Seal member for joint of machine and method of assembling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10288173-B2
Application number	US-201514837492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Oct 6, 2014
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A seal member for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft includes a ring, a flange, and a resiliently flexible intermediate portion interposed therebetween. The ring includes annular distal and proximal ring faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along a longitudinal axis. The flange includes a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal axis. The flange includes outer and inner flange surfaces extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at, respectively, outer and inner flange perimeters thereof. The intermediate portion is connected to the proximal ring face of the ring and to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seal member for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft, the seal member comprising:
a ring, the ring including a distal ring face and a proximal ring face, the distal ring face and the proximal ring face both being planar and annular and being disposed in spaced relationship to each other along a longitudinal axis, the ring including an outer circumferential ring surface extending along the longitudinal axis between the distal ring face and the proximal ring face at an outer ring perimeter thereof and circumscribing the distal ring face and the proximal ring face, the ring including an inner circumferential ring surface extending along the longitudinal axis between the distal ring face and the proximal ring face at an inner ring perimeter thereof, the inner circumferential ring surface being disposed radially within the outer circumferential ring surface, the inner ring perimeter defining a ring opening;
a flange, the flange including a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal axis, the flange including an outer flange surface extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at an outer flange perimeter thereof, the flange including an inner circumferential flange surface extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at an inner flange perimeter thereof, the inner circumferential flange surface disposed radially within the outer flange surface; and
an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion bonded to both the ring and the flange such that the intermediate portion is interposed between the ring and the flange, the intermediate portion being resiliently flexible, the intermediate portion bonded to the proximal ring face of the ring and to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange, the intermediate portion including an inner shaft engagement surface and an outer relief surface in opposing relationship to the inner shaft engagement surface, the inner shaft engagement surface of the intermediate portion having a taper portion with a first radius of curvature, and the outer relief surface having a concave portion with a second radius of curvature, and the first radius of curvature being larger than the second radius of curvature.

2. The seal member according to claim 1 , wherein the outer circumferential ring surface defines an outer ring diameter, and the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange defines an inner flange diameter, the outer ring diameter of the ring being less than the inner flange diameter of the flange.

3. The seal member according to claim 1 , wherein the flange defines at least one mounting hole extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces.

4. The seal member according to claim 1 , wherein the ring is disposed in spaced relationship to the flange along the longitudinal axis such that the proximal ring face is disposed a longitudinal offset distance from the flange.

5. The seal member according to claim 4 , wherein the intermediate portion includes an axial segment, extending along the longitudinal axis, and a radial segment, extending radially outwardly along a radial plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the axial segment of the intermediate portion including an axial end face, the axial end face being annular and bonded to the proximal ring face of the ring, the radial segment of the intermediate portion including an outer circumferential radial surface circumscribing the axial segment of the intermediate portion, the outer circumferential radial surface of the intermediate portion bonded to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange.

6. The seal member according to claim 1 , wherein the ring and the flange are both more rigid than the intermediate portion.

7. The seal member according to claim 6 , wherein the ring is made from nylon, the flange is made from metal, and the intermediate portion is made from rubber.

8. A joint assembly for a machine, the joint assembly comprising:
a shaft defining a rotational axis;
a pivot member, the pivot member mounted with respect to the shaft such that the pivot member is pivotable about the rotational axis with respect to the shaft; and
a seal member, the seal member mounted to the pivot member and pivotable about the rotational axis with respect to the shaft, the seal member including:
a ring, the ring being adjacent the pivot member, the ring including a distal ring face and a proximal ring face, the distal ring face and the proximal ring face both being planar and annular and being disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the rotational axis, the ring including an outer circumferential ring surface extending along the rotational axis between the distal ring face and the proximal ring face at an outer ring perimeter thereof and circumscribing the distal ring face and the proximal ring face, the ring including an inner circumferential ring surface extending along the rotational axis between the distal ring face and the proximal ring face at an inner ring perimeter thereof, the inner ring perimeter defining a ring opening, the shaft extending through the ring opening,
a flange, the flange disposed in spaced relationship to the ring along the rotational axis, the flange including a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the rotational axis, the flange including an outer flange surface extending along the rotational axis between the pair of flange faces at an outer flange perimeter thereof, the flange including an inner circumferential flange surface extending along the rotational axis between the pair of flange faces at an inner flange perimeter thereof, the inner circumferential flange surface disposed radially within the outer flange surface, the inner circumferential flange surface defining a flange opening, the shaft extending through the flange opening, the flange fixed relative to the pivot member, and
an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion bonded to both the ring and the flange such that the intermediate portion is interposed between the ring and the flange along the rotational axis, the intermediate portion being resiliently flexible, the intermediate portion bonded to the proximal ring face of the ring and to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange, the intermediate portion defining an intermediate passage, the shaft extending through the intermediate passage, the shaft and the intermediate portion having an interfering fit therebetween such that at least a portion of the intermediate portion is flexed radially outwardly, the intermediate portion including an inner shaft engagement surface and an outer relief surface in opposing relationship to the inner shaft engagement surface, the inner shaft engagement surface of the intermediate portion having a taper portion with a first radius of curvature, and the outer relief surface having a concave portion with a second radius of curvature, and the first radius of curvature being larger than the second radius of curvature.

9. The joint assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the ring and the flange are both more rigid than the intermediate portion of the seal member.

10. The joint assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the shaft has an exterior surface, and the inner circumferential ring surface of the ring is in proximate relationship with the shaft with a slip fit therebetween such that the ring is pivotable about the rotational axis with respect to the shaft.

11. The jo

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Chapagain Pradeep
• Mathew Sunil I
• Hudson Charles Taylor

Classifications

• F16C33/74

  of sliding-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16C17/105

  with at least one bearing surface providing angular contact, e.g. conical or spherical bearing surfaces · CPC title

• F16J3/042 Primary

  Fastening details · CPC title

• F16C33/723

  Shaft end sealing means, e.g. cup-shaped caps or covers · CPC title

• F16J15/3284 Primary

  characterised by their structure; Selection of materials · CPC title