초록 ▼

A hub rotates around the end of an axle housing on a tapered roller bearing which is packed with grease. The axle housing, which is part of a drive axle, conveys lubricating oil to the interior of the hub, but the oil does not encounter the grease, for a seal, which is fitted into the end of the bea

A hub rotates around the end of an axle housing on a tapered roller bearing which is packed with grease. The axle housing, which is part of a drive axle, conveys lubricating oil to the interior of the hub, but the oil does not encounter the grease, for a seal, which is fitted into the end of the bearing, separates the oil from the grease. The seal pumps the grease back to the interior of the bearing and the oil away from the interior of the bearing.

대표청구항 ▼

In combination with a first machine component and a second machine component that has a hollow interior which receives the first machine component and further contains a lubricant in the form of oil, and with an antifriction bearing for enabling one of the machine components to rotate relative to th

In combination with a first machine component and a second machine component that has a hollow interior which receives the first machine component and further contains a lubricant in the form of oil, and with an antifriction bearing for enabling one of the machine components to rotate relative to the other machine component, the bearing having an inner race located around the first machine component, an outer race within the second machine component and encircling the inner race such that an annular space exists between the races to form the interior of the bearing, and rolling elements arranged in a circular row between the races, the annular space of the bearing containing a lubricant in the form of grease, sealing surfaces carried by at least one of the components and located within the hollow interior of the second component, a seal for isolating the grease within the annular space of the bearing from the oil in the hollow interior of the second component, said seal comprising: a first seal lip in the form of a labyrinth carried by one of the components and establishing a dynamic fluid barrier along one of the sealing surfaces that is carried by the other component, the first seal lip being spaced slightly from the one sealing surface and being exposed to the annular space between the races and to the grease in that annular space, the first lip being configured to pump grease which encounters it back toward the annular space; a second lip carried by one of the components and contacting a sealing surface carried by the other component to form another dynamic fluid barrier beyond the first lip, so that the first lip is located between the annular space between the races and the second lip, the second lip being exposed through the space between the first lip and its sealing surface to the annular space between the races, so that a small amount of grease will migrate to the second lip on occasion; and a third lip carried by one of the components and contacting a sealing surface to form still another dynamic fluid barrier beyond the second lip, so that the second lip is interposed between the first and third lips, the third lip being exposed to the oil in the interior of the second machine component, at least the second and third lips being formed from an elastomeric material.