Sealing device for a bearing mounted on a shaft

Claim 2

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner face defining with the cylindrical face of the shaft an annular space, said sealing ring having a second annular portion located in said annular space, said second annular portion having in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion in said annular space an overall radial size exceeding the radial size of said annular space so that said second annular portion is in a radially compressed condition betweeN and in sealing contact with said inner face and said cylindrical face of the shaft.

Claim 3

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner face defining with the cylindrical face of the shaft an annular space, said sealing ring having a second annular portion located in said annular space, said second annular portion having in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion in said annular space an overall radial size exceeding the radial size of said annular space so that said second annular portion is in a radially compressed condition betweeN and in sealing contact with said inner face and said cylindrical face of the shaft.

Claim 4

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner face defining with the cylindrical face of the shaft an annular space, said sealing ring having a second annular portion located in said annular space, said second annular portion having in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion in said annular space an overall radial size exceeding the radial size of said annular space so that said second annular portion is in a radially compressed condition betweeN and in sealing contact with said inner face and said cylindrical face of the shaft.

Claim 5

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shaft has a portion having a second cylindrical face having a diameter larger than the diameter of said cylindrical face of said shaft, said collar being fitted on said shaft portion having said second cylindrical face.

Claim 6

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said collar is of metal.

Claim 7

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing ring adheres to an outer face of the flange of the bearing ring.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means fixing said first annular portion to said bearing ring comprises a formed-over integral portion of said bearing ring, a peripheral bead portion of said sealing ring, a groove inside said bearing ring, and a washer engaged in said groove, said bead portion being trapped and sealingly fixed between said washer and said formed-over integral portion of said bearing ring, and said collar being in axially spaced relation to the bearing ring and terminating in a region intermediate said first annular portion and said second annular portion of the sealing ring.

Claim 9

A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said collar has a radial rib which bears axially against said shoulder and said sealing ring is in axially spaced relation to said radial rib.

Claim 10

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner cylindrical face and defining with the shaft an annular space having a closed end remote from said bearing and an open end adjacent said bearing, the sealing ring having a second annular portion which is located in said annular space and is in axially spaced relation to said closed end of said annular space, said second annular portion comprising an outer annular lip portion in sealing contact with said inner cylindrical face of said collar and an inner annular lip portion in sealing contact with said cylindrical face of the shaft, the difference between the outside diameter of said outer annular lip portion and the inside diameter of said inner annular lip portion exceeding the difference between the diameter of said cylindrical face of the shaft and the diameter of the inner cylindrical face of the collar in a free unstressed condition of the second annular portion of the sealing ring before insertion of the second annular portion of the sealing ring in said annular space so that said second annular portion of the sealing ring is in a radially compressed condition between the collar and the shaft.

Claim 11

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner cylindrical face and defining with the shaft an annular space having a closed end remote from said bearing and an open end adjacent said bearing, the sealing ring having a second annular portion which is located in said annular space and is in axially spaced relation to said closed end of said annular space, said second annular portion comprising an outer annular lip portion in sealing contact with said inner cylindrical face of said collar and an inner annular lip portion in sealing contact with said cylindrical face of the shaft, the difference between the outside diameter of said outer annular lip portion and the inside diameter of said inner annular lip portion exceeding the difference between the diameter of said cylindrical face of the shaft and the diameter of the inner cylindrical face of the collar in a free unstressed condition of the second annular portion of the sealing ring before insertion of the second annular portion of the sealing ring in said annular space so that said second annular portion of the sealing ring is in a radially compressed condition between the collar and the shaft.

Claim 12

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner face defining with the cylindrical face of the shaft an annular space, the sealing ring having a second annular portion located in said annular space, said second portion having an outer annular lip portion in sealing contact with said inner face, a first inner annular lip portion in sealing contact with said cylindrical face, a second inner annular lip portion located between said first inner lip portion and said first annular portion of the sealing ring and in sealing contact with SAID cylindrical face, the difference between the diameter of said outer annular lip portion and the diameters of said first inner annular lip portion and said second inner annular lip portion being, in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion of said second annular portion in said annular space, greater than the difference between the diameter of said inner face of said collar and the diameter of said cylindrical face of the shaft so that said first annular lip portion and second annular lip portion are in a radially compressed condition, said first inner annular lip portion and said second inner annular lip portion defining an annular space with said cylindrical face of said shaft and said outer annular lip portion defining with said first inner annular lip portion an annular recess in said second annular portion of said sealing ring.

Claim 13

In a device affording a seal between a shaft having a substantially cylindrical face and a shoulder and a rolling bearing which surrounds the shaft and comprises needles and a bearing ring encompassing the needles and including a flange adjacent said shoulder, an elastomer sealing ring having a first annular portion, means fixing said first annular portion to said flange, the sealing ring extending axially beyond said flange, a cylindrical collar in spaced relation to said bearing ring and fixed to said shaft and having an inner face defining with the cylindrical face of the shaft an annular space, the sealing ring having a second annular portion located in said annular space, said second portion having an outer annular lip portion in sealing contact with said inner face, a first inner annular lip portion in sealing contact with said cylindrical face, a second inner annular lip portion located between said first inner lip portion and said first annular portion of the sealing ring and in sealing contact with SAID cylindrical face, the difference between the diameter of said outer annular lip portion and the diameters of said first inner annular lip portion and said second inner annular lip portion being, in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion of said second annular portion in said annular space, greater than the difference between the diameter of said inner face of said collar and the diameter of said cylindrical face of the shaft so that said first annular lip portion and second annular lip portion are in a radially compressed condition, said first inner annular lip portion and said second inner annular lip portion defining an annular space with said cylindrical face of said shaft and said outer annular lip portion defining with said first inner annular lip portion an annular recess in said second annular portion of said sealing ring.

Claim 14

A structure comprising in combination : a branch of a yoke of a universal joint, an aperture in said branch, a cross element of the universal joint comprising a trunnion extending into said aperture, a rolling bearing interposed between said trunnion and said aperture and having an outer bearing ring having a radially inwardly extending end flange, a first annular member secured to said cross element and having an annular inner face and defining with said trunnion an annular cavity having a closed annular end and an open end which is adjacent said bearing, and an elastomer annular sealing member having a first annular portion secured to said flange and a second annular portion located in said annular cavity in axially spaced relation to said closed annular end, said second annular portion defining an inner annular lip in sealing contact with said trunnion and an outer annular lip in sealing contact with said inner face, said lips defining an intermediate annular groove and said lips and annular groove defining an end surface extending from said first annular member to said trunnion and facing said closed end of said cavity, the difference between the diameter of said outer annular lip and the diameter of said inner annular lip being, in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion of said annular portion in said annular cavity, greater than the difference between the diameter of said inner face of said first annular member and the diameter of said trunnion so that said lips are in a radially compressed condition between said inner face and said trunnion.

Claim 15

A structure comprising in combination : a branch of a yoke of a universal joint, an aperture in said branch, a cross element of the universal joint comprising a trunnion extending into said aperture, a rolling bearing interposed between said trunnion and said aperture and having an outer bearing ring having a radially inwardly extending end flange, a first annular member secured to said cross element and having an annular inner face and defining with said trunnion an annular cavity having a closed annular end and an open end which is adjacent said bearing, and an elastomer annular sealing member having a first annular portion secured to said flange and a second annular portion located in said annular cavity in axially spaced relation to said closed annular end, said second annular portion defining an inner annular lip in sealing contact with said trunnion and an outer annular lip in sealing contact with said inner face, said lips defining an intermediate annular groove and said lips and annular groove defining an end surface extending from said first annular member to said trunnion and facing said closed end of said cavity, the difference between the diameter of said outer annular lip and the diameter of said inner annular lip being, in a free unstressed condition of said second annular portion prior to insertion of said annular portion in said annular cavity, greater than the difference between the diameter of said inner face of said first annular member and the diameter of said trunnion so that said lips are in a radially compressed condition between said inner face and said trunnion.