Seal for a joint or juncture – Seal between relatively movable parts – Circumferential contact seal for other than piston
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-10-16
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Seal for a joint or juncture
Seal between relatively movable parts
Circumferential contact seal for other than piston
C277S561000, C277S569000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302403
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a sealing assembly for two mechanical members connected for relative rotation, e.g. the two rings of a rolling bearing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A major problem posed by sealing assemblies for rotary members is overheating of sliding-contact sealing members, especially at high rotation speeds which bring about fairly rapid wear of the sealing members.
Currently available sealing members of this type fail to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem. In particular, though various solutions are known which provide for lubricating the sliding lips, e.g. using the same lubricant as for the members connected for relative rotation, such solutions invariably involve considerable in-service lubricant leakage, besides failing to maintain long-term efficiency of the sliding members and prevent the entry of external contaminating substances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks of known sealing assemblies for rotary members by providing, in particular, a sealing assembly which, though cheap and easy to produce, provides for effectively lubricating, cooling, and maintaining long-term efficiency of the sealing member, for minimizing lubricant leakage, and for effectively excluding contaminating substances, especially under heavy-duty working conditions.
According to the present invention, there is provided a sealing assembly for two mechanical members connected for relative rotation, in particular for two rings of a rolling bearing, comprising a substantially rigid shield carried integrally by a first of said mechanical members, and an annular sealing member projecting radially from said shield and in turn comprising a first and a second axial sealing lip, both projecting axially from a first annular face of said annular sealing member and cooperating in sliding manner with a sealing surface, substantially facing said first annular face, of a second of said mechanical members;
characterized in that said annular sealing member is elastically deformable to selectively assume a first operating position when said first annular face of said annular sealing member is subjected to a pressure substantially equal to the pressure on a second annular face, opposite said first annular face, of said annular sealing member, and a second operating position when said first annular face is subjected to a pressure significantly lower than the pressure on said second annular face; in said first operating position, said first lip mating with a given amount of axial interference with said sealing surface, and said second lip mating with substantially no axial interference with said sealing surface to permit fluid passage between said second lip and said sealing surface; and, in said second operating position, said second lip also being caused by deformation of said annular sealing member to cooperate in sliding manner and with a given amount of axial interference with said sealing surface.
The sealing assembly according to the invention is cheap and easy to produce, provides for effectively lubricating, cooling and maintaining long-term efficiency of the sliding-contact sealing member, significantly reduces lubricant leakage, and improves the ability of the sealing member to exclude contaminants in particularly heavy-duty working conditions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2856208 (1958-10-01), Cobb
patent: 3642335 (1972-02-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 4505484 (1985-03-01), Ohkuma et al.
patent: 4772138 (1988-09-01), Dreschmann et al.
patent: 5860748 (1999-01-01), Okumura et al.
patent: 5909880 (1999-06-01), Waskiewicz
patent: 0 198 324 (1986-10-01), None
patent: 0 846 900 (1998-06-01), None
Avaro Fabrizio
Micca Mario
Pairone Gianfranco
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Sandy Robert J.
Schwing Karlena D.
SKF Industrie S.P.A.
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