The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 09, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 13, 1998
Michael J Jones, Boyertown, PA (US);
Michael J Rogers, Wyomissing, PA (US);
Neapco Inc., Pottstown, PA (US);
Abstract
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.