# US 2014/0151967 A1 · Sealing lip and seal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151967 A1 - Document ID: US20140151967A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/122,152 - Filed: 2012-05-24 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-24 - Assignees: Aktiebolage SKF - Applicants: Aktiebolage Skf - Inventors: Helmut Benedix; Juergen Kurth; Juergen Netzer; Christoph Passow; Willy Seewald - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151967A1 ## CPC - F16J 15/3244: with hydrodynamic pumping action - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS ## Abstract A sealing lip seals a first space from a second space with respect to a liquid medium present in the first space. The sealing lip has abutment surface configured to abut on a sealing surface of a component that is movable relative to the sealing lip along a direction of movement. A groove is defined in the abutment surface and pumps any liquid medium present in the groove towards the first space along the direction of movement. The groove extends completely within the abutment surface and is enclosed by the abutment surface, such that it does not intersect either lateral edge of the sealing lip. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 A sealing lip for sealing a first space from a second space with respect to a liquid medium present in the first space, the sealing lip comprising: an abutment surface configured to abut on a counterface of a component that is movable relative to the sealing lip along a direction of movement; and a groove defined in the abutment surface, the groove being configured to pump any liquid medium present in the groove towards the first space along the direction of movement, wherein the groove extends solely within the abutment surface and is enclosed by the abutment surface such that the groove does not intersect either a first lateral edge or a second lateral edge of the sealing lip, which are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sealing lip according to claim 14, wherein the groove configured to also pump the liquid medium towards the first space in a direction opposite to the direction of movement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The sealing lip according to claim 15, wherein the groove extends from a first end along a path that initially extends away from a boundary line of the abutment surface adjacent to the first space, then curves back towards the boundary line and finally approaches the boundary line at a second end of the groove. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The sealing lip according to claim 16, wherein the groove is mirror-symmetric with respect to a line of symmetry that extends perpendicular to the direction of movement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The sealing lip according to claim 17, wherein the groove is formed as an arcuate path, a curved path or a circular-arc-shaped path. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The sealing lip according to claim 18, wherein the groove has: a first side surface defined on a first elongated side of the groove that is closest to the first space, the first side surface forming an angle with the abutment surface that is 70° or less, and a second side surface defined on a second elongated side of the groove that is closest to the second space, the second side surface forming an angle with the abutment surface that is at least 70°. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The sealing lip according to claim 19, wherein portions of the groove adjacent the first end and the second end decrease in depth towards the boundary line in a ramp-shaped manner. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The sealing lip according to claim 20, wherein the groove is one of a plurality of grooves defined in the abutment surface, wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves intersects and fluidly connects with one other groove proximal to the first end and with one other groove proximal to the second end. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The sealing lip according to claim 21, wherein sealing lip comprises polytetrafluoroethylene and a fine-grained mineral filler. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The sealing lip according to claim 22, wherein the sealing lip comprises an elastomer, and is integrally formed in a one-piece manner with an elastomeric structure made from the same material that at least partially surrounds a reinforcing structure of a radial seal device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The sealing lip according to claim 14, wherein the groove extends from a first end along a path that initially extends away from a boundary line of the abutment surface adjacent to the first space, then curves back towards the boundary line and finally approaches the boundary line at a second end of the groove. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The sealing lip according to claim 14, wherein the groove is mirror-symmetric with respect to a line of symmetry that extends perpendicular to the direction of movement. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The sealing lip according to claim 14, wherein the groove is formed as an arcuate path, a curved path or a circular-arc-shaped path. ### Claim 27 (depends on 14) The sealing lip according to claim 14, wherein the groove has: a first side surface defined on a first elongated side of the groove that is closest to the first space, the first side surface forming an angle with the abutment surface that is 70° or less, and a second side surface defined on a second elongated side of the groove that is closest to the second space, the second side surface forming an angle with the abutment surface that is at least 70°. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The sealing lip according to claim 24, wherein portions of the groove adjacent the first end and the second end decrease in depth towards the boundary line in a ramp-shaped manner. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The sealing lip according to claim 24, wherein the groove is one of a plurality of grooves defined in the abutment surface, wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves intersects and fluidly connects with one other groove proximal to the first end and with one other groove proximal to the second end. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The sealing lip according to claim 24, wherein: the first end and the second end of the groove both terminate at a spacing of at least 100 μm from the first lateral edge of the abutment surface, and no part of the groove communicates with the second lateral edge of the abutment surface. ### Claim 31 (depends on 14) A seal comprising: a reinforcing structure at least partially encased by an elastomer; and a sealing lip according to claim 14 connected to the reinforcing structure. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The seal according to claim 31, wherein: the reinforcing structure includes a first section and a second section, which are at least substantially perpendicular to one another, the sealing lip is connected to the second section of the reinforcing structure or is formed in a one-piece manner with the elastomer encasing the reinforcing structure, and the abutment surface is configured to contact the counterface, which extends at least substantially parallel to the first section of the reinforcing structure. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The seal according to claim 32, wherein the sealing lip is circular in cross-section and is configured to seal a rotatable shaft in a radial direction thereof.