Seal for drive-wheel-hub assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A seal for a drive-wheel-hub assembly that has an axle shaft (40) extending outwardly from a differential;
- a generally cylindrical non-rotatable axle housing (12) and spindle (24) enclosing said axle shaft, that define a first cavity between said axle shaft and the interior surface of said spindle;
an end cap (42) on the outer end of said axle shaft;
a rotatable inwardly extending hub (16) affixed to said end cap, forming a second cavity (46C,
48) between the inside-diameter surface of said hub and the outside-diameter surface (33) of said spindle; and
wheel bearings (30,
32) in said second cavity, engaging said outside-diameter surface of said spindle and said inside-diameter surface of said hub for rotatably supporting said hub relative to said spindle;
comprising;
outer seal means (50, 52,
62) fixedly supported between said first (58C) and second (46C,
48) cavities for sealing off said first cavity from said second cavity for lubricants, wherein said outer seal means comprises;
first outer seal means (50) fixedly supported with respect to said spindle (24) and located outward of said bearing (32) for lubricant sealing; and
,second outer seal means (52,
62) fixedly supported with respect to said hub (16) and slidably engaging said first outer seal means (50) for forming a rotational seal with said first outer seal means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An outer seal for a drive-axle-wheel hub keeps axle-gear lubricant separated from wheel-bearing grease by preventing leakage to and from the wheel-bearing cavity at the outer end of the spindle. A sleeve-like outer-seal journal (50) is pressed into a groove (60) in the outer face of an outer lock nut (38). A seal-carrier ring (62) fits over the wheel hub drive studs (22) between a hub (16) and an axle-shaft cap (42). The ring (62) carries a lip-type resilient outer seal (52) that slidably presses against the outer seal journal (50). Wheel bearing life is extended.
32 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A seal for a drive-wheel-hub assembly that has an axle shaft (40) extending outwardly from a differential;
- a generally cylindrical non-rotatable axle housing (12) and spindle (24) enclosing said axle shaft, that define a first cavity between said axle shaft and the interior surface of said spindle;
an end cap (42) on the outer end of said axle shaft;
a rotatable inwardly extending hub (16) affixed to said end cap, forming a second cavity (46C,
48) between the inside-diameter surface of said hub and the outside-diameter surface (33) of said spindle; and
wheel bearings (30,
32) in said second cavity, engaging said outside-diameter surface of said spindle and said inside-diameter surface of said hub for rotatably supporting said hub relative to said spindle;
comprising;outer seal means (50, 52,
62) fixedly supported between said first (58C) and second (46C,
48) cavities for sealing off said first cavity from said second cavity for lubricants, wherein said outer seal means comprises;first outer seal means (50) fixedly supported with respect to said spindle (24) and located outward of said bearing (32) for lubricant sealing; and
,second outer seal means (52,
62) fixedly supported with respect to said hub (16) and slidably engaging said first outer seal means (50) for forming a rotational seal with said first outer seal means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a generally cylindrical non-rotatable axle housing (12) and spindle (24) enclosing said axle shaft, that define a first cavity between said axle shaft and the interior surface of said spindle;
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9. A seal for drive-wheel-hub assembly that has an axle shaft (40) extending outwardly from a differential;
- a generally cylindrical non-rotatable axle housing (12) and spindle (24) enclosing said axle shaft that defines a first cavity (58C) between said axle shaft and the interior surface of said spindle;
an end cap (42) on the outer end of said axle shaft;
a rotatable inwardly extending hub (16) affixed to said end cap, forming a second cavity (46C,
48) between the inside-diameter surface of said hub and the outside-diameter surface (33) of said spindle; and
wheel bearings (30,
32) in said second cavity, engaging the outside-diameter surface of said spindle and said inside-diameter surface of said hub for rotatably supporting said hub relative to said spindle;
comprising;a nut (38) threaded on the outer end of said spindle, and having an annular groove (60) in the outer face of said nut; a journal (50) affixed in said annular groove of said nut, and having a cylindrical outside-diameter surface; a resilient annular seal (52) having a cylindrical inside-diameter surface for rotationally engaging said cylindrical outside-diameter surface of said journal (50); a rigid seal-carrier ring (62) having an inside surface to which said resilient annular ring (52) is affixed for supporting said resilient annular ring; at least two threaded fasteners (22) for affixing said end cap (42) to said hub (16), wherein said threaded fasteners support said rigid seal-carrier ring (62) with respect to said hub (16).
- a generally cylindrical non-rotatable axle housing (12) and spindle (24) enclosing said axle shaft that defines a first cavity (58C) between said axle shaft and the interior surface of said spindle;
Specification