Sealing device for bearing unit

A sealing device for sealing a bearing unit against external contaminants, the bearing unit having a central axis, a stationary ring and a rotary ring rotatable about the central axis, a cavity being defined between the stationary ring and the rotary ring, the sealing device comprising:

• a first metal annular screen mounted on the rotary ring and disposed at least partially within the cavity;
• a second metal annular screen mounted on the stationary ring and disposed at least partially within the cavity;
• and
• an elastomeric sealing element rigidly connected to the second screen and including at least one sealing lip projecting axially and radially from the second screen toward the first screen and a shaped protrusion projecting radially outward from the second screen such that an annular opening is defined between the shaped protrusion and the first screen, the first screen and the sealing element defining a drainage channel in communication with the outside of the sealing device through the annular opening, the drainage channel being entirely linear and extending transversely to the central axis in an exclusively radial direction inside the sealing device to and from the opening;
• wherein the sealing element includes a non-contacting radial sealing lip projecting entirely radially from the second screen toward an axial section of the first screen to form both a radial labyrinth to prevent impurities and contaminants from entering the sealing device and an accumulation groove arranged at an internal outlet of, and radially aligned with, the drainage channel.