US 5,716,277 AGranted

Seal for a universal joint trunnion

AssigneeDana Corporation

InventorJames T. Reynolds

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An elastomeric seal assembly for use with a bearing cup mounted on a trunnion of a universal joint cross member includes an elastomeric seal attached to a metallic support ring. The metallic rings are pressed into the open ends of the bearing cups and are retained therein by friction. The elastomeric seals each include first, second and third radially inwardly extending sealing lips. When the bearing cups and sealing assemblies are mounted about the trunnions the annular lubricant sealing lip engages the frustoconical sealing surface of the trunnion. The annular lubricant sealing lip is slanted towards the closed end of the cup to prevent lubricant from flowing past the seal and out of the roller bearing region. The second sealing lip engages the cylindrical sealing surface of the trunnion and is slanted towards the open end of the cup to resist the entry of abrasive contaminants into the roller bearing region. A third sealing lip engages the cylindrical sealing surface of the trunnion and is slanted in the same direction as the first contaminant sealing lip. The second contaminant sealing lip resists the movement of contaminants towards the first contaminant sealing lip thereby prolonging the life of the seal and universal joint.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A cross member for a universal joint comprising:

a body portion having at least one trunnion extending outwardly from said body portion, said trunnion including a sealing surface extending outwardly from said body portion and a bearing surface extending outwardly from said sealing surface;
a bearing cup having an open end, a closed end, and an inner bearing surface, said bearing cup being disposed about said trunnion such that said inner bearing surface of said bearing cup is disposed co-axially about said bearing surface of said trunnion defining a bearing region therebetween;
a bearing disposed within said bearing region for permitting rotation of said bearing cup relative to said trunnion;
and
a seal assembly sealingly connected to said bearing cup for preventing the flow of lubricant out of said bearing region between said seal assembly and said bearing cup, said seal assembly including a lubricant sealing lip sealingly engaging said trunnion sealing surface and oriented at an angle toward said bearing region to resist the flow of lubricant out of said bearing region between said seal assembly and said trunnion, a first contaminant sealing lip engaging said trunnion sealing surface and oriented at an angle toward said open end of said bearing cup to resist the passage of contaminants into said bearing region between said seal assembly and said trunnion, and a second contaminant sealing lip engaging said trunnion sealing surface and oriented at an angle toward said open end of said bearing cup to resist the passage of contaminants into said bearing region between said seal assembly and said trunnion.

2 more elements

A cross member for a universal joint comprising:

a body portion having a plurality of trunnions extending outwardly from said body portion, each of said trunnions including a sealing surface extending outwardly from said body portion and a bearing surface extending outwardly from said sealing surface;
a bearing cup disposed about each of said trunnions, each of said bearing cups having an open end, a closed end, and an inner bearing surface, said inner bearing surfaces of said bearing cups being disposed co-axially about said bearing surfaces of said trunnions defining respective bearing regions therebetween;
a bearing disposed within each of said bearing regions for permitting rotation of said bearing cups relative to said trunnions;
and
a seal assembly sealingly connected to each of said bearing cups for preventing the flow of lubricant out of said bearing regions between said seal assemblies and said bearing cups, each of said seal assemblies including a lubricant sealing lip sealingly engaging said trunnion sealing surface and oriented at an angle toward said bearing region to resist the flow of lubricant out of said bearing region between said seal assembly and said trunnion, a first contaminant sealing lip engaging said trunnion sealing surface and oriented at an angle toward said open end of said bearing cup to resist the passage of contaminants into said bearing region between said seal assembly and said trunnion, and a second contaminant sealing lip engaging said trunnion sealing surface and oriented at an angle toward said open end of said bearing cup to resist the passage of contaminants into said bearing region between said seal assembly and said trunnion.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.