Bearings – Rotary bearing – Antifriction bearing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2001-05-22
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Bearings
Rotary bearing
Antifriction bearing
C384S477000, C384S483000, C280S279000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234680
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
(Not Applicable)
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
(Not Applicable)
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to bearing race assemblies, and in particular to a generally environmental-proof sealable bearing race assembly in which sealing of a bearing structure is accomplished with a mechanical seal maintained in place with biasing material positioned to cause positive pressure of seal-mating surfaces against each other.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A need for bearing race assemblies that are truly sealable to thereby render an efficient lifetime of bearing operation before repacking or replacing is present in a number of applications. Unfortunately, many assembly constructions are described as “sealed,” but, in fact, do not provide reasonable longevity in day-to-day operations. Such present approaches primarily include bearing structures with rubber dust shields, O-rings, lip seals, grease within near-zero gap housings, labyrinths, and other similar provisions. As is thus apparent, current attempts for protecting bearing structures such as ball bearings primarily involve the addition of sealing materials to housings or race assemblies in which the bearing structures reside rather than making the race assembly itself a part of the seal structure. As a result, moisture, dirt, and other contaminants find their way past these sealing materials and into contact with the bearing structure after a relatively short period of exposure in a working environment. When this occurs, the bearing structure loses its utility and must be replaced or, minimally, repacked with lubricant within its race assembly and once again sealed with an identical potentially short-lived sealing product.
One particular environment in which a sealed bearing product is greatly important is that of the headset component of a bicycle. Traditionally, headset units are common maintenance items because they provide critical handling characteristics for a rider. When a bicycle is involved in racing, cross-country touring, mountain climbing, or other strenuous activities, its headset unit is easily exposed to untoward environmental impact including dust, rain, surface impact, and other potentially damaging factors. Present units attempt to provide bearing protection by using rubber shields, lip seals, or o-ring seals at junction sites of headset construction, with the latter two seals functioning as “contact seals” since two opposing headset surfaces contact opposing sides of the seal structures. Such contact is minimal, however, and is generally equivalent to the width of a pencil line. Another type of seal is a non-contact seal, referred to as a “near-zero gap” seal, between moving and fixed parts where grease is provided as an interface. In each of the above approaches, however, protection of bearing structures within the headset race assembly breaks down because the respective seal constructions do not provide a barrier sufficiently adequate to withstand environmental contaminants.
In view of the above-described criticality of sufficient bearing structure sealing, it is apparent that a need is present for a sealable bearing race assembly having a seal-structure configuration that adequately repels untoward environmental impact. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a bearing race assembly wherein housing components thereof sealingly mate over a contact area sufficiently configured to significantly inhibit invasive contaminants.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bearing race assembly wherein mating surfaces are flat and are resiliently biased against each other.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sealed bearing assembly wherein ball bearings ride within a channel defined by opposing borders biasly maintained against complimentary borders of a mating assembly component also provided with a complimentary channel wherein the ball bearings likewise ride.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a sealable bearing race assembly comprising a first component and a second component cooperatively mateable with each other to yield a sealed bearing assembly. The first component comprises a first circular channel for accommodating a bearing structure such as a plurality of ball bearings. The channel is flanked by a first lateral flat border and a first medial flat border, with the first lateral flat border having a first biaser there behind for urging that border away from an underlying first support. The second component comprises a second circular channel alignable with the first circular channel, and is flanked by a second lateral flat border and a second medial flat border. The second medial flat border has a second biaser there behind for urging that border away from an underlying second support.
In operation, the first and second lateral flat borders and first and second medial flat borders are preferably formed of metal and are positionable in respective contact with each other such that the resulting contacts are positively maintained by the first biaser urging the first lateral border against the second lateral border and by the second biaser urging the second medial border against the first medial border. A sealed bearing assembly so formed houses the bearing structure within the aligned first and second channel while maintaining under a positive pressure the mating lateral and medial flat borders of the two components thereof to thereby produce a surface-to-surface mechanical seal without the presence of an interfacing or covering material whose structural characteristics fail to adequately inhibit admission of contaminants into bearing structure presence.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5095770 (1992-03-01), Rader, III
Durametallic Corporation; “Magnetic Seal for Positive Bearing Protection”; Form 582A No Date.
Durametallic Corporation; “The X-Series Cartridge Mounted Dura Seal”; Form 566A 1987.
Pac-Seal Inc. International; “Replacement Seal Guide”; Catalog No. 1193 No Date.
E&G Sealol; Engineered Products Division; “Engineered Excellence”; Copyright 1984.
Hannon Thomas R.
Jagger William Doty
Stetina Brunda Garred & Brucker
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