face 23 which as shown in Figure 1 abuts against the opposed axial face of the outer race 12. The lip portion 22 extends from the opposite axial outer side of the body portion 21 to abut with its terminal face 24 against the opposed axial face of the inner race 11.
In the relaxed condition of the seal 20, the terminal face 24 of the lip portion 22 extends axially inwardly beyond the axial face 23 of the body portion 21 so that when the axial face 23 abuts against the outer race 12, the lip portion 22 is placed under an axial loading. This axial loading of the lip portion 22 causes the terminal face 24 to be biased into contact with the inner race 11.
In order to maintain the axial face 23 of the body portion 21 in face to face contact with the outer race 12, the seal 20 is provided with an axially extending annular flange 28 located at the outer periphery of the seal 20. The flange 28 has a radially inwardly directed barb-like formation 29 which is seated in a complementary shaped annular groove 30 formed in the outer periphery of the outer race 12, the flange 28 and groove 30 co¬ operating with one another to restrain axial separation.
Preferably, the outer periphery of the seal body portion 21 is slightly conical having a greater diameter at the outer axial side of the seal 20. The smaller diameter of the conical oute periphery is substantially the same as the outer diameter of th outer race 12 so that the larger diameter of the conical outer periphery is greater than the outer diameter of the outer race 12.
Thus when the seal 20 is located in bore 18 it is radially compressed by a progressively greater amount from its axially inner to its axially outer side. This has the effect of creating a twisting loading about the outer edge 25 of the outer race thereby urging the axial inner face 23 into abutment with the outer race. The outer peripheral edge 36 of the seal 20 is preferably chamfered to facilitate entry of the seal 20 into bore 18.
If desired, the seal 20 may be bonded to the bearing assembly 10 by, for example, the provision of a suitable adhesive between the axially inner face 23 and the opposed axial face of the outer race 12. The provision of adhesive assists in providing a seal between the body portion 21 and the outer race. In addition the conical outer periphery of the seal may be dispensed with when adhesive is used.
It is envisage that the annular flange 28 may be dispensed with and that the axial inner face 23 be maintained in abutment with the opposed axial face of the outer race 12 either by bonding, as indicated above, or by mechanically sandwiching the bearing assembly 10 between a pair of seals 20. A seal 20 of this type is illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the reference numerals used in Figure 1 have been used to indicate like parts in Figure 2.
In Figure 2, the seal 20 is illustrated in a relaxed condition and it will be clearly seen that the terminal face 24 of the lip portion 22 extends axially inwardly beyond the axial inner face 23 of the body portion.
The seal 20 is preferably moulded by an injection moulding process from a suitable plastics material, preferably an elastomer, such as polyester elastomer.
The degree of inwardly directed bias on the lip portion 22 may be altered to suit specific applications by altering the radial length of the lip portion and/or its axial thickness. It will be appreciated that, if desired, the radial positions of the body portion 21 and lip portion 22 may be reversed so that the body portion 21 abuts against the inner race 11 and the lip portion 22 abuts against the outer race 12.
The above described seal 20 provides an effective seal even if the shaft 17 undergoes lateral displacement relative to the body 19 since the lip portion 23 seals against the axial face of the inner race (or outer race) and therefore remains in sealing contact. In addition, the axial bias of the lip portion 22 serves to accommodate axial displacement of the shaft 17 relative to the bod3r 19 and thereby maintains sealing contact.
The seal 20 also provides little resistance to relative rotation of the races 11, 12. This arises since the resistance against such rotation results from sliding contact of the terminal face 24 over the opposed axial face of the inner race 11. The terminal face 24 has a relatively small contact area with the inner race 11 and thereby generates little friction.

Claims

1. An annular seal for providing a seal between the inner and outer race of a roller or ball bearing assembly, the seal being a unitary moulding of a suitable plastics material and including a body portion having an axial inner face for abutment with an axial face of one of said races, and a lip portion extending radially from the body portion and having a terminal face for abutment with an axial face of the other of said races.
2. A seal according to Claim 1 wherein the lip portion extends radially from the axially outer side of the body portion and, in the relaxed condition of the seal, extends axially inwardly of the body portion to project beyond the axial inner face of the body portion.
3. A seal according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the body portion is positioned radially outwardly of the lip portion and is provided with an axially extending flange portion for attachment to the outer race of the bearing assembly.
4. An annular seal substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. In combination, a roller or ball bearing assembly and a pair of annular seals according to any preceding claim.
PCT/GB1989/000657 1988-06-15 1989-06-13 Annular seal WO1989012761A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8814186A GB2219832A (en) 1988-06-15 1988-06-15 Annular seal
GB8814186.6 1988-06-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1989012761A1 true WO1989012761A1 (en) 1989-12-28

Family

ID=10638719

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1989/000657 WO1989012761A1 (en) 1988-06-15 1989-06-13 Annular seal

Country Status (4)

Country Link
AU (1) AU3848489A (en)
GB (1) GB2219832A (en)
WO (1) WO1989012761A1 (en)
ZA (1) ZA894523B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3039602A1 (en) * 2015-07-29 2017-02-03 Skf Ab BEARING ASSEMBLY

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2372886B (en) * 2001-04-02 2003-12-03 Minebea Co Ltd A bearing assembly
GB2388409B (en) * 2002-05-10 2005-08-31 Polymer Sealing Solutions Ltd Seal

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2549465A1 (en) * 1975-11-05 1977-05-18 Acla Werke Ag Annular seal for rolling bearing - deforms on assembly of one portion to impart sealing force to other portion
DE2824687A1 (en) * 1978-06-06 1979-12-13 Thyssen Aufzuege Gmbh Clamping ring for roller bearings - has supporting shoulder and sealing lip for inside race
FR2479374A1 (en) * 1980-03-28 1981-10-02 Nippon Seiko Kk Seal for ball or roller bearing - has intermediate lip with divided contact region arranged between inner and outer lips
GB2151719A (en) * 1983-12-21 1985-07-24 Skf Svenska Kullagerfab Ab A sealing assembly for a bearing

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB811356A (en) * 1956-05-12 1959-04-02 Burtonwood Engineering Company Improvements in seals for bearings
GB811357A (en) * 1956-07-25 1959-04-02 Burtonwood Engineering Company Improvements in seals for bearings
GB852993A (en) * 1958-03-01 1960-11-02 Burtonwood Engineering Company Improvements in seals for bearings
GB1014593A (en) * 1963-02-15 1965-12-31 Koyo Seiko Company Ltd Improvements in relating to bearings
CH416242A (en) * 1964-06-16 1966-06-30 Riv Officine Di Villar Perosa Sealing element for rolling bearings
GB1138193A (en) * 1965-02-23 1968-12-27 Angus George Co Ltd Improvements in and relating to bearing seals
FR1568654A (en) * 1967-06-16 1969-05-23
BR6794241D0 (en) * 1967-06-29 1973-04-12 Ag Unilan DUST PROTECTION COVER FOR BALL BEARINGS
FR2131690A5 (en) * 1971-03-29 1972-11-10 Forsheda Ideutveckling Ab
JPS559717Y2 (en) * 1976-11-02 1980-03-03
US4191432A (en) * 1977-09-26 1980-03-04 Koyo Seiko Company Limited Seal assembly for bearing
US4588312A (en) * 1985-04-18 1986-05-13 Fafnir Bearing - Division Of The Torrington Company Antifriction bearing with removable thermally expandable and contractable seal means

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2549465A1 (en) * 1975-11-05 1977-05-18 Acla Werke Ag Annular seal for rolling bearing - deforms on assembly of one portion to impart sealing force to other portion
DE2824687A1 (en) * 1978-06-06 1979-12-13 Thyssen Aufzuege Gmbh Clamping ring for roller bearings - has supporting shoulder and sealing lip for inside race
FR2479374A1 (en) * 1980-03-28 1981-10-02 Nippon Seiko Kk Seal for ball or roller bearing - has intermediate lip with divided contact region arranged between inner and outer lips
GB2151719A (en) * 1983-12-21 1985-07-24 Skf Svenska Kullagerfab Ab A sealing assembly for a bearing

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3039602A1 (en) * 2015-07-29 2017-02-03 Skf Ab BEARING ASSEMBLY
CN106402165A (en) * 2015-07-29 2017-02-15 斯凯孚公司 Bearing assembly
US10041542B2 (en) 2015-07-29 2018-08-07 Aktiebolaget Skf Bearing assembly
CN106402165B (en) * 2015-07-29 2020-03-10 斯凯孚公司 Bearing unit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA894523B (en) 1990-03-28
AU3848489A (en) 1990-01-12
GB8814186D0 (en) 1988-07-20
GB2219832A (en) 1989-12-20

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