Plastic housing thrust bearing with complete sealing

• US 4,948,272 A
• Filed: 03/28/1989
• Issued: 08/14/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Auto OOO (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Stowe, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BATTISTA JR, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US07/329,454
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 384/607, 384/609, 384/611, 384/615, 384/618, 384/620, 384/140, 384/482, 277/58, 277/95, 280/668
• US Class Current: 384/607
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/068 specially adapted for MacPherson strut-type suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1242 on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/128 Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4502 using resilient buffer
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/10 for axial load mainly
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/05 Vehicle suspensions, e.g. bearings, pivots or connecting rods used therein in general B60G
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6618 in a reservoir in the sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/761 specifically for bearings with purely axial load

Abstract

A thrust ball bearing for a McPherson strut provides rubbing seals that are integral with rigid plastic housings by making a pair of sealing flanges on the upper housing flexible enough to continuously engage a pair of sloped seal surfaces on the other housing.

Claims

1. A bearing having a circular complement of rolling elements arranged about an axis of said bearing for supporting an axial load, comprising,

a first, generally annular housing molded of a rigid plastic with an integrally molded first pathway for supporting one side of said rolling elements, said first pathway further being bordered by an inner, radially and axially sloping seal surface, and an outer, radially and axially sloping seal surface, said seal surfaces further being integrally molded to said first housing of the same rigid plastic, and,

a second, generally annular housing also molded of a rigid plastic with an integrally molded second pathway for supporting the other side of said rolling elements, said second pathway further being bordered by an inner and outer pair of generally cylindrical, integrally molded sealing flanges of the same rigid plastic, said inner and outer sealing flanges further being sufficiently long and thin to be partially flexible, with the terminal edges of said flanges contacting the respective inner and outer sloping seal surfaces of said first housing with an axial and radial interference sufficient to in turn assure continuous sealing interface therebetween,

whereby complete sealing of said rolling elements is assured with a minimal number of components.

2. A bearing having a circular complement of rolling elements arranged about an axis of said bearing for supporting an axial load, comprising,

a lower, generally annular housing molded of a rigid plastic with an integrally molded lower pathway for supporting the lower side of said rolling elements, said lower pathway being located above a central plane of said bearing and further being bordered by an inner, radially inwardly and axially downwardly sloping seal surface, and an outer, radially outwardly and axially downwardly sloping seal surface, said seal surfaces further being integrally molded to said lower housing of the said rigid plastic, and,

an upper, generally annular housing also molded of a rigid plastic with an integrally molded upper pathway for supporting the upper side of said rolling elements, said upper pathway further being bordered by a pair of inner and outer generally cylindrical, integrally molded sealing flanges of the same rigid plastic, said inner and outer sealing flanges further being sufficiently long that the lower edges thereof flexibly contacting the respective inner and outer sloping seal surfaces of said lower housing with an axial and radial interference sufficient to in turn assure a continuous sealing interface therebetween,

whereby, complete sealing of said rolling elements is assured with a minimal number of components.

3. A bearing having a circular complement of rolling elements arranged about an axis of said bearing for supporting an axial load, comprising,

a lower, generally annular housing molded of a rigid plastic with an integrally molded lower pathway for supporting the lower side of said rolling elements, said lower pathway further being bordered by an inner, radially inwardly and axially downwardly sloping seal surface, and an outer, radially outwardly and axially downwardly sloping seal surface, each of which in turn is bordered by an inner and an outer upstanding lip, said seal surfaces and lips further being integrally molded to said lower housing of the same rigid plastic, and,

an upper, generally annular housing also molded of a rigid plastic with an integrally molded upper pathway for supporting the upper side of said rolling elements, said upper pathway further being bordered by inner and outer sealing flanges integrally molded to said upper housing of the same rigid plastic and further being sufficiently long and thin to be partially flexible, with the lower edges of said flanges contacting the respective inner and outer sloping seal surfaces of said lower housing with an axial and radial interference sufficient to in turn assure a continuous sealing interface therebetween, said flanges further being bordered by an inner and outer cylindrical shielding wall that creates a slight radial and axial clearance with said lower housing inner and outer lips,

whereby, complete sealing of said rolling elements is assured with a minimal number of components, with said sealing interface further being protected by said shielding walls and the slight clearance they create with said lips.