FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of seals in bearings.
BACKGROUND
Bearing seals or grease seals are used to protect bearings from excess lubricant
loss from the bearings and infiltration of external contaminants in the bearings. 5 . A
conventional seal for a bearing has a 1-lip, 2-lip, or 3-lip design to separate inner
and outer lubricant or to restrict outflow of the lubricant from the bearing and
inflow of foreign matter inside the bearing. Generally, bearing seals are disposed
between inner and outer rings of the bearings. In case of high speed bearing
10 applications, such arrangement of the conventional bearing seals with higher
sealing pressure causes friction between the bearing seal and the inner ring,
resulting in greater wear and tear of the conventional seal. The wear and tear of
the conventional seal leads to excess lubricant loss. Further, in some cases,
conventional bearing seals with less sealing pressure are prone to lubricant
15 leakage due to insufficient sealing pressure.
Therefore, there is felt a need for a seal that alleviates the abovementioned
drawback of the conventional bearing seal.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment
20 herein satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a seal that reduces lubricant loss
caused due to wear and tear, and due to insufficient sealing pressure.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a seal that prevents ingress
of foreign particles.
3
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from
the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages a seal for a bearing. The bearing has an 5 n inner
ring and an outer ring. The seal is disposed between the inner ring and the outer
ring. The seal comprises a sealing body, a first sealing lip, a second sealing lip, a
third sealing lip, and a fourth sealing lip. The sealing body is configured to adhere
with the outer ring. The first sealing lip orthogonally extends from the sealing
10 body, and is axially proximal to an operative inner side face of the inner ring, and
is further configured to prevent leakage of lubricant therethrough. The second
sealing lip orthogonally extends from the sealing body and is configured to axially
abut the operative inner side face of the inner ring, and is further configured to
prevent ingress of foreign particles and egress of lubricant flow therethrough. The
15 third sealing lip orthogonally extends from the sealing body and is configured to
axially abut the operative inner side face of the inner ring, and is further
configured to prevent ingress of foreign particles and egress of lubricant flow
therethrough. The fourth sealing lip orthogonally extends from the sealing body
and is configured to axially abut AN operative outer side face of the inner ring,
20 and is further configured to prevent ingress of foreign particles towards the second
sealing lip and the third sealing lip.
In one embodiment, the sealing body includes a stiffener. In another embodiment,
the stiffener is of a metallic material. Further, the sealing body is of polymeric
material and metallic material.
25 In an embodiment, each of the first sealing lip, the second sealing lip, the third
sealing lip, the fourth sealing lip, and polymeric material of the sealing body, is of
a material selected from the group consisting of synthetic rubber, nitrile butadiene
rubber (NBR), Silicon, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR), and
4
acrylic (ACM) and fluoro rubber (FKM). In another embodiment, the seal is snap
fitted in the bearing.
In yet another embodiment, the first sealing lip and the second sealing lip are
labyrinth seals. The third sealing lip is abutted to the operative inner side face
through an axial contact sealing arrange5 ment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
A seal for a bearing, of the present disclosure, will now be described with the help
of the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIGURE 1 illustrates a sectional view of a seal, in accordance with an
10 embodiment of the present disclosure.
List and details of reference numerals used in the description and drawing:
Reference Numeral Reference
100 Seal
102 Bearing
104 Inner ring
106 Outer ring
108 Sealing body
116 First sealing lip
114 Second sealing lip
112 Third sealing lip
110 Fourth sealing lip
118 Outer side face of the inner ring
120 Inner side face of the inner ring
122 Stiffener
5
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Bearing seals or grease seals are used to protect bearings from excess lubricant
loss from the bearings and infiltration of external contaminants in the bearings. A
conventional seal for a bearing has a 1-lip, 2-lip, or 3-lip design to separate inner
and outer lubricant or to restrict outflow of the lubricant from the bearing 5 and
inflow of foreign matter inside the bearing. Generally, bearing seals are disposed
between inner and outer rings of the bearings. In case of high speed bearing
applications, such arrangement of the conventional bearing seals with higher
sealing pressure causes friction between the bearing seal and the inner ring,
10 resulting in greater wear and tear of the conventional seal. The wear and tear of
the conventional seal leads to excess lubricant loss. Further, in some cases,
conventional bearing seals with less sealing pressure are prone to lubricant
leakage due to insufficient sealing pressure. Therefore, there is felt a need for a
seal that alleviates the abovementioned drawback of the conventional bearing
15 seals.
The seal of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of FIGURE
1 of the accompanying drawing. A seal (100) for a bearing (102) is envisaged in
the present disclosure to limit the aforementioned drawback.
The bearing (102) has an inner ring (104) and an outer ring (106). The seal (100)
20 is disposed between the inner ring (104) and the outer ring (106). In one
embodiment, the seal (100) is snap fitted in the bearing (102). The seal (100)
comprises a sealing body (108), a first sealing lip (116), a second sealing lip
(114), a third sealing lip (112), and a fourth sealing lip (110).
The sealing body (108) is configured to adhere with the outer ring (106). In one
25 embodiment, the sealing body (108) includes a stiffener (122). In another
embodiment, the stiffener (122) is of a metallic material, and the sealing body
(108) is of polymeric material and metallic material. In yet another embodiment,
the stiffener (122) designed so as to improve stiffness of the seal (100).
6
The first sealing lip (116) orthogonally extends from the sealing body (108) and is
axially proximal to an operative inner side face (120) of the inner ring (104). The
first sealing lip (116) is configured to prevent leakage of lubricant therethrough.
The first sealing lip (116) prevents leakage of lubricant flow through the second
sealing lip (114) and the third sealing lip (112). In one embodiment, the 5 first
sealing lip (116) provides labyrinth sealing. The labyrinth sealing is non-contact
sealing which reduces frictional wear of the sealing lip, as compared to the contact
sealing.
The second sealing lip (114) orthogonally extends from the sealing body (108)
10 and is configured to axially abut the operative inner side face (120) of the inner
ring (104). The second sealing lip (114) is further configured to prevent ingress of
foreign particles and egress of lubricant flow therethrough. In an embodiment, the
second sealing lip (114) provides labyrinth sealing. The labyrinth sealing is noncontact
sealing which reduces frictional wear of the sealing lip, as compared to the
15 contact sealing. When the third sealing lip (112) wears due to frictional contact,
the second sealing lip (114) is converted to a contact type sealing to keep the seal
(100) effective for a long time.
The third sealing lip (112) orthogonally extends from the sealing body (108) and
is configured to axially abut the operative inner side face (120) of the inner ring
20 (104). The third sealing lip (112) is further configured to prevent ingress of
foreign particles and egress of lubricant flow therethrough. The third sealing lip
(112) also prevents lubricant flow towards the fourth sealing lip (110). In one
embodiment, the third sealing lip (112) is abutted to the operative inner side face
(120) through an axial contact sealing arrangement. The light axial contact type
25 sealing reduces frictional wear, and the labyrinth sealing of the first sealing lip
(116) and the second sealing lip (114) reduces sealing pressure on the third sealing
lip (112), thereby reducing the applied torque on the third sealing lip (112), and
increasing life and efficiency of the seal (100).
7
The fourth sealing lip (110) orthogonally extends from the sealing body (108) and
is configured to axially abut an operative outer side face (118) of the inner ring
(104), and is further configured to prevent ingress of foreign particles towards the
second sealing lip (114) and the third sealing lip (112).
In an embodiment, each of the first sealing lip (116), the second sealing lip (5 114),
the third sealing lip (112), the fourth sealing lip (110), and the polymeric material
of the sealing body (108), is of a material selected from the group consisting of
synthetic rubber, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), Silicon, hydrogenated nitrile
butadiene rubber (HNBR), and acrylic (ACM) and fluoro rubber (FKM).
10 In the seal (100) of the present disclosure, the second sealing lip (114) prevents
lubricant loss even when the third sealing lip (112) fails to seal the lubricant due
to lip wear and tear. This results in increased life and efficiency of the seal (100).
Due to the increased efficiency, the seal (100) can be used for high speed bearing
applications with less torque which run up to 30000rpm.
15 TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages
including, but not limited to, the realization of a seal for a bearing that:
 reduces lubricant loss caused due to wear and tear, and due to insufficient
sealing pressure; and
20  prevents ingress of foreign particles;
 increases bearing life.
The disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying
embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The
description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
25 The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof
are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following
description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques
are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The
8
examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways
in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of
skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples
should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully revealed th5 e
general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current
knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific
embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such
adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within
10 the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be
understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the
purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments
herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the
art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification
15 within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as
“comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated
element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the
exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or
20 steps.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or
more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment
of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has
25 been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context
for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these
matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the
field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of
this application.
9
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions
or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values
higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or
quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the
specification specific to the contrary5 .
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and
component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many
embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred
embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and
10 other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the
disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein,
whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to
be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

WE CLAIM:
1. A seal (100) for a bearing (102), said bearing (102) having an inner ring (104)
and an outer ring (106), said seal (100) disposed between said inner ring (104)
and said outer ring (106), said seal (100) comprising:
a sealing body (108) configured to adhere with said outer ring 5 (106);
a first sealing lip (116) orthogonally extending from said sealing
body (108) and axially proximal to an operative inner side face (120) of
said inner ring (104), and configured to prevent leakage of lubricant
therethrough;
10 a second sealing lip (114) orthogonally extending from said sealing
body (108) and configured to axially abut said operative inner side face
(120) of said inner ring (104), and further configured to prevent ingress of
foreign particles and egress of lubricant flow therethrough;
a third sealing lip (112) orthogonally extending from said sealing
15 body (108) and configured to axially abut said operative inner side face
(120) of said inner ring (104), and further configured to prevent ingress of
foreign particles and egress of lubricant flow therethrough; and
a fourth sealing lip (110) orthogonally extending from said sealing
body (108) and configured to axially abut an operative outer side face
20 (118) of said inner ring (104), and further configured to prevent ingress of
foreign particles towards said second sealing lip (114) and said third
sealing lip (112).
2. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing body (108) includes
a stiffener (122).
25 3. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stiffener (122) is of a
metallic material.
4. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing body (108) is of
polymeric material and metallic material.
11
5. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first sealing lip
(116), said second sealing lip (114), said third sealing lip (112), said fourth
sealing lip (110), and polymeric material of said sealing body (108) is of a
material selected from the group consisting of synthetic rubber, nitrile
butadiene rubber (NBR), Silicon, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubbe5 r
(HNBR), and acrylic (ACM) and fluoro rubber (FKM).
6. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, which is snap fitted in said bearing
(102).
7. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sealing lip (116) and
10 said second sealing lip (114) are labyrinth seals.
8. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third sealing lip (112) is
abutted to said operative inner side face (120) through an axial contact sealing
arrangement.