Wheel Bearing Inner-Ring Sealing With Flat Contact Faces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel bearing units face issues with inadequate sealing, leading to lubricant leakage and contamination by foreign substances, which results in reduced bearing life and increased costs due to the use of expensive sealing components.
Innovation Solution
A wheel bearing unit with a sealing device featuring an annular holding element and a sealing element with flat contact points and insertion bevels, which provides radial contact and self-locking properties, ensuring effective sealing without the need for additional pressure and maintaining performance over the service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sealing rings with metallic clamping elements are used, then sealing function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and hermetic sealing is not enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the metallic clamping element from the sealing ring structure. The sealing ring is designed as a one-piece elastomeric component without any metallic inserts, eliminating the need for complex rubber-metal composite manufacturing processes while maintaining effective sealing through the elastomeric material's inherent properties
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive rubber-metal composite sealing rings with simpler, cheaper all-elastomeric sealing rings. The simplified structure reduces manufacturing complexity and material costs while the elastomeric material provides sufficient sealing performance for the application
2Force
If tapered contact points are used on sealing element, then contact pressure is achieved, but sealing performance deteriorates over time due to folding and position changes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using tapered contact points that converge to a point or line, the invention inverts the geometry to use flat contact surfaces. This reversal prevents the sealing element from folding during axial movements and maintains consistent contact pressure with the inner rings throughout the bearing's operational life
Solution Approach 2:
The flat contact surfaces are designed to accommodate axial movements and position changes of the sealing element in advance. The geometry provides a cushioning effect that maintains sealing contact even when the sealing element shifts axially during operation, preventing loss of sealing performance
3Device complexity
If axial bracing of inner rings is insufficient, then device complexity is reduced, but sealing effectiveness deteriorates allowing foreign substance ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by designing the sealing element with different geometric features at different locations. The flat contact surfaces are positioned to provide axial bracing exactly where needed at the interface with the inner rings, while other portions of the sealing element maintain flexibility for sealing contact, achieving effective sealing without overall structural complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a hermetically sealing and cost-effective solution that prevents foreign substances and lubricant migration, enhancing the sealing performance and extending the bearing life while reducing material costs.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing element (11) designed in such a way that it has at least two contact points (13, 14) which contact the holding element (10) and at least one contact point (15, 16) which each has one inner ring (3) contacted
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the contact points being designed such that it has a flat surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6a~6b
AI summary
The invention relates to a wheel bearing unit having at least one outer ring (4) and at least two inner rings (3), between which there are rolling elements guided in a cage, two adjacent inner rings bearing against each other by their mutually facing axial end faces (6), and a sealing device (8) being provided to seal an interface of the two inner rings, the sealing device being formed by an annular retaining element (10), and at least one sealing element (11) being provided on the retaining element, said sealing element being in the form of a sealing ring (12) which has at least two contact points which are in contact with the retaining element and at least one contact point which is in contact with one inner ring in each case, at least one of the contact points being designed such that it has a flat face.