Roller bearing seal
AssigneeAmsted Rail Company, Inc.
InventorJessica Pruden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bearing assembly is presented having a novel bearing seal design that, in one embodiment, combines the sealing advantages of both a labyrinth-like seal in combination with a contact seal. The seal is held perpendicularly to the sealing surface, and in one embodiment, substantially divides the sealing forces equally between the lubricant seal portion and the dust seal portion of the seal by virtue of the symmetry of the seal geometry and the application of the resisting force substantially along the seal body's centerline. The seal departs from the cantilever geometry of prior art seal designs, and in one embodiment, provides an inherently stiffer seal.
Claims18
A bearing assembly affixed to a shaft, the shaft having a shoulder spaced from a free end, a journal of smaller diameter than the shaft between the shoulder and the free end, and a fillet leading from the journal to the shoulder, the bearing assembly comprising:
- a bearing cup having a radially inward directed outer raceway;
- a bearing cone affixed to the journal, the bearing cone having a radially outward directed inner raceway;
- a plurality of rollers captured between the outer raceway of the bearing cup and the inner raceway of the bearing cone;
- an inner seal case having:
- an inner cylindrical portion affixed to the bearing cone;
- an outer cylindrical section in parallel with the inner cylindrical portion;
- and
- an intermediate circular section extending axially outward from the inner cylindrical section of the inner seal case to the outer cylindrical section of the inner seal case;
- and
- an outer seal case having:
- an outer cylindrical portion affixed to the bearing cup;
- an inner cylindrical portion in parallel with the outer cylindrical portion;
- an outer circular section connecting the outer cylindrical section with the inner cylindrical section;
- and
- an inner circular section extending substantially perpendicularly from the inner cylindrical section of the inner seal case;
- and
- a seal body affixed to the inner cylindrical section of the outer seal case, the seal body extending substantially perpendicularly to the inner cylindrical section of the inner seal case;
- wherein the intermediate circular section and the outer cylindrical section of the inner seal case is axially inward and in closely spaced cooperation with the inner cylindrical section and the inner circular section of the outer seal case to form a channel.
A bearing assembly affixed to a shaft, the shaft having a shoulder spaced from a free end, a journal of smaller diameter than the shaft between the shoulder and the free end, and a fillet leading from the journal to the shoulder, the bearing assembly comprising:
- a bearing cup having a radially inward directed outer raceway;
- a bearing cone affixed to the journal, the bearing cone having a radially outward directed inner raceway;
- a plurality of rollers captured between the outer raceway of the bearing cup and the inner raceway of the bearing cone;
- an outer seal case having:
- an outer cylindrical section affixed to the bearing cup;
- an inner cylindrical section in parallel with the outer cylindrical section;
- and
- an outer circular section connecting the outer cylindrical section of the outer seal case with the inner cylindrical section of the outer seal case;
- and
- an inner circular section extending substantially perpendicularly from the inner cylindrical section of the outer seal case;
- and
- an inner seal case having:
- a first cylindrical section affixed to the bearing cone;
- a second cylindrical section in parallel with the first cylindrical section, the second cylindrical section having a distal end closely spaced to the outer seal case;
- a first circular section extending to connect the first cylindrical section of the inner seal case to the second cylindrical section of the inner seal case;
- and
- a seal body affixed to the inner circular section of the outer seal case, the seal body extending to the first cylindrical section of the inner seal case;
- wherein the first circular section of the inner seal case is axially outward of the inner circular section of the outer seal case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.