Bearing seal
AssigneeDana Corporation
InventorBarry L. Zackrisson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bearing race seal for universal joints has an improved coating member which retards intrusion of contaminants, and thus resists corrosion and early failure. The seal includes a metallic backbone with a substantially U-shaped cross-section, and further includes an elastomeric coating member bonded to portions of the backbone. A preferred embodiment of the coating member includes an integral external sealing lip disposed for engagement with a trunnion or similar cross member of a universal joint, and an external body portion disposed for engagement with a journal yoke member.
Claims5
In a bearing race seal disposed for use in the interface of trunnion and journal yoke members of a universal joint, said seal including an annular metallic backbone having a generally U-shaped cross section, said backbone disposed for engagement of said seal with inner and outer peripheries of a bearing race, said seal further including an elastomeric coating member bonded to portions of said backbone;
- an improvement comprising an external sealing lip integral with said elastomeric coating member and disposed for engagement with a trunnion, said improvement further comprising an external wall portion integral with said elastomeric coating member and disposed for engagement with a journal yoke member to define a labyrinth seal including at least one sealing engagement between each of:
- (a) said backbone and said yoke member,
- (b) said backbone and said outer periphery of said race,
- (c) said backbone and said inner periphery of said race, and
- (d) said backbone and said trunnion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.