DISPOSIÇÃO APLICADA EM COLAR MONOBLOCO COM VEDAÇÃO INTEGRADA

Description

1 / 8 DISPOSITION APPLIED IN A ONE-PIECE COLLAR WITH INTEGRATED SEAL Internal Priority of process BR 20 2026 006671 6 of 03 / 20 / 2026 INTRODUCTION

[001] This Utility Model refers to a constructive arrangement applied to a monobloc type ball separator collar, with sealing elements integrated into the collar body itself, intended for use in angular contact ball bearings used in motorcycle steering columns, popularly known as steering boxes, where there is mechanical stress and exposure to contaminants typical of the external environment, requiring that the assembly preserve the lubricant inside the bearing and hinder the intrusion of particles, water and other agents through the lateral openings existing between the inner ring, outer ring and balls.

[002] In particular, bearings are used in motorcycles, in structural regions associated with the chassis and front suspension, including the steering box / column, where the system must allow operation with limited radial movement, without impairing steering and the stability of the assembly, so that the preservation of lubricant and the restriction of contaminant entry into the lateral openings of the bearing become relevant. STATE OF THE ART

[003] In motorcycle steering assemblies, angular contact ball bearings are commonly used in steering boxes / columns, where the raceways and shoulders of the rings define a geometry that leaves lateral openings for mounting, lubrication, and operation. These openings can favor the entry of contaminants and the gradual loss of lubricant, especially when the vehicle is washed, exposed to rain, dust, and mud. Under these conditions, it is usual to resort to additional seals, protectors, retainers, or independent components, which depend on correct mounting, alignment, and integrity throughout use.

[004] Solutions are known that seek to mitigate the problem of lubrication and sealing in bearings, such as document EP 2 743 527 B1 entitled “DEEP GROOVE Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 5 / 25 2 / 8 The document, titled "BALL BEARING WITH A TWO-PART CAGE WITH INTEGRATED SEALS," describes a ball bearing unit, particularly a deep groove bearing, with a cage formed by two half-cages. Each half-cage has two circumferential radial ridges: one ridge projects radially outward and engages a groove in the outer ring, providing labyrinthine sealing action, and the other ridge projects radially inward and engages a groove in the inner ring. The mounting is described as snap-fit ​​into the grooves. The same document also describes annular receptacles facing the balls, functioning as temporary grease reservoirs.

[005] Although the prior art above shows a cage-associated seal, it relies on specific grooves machined / formed in the rings for crest engagement and is directed to an architecture explicitly treated as deep groove, in addition to employing a cage in two symmetrical parts. In practice, for typical application in steering columns with angular contact bearings, geometric and interference restrictions with seats, spacers and adjustments are frequent, and the reliance on dedicated grooves may impose manufacturing and compatibility constraints that do not align with the objective of integrating the seal into the monobloc collar in a manner applicable to the angular contact arrangement.

[006] US patent 7,597,481 B2 entitled “SEALED FOUR-ROW BALL BEARING FOR SUPPORT AND WORKING ROLLER BEARING ON ROLLER STANDS” describes a sealed bearing in which the internal space seal is integrated into cage discs by means of lamellar rings fixed to the discs and cooperating with annular grooves to seal gaps between cage discs and lateral surfaces of the rings, on both axial sides, also mentioning hermetic sealing against fluid and dirt and the use of lamellar rings with non-contact action by friction between themselves and with the grooves.

[007] The above prior art is constructed around a pin-type cage with discs and additional metal lamellar rings associated with channels, being typical of specific industrial arrangements and should not be confused with a monobloc ball separator collar with a seal integrated into its own body, especially when seeking Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 6 / 25 3 / 8 is a solution applied to angular contact bearings in steering columns, featuring simple construction and geometric integration with the collar.

[008] US patent 6,217,223 entitled “CAGE-MOUNTED SEAL USED IN ROLLING BEARINGS” describes a cage-guided seal for bearings with inner and outer rings, in which there is a more rigid support body and a more flexible sealing portion, with sealing lips that engage the rings and with retaining sections that fit into the cage.

[009] Although it shows a seal associated with the cage, the document structures the seal as a composite assembly, support / elastomer, with its own retentions and profiles, that is, it does not deal with a monobloc collar in which the sealing geometry is an integral and unitary part of the ball separator collar itself, with a configuration applied to angular contact bearings in steering columns.

[010] US patent 3,554,621 entitled “COMBINATION CAGE AND SEAL FOR ANTIFRICTION BEARINGS” shows that the general idea of ​​combining seal and cage is known, which reinforces the need to define the object claimed as a specific constructive arrangement applied to a monobloc collar, with integrated geometry aimed at cooperating with the ends of the rings in angular contact bearings of steering columns, without depending on separate sealing components.

[011] Given this scenario, there remains a practical need for a configuration in which the monobloc separator collar simultaneously performs the functions of separating / guiding the balls and substantially closing the lateral openings of the bearing, through an integrated geometry that forms a labyrinthine path and / or light contact with small clearances, in a manner compatible with the mounting and operation of the angular contact bearing in the steering column, including allowing limited radial movement of the assembly without locking. OBJECTIVES OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[012] The objective is to present an arrangement applied to a monobloc ball separator collar that incorporates, within the collar body itself, an annular sealing element positioned at the axial end of the collar, cooperating with the inner and outer rings. Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 7 / 25 4 / 8 of the bearing is removed to restrict the passage of contaminants and promote the retention of lubricant inside the bearing.

[013] It is also an objective to organize the seal in such a way that the collar, when following the operation of the assembly with the spheres, maintains geometric cooperation with the extreme regions of the rings by axial overlap and small clearances, reducing the dependence on independent external components to perform the sealing function, while maintaining compatibility with the operation of the system in motorcycles that allow limited radial movement in the bearing's operating region. SUMMARY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[014] The arrangement applied in a monobloc collar with integrated seal comprises a monobloc annular body provided with peripheral housings for balls and an annular sealing element integrated into the body, disposed on the outer face of the collar, wherein the annular sealing element has an overlapping portion with the extreme region of the inner ring and the outer ring, defining, on each side, a labyrinthine path by means of a small radial clearance, on the order of a few tenths of a millimeter, and / or a light contact zone, restricting the passage of contaminants and favoring the retention of lubricant inside the bearing, particularly when applied to the steering assembly of motorcycles. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[015] The model will now be described in detail, and for better understanding, reference will be made to the attached drawings, in which the following figures are represented: Figure 1: Cutaway view of a motorcycle steering column, showing the stem, frame, upper and lower triple clamps, nuts, washers and cap, as well as the axial arrangement of the upper and lower bearings and the location of the collar associated with each bearing; Figure 2: Perspective view of the monobloc collar with integrated seal for angular contact bearing, which can be applied to either the upper or lower part, applicable to motorcycle steering columns; Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 8 / 25 5 / 8 Figure 3: Example of a one-piece collar, applied to the upper part, with a detailed schematic axial cross-sectional view of an upper angular contact ball bearing applied to the steering column, showing the outer ring, inner ring, balls, and the one-piece collar with integrated seal; Figure 4: Example of a one-piece collar, applied to the upper part, with an exploded side view of a top angular contact ball bearing, showing the outer ring, inner ring, balls and the one-piece collar with integrated seal; Figure 5: Example of a one-piece collar, applied to the upper part, with an exploded perspective view of a top angular contact ball bearing, showing the outer ring, inner ring, balls and the one-piece collar with integrated seal; Figure 6: Perspective view of the monobloc collar with integrated seal for angular contact bearing, which can be applied to both the upper and lower parts, applicable to motorcycle steering columns; Figure 7: Example of a one-piece collar, applied to the lower part, with a schematic axial cutaway view of a lower angular contact ball bearing applied to the steering column, showing the outer ring, inner ring, balls and the one-piece collar with integrated seal; Figure 8: Example of a one-piece collar, applied to the lower part, with an exploded side view of a lower angular contact ball bearing, showing the outer ring, inner ring, balls and the one-piece collar with integrated seal; Figure 9: Example of a one-piece collar, applied to the lower part, with an exploded perspective view of a lower angular contact ball bearing, showing the outer ring, inner ring, balls, and the one-piece collar with integrated seal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MODEL

[016] The arrangement applied to a monobloc collar with integrated seal, the subject of this utility model application, consists of a monobloc collar (13, 19) with peripheral housings (14, 20) for receiving and separating the spheres (12, 18) between a first track (10, 16) and a second track (11, 17) of the Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 9 / 25 6 / 8 upper bearing (1) and lower bearing (2) respectively, mountable in a unit housed in a chassis (3). The collar (13) incorporates into its body, integrated and formed in a single piece, an annular sealing element (15), and the collar (19) incorporates into its body, integrated and formed in a single piece, an annular sealing element (21), arranged on only one axial end of the monobloc collar (13, 19), intended to face the outside of the bearing when mounted, the annular sealing elements (15, 21) being configured to cooperate by geometric overlap with extreme regions of the raceways (10 and 11, 16 and 17), restricting the passage of contaminants through the lateral openings on said outside and preserving lubrication inside the bearing.

[017] More specifically, the claimed solution relates to a MONOBLOCK COLLAR ARRANGEMENT WITH INTEGRATED SEAL, wherein the steering assembly typically comprises an upper bearing (1) and a lower bearing (2), not necessarily in that order, mounted in axially spaced positions and housed in the chassis structural assembly (3), with a coaxially arranged stem (4), the assembly being fixed and adjusted by mounting components which include a cover (5), nuts (6), washers (7), upper table (8) and lower table (9), which cooperate to maintain axial positioning, seating and adjustment under mechanical stress. In this arrangement, the system must allow steering operation with limited radial movement, without locking, and the lateral openings of the bearing (1 or 2) constitute potential pathways for the entry of contaminants and for the gradual exit of lubricant under real-world conditions, including rain, washing, dust and dirt.The upper bearing (1) consists of a first raceway (10) and a second raceway (11), between which are arranged the balls (12) and the monobloc collar (13), the assembly being housed / seated in a chassis (3). The monobloc collar (13) has a single-piece annular body, provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed peripheral housings (14), each housing (14) configured to partially receive a ball (12), maintaining the circumferential spacing between balls (12) during the assembly and operation of the upper bearing (1), and defining guide / containment surfaces associated with the monobloc collar (13). The monobloc collar (13) incorporates... Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 10 / 25 7 / 8 to the body itself an integrated annular sealing element (15) disposed at only one axial end, this end being that intended to face the outside of the upper bearing (1) when mounted on the steering column, i.e., facing the most exposed region of the boundary assembly on the chassis (3). The annular sealing element (15), applicable to the upper bearing (1), is continuous and circumferentially dimensioned to cooperate with extreme regions (E) of the raceways (10, 11), so as to reduce direct communication between the external environment and the internal volume of the bearing in the region adjacent to the balls (12).The cooperation between the annular sealing element (15) and the extreme regions (E) of the raceways (10, 11) is obtained by axial geometric overlap and by small gaps between facing surfaces, forming a labyrinthine path and / or a region of controlled proximity, according to the geometry of the assembly, such gap can be defined between cylindrical surfaces and / or annular faces associated with the ends of the raceways (10, 11) and the annular sealing element (15), remaining compatible with the relative movement of the upper bearing (1) and with the limited radial movement of the system, without locking.The lower bearing (2) consists of opposed raceways (16, 17) and balls (18), and the monobloc collar (19) maintains the same general constitution of the annular body with housings (20) for balls (18), with the annular sealing element (21) integrated and oriented towards the external axial end corresponding to the exposed side of the lower bearing (2) bordering the chassis (3), so that the seal remains located only at one axial end of the monobloc collar (19), therefore appropriate for the positioning of the lower bearing (2) in the steering column.In both embodiments of the utility model, upper bearing (1) and lower bearing (2), not necessarily in that order, the sealing elements (15, 21) are integrated into the monobloc collars (13, 19), not being a separate component, and the positioning of said monobloc collars (13, 19) in the assembly is such that the housings (14, 20) receive the balls (12, 18) and the sealing elements (15, 21) cooperate with the extreme regions (E) of the raceways (10, 11 and 16, 17) and chassis (3), restricting the passage of external agents through the lateral openings of the bearing (1 or 2) on the outside of the assembly and preserving lubrication inside. The collars. Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 11 / 25 8 / 8 monoblocks (13, 19) can be manufactured in polymeric material by a molding process, allowing the formation, in a single piece, of both the housings (14, 20) and the sealing elements (15, 21), with the raceways (10, 11 and 16, 17) and the balls (12, 18) preferably being metallic, the constructive arrangement described here remaining applicable to different dimensions of angular contact bearings used in steering columns, by means of corresponding dimensional adjustment. Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 12 / 25

Claims

1 / 1 CLAIM 1) ARRANGEMENT APPLIED TO A MONOBLOCK COLLAR WITH INTEGRATED SEAL, comprising a monoblock annular collar (13 and 19) provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed peripheral housings (14, 20) for receiving and separating balls (12 and 18) between a first raceway (10 and 16) and a second raceway (11 and 17), the upper bearing (1) and lower bearing (2) being mountable in a steering assembly housed in a chassis (3), characterized in that the monoblock collars (13 and 19) incorporate, integrated into the same body and arranged on only one axial end of the monoblock collar (13 and 19) facing the outside of the respective bearing (1, 2) when mounted on the steering column, an annular sealing element (15) and an annular sealing element (21), respectively, for the upper bearing (1) and for the lower bearing (2), configured for cooperate by geometric overlap with extreme regions of the tracks (10 and 11,16 and 17) defining small gaps between facing surfaces, in order to restrict the passage of contaminants through the lateral openings on said outer side and preserve lubrication inside the bearing. Petition 870260045202, dated 05 / 13 / 2026, page 13 / 25

Images