Neapco, Inc.

Michael J Rogers

Michael J Jones

A one-piece sealing system for a universal joint assembly. A lubricant seal adapted to prevent the leakage of lubricant between the trunnion and bearing cup of a universal joint wherein the trunnion has a cylindrical portion merging into an outwardly flaring arcuate portion, the seal including an elastomer body bonded to the interior of a stiffening ring. The body of the seal has two annular lips that extend from a thin section as two symmetrical cantilever protrusions each having a fully radiused tip, the line of symmetry for the symmetrical lips running from a point near the intersection of the trunnion diameter and the trunnion arcuate radius toward the center of the trunnion arcuate radius, the thin section above the two cantilevered protrusions allowing both lips of the seal to pivot about the line of symmetry, the first one of the lips contacting the trunnion journal diameter and being directed toward the interior of the bearing cup to maintain the level of the bearing lubricant, the second lip contacting the trunnion arcuate radius and is directed away from the interior of the bearing cup to deny the entrance of environmental contaminants, the combination of the thin section and the symmetric lips allowing the interference points of the seal to float. The body of the seal has a third annular lip having a radius greater than the radius of the second annular lip and projects outwardly of the stiffening ring and beyond the open end of the bearing cup for contacting the end of the trunnion arcuate surface remote from the trunnion cylindrical journal portion to deny entrance of environmental contaminants into the bearing cup in the absence of a separate outer seal ring.

One-piece sealing system for a universal joint assembly

A two piece sealing system for a universal joint assembly. A lubricant seal adapted to prevent the leakage of lubricant between the trunnion and bearing cup of a universal joint wherein the trunnion has a cylindrical portion merging into an outwardly flaring arcuate base portion, the seal including an elastomer body bonded to the interior of a stiffening ring. The body of the seal has two lips that extend from a thin section as two symmetrical cantilever protrusions each having a fully radiused tip, the line of symmetry for the symmetrical lips running from a point near the intersection of the trunnion diameter and the trunnion arcuate radius toward the center of the trunnion arcuate radius, the thin section above the two cantilevered protrusions allowing both lips of the seal to pivot about the line of symmetry, one of the lips contacting the journal trunnion diameter and being directed toward the interior of the bearing cup to maintain the level of the bearing lubricant, the other lip contacting the trunnion arcuate radius and is directed away from the interior of the bearing cup to deny the entrance of environmental contaminants, the combination of the thin section and the symmetric lips allowing the interference points of the seal to float. The outer boot seal formed between the bearing cap and the outer cylindrical friction surface of an associated trunnion includes an outer seal of elastomeric material having a tubular portion and an inwardly extending annular portion at one end. The tubular portion has structure for maintaining contact with the outside diameter of the bearing cup and the inwardly extending annular portion has a stiffening ring molded into the elastomer to provide the required strength and stiffness to retain the outer boot seal on the outer cylindrical surface of the trunnion by way of a press fit.

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Wyomissing, PA, United States of America

Michael J Rogers