Seal case with over-molded rubber gasket securing plastic wafer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020292000-A1
Application number	US-202016814782-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 12, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seal case for a bearing seal includes (a) an inner case encircling a rotation axis of the bearing seal, (b) an outer case encircling the rotation axis and including a ring-shaped frame and a rubber gasket over-molded on the frame, and (c) a plastic wafer clamped between the inner case and the outer case, and secured at least by the rubber gasket. A method for manufacturing a bearing seal includes over-molding a rubber gasket onto a ring-shaped frame to form an outer case, placing a plastic wafer between the rubber gasket and an inner case, and securing the inner case to the outer case to form a seal case.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A seal case for a bearing seal, comprising:
an inner case encircling a rotation axis of the bearing seal, an outer case encircling the rotation axis and including a ring-shaped frame and a rubber gasket over-molded on the frame, and a plastic wafer clamped between the inner case and the outer case, and secured at least by the rubber gasket.

2 . The seal case of claim 1 ,
the inner case including a first radial leg; the frame including a second radial leg; the plastic wafer including a third radial leg and a lip extending radially inwards from the third radial leg, the third radial leg being clamped between the first radial leg and a portion of the rubber gasket over-molded on the second radial leg.

3 . The seal case of claim 2 , the outer case having an inner side facing the inner case and an outer side opposite the inner side, the rubber gasket being over-molded onto both the inner side and the outer side.

4 . The seal case of claim 3 , the rubber gasket including:
ribs on the inner side to resist slippage of the plastic wafer; and one or more features on the outer side, being configured to interface with, or hold a component that interfaces with, a sleeve that encircles the rotation axis and is rotatable about the rotation axis relative to the seal case.

5 . The seal case of claim 4 , the rubber gasket including:
a radial lip extending in a direction from the frame toward the rotation axis; and a protruding axial lip on the outer side.

6 . The seal case of claim 4 , the rubber gasket further including, on the outer side, a radially outward-facing ribbed section configured to engage with a hub.

7 . The seal case of claim 2 , the rubber gasket including an inside portion on an inner side of the outer case facing the inner case, the plastic wafer being clamped between the inside portion and the inner case, the inside portion including a plurality of radial ribs that resist slippage of the plastic wafer relative to the outer case and the inner case.

8 . The seal case of claim 7 , the inside portion further including a plurality of circumferential ribs for sealing a leak path between the rubber gasket and the plastic wafer.

9 . The seal case of claim 1 , the plastic wafer being formed from a material that attains a gel state when melted.

10 . The seal case of claim 1 , the plastic wafer including polytetrafluroethylene.

11 . A bearing seal, comprising:
the seal case of claim 1 , the outer case having an inner side facing the inner case and an outer side opposite the inner side, the plastic wafer including:
(a) a radial leg clamped between the inner case and the outer case, and
(b) a lip connected to an innermost diameter of the radial leg; and
a sleeve encircling the rotation axis and wrapping around (i) at least a portion of the outer side of the seal case and (ii) a radially-innermost extreme of the seal case, the sleeve being rotatable about the rotation axis relative to the seal case, the sleeve including an inner-diameter leg that is radially inwards from the seal case and extends in a direction parallel to the rotation axis, the inner-diameter leg engaging with the lip.

12 . The bearing seal of claim 11 , the rubber gasket including a radial lip extending in a direction from the frame toward the inner-diameter leg of the sleeve.

13 . The bearing seal of claim 11 ,
the sleeve further including:
(a) an outer-diameter leg that is radially outwards from the plastic wafer and extends in the direction parallel to the rotation axis, and
(b) a middle section connecting between the inner-diameter leg and the outer-diameter leg, the middle section and the outer-diameter leg wrapping around the at least a portion of the outer side;
the bearing seal further comprising a thrust bumper seated in the rubber gasket on the outer side of the outer case, the thrust bumper facing an edge of the outer-diameter leg of the sleeve.

14 . The bearing seal of claim 13 , the rubber gasket including:
a radial lip extending in a direction from the frame toward the inner-diameter leg of the sleeve; and an axial lip extending in a direction from the frame toward the middle section of the sleeve.

15 . A method for manufacturing a bearing seal, comprising:
over-molding a rubber gasket onto a ring-shaped frame to form an outer case; placing a plastic wafer between the rubber gasket and an inner case; and securing the inner case to the outer case to form a seal case.

16 . The method of claim 15 , the step of over-molding comprising:
molding ribs on a side of the outer case configured to face the plastic wafer in the step of placing, the ribs including (a) radial ribs to resist slippage of the plastic wafer relative to the outer case and the inner case and (b) circumferential ribs for forming a static seal between the rubber gasket and the plastic wafer.

17 . The method of claim 16 , the step of over-molding further comprising molding a radial lip that extends radially inwards from a radially innermost edge of the frame.

18 . The method of claim 17 , the step of over-molding further comprising molding an axial lip that extends away from an outer side of the frame opposite the plastic wafer.

19 . The method of claim 17 , the step of over-molding further comprising molding a receptacle for a thrust bumper on an outer side of the frame opposite the plastic wafer.

20 . The method of claim 17 , the step of over-molding further comprising molding a radially outward-facing ribbed section on a radially outward-facing portion of the frame.

21 . The method of claim 15 , the steps of placing and securing cooperating to clamp the plastic wafer directly between the rubber gasket and the inner case.

22 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising spin forming the frame and the inner case.

23 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
disposing the seal case between a sleeve and a retainer ring, the sleeve wrapping around (i) an outer side of the outer case opposite the plastic wafer and (ii) a radially innermost extreme of the seal case closest to a rotation axis of the seal case, the retainer ring being on a side of the inner case opposite the plastic wafer; and securing the retainer ring to the sleeve.

24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
before the step of disposing, seating a thrust bumper in the rubber gasket on the outer side; and in the step of disposing, positioning the sleeve such that an edge of the sleeve faces the thrust bumper.

Assignees

• Cons Metco Inc

Inventors

• Yu Xin

Classifications

• F16C33/7886

  mounted outside the gap between the inner and outer races, e.g. sealing rings mounted to an end face or outer surface of a race · CPC title

• F16C33/7823

  of sealing lips · CPC title

• F16C2326/02

  Wheel hubs or castors · CPC title

• F16C33/783

  of the mounting region · CPC title

• F16C33/7813

  for tapered roller bearings · CPC title