Seal ring and roller bearing

Abstract

The utility model relates to a sealing ring and a roller bearing. The sealing ring is used for sealing two axially adjacent sleeve structures, two sealing lips which protrude out of the radial outer wall and are axially spaced are arranged on the radial outer wall of the sealing ring, and a central arc-shaped protrusion protruding out of the radial inner wall is arranged on the radial inner wall of the sealing ring. The elasticity of the sealing ring on the radial inner wall is increased through the central arc-shaped protrusion, and the defect that the elasticity of TPU or plastic materials is insufficient is overcome. When the sealing ring is in light interference fit with the outer surface of the working roller, not only is the mounting of the working roller facilitated, but also radial elastic force can be provided, so that the radial alignment of the sealing ring and the bearing is realized, the movement of the sealing ring in the mounting groove of the inner ring caused by a radial gap between the sealing ring and the surface of the working roller is avoided, and the sealing effect is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of sealing technology for multi-row tapered roller bearings, and particularly to a sealing ring and a roller bearing. Background Technology

[0002] Figure 1 A typical bore seal 400 for use in a four-row tapered roller bearing is shown. The bore seal 400 is pressed into a mounting groove formed by inner diameter grooves of two inner rings 200. The bore seal includes a metal reinforcement 401 and a rubber component 402, which are bonded together by vulcanization. The rubber component 402 is provided with a sealing lip that interferes with the inner ring to prevent grease leakage, while the metal reinforcement 401 has an axial clearance with the inner ring to facilitate the dissipation of hot air within the bearing.

[0003] Because of the large diameter of this type of orifice seal 400, it is difficult to manufacture, especially when the spring steel used as the metal reinforcement 401 is machined to such a thin thickness (typically no more than 1 mm). Heat treatment is required to maintain a certain degree of elasticity and hardness in the metal reinforcement 401. In short, the manufacturing process is very difficult, and expensive molds are made for a small number of products, resulting in a high cost per orifice seal 400. Therefore, it is necessary to find a sealing solution that is easy to manufacture and has a low cost. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a sealing ring and a roller bearing.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a sealing ring is provided for sealing two axially adjacent sleeve structures, wherein the outer radial wall of the sealing ring is provided with two sealing lips protruding from the outer radial wall and axially spaced, and the inner radial wall of the sealing ring is provided with a central arcuate protrusion protruding from the inner radial wall.

[0006] In some embodiments, the radial inner wall of the sealing ring includes lateral arc-shaped protrusions symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central arc-shaped protrusion, wherein the inner diameter of the lateral arc-shaped protrusions is larger than the inner diameter of the central arc-shaped protrusion.

[0007] In some embodiments, a first annular groove is provided between the side arc-shaped protrusion and the central arc-shaped protrusion, so that the radial inner wall of the sealing ring is wavy along the axial direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the sealing ring is made of thermoplastic polyurethane rubber material and integrally molded by machining.

[0009] In some embodiments, the central arcuate protrusion is located axially between the two sealing lips, and the two sealing lips and the central arcuate protrusion form a triangular structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the radial outer wall of the sealing ring is provided with a second annular groove between the two sealing lips.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sealing lip has a triangular cross-section.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a roller bearing is provided, comprising at least: an outer ring; two inner rings arranged side by side along an axial direction, the inner rings having inner diameter grooves at their axially adjacent ends, the inner diameter grooves of the two inner rings merging to form a mounting groove; a roller, rotatably disposed between the outer ring and the inner rings; and a sealing ring as described in the first aspect, installed in the mounting groove, wherein the sealing lip is interference-fitted with the radial inner wall of the mounting groove, and the central arcuate protrusion protrudes from the radial inner wall of the inner ring.

[0013] In some embodiments, the two sealing lips of the radial outer wall of the sealing ring abut against the two inner rings respectively.

[0014] In some embodiments, the axial length of the sealing ring is less than the axial length of the mounting groove to create an axial gap between the sealing ring and at least one of the inner rings.

[0015] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure can include the following beneficial effects: the central arc-shaped protrusion increases the elasticity of the sealing ring at the radial inner wall, compensating for the insufficient elasticity of TPU or plastic materials. When lightly interference-fitted with the outer surface of the work roller, it not only facilitates the installation of the work roller, but also provides radial elastic force, thereby ensuring radial alignment between the sealing ring and the bearing, preventing the sealing ring from shifting within the mounting groove of the inner ring due to radial gaps between the sealing ring and the surface of the work roller, thus improving the sealing effect. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a sealing ring in related technologies;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a sealing ring according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the sealing ring in its free state;

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 3A cross-sectional view of the sealing ring when it is subjected to a large radial elastic pressure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise specified, axial A, radial R, and circumferential W refer to the axial A, radial R, and circumferential W of the sealing ring 100, respectively; one axial end refers to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 The left end in the middle, the other end of the axis refers to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The right end of the middle; the radial outer wall refers to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The upper side of the middle sealing ring, the radial inner wall refers to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The upper side of the central sealing ring. Additionally, the term "torsional connection" refers to a connection between two elements that does not rotate relative to each other, which can be achieved via a press fit (i.e., an interference fit) or by integrally forming the two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention as appropriate.

[0023] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a sealing ring 100, which can be used for sealing any two axially adjacent bushing structures. The bushing structure includes, but is not limited to, the inner ring of a roller bearing. The roller bearing can be a cylindrical roller bearing, a tapered roller bearing, a self-aligning roller bearing, or a needle roller bearing, etc., and is not specifically limited thereto. Further, the roller bearing can be a single-row roller bearing, and the sealing ring seals the axially adjacent ends of the inner rings of multiple axially arranged single-row roller bearings. The roller bearing can also be a multi-row roller bearing, and the sealing ring seals the axially adjacent ends of multiple inner rings within the multi-row roller bearing.

[0024] In this embodiment, the sealing ring 100 is used to seal the axially adjacent ends of two adjacent inner rings 200 of a multi-row roller bearing, and more specifically, a four-row tapered roller bearing, for detailed explanation.

[0025] Four-row tapered roller bearings are typically used in cold rolling mills, which include at least two work rolls 300. The axial ends of the work rolls 300 are rotatably supported in bearing housings. The four-row tapered roller bearings are located in the bearing housings and fitted onto the axial ends of the work rolls 300 to support the rotation of the work rolls 300.

[0026] A four-row tapered roller bearing includes at least an outer ring (not shown in the figure), a double-raceway inner ring 200, and tapered rollers (not shown in the figure) disposed between the outer ring and the double-raceway inner ring 200. Each double-raceway inner ring 200 includes two raceways and can accommodate two tapered rollers. The four-row tapered roller bearing includes two double-raceway inner rings 200 arranged side-by-side along axial direction A, with the two double-raceway inner rings 200 axially abutting each other.

[0027] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the double raceway inner ring 200 has an inner diameter groove on the axially adjacent end side, more specifically, at the axial contact end face 201. The inner diameter grooves of the two double raceway inner rings 200 are combined to form an installation groove 202. The sealing ring 100 is installed in the installation groove 202 to prevent the leakage of lubricating grease in the four-row tapered roller bearing.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, the sealing ring 100 has an annular ring structure. When the sealing ring 100 is installed, it is squeezed to make it elastically deformed so that it can be installed into the mounting groove 202. After being installed into the mounting groove 202, the sealing ring 100 rebounds to achieve an interference fit with the mounting groove 202, thereby fixing it in the mounting groove 202 to seal the axial contact end face 201 of the double raceway inner ring 200. This ensures that the sealing ring 100 will not shift or loosen, thus improving the sealing reliability.

[0029] In this embodiment, the sealing ring 100 is made of thermoplastic polyurethane rubber material (hereinafter referred to as TPU) and is integrally formed by machining.

[0030] Traditional sealing rings 100 typically require a metal skeleton to enhance structural strength, while the sealing ring 100 of this disclosure is made entirely of a single TPU material. TPU material maintains high elasticity within a hardness range from Shore A 60 to Shore D 80, ensuring that the sealing ring 100 made of TPU material possesses both structural strength and good elasticity, meeting sealing requirements. The sealing ring 100 of this disclosure eliminates the need for a metal skeleton, reducing the number of parts and simplifying the structure of the sealing ring 100. Because the sealing ring 100 uses TPU material and is integrally molded through machining, the use of stamping dies and vulcanizing dies is eliminated during the production process, reducing manufacturing steps. This eliminates complex molds and process steps, making it particularly suitable for small-batch production or customized customer needs, significantly reducing production costs.

[0031] Furthermore, TPU material retains its flexibility over a wide temperature range of -40℃ to 120℃, eliminating the need for plasticizers and ensuring that the resulting sealing ring 100 effectively prevents seal failure, thus improving reliability in extreme environments. TPU material exhibits excellent oil resistance and resistance to many solvents, ensuring that the sealing ring 100 can be used long-term in environments exposed to chemicals. TPU material also possesses excellent weather resistance, resisting the effects of natural environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation and ozone, further increasing the reliability of the sealing ring 100 made from it. TPU material also possesses well-known excellent abrasion resistance, tear resistance, and flexural strength; its high tensile strength, high elongation, and low long-term compression set ensure that the sealing ring 100 made from TPU material not only has a long service life but also guarantees its stability under high-stress environments.

[0032] The outer radial wall of the sealing ring 100 is provided with two axially spaced sealing lips 101 protruding from the outer radial wall. The sealing lips 101 protrude radially (R) from the outer radial wall of the sealing ring 100 and abut against the two inner rings 200 respectively. Specifically, the sealing lips 101 are interference-fitted with the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202, and the two sealing lips 101 are located on opposite axial sides of the axial contact end face 201 of the double raceway inner ring 200. Because the two sealing lips 101 are located on opposite axial sides of the axial contact end face 201, they not only prevent external contaminants from entering from any direction but also prevent leakage of lubricating grease inside the bearing, ensuring cleanliness and lubrication within the bearing.

[0033] In some embodiments, the sealing lip 101 has a generally triangular cross-section. The apex of the triangular sealing lip 101 increases its elasticity, compensating for the insufficient elasticity of the TPU material. When the triangular sealing lip 101 is in an interference fit with the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202, it allows for a larger elastic deformation, enabling the sealing lip 101 to form a tighter fit with the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202. This ensures a better sealing effect and improves the sealing performance of the sealing ring 100. Furthermore, the larger elastic deformation allows the sealing lip 101 to compensate for minor irregularities on the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202, ensuring that the sealing ring 100 maintains a good sealing effect under different operating conditions and enhancing its adaptability.

[0034] Furthermore, the two sealing lips 101 are spaced apart in the axial direction A, so that the sealing ring 100 can withstand the same radial sealing pressure in the axial direction A. At the same time, the hardness of the two sealing lips 101 can also support a radial gap between part of the radial outer wall of the sealing ring 100 and the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202. In particular, the radial gap between the radial outer wall of the two sealing lips 101 and the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202 allows the heat generated by friction inside the bearing to be effectively dissipated from the axial contact end face 201 of the inner ring 200, preventing heat accumulation inside the bearing and thus avoiding bearing overheating.

[0035] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the radial outer wall of the sealing ring 100 is provided with a second annular groove 105 between the two sealing lips 101. The two sealing lips 101, the second annular groove 105, and the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202 together form an annular receiving space S. Due to the large roughness of the axially adjacent end faces 201 of the inner ring 200, or the presence of grooves, through holes, etc., the heat generated inside the bearing can be dissipated into the receiving space S through the axially contacting end faces 201. The receiving space S provides a buffer area for the dissipation of heat.

[0036] The second annular groove 105 is located between the two sealing lips 101, increasing the volume of the receiving space S, so that more heat generated by friction can be temporarily stored in this receiving space S, which helps to reduce the accumulation of heat inside the bearing and keep the internal temperature of the bearing stable.

[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the axial length of the sealing ring 100 is less than the axial length of the mounting groove 202. When the sealing ring 100 is installed in the mounting groove 202, an axial clearance G is generated between the sealing ring 100 and the axial wall of the inner diameter groove of at least one inner ring 200 along the axial direction A. In some embodiments, there is an axial clearance G between both axial ends of the sealing ring 100 and the axial walls of the inner diameter grooves of both inner rings 200.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, one axial end face of the sealing ring 100 (e.g. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The left axial end face shown abuts against one side wall of the mounting groove 202, and the other axial end face of the sealing ring 100 (as shown) Figure 3 and Figure 4 An axial clearance G is provided between the right end face of the axial groove 202 and the other side wall of the mounting groove 202. This axial clearance G allows the hot air stored in the aforementioned receiving space to further escape to the seal ring 100 and the outside of the bearing. The hot air can further escape from the receiving space S to the outside of the bearing. The axial clearance G provides a clear escape path for the hot air, ensuring that the heat inside the bearing can be discharged in a timely manner, and realizing air circulation between the receiving space S and the radially outer side of the inner ring 200.

[0039] Furthermore, the radial inner wall of the sealing ring 100 is provided with a central arc-shaped protrusion 102. After the sealing ring 100 is installed into the mounting groove 202, the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 protrudes radially from the radial inner wall of the double raceway inner ring 200. After the four rows of tapered roller bearings are assembled with the work roller 300, the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 of the sealing ring 100 can make slight contact with the surface of the work roller 300 to form an interference fit. The central arc-shaped protrusion 102 increases the elasticity of the sealing ring 100 at the radial inner wall. When an interference fit is formed between the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 and the surface of the work roller 300, on the one hand, the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 can elastically deform to both sides of the axial direction, which is conducive to the smooth installation of the work roller 300. Moreover, the cross-section of the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 is arc-shaped, which helps to reduce the mutual wear between the work roller 300 and the sealing ring 100 when the work roller 300 is installed. On the other hand, the radial elastic force formed between the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 and the surface of the work roller 300 enables the sealing ring 100 to automatically adjust and align radially with the bearing, avoiding the sealing ring 100 from moving in the mounting groove 202 of the inner ring 200 due to the radial gap between the surface of the sealing ring 100 and the work roller 300. This ensures that both sealing lips 101 of the sealing ring 100 can abut against the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202, achieving the best sealing effect.

[0040] Since TPU material is less elastic than spring steel, the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 of the sealing ring 100 provides additional radial elastic pressure F by abutting against the surface of the work roller 300, compensating for the lack of elasticity of the TPU material and ensuring that the sealing ring 100 maintains good sealing performance throughout its service life.

[0041] Furthermore, the central arc-shaped protrusion 102 is located axially between the two sealing lips 101. The central arc-shaped protrusion 102, through its engagement with the two sealing lips 101 on the radial outer wall of the sealing ring 100, gives the sealing ring 100 three contact points. These three contact points form a relatively stable triangular support structure, further ensuring the radial alignment of the sealing ring 100 with the bearing.

[0042] In some embodiments, the radial inner wall of the sealing ring 100 includes symmetrically arranged side arc-shaped protrusions 103 on both sides of the central arc-shaped protrusion 102. The inner diameter of the side arc-shaped protrusions 103 is larger than the inner diameter of the central arc-shaped protrusion 102. The side arc-shaped protrusions 103 increase the rigidity of the sealing ring 100, and after the work roller 300 is installed, the side arc-shaped protrusions 103 do not contact the surface of the work roller 300 radially (e.g., ...). Figure 3 (as shown) or slight contact (such as) Figure 4 As shown, this design ensures that the side arc-shaped protrusion 103 is not subjected to radial elastic pressure F and wear from the working roller 300, reducing the overall mechanical stress borne by the sealing ring 100. At the same time, no additional friction is generated, significantly reducing the risk of the sealing ring 100 being compressed, twisted, deformed or broken by the working roller 300, and extending the service life of the sealing ring 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, a first annular groove 104 is provided between the side arc-shaped protrusion 103 and the central arc-shaped protrusion 102, making the radial inner wall of the sealing ring 100 wavy in the axial direction. The wavy structure improves the overall rigidity and stability of the sealing ring 100, while making the sealing ring 100 more flexible. The sealing ring 100 can expand and contract flexibly in the axial direction like a spring. Specifically, when the radial pressure on the sealing ring 100 from the radial inner wall of the mounting groove 202 and the surface of the working roller 300 is too high, the wavy structure formed by the side arc-shaped protrusion 103 and the first annular groove 104 causes the sealing ring 100 to extend axially to the other side, thereby releasing the excess radial elastic pressure F, preventing overload damage, and helping to extend the service life of the sealing ring 100, so that it can still maintain a good sealing effect during long-term use.

[0044] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the utility models disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0045] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sealing ring (100), characterized in that, The sealing ring (100) is used for sealing two axially adjacent sleeve structures, wherein the radial outer wall of the sealing ring (100) is provided with two axially spaced sealing lips (101) protruding from the radial outer wall, and the radial inner wall of the sealing ring (100) is provided with a central arc-shaped protrusion (102) protruding from the radial inner wall.

2. The sealing ring (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the radial inner wall of the sealing ring (100) comprises side arc-shaped protrusions (103) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central arc-shaped protrusion (102) in the axial direction, wherein the inner diameter of the side arc-shaped protrusions (103) is greater than that of the central arc-shaped protrusion (102).

3. The sealing ring (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, a first annular groove (104) is arranged between the side arc-shaped protrusions (103) and the central arc-shaped protrusion (102), so that the radial inner wall of the sealing ring (100) is wavy in the axial direction.

4. The sealing ring (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the sealing ring (100) is made of thermoplastic polyurethane rubber material and is integrally formed by mechanical processing.

5. The sealing ring (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the central arc-shaped protrusion (102) is located between the two sealing lips (101) in the axial direction.

6. The sealing ring (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the radial outer wall of the sealing ring (100) is provided with a second annular groove (105) between the two sealing lips (101).

7. The sealing ring (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, the cross section of the sealing lip (101) is triangular.

8. A roller bearing, characterized by, At least comprising: an outer ring; two axially arranged inner rings (200), the inner rings (200) are provided with inner diameter grooves on the axially adjacent end sides, and the inner diameter grooves of the two inner rings (200) are combined to form a mounting groove (202); rollers, which are rollingly arranged between the outer ring and the inner rings (200); the sealing ring (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 is mounted in the mounting groove (202), wherein the sealing lip (101) is in interference fit with the radial inner wall of the mounting groove (202), and the central arc-shaped protrusion (102) protrudes from the radial inner wall of the inner ring (200).

9. The roller bearing according to claim 8, characterized in that, the two sealing lips (101) of the radial outer wall of the sealing ring (100) abut against the two inner rings (200) respectively.

10. The roller bearing according to claim 8, characterized in that, the axial length of the sealing ring (100) is less than the axial length of the mounting groove (202), so as to generate an axial gap (G) between the sealing ring (100) and at least one of the inner rings (200).

Images