Labyrinth seal bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926981-B2
Application number	US-201515319846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Jul 2, 2014
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A labyrinth seal bearing includes: an inner ring; an outer ring; a labyrinth seal structure, located in a radial gap between the inner ring and the outer ring; wherein the labyrinth seal structure includes a plurality of seal rings, a labyrinth gap channel is formed among the plurality of seal rings, and the labyrinth gap channel includes two ports respectively connected with an external of the bearing and an internal of the bearing; and a seal loop made from lubricating grease, wherein the seal loop is located in the labyrinth gap channel, and blocks the labyrinth gap channel, so as to isolate the two ports from each other. The present disclosure solves the problem of poor sealing effect in a conventional labyrinth seal bearing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A labyrinth seal bearing, comprising:
an inner ring;
an outer ring;

a labyrinth seal structure located in a radial gap between the inner ring and the outer ring;
the labyrinth seal structure comprises a plurality of seal rings, a labyrinth gap channel formed among the plurality of seal rings, and the labyrinth gap channel comprises two ports respectively connected with an external area from the bearing and an internal area of the bearing; and
a seal loop made from lubricating grease located in the labyrinth gap channel that contacts three seal rings of the plurality of seal rings and blocks the labyrinth gap channel to isolate the two ports from each other.

2. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising a grease injection through hole configured on at least one of the plurality of seal rings for injection of the lubricating grease; and
a seal cover configured to cover the grease injection through hole.

3. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricating grease has a cone penetration less than or equal to 160, with a unit of 0.1 mm.

4. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the two ports consists of one radial extending port and one axial extending port.

5. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the seal loop contacts an axial face of at least one of the plurality of seal rings.

6. A labyrinth seal bearing, comprising:
an inner ring;
an outer ring;

a labyrinth seal structure located in a radial gap between the inner ring and the outer ring;
the labyrinth seal structure comprises a plurality of seal rings, a labyrinth gap channel formed among the plurality of seal rings, and the labyrinth gap channel comprises two ports respectively connected with an external area from the bearing and an internal area of the bearing; and
a seal loop made from lubricating grease located in the labyrinth gap channel that blocks the labyrinth gap channel to isolate the two ports from each other,
wherein the plurality of seal rings comprises:
a first seal ring, fixedly set with respect to the outer ring, comprising a first radial extension element extending along a radial direction, wherein there is a first clearance between the first radial extension element and the inner ring;
a second seal ring, comprising a second axial extension element and a second radial extension element, wherein the second axial extension element extends along an axial direction and is fixed on an outer surface of the inner ring, and the second radial extension element extends from an end of the second axial extension element along a radial outward direction;
a third seal ring, fixedly set with respect to the outer ring, comprising a third axial extension element and a third radial extension element, wherein the third axial extension element extends along the axial direction, the third radial extension element extends along a radial inward direction from an end of the third axial extension element, and there is a clearance between the third axial extension element and the outer ring along the radial direction;
wherein the second radial extension element is located between the first radial extension element and the third radial extension element, there is a second clearance between the second radial extension element and the third axial extension element, and a third clearance between the third radial extension element and the second axial extension element;
wherein the first clearance, the second clearance and the third clearance are spaced sequentially along an axial outward direction of the bearing, with the first clearance and the third clearance as the two ports of the labyrinth gap channel.

7. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 6 , wherein the first seal ring further comprises:
a first axial extension element, extending from an inner periphery of the first radial extension element along an axial direction of the bearing away from the second seal ring, wherein there is a clearance between the first axial extension element and the inner ring along the radial direction.

8. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of seal rings further comprises:
a fourth seal ring, comprising a fourth axial extension element and a fourth radial extension element, wherein the fourth axial extension element extends along the axial direction and is fixed on an outer surface of the second axial extension element, the fourth radial extension element extends from an end of the fourth axial extension element along the radial outward direction, there is a clearance between the fourth axial extension element and the third radial extension element, and the fourth radial extension element is located at a side of the third radial extension element which is away from the second radial extension element;
a fifth seal ring, located in the clearance between the outer ring and the third axial extension element, wherein the fifth seal ring is fixed on the third axial extension element and located outside the radial direction of the fourth radial extension element, and the fifth seal ring forms a centrifugal seal together with an outer periphery of the fourth radial extension element.

9. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 8 , wherein a bending element is configured on the fourth radial extension element, wherein the bending element is formed by bending an radial outer end of the fourth radial extension element towards the axial outward direction of the bearing to generate an acute angle;
a radial clearance between the fifth seal ring and the bending element gradually decreases along the axial outward direction of the bearing.

10. The labyrinth seal bearing according to claim 9 , wherein the fourth radial extension element comprises a flow-guide side surface, wherein the flow-guide side surface is located at a side of the bending element which is away from the fifth seal ring, and an angle between the flow-guide side surface and an axis of the fourth seal ring is an acute angle.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Wei Lai
• Liu Caifen
• Liu Xin

Classifications

• F16C33/80 Primary

  Labyrinth sealings {(F16C33/761 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16C33/6622

  Details of supply and/or removal of the grease, e.g. purging grease · CPC title

• F16J15/42

  kept in sealing position by centrifugal force · CPC title

• F16C33/743

  retained in the sealing gap · CPC title

• F16C33/6633

  Grease properties or compositions, e.g. rheological properties · CPC title