INTEGRATED SEAL AND BEARING ASSEMBLY AND RELATED METHODS
An integrated seal and bearing assemblies with a bearing assembly having an outer ring defining an outside diameter of the bearing assembly and an inner ring defining an inside diameter of the bearing assembly, and having a plurality of rolling elements located between the inner and outer rings. A seal assembly having a sealing element is integrated with the bearing assembly by engaging an extended flange with an internal channel of the seal element, with a sealing extended flange, or directed with complementary surfaces of the outside flange.
1 . An integrated seal and bearing assembly comprising:
an outer ring defining an outside diameter of a bearing assembly, an inner ring defining an inside diameter of the bearing assembly, a cage retaining a plurality of rolling elements with said rolling elements contacting the outer ring and the inner ring;
a sealing element comprising an outside flange, an inside flange and a center channel section connecting the inside flange and the outside flange, the outside flange, the inside flange, and the center channel section defining a cavity, and wherein an internal channel is formed with the seal element and spaced from the cavity;
an energizer located in the cavity and biasing against the inside flange and the outside flange; and
wherein the outer ring and the sealing element are mechanically engaged to one another by projecting an extended flange from a location external of the sealing element into the internal channel.
2 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the extended flange extending from the outer ring and projecting into the internal channel of the seal element.
3 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the energizer is a canted coil spring.
4 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements are a plurality of ball bearings.
5 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the internal channel is formed through both the center channel section and the outside flange.
6 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 1 , wherein extended flange comprises a base section with a first thickness and a bump having a second thickness that is larger than the first thickness.
7 . The extended flange of claim 6 , wherein the center channel section and the outside flange of sealing element bias against the base section.
8 . An integrated seal and bearing assembly comprising:
an outer ring defining an outside diameter of a bearing assembly, an inner ring defining an inside diameter of the bearing assembly, a cage retaining a plurality of rolling elements with said rolling elements contacting the outer ring and the inner ring;
a sealing element comprising an outside flange, an inside flange, and a center channel section connecting the inside flange and the outside flange, the outside flange, the inside flange, and the center channel section defining a cavity;
an energizer located in the cavity and configured for biasing the inside flange against a shaft; and
wherein an extended flange of the outer ring and the sealing element are mechanically engaged to one another via complementary detent surfaces.
9 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the energizer is a canted coil spring.
10 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the canted coil spring biases against the inside and the outside flange.
11 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the detent surfaces of the extended flange are located at an end of a base section.
12 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the extended flange of the outer bearing engages an extended flange extending from the sealing element.
13 . The integrated seal and bearing assembly of claim 8 , wherein the extended flange has an end edge contacting the center channel section.
14 . A method of forming an integrated seal and bearing assembly comprising:
forming an outer ring, the outer ring defining an outside diameter of a bearing assembly;
forming an inner ring, the inner ring defining an inside diameter of the bearing assembly;
positioning a cage between the outer ring and the inner ring to retain a plurality of rolling elements with said rolling elements contacting the outer ring and the inner ring;
placing a sealing element in mechanical engagement with the bearing assembly, the sealing element comprising an outside flange, an inside flange, and a center channel section connecting the inside flange and the outside flange, wherein the outside flange, the inside flange, and the center channel section defining a cavity;
placing an energizer in the cavity of the sealing element; and
wherein the sealing element and the bearing element are mechanically engaged by complementary detent surfaces located on an extended flange of the outer ring and the sealing element.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the energizer is a canted coil spring.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of rolling elements are a plurality of ball bearings.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sealing element has an extended flange having the detent surfaces that engage the detent surfaces on the extended flange of the outer ring.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the energizer biases the inside flange and the outside flange away from one another.
19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising a support wall extending from the extended flange of the outer ring, and wherein the support wall contacts the center channel section.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the extended flange of the outer ring has an extended end edge, and wherein the extended end edge contacts the center channel section.