Bearing seal with encoder
AssigneeThe Timken Company
InventorDennis L. Otto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal for a bearing having a rotating outer race and fixed inner race, closes the annular space between the two races and further excites a sensor which delivers a signal that reflects the angular velocity of the outer race. The seal has outer and inner cases and elastomeric sealing elements bonded to the cases. The outer race fits into a bore that opens out of the outer race and its seal element contacts the inner case along the inner race. The inner case fits over the inner race and its seal element is directed outwardly toward the outer case and outer race. In addition, the seal has an encoder ring which is secured to the outer case and presents a radial wall containing disruptions which excite the sensor when the disruptions move past the sensor as the encoder ring rotates with the outer race.
Claims16
In combination with a bearing that comprises an outer race which rotates about an axis and has a raceway that is presented inwardly toward the axis and a bore that leads away from the raceway and opens out of the end of the race, an inner race located within the outer race and having a raceway that is presented outwardly toward the raceway of the outer race and a mounting surface located beyond the raceway and extending into the bore of the outer race, whereby an annular space exists between the two races beyond their respective raceways, and rolling elements located between the two races and contacting the raceways to enable the outer race to rotate around the inner race and about the axis with little friction;
- an improved seal for closing the annular space between the races, said seal being located within the bore of the outer race and comprising:
- an outer case fitted securely to the outer race within the bore thereof and having an axial wall located within the bore;
- an inner case fitted securely to the inner race and having an axial wall located around the mounting surface;
- a flexible seal element on at least one of the cases and effecting a fluid barrier with a surface carried by the other case, and a ferrous encoder ring attached to the outer case and having an axial wall located along the axial wall of the outer case and a radial wall which is directed inwardly from the axial wall of the ring and is exposed at the end of the bore generally in front of the two seal cases and the flexible seal element, the radial wall of the encoder ring being formed integral with the axial wall of the encoder ring and having a diameter generally no greater than that of the bore, the radial wall having disruptions therein of a character which will alter a magnetic field when the ring rotates about the axis, so that the encoder ring will excite a sensor and enable the sensor to deliver a signal that reflects angular velocity.
A seal for establishing an annular fluid barrier around an axis of rotation, said seal comprising:
- an outer case having an axial wall and a radial wall extended inwardly from the axial wall toward the axis;
- a ferrous encoder ring having an axial wall located along and against the axial wall of the outer case, so that one of the axial walls overlies the other axial wall, and a radial wall connected to and extended inwardly from the axial wall toward the axis, the radial wall and axial wall of the encoder ring being formed integral with the greatest diameter of the radial wall being where it is connected to the axial wall, the radial wall of the encoder ring having disruptions arranged in a circular row around the axis of rotation, the radial wall of the ring being spaced axially from the radial wall of the outer case;
- a rigid inner case having an axial wall and a radial wall extending outwardly from the axial wall into the space between the radial walls of the outer case and encoder ring;
- a flexible seal element attached to the radial wall of the outer case and establishing a live fluid barrier along the axial wall of the inner case;
- and another flexible seal element carried by the radial wall of the inner case and establishing a live fluid barrier along the inner of the two overlying axial walls of the outer case and encoder ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.