TITLE -

A seal and a sealing arrangement comprising the seal

_. TECHNICAL FIELD _. ... ■

According to a first aspect of the present • ^{■ '} invention, it relates to a seal.

According to a second aspect of the present ^■ invention, it relates to a sealing arrangement comprising . the seal according to the ^' first aspect .

^■ BACKGROUND OF INVENTION . ' ^•

A limitation in the- art is that seals start to leak.- Aiso, they may be difficult to mount. Further there is a risk that they may loosen from the object to which they are mounted. Among other problems, this may lead to breakdown of the sealed object or this leads to shortened ^' service- life. - ^• • ^{' • ' '} _, ^' ,. _r . \

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the first aspect, a seal is disclosed. The seal comprises a shield, which has a sealing portion. The seal also presents a spring portion for pressing the sealing portion, when the seal is mounted, in a first direction against a first surface of a first mechanical element. Thus the _. spring. portion, ^' when mounted, presses the sealing portion so that a desired sealing effect is obtained.. The spring portion extends from the shield in a ¹ • direction .opposite to the first direction. The term. ^' ■• opposite should, here.be _. interpreted as that ^' the direction presents a component that is opposite to the first

direction. This means that if the direction is broken down into vector components, one of these vector components may be opposite to the first direction. In view of these components, the vector component opposite 5 to ^' the first direction is the .one of the two being the principal one. In. embodiments, the ratio between the vector components is lower than 1:10, 1:20, 1:40, 1:50, 1:70, or 1:100-. The spring portion, when the seal is ^■ mounted, uses a second surface of a second mechanical ^;

10 , element as support for pressing the sealing portion against the first surface. Thus the spring portion finds support at the second surface to promote a force through the seal in order to generate a pressure acting on the ^• - sealing portion leading to that the sealing portion ^' is

15 pressed against the first, surface. The spring portion- exerts thus a force, essentially perpendicular to a plane of the shield, on the sealing portion to accomplish a sealing effect..' This means that the direction of the force also presents a component that is parallel to -the

20 normal vector of the plane of the shield. In an .. . ^{" '} ; - embodiment, the force is perpendicular. That the force is essentially perpendicular, or perpendicular, to the plane of the shield- leads to that the sealing effect is ' ^■ increased and the risk of the seal coming loose decreases

25 especially in the case of the seal having a hole with a round element and when the round element rotates, potentially at high speed.. Also, the present invention ^' - _. ^' leads .to decreased risk of deformation of .surrounding.' ^{' '} mechanical elements since the force is in an axial

30 .-direction. . - .- . ^■ _. ^" ' - ^'

^■ . ^{■• ■} . - In an embodiment, each one of .-the planes of the ^■ first;, and second surfaces presents a maximum angular ^: - " - inclination in the open interval 0 to 25 degrees in

relation to the plane of the shield. In an embodiment, the interval is 0 to 20 degrees. In an embodiment, the ^' interval is 0 to 15 degrees. In an embodiment, the interval is 0 to 12 degrees. In an embodiment, the 5 interval is 0 to 10 degrees. In an embodiment, the interval is 0 to 8. degrees. In an embodiment, the ^{• "} interval is 0 to 6 degrees., ^" • ^{' ' •} '

In an embodiment, the spring portion is in contact • only with the second :surface, i.e. the spring portion is 10- ■ free, or in an embodiment essentially free, from' having ^: ■ contact ■ in a radial direction .

• ..The invention according to the first aspect may be ^{1 '} seen as "a lid for closing/sealing a passage. ^{' ;} .

. ^• In an embodiment; the circumferential shape of the 15 shape, is one of: circular, elliptic, polygonal, and • ^■ square." '. .. . ■ ^■ - .- ^■■

In an embodiment, the shield has a hole for receiving ^" a round element.

In ,an embodiment, the hole is provided with a 20 sealing lip for sealing between an edge of the hole and ■ the..round element. In an • embodiment, the round element -is ^' a shaft, ..which may rotate, or be rotary.

In an embodiment, the spring portion extends from the shield in an angle between 10 and 80 degrees .measured 25 from a plane of the shield.

In an embodiment, the spring portion extends from the shield -in. an angle between 20 and 70 degrees measured from^ a .plane .of .the-.shield. ^' . ^{' '■■} - ^■ - ••• ^' ••

In an embodiment, the ¹ spring portion extends from 30 the shield in an angle ^■ between 30 and 60 degrees measured ^{' •} from a -plane .of .the -shield. .; ^■ ' ^• •• ^{'■ ■ '} ■ " ^{■'■■ • ■ ' • •■■ ■} In an..embodiment,...the spring portion extends along the whole peripheral of the shield. In an embodiment, the

spring portion presents cut outs, i.e. parts or segments along the peripheral have been removed. In an embodiment, the cut outs are placed with essentially the same angle .. - intervals. Still, the spring portion has the capability

■ 5 to .provide ,a rather . uniform force so that it may provide a force onto the sealing portion so that a desired sealing effect is reached. ^• • ^{■ ' '}

. , In an embodiment, the shield and the spring portion ^{' • ■} are integrally manufactured. 10 • _. - According to the second -aspect a sealing arrangement ^■

■. is disclosed. It comprises the seal according to the ,. ^• _. ,-first- aspect - and. at .least one of, or both of the. first ^■ • . and second mechanical elements . ^" .. .

In an embodiment of the sealing arrangement , the ^: 15 first and second surfaces are constituted, by walls of a groove.

^■ In an embodiment of the sealing arrangement, the •first and second mechanical elements are integrally ..- .manufactured. ^{■ ■ ' • ' •} . ^'

20 In an embodiment of- the sealing arrangement, the • ; first and second mechanical, elements are constituted by a single mechanical element. ^■ • ^{• • In an embodiment of the sealing arrangement,' the first mechanical element or the second mechanical element 25 is one of an inner bearing ring, an outer bearing ring, and a housing.}

■ • ^■ -. . _. .. . In an embodiment, the second surface comprises an . ^" -

' ^' opening for receiving ^' a seal removal tool, for removing ^~ / ^" - the seal from its mounted position in relation to the 30 -.first and/or second mechanical' elements, once mounted. ^' -. The opening is located such, that it is possible to. access

^■ • _. -the space radially outwards, in the case of the spring' ^• portion extends outwardly in radial direction, and also

limited by the first and/or second mechanical elements ^• and there loosening the seal by bending the spring with the tool . By at least partly inserting the tool into the ^• .opening, it is possible to dismount the seal either by 5 bending the seal to become loose or, in the case the means is provided with a hooking mechanism, e.g. a hook, or a fastening mechanism, e.g. threaded engagement ^{' • •} between the opening and. the tool . ^"

Features of the first aspect are applicable to the 10 second aspect and features of the second aspect are

• .applicable to the first . _. aspect . ' - . ^. - - . ^. -

^• DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS ^{' . •}

15 In Figures IA and. IB, schematic illustrations of a seal are given.

- . In Figure 2, a schematic illustration also including surfaces of the first and second mechanical- elements is given. •

20 In Figure 3., a preferred embodiment of the seal is " - . . _; .- given. . ■ ^■ ; . ^• ; ^{• • ■ ■} - ^; - . ^■ - ^•

In Figure 4, a schematic illustration of a tool for assisting in mounting the seal is given.

25

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In- Figure 1A> . a schematic cross section illustration ^■■ ; of _.. - the .seal l ^; .is given'.. The" seal 1 comprises -a shield 3,- ^;" which has a sealing portion 5, and a spring portion 7 for 30.. pressing .the sealing, portion 5, when ^' the seal-■!• ^■ is •• - • ^■ mounted. . ^" , -.-. ^" . ^{■"■ '} ■. ^■ ■- . • ^{• • ' • '■ •'} - ^' . ^{• • •' '"}

In an embodiment, the spring portion 7 extends from ' the shield 3 in an angle, γ, between 10 and ^" 80 degrees measured from a plane, P, of the shield 3.

In Figure IB, a schematic cross sectional

5 illustration is given wherein the shield 3 has a hole 9 . for receiving a round element 11, such as a shaft, is given. In this embodiment, the seal 1 is circular . ^{• '} The hole 9 is provided with a sealing lip 13 for sealing between an edge of the hole 9 and the round element ^: 11. 10 In an embodiment, the sealing portion 5 presents a feature having a cross sectional shape of a half circle. In an embodiment, the sealing portion 5 presents a ^{■ ■} feature having a cross sectional shape of a half cylinder.

15 In an embodiment, the spring portion 7 extends along the whole peripheral of the shield 3-.

In an embodiment, the shield 3 and the spring ^: portion 1 are integrally manufactured. ^{•• ■}

In an embodiment, the sealing portion 5 is located -20 at a radially outer part of the shield 3. However, ^: άt may ^■ also be located also radially closer to a central or an inner portion of the shield 3. ^{• ■} " ^{• ' ■ ■ ' ' ' In Figure 2, a sealing arrangement 15 is given. It comprises a shield 3 that has a sealing portion 5. It 25 further comprises a spring portion 7 for pressing the sealing portion 5, when the seal is mounted, in a first ■ ■ ; . direction A against, a -first surface 17 of a first " • • • '■ ■ mechanical . element- 19.- The spring portion 7 extends from' • the shield 3 in a direction B, B' opposite, or ; 30 essentially opposite, to the first direction -A. ' The ' ■ • direction B ' indicates the case of the direction being ' • ' • .: essentially perpendicular to the plane P. The spring ' portion 7, when the seal 1 is mounted, uses a second}

surface 21 of a second mechanical element 23 as support for pressing the sealing portion 5 against the first surface 17. The spring portion 7 exerts a force, essentially perpendicular to a plane P of the shield 3 , on the sealing portion 5.to accomplish a sealing effect. In an embodiment, the sealing arrangement 15 comprises ' .the first and second mechanical elements 19, 23 having the surfaces- 17, 21. In this embodiment, the first and • second mechanical elements 19, 23 are integrally manufactured and the first and second surfaces 17, 21- are constituted by walls of a groove. In this, embodiment, the first or second. mechanical element 19, 23 is an outer- bearing ring, or a housing. ^• • . ^'

In an embodiment, each one of planes P', P" of the first and second surfaces.17, 21 presents a maximum angular inclination in the open interval 0 to 25 degrees in relation to the plane P of the shield. This is illustrated by angles αand β in Figure 2. in an ^■ - ^' embodiment, the intervals for α and β are 0 to ^' 20 • degrees'. In an embodiment, at ^' least one of α and β is ^' in the interval 0 to 15 degrees. In an embodiment, the interval is 0 to 12 degrees. In an embodiment, the ^' • interval is 0 ^' to 10 degrees. In an embodiment, the interval is 0 to 8 degrees. In an embodiment, the interval is 0 to 6 degrees.

In Figure 3, an ^' embodiment of a seal 1 is given. The seal 1 comprises a shield 3, that has a sealing portion ^■ 5,- and a spring portion 7 -for pressing the sealing ^{' •■} ■ ^• ■ ^' • ^' portion 5, when the seal is mounted, in a first direction ^' A ^' against a first surface 17 of a first mechanical ^{' ' ■} element 19. The spring ^" portion 7 extends from the shield 3 in a direction B, B' opposite, or essentially opposite; to the first direction A. The spring portion 7, when the

seal 1 is- mounted, uses a second surface 21 of a second .mechanical element 23 as support for pressing the sealing portion 5 against the first surface 17. The spring portion 7 exerts • a force, essentially perpendicular to a plane P of' the shield .3, on the sealing portion 5 to accomplish a sealing effect. The sealing portion 5 ^■ is manufactured in hydrogenated nitrile and it extends over its side, as indicated in Figure 3. In case there is a hole located, preferably in the middle of the shield 3, there is a sealing lip 13 to seal between a round element 11 mounted through. the hole 9. The spring portion ^' 7 and the shield 3 ^' may be integrally made.. The shield 3 may be hardened and tempered so that it may present a hardness in the interval 30 - 60 HRC, or more specifically 42-46 HRC and may be Manganese phosphated. ■

In an embodiment, the round element 11 is not limited to be round. In fact other shapes of the lip 13 /element. 11 are conceivable . However, that they match' • in order to accomplish a sealing effect is important. In Figure 4, an embodiment of a ^' tool suitable .for using when mounting the seal 1 in relation to the surfaces of the mechanical element (s). The pressing direction is indicated by the. arrow.