Low torque seal assembly

A bearing assembly comprising:

• a) an outer cylinder having axially opposed first and second ends, the outer cylinder defining a first race surface on an inner diameter thereof and a central axis for the bearing assembly;
• b) an inner cylinder coaxially positioned within the outer cylinder and defining a second race surface on an outer diameter thereof, wherein a bearing chamber is defined between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder;
• c) a plurality of bearings disposed within the bearing chamber and in rolling contact with the first and the second race surfaces, each bearing facilitating a relative rotational movement which exists between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder;
• and
• d) a unitized seal assembly associated the first end of the outer cylinder, the unitized seal assembly including:
• i) a radially outer ring which includes a casing and a first shield element, the casing having axially inner and axially outer ends, the first shield element being engaged with the outer end of the casing and defining a first sealing face;
• and
• ii) a radially inner deflector ring positioned adjacent to the outer end of the casing, the deflector ring including a support member and a second shield element, the support member forming a shield cavity and having the second shield element disposed therein, the second shield element including a second sealing face which is dimensioned and configured so as to correspond to the first sealing face such that when the first shield element is positioned in non-contacting proximity to the second shield element, a circuitous sealing labyrinth is formed between the first and the second sealing faces.