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US 4,844,484 AGranted
Floating lip seal with reinforced flexible portion
AssigneeDana Corporation
InventorsJoseph Antonini, Paul Gallo
Life of this patent
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AssigneeDana Corporation
InventorsJoseph Antonini, Paul Gallo
Estimating the term…
An annular shaft seal including a continuous lip sealing element for sealing against oil flow between a bore and a shaft extending through the bore includes a convoluted elastomeric flexible section which connects the sealing element with a rigid case support. The flexible section is defined by a plurality of annuli, wherein each adjoining pair of annuli defines a reverse bend therebetween. One or more of the reverse bends is reinforced with a relatively non-elastic material, preferably plastic, which is integrally molded thereinto, and provides a torsional rigidity while permitting radial flexibility. This provides a closer following of the lip seal element on the shaft under conditions of extreme runout wherein the lip seal element would otherwise become dynamically distorted.
In an annular shaft seal including a primary body portion having a continuous oil sealing lip radially disposed for sealing against oil flow between a bore and a shaft extending through said bore, said seal including a rigid case support disposed for engaging said bore, an annular flexible portion comprising a plurality of annuli, said annuli connecting said sealing element with said case support to provide for radial floating of said lip with respect to said shaft relative to the case support, said flexible portion and said oil sealing lip being integrally molded together to comprise a unitary, molded body of an elastomeric material;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.