Spherical roller bearing sealing assembly
View Patent ↗According to the present disclosure, a sealing assembly may include a first member, a second member, and a circumferentially extending seal. The first member may include an angularly disposed running surface. The second member may be rotatable relative to the first member about an axis of rotation. The circumferentially extending seal may be coupled to the second member. The seal may include a lip having a first end fixed to the second member and a second end being generally free. The first end may form a hinge generally providing for radially outward movement of the second end relative to the axis of rotation upon rotation of said second member. The second end may be biased against the running surface.
1. A sealing assembly comprising:
a first member including a generally convex running surface;
a second member rotatable relative to said first member about an axis of rotation; and
a circumferentially extending seal coupled to said second member, said seal including first and second axially spaced apart lips, each lip having a first end fixed to said second member and a second end being generally free, said first ends forming hinges generally providing for radially outward movement of said second ends relative to said axis of rotation upon rotation of said second member, said second ends maintaining continuous biased engagement with said running surface during rotation of said second member as well as during axial alignment and misalignment of said first and second members.
2. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said running surface is disposed at an angle of between 105 and 130 degrees relative to said axis of rotation.
3. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first member includes an outer race fixed to a flange, said flange including said running surface at one end and a substantially axially extending cup portion at an opposite end, said cup portion having a reduced diameter at a distal end to engage an undercut formed in said outer race.
4. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of said lip second ends applies a first force against said running surface when said second member is not rotating, said lip second ends applying a second force against said running surface when said second member is rotating, said second force being generally less than said first force.
5. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spherical roller bearing disposed between said first and second members.
6. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first member includes an outer race and said second member includes an inner race.
7. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second member includes a cylindrically shaped first portion adapted to engage an inner bearing face, a radially outwardly extending second portion, a conically shaped third portion having a diameter increasing as a distance from said second portion increases and a conically shaped fourth portion having a diameter decreasing as said distance from said second portion increases.
8. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second member terminates at said fourth portion.
9. The sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second member includes a bracket extending generally concentric to said running surface, said seal coupled to said bracket.
10. The sealing assembly of claim 9 , wherein said running surface extends radially between said bracket and said axis of rotation.
11. The sealing assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of said seal lip first ends is coupled to a radially inner surface of said bracket and each of said seal lip second ends engages a radially outer portion of said running surface.
12. A sealing assembly comprising:
an outer race including a generally spherical running surface;
an inner race disposed within said outer race;
a bearing assembly disposed between inner and outer races and providing relative rotation therebetween about an axis of rotation; and
a circumferentially extending seal coupled to said inner race, said seal including a plurality of lips, each lip having first and second ends, said first ends fixed to said inner race and said second ends engaged with said running surface.
13. The sealing assembly of claim 12 , wherein said outer race is generally fixed and said inner race is rotatable relative to said outer race.
14. The sealing assembly of claim 13 , wherein each of said first ends of said seal lips forms a hinge, said hinge generally providing for radially outward movement of said second ends relative to said axis of rotation upon rotation of said inner race.
15. The sealing assembly of claim 14 , wherein each of said seal lip second ends applies a first force against said running surface when said inner race is not rotating, each of said seal lip second ends applying a second force against said running surface when said inner race is rotating, said second force being generally less than said first force, said lips maintaining contact with said running surface throughout seal operation.
16. The sealing assembly of claim 12 , wherein said bearing assembly includes spherical roller bearings.
17. The sealing assembly of claim 12 , wherein said inner race includes a bracket extending generally concentric to said running surface, said seal coupled to said bracket.
18. The sealing assembly of claim 17 , wherein said running surface extends radially between said bracket and said axis of rotation.
19. The sealing assembly of claim 18 , wherein each of said seal lip first ends is coupled to a radially inner surface of said bracket and each of said seal lip second ends engages a radially outer portion of said running surface.
20. The sealing assembly of claim 12 , wherein said outer race includes a flange having said running surface at one end and a substantially axially extending cup portion at an opposite end, said cup portion having a reduced diameter at a distal end to engage an undercut formed in said outer race.