Universal joint including a seal, seal, and method for installing a seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794420-B2
Application number	US-201715691926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A universal joint includes a bush, a bearing journal supported in the bush by a bearing and a seal assembly configured to form a seal between the bearing journal and the bush. The seal assembly includes an outer body formed from a first material having a first hardness, and a reinforcing body at least partially embedded in the outer body is formed from a second material having a hardness greater than the hardness of the first material. The reinforcing body contacts and forms a slip surface for a rolling element of the bearing. The reinforcing body and the outer body are configured such that the reinforcing body compresses a portion of the outer body against the journal when the seal assembly is mounted on the bearing journal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal joint comprising:
a bush;
a bearing journal supported in the bush by a bearing; and
a seal assembly configured to form a seal between the bearing journal and the bush, the seal assembly comprising an outer body formed from a first material having a first hardness and a reinforcing body at least partially embedded in the outer body and formed from a plastic having a hardness greater than the hardness of the first material,
wherein the reinforcing body and the seal portion are connected to each other in a friction-fit and/or interference-fit manner or in a materially-bonded manner, and
wherein a first portion of the outer body is located directly radially between the reinforcing body and the journal and a second portion of the outer body is located radially inward of the bush and directly radially between the reinforcing body and the bush.

2. The universal joint according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing body and the outer body are configured such that the reinforcing body compresses a portion of the outer body against the journal when the seal assembly is mounted on the bearing journal.

3. The universal joint according to claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing body contacts and forms a slip surface for a rolling element of the bearing.

4. The universal joint according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing body contacts and forms a slip surface for a rolling element of the bearing.

5. A universal joint comprising:
a bush;
a bearing journal supported in the bush by a bearing; and
a seal assembly configured to form a seal between the bearing journal and the bush, the seal assembly comprising an outer body formed from a first material having a first hardness and a reinforcing body at least partially embedded in the outer body and formed from a second material having a hardness greater than the hardness of the first material, the reinforcing body contacting and forming a slip surface for a rolling element of the bearing,
wherein the reinforcing body and the outer body are configured such that the reinforcing body compresses a portion of the outer body against the journal when the seal assembly is mounted on the bearing journal, and
wherein a first portion of the outer body is located directly radially between the reinforcing body and the journal and a second portion of the outer body is located radially inward of the bush and directly radially between the reinforcing body and the bush.

6. The universal joint according to claim 5 , wherein the seal portion comprises an elastomer and/or the reinforcing body is manufactured from a plastic.

7. The universal joint according to claim 5 , wherein the seal further includes a first radially outwardly directed seal lip configured to slip in a dynamically sealing manner on the bush, or on a sleeve connected to the bush, and at least one second radially inwardly directed seal lip that slips in a dynamically sealing manner on the bush or on the sleeve.

8. The universal joint according to claim 7 , wherein the outer body, the first seal lip, and the at least one second seal lip are monolithically formed on a single elastic body.

9. The universal joint according to claim 7 , wherein the first seal lip is shiftable from a first configuration to a second configuration.

10. The universal joint according to claim 7 ,
wherein the first seal lip is connected to the outer body by a film hinge.

11. The universal joint according to claim 5 , wherein the reinforcing body and the outer body are connected to each other in a materially bonded manner.

12. The universal joint according to claim 5 , wherein the reinforcing body and the outer body are connected to each other in an interference-fit and/or a friction-fit manner.

13. The universal joint according to claim 12 , wherein the seal assembly includes a first radially inwardly directed seal lip that slips in a dynamically sealing manner on the bush or a sleeve connected to the bush, and wherein the seal lip and the outer body are monolithically formed on a single elastic body.

14. The universal joint according to claim 13 , wherein the elastic body includes a radially inwardly directed seal lip that abuts on the reinforcing body in a statically sealing manner.

15. The universal joint according to claim 5 ,
wherein the seal portion comprises an elastomer and/or the reinforcing body is manufactured from a plastic,
wherein the seal further includes a first radially outwardly directed seal lip configured to slip in a dynamically sealing manner on the bush, or on a sleeve connected to the bush, and at least one second radially inwardly directed seal lip that slips in a dynamically sealing manner on the bush or on the sleeve,
wherein the outer body, the first seal lip, and the at least one second seal lip are monolithically formed on a single elastic body,
wherein the reinforcing body and the outer body are connected to each other in a materially bonded manner, and
wherein the first seal lip is shiftable from a first configuration to a second configuration.

16. The universal joint according to claim 5 , wherein the second material comprises a plastic.

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Wendt Volker
• Katsaros Padelis

Classifications

• F16D3/16 Primary

  Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts · CPC title

• F16C2361/41

  Couplings · CPC title

• F16C33/7823 Primary

  of sealing lips · CPC title

• F16C33/7816

  Details of the sealing or parts thereof, e.g. geometry, material · CPC title

• F16C2208/02

  comprising fillers, fibres · CPC title