Bearing seal assembly

Claim 1

A seal for sealing the space between confronting radially inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of a pair of spaced relatively rotatable members wherein the outer cylindrical surface has an annular groove, comprising an annular reinforcing element including a shallow cup-shaped ring of metal with a long generally radial flange and with a short generally axial outwardly directed flange defining the outer periphery of the seal and which can be folded in press-fitting engagement into the groove of said outer cylindrical surface, an annular sealing element including a body portion secured to the radial flange of said reinforcing element and projecting radially inward therefrom and a marginal portion projecting radially inward from the body portion and defining at its radially inner extremity axially spaced inner and outer lips, the inner lip extending in a radial direction normal to the axis of the annular sealing element and having in its unstressed condition a continuous cylindrical surface normal to said radial direction for seating on the outer circumference of said inner cylindrical surface, said continuous cylindrical surface being located axially inward of said radial flange, the outer lip being inclined away from the inner lip and terminating axially outward of said radial flange and radially beyond said cylindrical surface of the inner lip so that it can be deflected radially and axially outward to a position providing an interference fit with said radially inner cylindrical surface, said marginal portion having a relatively large cross-section with said inner lip being relatively short and thick with a radially inner wall parallel to said radial flange and said outer lip being relatively long and thick.