Annular sealing assembly, in particular for wheel hubs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9464720-B2
Application number	US-201414456623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 20, 2006
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A sealing assembly comprises a first annular shield presenting an axial sleeve portion for the mounting angularly integral with one of said members, and a flange portion which radially extends from a first end of the sleeve portion, and a sealing member made of elastomeric material presenting an annular root portion, which overhangingly and radially extends from a peripheral edge of the flange portion and a first axially sealing annular lip, as well as a second radially sealing annular lip. The lips extend overhangingly and axially on the opposite side of the first end of the sleeve portion, from a same side as a thinned end of the root portion and are reciprocally and divergingly arranged to form in radial section a V-shape having a vertex facing towards the root portion and an axis parallel to the sleeve portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sealing assembly insertable in a compartment defined by members of a hub bearing unit rotatable relative to each other to isolate the compartment from the external environment, the sealing assembly comprising:
a sleeve portion disposed between the members of the hub bearing unit and having a first sleeve portion positioned axially along one of the members and having a first sleeve portion end, the sleeve portion further comprising an edge extending from the first sleeve portion end, the edge extending radially outwardly and axially away from the first sleeve portion and having a thickness less than a first sleeve portion thickness when viewing the sealing assembly in cross section, wherein the edge extends from and is connected to a radially outermost part of the first sleeve portion end such that the edge does not directly contact a radially innermost part of the first sleeve portion end;
a first annular shield presenting an axial sleeve portion having a first end and mounted angularly and integrally with one of the members and a flange portion extending radially from said first end to a peripheral edge;
a sealing member made of elastomeric material presenting an annular root portion extending radially and overhangingly from said peripheral edge;
a first axial sealing annular lip presenting a sealing edge and a seat to receive a spring mounted so as to apply on said first axial sealing annular lip a radial stress to an elastic hinge defined by a thinned end of the annular root portion and having a center of rotation arranged on a line crossing said sealing edge;
a second radial sealing lip extending overhangingly from said thinned end of said annular root portion on the opposite side of said first end of said axial sleeve portion for slidingly engaging said sleeve portion disposed between the members; and
a third lip extending overhangingly from said annular root portion in a direction opposite from said first axial sealing annular lip and obliquely with respect to said flange portion thereby forming an X-shape defined between said first axial sealing annular lip, said second sealing radial sealing lip, and said root portion having the centre of rotation for said first axial sealing annular lip arranged in the middle of said X-shape to constantly maintain sealing action even with progressive wear of said first axial sealing annular lip as load is applied to said sealing edge, wherein the edge radially overlaps at least a portion of the third lip, and wherein an outermost radial part of the edge is less than an innermost radial part of the flange portion of the first annular shield; and
said first axial sealing annular lip presenting a cross section having a first distance defined between an outer surface of said first axial sealing annular lip at said seat and an inner surface of said first axial sealing annular lip being substantially equal to a second distance defined at said thinned end of said first axial sealing annular lip between said outer surface and said inner surface of said first axial sealing annular lip thereby improving flexibility of said first axial sealing annular lip at the elastic hinge defined by said thinned end of said annular root portion.

2. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first axial sealing annular lip and said second radial sealing lip slidingly couple a second annular shield of said sleeve portion.

3. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a centre of application of radial stress on said first axial sealing annular lip is offset also with respect to said sealing edge.

4. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first axial sealing annular lip and said second radial sealing lip are defined, towards said thinned end of said annular root portion and on the opposite side, by respective annular grooves having semicircular profile in radial section, the centre of rotation of said elastic hinge defined by said thinned end of said annular root portion being located at the intersection of opposite lines tangent to the profile of said annular grooves.

5. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the sleeve portion includes a second flange portion extending from a second end of the first sleeve portion, the second flange portion comprising a first axially extending flange portion directly connected to the second end and extending towards the edge such that the first axially extending flange portion and the first sleeve portion form a U-shape, the second flange portion further comprising a radially extending flange portion extending from the first axially extending flange portion such that the radially extending flange portion is entirely axially overlapped by the first sleeve portion, the second flange portion further comprising a second axially extending flange portion extending from the outermost radial portion of the radially extending flange portion and extending axially away from the edge.

6. The sealing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said sleeve portion includes a flange portion of a second shield includes a metallic element carrying an elastomeric ring, said metallic element including a plurality of grooves defined on an outer surface of said metallic element contacting said elastomeric ring, wherein said plurality of grooves receive said elastomeric ring to define a mechanical connection therebetween.

7. A sealing assembly insertable in a compartment defined by members of a hub bearing unit rotatable relative to each other to isolate the compartment from the external environment, the sealing assembly comprising:
a first annular shield presenting an axial sleeve portion having a first end and mounted angularly and integrally with one of the members and a flange portion extending radially from said first end to a peripheral edge;
a sleeve portion disposed between the members of the hub bearing unit having a first sleeve portion positioned axially along one of the members and having a first sleeve portion end, the sleeve portion further comprising an edge extending from the first sleeve portion end, the edge extending radially outwardly and axially away from the first sleeve portion and having a thickness less than a first sleeve portion thickness when viewing the sealing assembly in cross section, wherein the edge extends from and is connected to a radially outermost part of the first sleeve portion end such that the edge does not directly contact a radially innermost part of the first sleeve portion end, said sleeve portion includes a second flange portion having a metallic element thereon carrying an elastomeric ring, said metallic element includes a plurality of grooves defined on an outer surface of said metallic element contacting said elastomeric ring, wherein said plurality of grooves receive said elastomeric ring to define a mechanical connection therebetween;
a sealing member made of elastomeric material presenting an annular root portion extending radially and overhangingly from said peripheral edge;
a first axial sealing annular lip presenting a sealing edge and a seat to receive a spring mounted so as to apply on said first axial sealing annular lip a radial stress to an elastic hinge defined by a thinned end of the annular root portion and having a center of rotation arranged on a line crossing said sealing edge forming with a radial plane an angle γ in the range from 20° to 60°;
a second radial sealing lip extending overhangingly from said thinned end of said annular root portion on the opposite side of said first end of said axial sleeve portion for slidingly engaging said sleeve portion disposed between the members, said first axial sealing annular lip and said second radial sealing lip slidingly couple a second annular shield of s

Assignees

• Brunetti Marco
• Foti Claudio
• Serafini Andrea
• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Brunetti Marco
• Foti Claudio
• Serafini Andrea

Classifications

• F16J15/3256 Primary

  comprising two casing or support elements, one attached to each surface, e.g. cartridge or cassette seals · CPC title

• F16C33/7823

  of sealing lips · CPC title

• F16C33/7869

  mounted with a cylindrical portion to the inner surface of the outer race and having a radial portion extending inward · CPC title

• F16C19/06

  with a single row or balls · CPC title

• F16C33/7883

  mounted to the inner race and of generally L-shape, the two sealing rings defining a sealing with box-shaped cross-section · CPC title