Rolling bearing assemblies fitted with seals

A rolling bearing assembly comprising a rotary component rotatably supported on another component of the assembly by a plurality of rolling bodies in a bearing chamber defined between the two components, and an annular seal for the chamber, the seal being mounted on one of the components and having a resilient sealing lip in engagement with the other component, said other component having an annular sealing surface and the sealing lip under normal running conditions being in sliding sealing contact with said sealing surface on the other component, wherein the sealing lip is deflected by engagement with said annular sealing surface in a direction away from the bearing chamber whereby any pressure difference across the seal due to reduction of the pressure within the chamber to a value below that outside the chamber draws the sealing lip inwardly towards the bearing chamber, part of the sealing lip is formed with one or more grooves, and the sealing lip is deformable in response to said pressure difference to bring said part thereof into contact with the sealing surface so that said groove or grooves permit flow of air or fluid past the seal and into the chamber.

A rolling bearing assembly comprising a rotary component rotatably supported on another component of the assembly by a plurality of rolling bodies in a bearing chamber defined between the two components, and an annular seal for the chamber, the seal being mounted on one of the components and having a resilient sealing lip in engagement with the other component, said other component having an annular sealing surface and the sealing lip under normal running conditions being in sliding sealing contact with said sealing surface on the other component, wherein the sealing lip is deflected by engagement with said annular sealing surface in a direction away from the bearing chamber whereby any pressure difference across the seal due to reduction of the pressure within the chamber to a value below that outside the chamber draws the sealing lip inwardly towards the bearing chamber, part of the sealing lip is formed with one or more protrusions, and the sealing lip is deformable in response to said pressure difference to bring one or more of said protrusions into contact with said sealing surface so that the protrusion or protrusions space the remainder of the sealing lip from the sealing surface and permit flow of air or fluid past the seal and into the chamber.

A rolling bearing assembly comprising a rotary component rotatably supported on another component of the assembly by a plurality of rolling bodies in a bearing chamber defined between the two components, and an annular seal for the chamber, the seal being mounted on one of the components and having a resilient sealing lip in engagement with the other component, said other component having an annular sealing surface and the sealing lip under normal running conditions being in sliding sealing contact with said sealing surface on the other component, wherein the sealing lip is deflected by engagement with said annular sealing surface in a direction away from the bearing chamber whereby any pressure difference across the seal due to reduction of the pressure within the chamber to a value below that outside the chamber draws the sealing lip inwardly towards the bearing chamber, the said other component has a non-sealing surface adjacent said sealing surface and on the inboard side thereof, and the sealing lip is deformable in response to said pressure difference to a position in which the sealing lip is out of sliding contact with said sealing surface and in sliding contact with said non-sealing surface to permit entry of air or fluid into the chamber.

A rolling bearing assembly comprising a rotary component rotatably supported on another component of the assembly by a plurality of rolling bodies in a bearing chamber defined between the two components, and an annular seal for the chamber, the seal being mounted on one of the components and having a resilient sealing lip in engagement with the other component, said other component having an annular sealing surface and the sealing lip under normal running conditions being in sliding sealing contact with said sealing surface on the other component, wherein the sealing lip is deflected by engagement with said annular sealing surface in a direction away from the bearing chamber whereby any pressure difference across the seal due to reduction of the pressure within the chamber to a value below that outside the chamber draws the sealing lip inwardly towards the bearing chamber, and the sealing lip is deformable in response to said pressure difference into a position out of sealing contact with said sealing surface, and the sealing lip is provided with means which permit entry of air or fluid into the chamber upon deformation of the sealing lip into said position out of sealing contact with the sealing surface.