Radial shaft seal with dust exclusion and hydrodynamic sealing feature

A radial shaft seal configured for receipt in a housing and about a shaft to sealingly isolate an air-side of the shaft seal from an oil-side of the shaft seal, comprising:

• an annular mounting portion;
• an elastomeric seal body connected to said mounting portion;
• a seal lip portion connected to said seal body;
• and a bridge portion connecting together said seal body and said seal lip;
• said seal lip having an annular inner sealing surface extending axially between an oil-side end and a free air-side end, said inner sealing surface having a first groove region extending along the shaft in sealed engagement therewith and a second groove region extending along the shaft in sealed engagement therewith, said first groove region and said second groove region being spaced axially from one another by an intermediate non-grooved region, said first groove region being configured to direct contamination toward said air-side and said second groove region being configured to direct lubrication toward said oil-side;
• said seal lip portion when in the relaxed, uninstalled state, extends at an angle of 1-10° from a horizontal central axis of said annular mounting position;
• said first groove region comprising a plurality of first grooves oriented at an angle to the circumferentially direction of shaft rotation;
• and said second groove region comprising a plurality of second grooves extending substantially circumferentially along the direction of the shaft rotation;
• and
• wherein said first grooves are linearly straight and said second grooves have a first portion extending circumferentially along the direction of shaft rotation and a second portion inclined relative to said first portion.