Seal for a joint or juncture – Seal between relatively movable parts – Circumferential contact seal for other than piston
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-29
2003-10-21
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)
Seal for a joint or juncture
Seal between relatively movable parts
Circumferential contact seal for other than piston
C277S560000, C277S566000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634648
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to in general to vehicle wheel end assemblies and in particular to an improved shield and seal assembly for use in such a vehicle wheel end assembly.
A portion of a prior art wheel end assembly, indicted generally at
600
, is illustrated in prior art FIG.
10
. As shown therein, the prior art wheel end assembly
600
includes a prior art casing and seal assembly, indicated generally at
602
. The vehicle wheel end assembly
600
is associated with a front left wheel (not shown) of a front wheel non-drive vehicle and includes a unicast hub and disc brake rotor
604
, a steering knuckle
606
, a pair of bearings (only one of the pair of bearings
608
being illustrated), and a wheel spindle
610
.
The unicast hub and rotor
604
includes a wheel hub
612
provided with a centrally located wheel spindle receiving bore
614
formed therein. The bore
614
is of a stepped configuration and includes an inner opened end
616
and an outer opened end (not shown). A first generally cylindrical surface or annular groove
618
is formed adjacent the inner end
616
, a second generally cylindrical surface
620
is formed adjacent the first cylindrical surface
618
. The first cylindrical surface
618
defines a seat for the casing and seal assembly
602
, and the second cylindrical surface
620
defines a bearing seat surface for receiving the inner bearing
608
. The wheel spindle
610
includes an flanged inner end
622
and an opposed threaded outer end (not shown). The wheel spindle
610
extends through an opening
624
provided in the steering knuckle
606
and through the bore
614
of the wheel hub
612
.
As shown in prior art
FIG. 11
, the prior art casing and seal assembly
602
includes a generally non-flexible casing
630
and a generally flexible seal
632
. The casing
630
is formed from a relatively non-flexible or rigid material, such as for example, steel. If so desired, the casing
630
can be coated with an anti-corrosive outer layer of material, such as for example, gold bond or galvanizing. The casing
630
includes a first leg
640
, a second leg
642
, a third leg
644
, and a fourth leg
646
. The first leg
640
extends in a generally radial direction, the second leg
642
extends in a generally axial direction, the third leg
644
extends in a generally axial direction, and the fourth leg
646
extends in a generally radial direction. The first leg
640
and the fourth leg
646
are generally parallel to one another, and the second leg
642
and the third leg
644
are generally parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first leg
640
and the fourth leg
646
.
The seal
632
is formed from a generally flexible material, such as for example, an elastomeric material. The seal
632
includes a first end portion
650
, a second end portion
652
, and an intermediate body
654
connecting the first end portion
650
and the second end portion
652
together. The first end portion
650
defines a grease lip of the seal
632
, and the second end portion
652
defines a first dust lip of the seal
632
. The body
654
further includes a generally radially inwardly extending portion
656
which defines a second dust lip of the seal
632
, and an outer portion
658
having an annular groove or recess
660
provided therein. An end portion
648
of the fourth leg
646
of the casing
630
is disposed in the recess
660
of the casing
630
. To accomplish this, the seal
632
is typically molded in situ with the casing
630
. As shown in prior art
FIG. 10
, the casing and seal assembly
602
is disposed in the first cylindrical surface
618
of the wheel hub
612
of the wheel end assembly
600
. When assembled, the grease lip
650
is disposed in contact with an adjacent surface
660
of the steering knuckle
606
to keep grease in the bearing area of the wheel end assembly
600
, and the first dust lip
652
and the second dust lip
656
are in contact with the adjacent surface
660
of the steering knuckle
606
to prevent debris, such as mud, dirt, water, etc., from entering from the outside into the bearing area of the wheel end assembly
600
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a shield and seal assembly adapted for use in a wheel end assembly of a vehicle and includes a generally non-flexible shield and a generally flexible seal integrally molded in situ with the shield. The shield includes a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, a fourth leg, and a fifth leg. The first leg extends in a generally radially outwardly extending direction, the second leg extends in a generally radial direction, the third leg extends in a generally axial direction, the fourth leg extends in a generally axial direction, and the fifth leg extends in a generally radial direction. The seal includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate body connecting the first end portion and the second end portion together. The first end portion defines a grease lip of the seal, and the second end portion defines a first dust lip of the seal. The body further includes a generally radially inwardly extending portion which defines a second dust lip of the seal, and an outer portion having an annular groove provided therein. The fifth leg of the shield includes an end portion adapted to be disposed in the groove during the molding process.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3482844 (1969-12-01), McKinven, Jr.
patent: 4114898 (1978-09-01), Bainard et al.
patent: 4325591 (1982-04-01), Otto
patent: 4432557 (1984-02-01), Drucktenhengst
patent: 4981303 (1991-01-01), Matsushima et al.
patent: 4991982 (1991-02-01), Colanzi et al.
patent: 5149207 (1992-09-01), Vignoito
patent: 5183269 (1993-02-01), Black et al.
patent: 5201529 (1993-04-01), Heinzen
patent: 5553866 (1996-09-01), Heinzen
patent: 5887875 (1999-03-01), Salciccioli et al.
patent: 5908249 (1999-06-01), Nisley et al.
patent: 6062571 (2000-05-01), Hintenlang
patent: 6186507 (2001-02-01), Oldenburg
patent: 6302404 (2001-10-01), Bundgart
Kelsey-Hayes Company
Knight Anthony
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Pickard Alison K.
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