1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bearing seal that is designed so that it can be mounted between one element and the other element of a bearing that rotate relative to each other, thereby sealing the bearing both internally and externally. More particularly, the present invention relates to such bearing seal that is suitable for use with a water pump that is used in conjunction with the water-cooled engine on an automotive vehicle.
2. Prior Art
In the bearing that includes two elements rotating relative to each other, such as an inner race and an outer race, there is a bearing seal that may be mounted between those two elements, e.g., the inner race and outer race of the bearing, thereby sealing the bearing both internally and externaly, wherein it is well known that such bearing seal includes a metallic reinforcing ring and an elastic element, such as rubber, that is reinforced by the reinforcing ring.
In the water pump that is used with a water-cooled engine and the like on an automotive vehicle, such bearing seal as the one that includes the metallic reinforcing ring and the elastic element reinforced by the reinforcing ring may also be used.
One example of the water pump is shown in
Between the outer race 54 and pump shaft 53, there is a mechanical seal 57 that is designed to seal the area between the space 58 existing between the pump housing 50 and pump shaft 53 and the impeller 51.
On each of the opposite ends of the outer race 54 is a bearing seal that is designed to seal the interior of the bearing. One of those bearing seals, that is, the bearing seal 56 on one end of the outer race 54 on which the impeller 51 is provided generally includes a metallic reinforcing ring and an elastic element reinforced by the reinforcing ring.
The bearing seal that includes the metallic reinforcing ring and the elastic element reinforced by the reinforcing ring and may be mounted between the two elements of the bearing rotating relative to each other, thereby sealing the bearing both internally and externally is required to provide the sealing capabilities with the high reliability even when it is used under the hardest operating environment for an extended period of the time. The reason is that if the bearing seal should fail and its sealing capability should thus be affected, this would lead to the failure of the bearing on which the bearing seal is mounted, resulting in the failure of the device on which such bearing is mounted. Finally, the lifetime of the device would become shorter.
For example, the sealing capability may be affected when the bearing seal 56 mounted on the side of the impeller is heated or cooled each time the engine is stopped or restarted, causing the air inside the bearing to expand or contract.
For the water pump described earlier, on the other hand, if the sealing capability of the mechanical seal 57 degrades over the time, the cooling water may flow from the side of the impeller 51 into the space 58 between the pump housing 50 and pump shaft 53.
The cooling water that has flowed into the space 58 between the pump housing 50 and pump shaft 53 or the steam that has been produced as the cooling water has been heated may go through the location of the bearing seal 56 into the bearing. If this actually occurs, it may cause the grease filled in the bearing to degrade, producing rust that may cause the water pump to fail. Thus, the lifetime of the water pump may become shorter.
It may also be appreciated from the preceding description that the grease that is filled inside the bearing might pass through the location of the bearing seal if its sealing capability should accidentally be lost, flowing out from inside the bearing. If this actually occurs, the friction between the rolling element 55 and pump shaft 53 will become greater, causing the water pump bearing to be damaged. This will result in the lifetime of the water pump becoming shorter.
In connection with the bearing seal that is designed to be mounted between one element and the other element of the bearing rotating relative to each other for sealing the bearing, more specifically, the bearing seal that is designed for use with the water pump employed in the water-cooled engine on the automotive vehicle, the inventor of the present invention has addressed the problems associated with the prior art described above, and has proposed various bearing seals as disclosed in Japanese patent application now published under No. 2003-155998.
Following the various water pump bearing seals proposed as disclosed in the above Japanese patent application No. 2003-155998, the inventor of the present application has made further studies, and has successfully developed a bearing seal designed to be mounted between the two elements of the bearing rotating relative to each other for sealing the bearing, wherein the bearing seal can provide the sealing capabilities with the high reliability even when it is used under the hardest operating environment for an extended period of the time, and can effectively accommodate any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted, or any misalignment in the axial direction that may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention proposes to provide a bearing seal that includes a seal ring and a seal body that may be fitted on and secured to one element and the other element of the bearing rotating relative to each other, respectively, wherein the bearing seal has the structural features and forms that may be characterized as described below by referring to the accompanying drawings.
The seal body 4 includes a reinforcing ring 2 having one end extending radially and adapted to be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the other element of the bearing rotating relative to the one element, and an elastic element 3 reinforced by the reinforcing ring 2.
The seal ring 8 includes a first cylindrical portion 5 extending in the axial direction of the bearing perpendicular to the radial direction of the seal body 4 and adapted to be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element, a flange portion 6 extending from the first cylindrical portion 5 toward the radial direction, and a second cylindrical portion 7 extending from the forward end of the flange portion 6 toward the axial direction of the bearing.
The embodiment in which the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 is adapted to be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element may have two different forms, one being the form in which the first cylindrical portion 5 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall in the direct manner as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, and the other being the form in which the first cylindrical portion 5 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall indirectly, that is, by way of a slinger 23 including a cylindrical portion 21 extending in the axial direction of the bearing and a flange portion 20 extending from the end of the cylindrical portion 21 located on the axial outer side thereof toward the radial direction as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.
In the form in which the first cylindrical portion 5 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall indirectly, that is, by way of the slinger 23, one peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23 may be fitted on and secured to the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8, with the other peripheral surface being fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element.
The elastic element 3 that forms part of the seal body 4 has the structural features that will be described below.
The elastic element 3 includes a first lip portion 9, a second lip portion 10 and a third lip portion 11a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) or 11b (FIGS. 4 to 6), each of which has the respective structural features and forms that will be described below. Because of the structural features and forms, those lip portions may provide the respective functions that will also be described below, when the seal ring 8 and seal body 4 are mounted on the bearing.
Specifically, the first lip portion 9 is provided so that it extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the other end opposite the radial one end, and may be made to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 53a of one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element or the peripheral wall 5a of the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8. For example, the first lip portion 9 extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the other end opposite the radial one end, that is, toward the axial outer side (the right side in FIGS. 1 to 6) and then extends obliquely toward the radial inner side (the lower side in FIGS. 1 to 6), and is adapted to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 53a of one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element as shown in
In the form as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 in which the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element indirectly, that is, by way of the slinger 23, the first lip portion 9 may be brought into sliding contact with the one peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23 as shown in
The second lip portion 10 is located on the axial inner side of the bearing from the first lip portion 9 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the other end opposite the radial one end, and is adapted to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 53a of one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element or the peripheral wall 5a of the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8. For example, the second lip portion 10 extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the other end opposite the radial one end, that is, extends toward the axial outer side (the right side in FIGS. 1 to 9) and then extends obliquely toward the radial inner side (the lower side in FIGS. 1 to 9), and is adapted to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 53a of one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element as shown in
In the form as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 in which the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element indirectly, that is, by way of the slinger 23, the second lip portion 10 may be brought into sliding contact with the one peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23 as shown in
The third lip portion 11a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) or 11b (FIGS. 4 to 6) is located on the axial inner side of the bearing from the second lip portion 10, extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the radial direction, and is adapted to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 7a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) or 7b (FIGS. 4 to 6) of the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8. For example, the third lip portion 11a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) extends from the reinforcing ring 2 toward the radial direction, that is, extends toward the axial inner side (the left side in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) and then extends obliquely toward the radial outer side (the upper side in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9), and is adapted to make sliding contact with the inner peripheral wall 7a of the second cylindrical portion of the seal ring 8. Alternatively, the third lip portion 11b (FIGS. 4 to 6) extends from the reinforcing ring 2 toward the radial direction, that is, extends toward the axial inner side (the left side in FIGS. 4 to 6) and then extends obliquely toward the radial inner side (the lower side in FIG. FIGS. 4 to 6), and is adapted to make sliding contact with the outer peripheral wall 7b of the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8.
According to the bearing seal 1 of the present invention that has the structural features described above, one end of the seal body 4 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the other element of the bearing rotating relative to the one element, and the first lip portion 9 and second lip portion 10 that correspond to the other end of the seal body 4 and are reinforced by the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4, extending toward the seal ring 8 may be made to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 53a of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element or the peripheral wall 5a of the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 that is fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall 53a of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element. When the bearing seal 1 of the present invention is thus mounted on the bearing that includes the one element and the other element rotating relative to each other, it can seal the bearing both internally and externally with the high reliability.
In the form as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 in which the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element indirectly, that is, by way of the slinger 23, the first lip portion 9 and the second lip portion 10 may be brought into sliding contact with the one peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23, or may be brought into sliding contact with the peripheral wall 5a of the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8. The first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 is fitted on and secured to the one peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23. Even in such case as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, when the bearing seal 1 is mounted on the bearing including the one and other elements rotating relative to each other the bearing can be sealed both internally and externally with the high reliability.
The third lip portion 11a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) or 11b (FIGS. 4 to 6) that is provided on the elastic element 3 reinforced by the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 and is located on the axial inner side from the first lip portion 9 and second lip portion 10 are provided to extend toward the second cylindrical portion 7 extending in the axial direction from the forward end of the flange portion 6 of the seal ring 8 extending in the radial direction from the first cylindrical portion 5, and may be made to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 7a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) or peripheral wall 7b(FIGS. 4 to 6) of the second cylindrical portion 7. Any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted or any misalignment in the axial direction that may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing can be accommodated effectively in this way.
As a first alternative form of the bearing seal that has been described so far, the first lip portion 9 and second lip portion 10 provided on the elastic element 3 reinforced by the reinforcing ring 2 may be provided to extend from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the seal ring 8, and may be made to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 53a of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element, as shown in
Similarly, as one variation of the form as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 in which the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element indirectly, that is, by way of the slinger 23, the first lip portion 9 having the elastic element 3 reinforced by the reinforcing ring 2 and the second lip portion 10 may be provided to extend from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23 so that both can make sliding contact with the one peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of the slinger 23, with the other peripheral surface being fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall 53a of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element, as shown in
In any of the alternative forms described above, the bearing that includes the two elements rotating relative to each other can be sealed both internally and externally with the high reliability when the bearing seal 1 of the present invention is mounted on such bearing.
As a further alternative form of the bearing seal 1 of the present invention described so far, the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8 may be provided to extend toward the axial outer side of the bearing, and the third lip portion 11a may be provided to extend toward the radial outer side and then extend obliquely toward the axial inner side and may be made to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 7a on the radial inner side of the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8.
As a still further alternative form, the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8 may be provided to extend toward the axial outer side of the bearing, and the third lip portion 11b may be provided to extend toward the radial inner side and then extend obliquely toward the axial inner side of the bearing and may be made to make sliding contact with the peripheral wall 7b on the radial outer side of the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8.
In any of the further alternative forms just described above, any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted, or any misalignment in the axial direction that may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing can be accommodated effectively.
In any of the embodiments of the bearing seal 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 and in any of the alternative forms thereof, the reinforcing ring 2, seal ring 8 and slinger 23 may be shaped from any of the metals that are known in the relevant field. It should be noted, however, that when the bearing seal of the present invention is utilized in the water pump used with the water-cooled engine on the automotive vehicle, the reinforcing ring 2 and seal ring 8 may desirably be shaped from any metals that resist the corrosion, such as stainless steel, in order to avoid that any rust gathers on those elements. In this case, any type of metal can be used for shaping those elements without any limitation if such metal can resist the corrosion. For example, steel may be used as the base metal, which may be plated with any anticorrosive metal.
The elastic element 3 may be shaped using rubber, synthetic resin and the like that are known in the relevant field.
According to the present invention, the bearing seal may be mounted between the two elements of the bearing rotating relative to each other, such as the outer race and inner race, and can provide the sealing capabilities with the high reliability even when it is used under the hardest operating environment for an extended period of the time. Also, it can effectively accommodate any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted or any misalignment in the axial direction that may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing.
It may be appreciated from the foregoing description that the bearing seal of the present invention may be mounted between the two elements of the bearing rotating relative to each other, such as the outer race and inner race, and can provide the sealing capabilities with the high reliability even when it is used under the hardest operating environment for an extended period of the time. Accordingly, it can effectively accommodate any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted or may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing.
In the example shown in
In the water pump bearing in which the bearing seal of the present invention is particularly employed on the side of the pump shaft on which the impeller is mounted, any entry of water into the bearing from the outside can be prevented effectively, and any leak of grease from the bearing can also be prevented effectively. Any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted or may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing can be accommodated by the seal portions that are created between the respective third lip portion 11a, 11b and the inner peripheral wall 7a or outer peripheral wall 7b of the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8.
Several preferred embodiments of the present invention are now described in further detail by referring to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 9 represent three different forms of a bearing seal 1 according to the present invention that are shown in cross section, although some non-essential parts or elements are not shown. It may be seen from FIGS. 1 to 9 that the bearing on which the bearing seal 1 may be mounted for sealing it is constructed to permit a pump shaft 53 rotatably to be mounted to an outer race 54 by way of a rolling element 55 and to permit the peripheral surface of the pump shaft 53 and the peripheral surface of the outer race 54 to rotate relative to each other.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the bearing seal 1 includes a seal ring 8 and a seal body 4, both of which may be fitted on and secured to one element (pump shaft 53) and the other element (outer race 54) rotating relative to each other, respectively.
The seal ring 8, which may be made of stainless steel, for example, includes a first cylindrical portion 5 extending in the axial direction of the bearing (in the horizontal direction in FIGS. 1 to 9) and adapted to be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall 53a of the pump shaft 53 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, a flange portion 6 extending from the first cylindrical portion 5 toward the radial direction (in the vertical direction in FIGS. 1 to 9), and a second cylindrical portion 7 extending from the forward end of the flange portion 6 toward the axial direction of the bearing.
The seal body 4 includes a metallic reinforcing ring 2 and an elastic element 3 made of rubber and reinforced by the reinforcing ring 2.
On one end of the seal body 4 that extends in the radial, there is an end 13 of the elastic element 3 that is formed like a bump. The outer side in the radial direction located on the upper end in the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 is the one end of the seal body 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the seal ring 8 may be inserted under the applied pressure in the direction of the axial inner side (the left side in FIGS. 1 to 9), thereby permitting the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 to be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall 53a of the pump shaft 53, and the seal body 4 may then be inserted under the applied pressure in the direction of the axial inner side (the left side in FIGS. 1 to 9). In this way, the end 13 of the elastic element 3 formed like the bump on the radial outer side may be made to engage a fitting groove 12 formed in the peripheral wall of the outer race 54, and the radial outer side of the seal body 14 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the outer race 54.
The elastic element 3 includes a first lip portion 9, a second lip portion 10 and a third lip portion 11a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9), 11b (FIGS. 4 to 6).
The first lip portion 9 is provided so that it extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the radial inner side (toward the lower side in FIGS. 1 to 9). Specifically, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the first lip portion 9 extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body toward the axial outer side (toward the right side in FIGS. 1 to 9), and then extends obliquely toward the radial inner side (toward the lower side in FIGS. 1 to 9).
The second lip portion 10 is located on the inner side (the left side in FIGS. 1 to 9) in the axial direction (the horizontal direction in FIGS. 1 to 9) from the first lip portion 9, and extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the radial inner side (the lower side in FIGS. 1 to 9). Specifically, in each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the second lip portion 10 that is located on the axial inner side (on the left side in FIGS. 1 to 9) from the first lip portion 9 extends toward the axial outer side (toward the right side in FIGS. 1 to 9), and then extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 obliquely toward the radial inner side (toward the lower side in FIGS. 1 to 9).
The third lip portion 11a (FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) is located on the inner side (on the left side in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) in the axial direction (in the horizontal direction in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9) from the second lip portion 10 and extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the radial outer side (the upper side in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9), while the third lip portion 11b (FIGS. 4 to 6) is located on the inner side (on the left side in FIGS. 4 to 6) in the axial direction (in the horizontal direction in FIGS. 4 to 6) from the second lip portion 10 and extends from the reinforcing ring 2 of the seal body 4 toward the radial outer side (the lower side in FIGS. 4 to 6).
More specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 7 to 9, the third lip portion 11a that is located on the inner side (on the left side in
Similarly, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the third lip portion 11b (
With the seal ring 8 and seal body 4 being mounted on the bearing as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the radial outer side of the seal body 4 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the outer race 54, and at the same time, in the embodiment shown in
With the bearing seal 1 of the present invention being mounted on the bearing that includes the two elements (one being the pump shaft 53 and the other being the outer race 54) rotating relative to each other as described above, the pump shaft 54 made of metal and the first cylindrical portion 5 made of stainless steel may be secured by engaging each other through the respective outer peripheral surface 53a and inner peripheral surface, both of which are made of metals, and two seal portions may also be created such that they can be spaced axially away from each other, one seal portion being created between the outer peripheral surface of the stainless steel first cylindrical portion 5 and the first lip portion 9 extending toward the axial outer side (the right side in
In the embodiment shown in
In either of the embodiments shown in
Thereby, when the bearing seal 1 is installed on the bearing by mounting the seal ring 8 and seal body 14 on the two elements rotating relative to each other, according to the before described construction, any entry of water from the outside into the bearing is prevented effectively, also any leak of grease from the bearing to the outside is prevented effectively.
More specifically, any entry of water from the outside into the bearing (in the direction of the left side in
Furthermore, any leak of grease from the bearing to the outside (in the direction of the right side in
When the bearing seal 1 is installed on the bearing by mounting the seal ring 8 and seal body 14 on the two elements rotating relative to each other (pump shaft 53 and outer race 54) of the bearing, respectively, as shown in
Even if there is any misalignment that may occur when the bearing is mounted or any axial misalignment that may be caused by any errors in mounting the bearing, such misalignment can effectively be accommodated by the seal portions that are created between the respective third lip portion 11a or 11b and the inner peripheral wall 7a or outer peripheral wall 7b of the second cylindrical portion 7 of the seal ring 8.
In the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element in the direct manner, while in the form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element indirectly, that is, by way of the slinger 23 including the cylindrical portion 21 extending in the axial direction of the bearing and the flange portion 20 extending from the end of the cylindrical portion 21 located on the axial outer side toward the radial direction.
Except for the above, the form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 is substantially the same as the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. In FIGS. 7 to 9, therefore, the parts or elements that are common to those in FIGS. 1 to 3 are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation of those parts or elements will be omitted to avoid the duplication.
The form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 may provide the functions and effects that are explained below, in addition to those that are provided by the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.
If cooling water should enter the space 58 (
In the form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 may be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element by way of the slinger 23 including the cylindrical portion 21 extending in the axial direction of the bearing and the flange portion 20 extending from the end of the cylindrical portion 21 located on the radial outer side. Once the bearing seal 1 is completed by assembling its component parts, such as the seal body 4, seal ring 8 and slinger 23, it is impossible to disassemble the bearing seal into those component parts easily.
Furthermore, once the bearing seal 1 is completed by assembling its component parts, such as the seal body 4, seal ring 8 and slinger 23 as shown in
Although this is not shown, the form shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 may also provide the functions and effects similar to those in the form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, by permitting the first cylindrical portion 5 of the seal ring 8 to be fitted on and secured to the peripheral wall of the one element of the bearing rotating relative to the other element by way of the slinger including the cylindrical portion 21 extending in the axial direction of the bearing and the flange portion extending from the end of the cylindrical portion 21 located on the axial outer side toward the radial direction.
Although some preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described specifically so far, it may be appreciated that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004-045311 | Feb 2004 | JP | national |