US 12,006,978 B2
Wheel bearing unit and method for manufacturing a seal unit of a wheel bearing unit
Volker Wendt, Üchtelhausen/Zell (DE)
Assigned to AKTIEBOLAGET SKF, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed by AKTIEBOLAGET SKF, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/525,260.
Claims priority of application No. 102020131561.9 (DE), filed on Nov. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0170506 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. F16C 33/76 (2006.01); B60B 27/00 (2006.01); F16C 33/60 (2006.01); F16C 33/78 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 33/768 (2013.01) [B60B 27/0073 (2013.01); F16C 33/60 (2013.01); F16C 33/7813 (2013.01); F16C 2326/02 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wheel bearing unit comprising:
a first inner ring having a first axial end side,
a second inner ring having a second axial end side contacting the first axial end side at a joint, and
a seal unit that seals the joint between the first inner ring and the second inner ring, the seal unit including at least one seal element and at least one further component that exerts pressure on the at least one seal element,
wherein the at least one further component is at least partially comprised of sheet metal,
wherein a radial outer surface of the first inner ring extending from the first axial end side is bounded by an imaginary cylinder and a radial outer surface of the second inner ring extending from the second axial end side is bounded by the imaginary cylinder,
wherein the at least one further component is located entirely outside the imaginary cylinder and comprises a sheet metal ring having a first cylindrical axial end portion, a second cylindrical axial end portion and a radially outwardly extending bulge defining a radially inwardly facing channel between the first and second cylindrical axial end portions, and
wherein the seal element comprises an O-ring mounted in the radially inwardly facing channel.
 
9. A component for securing a seal ring to a bearing ring comprising:
a sheet metal ring having a first cylindrical axial end portion, a second cylindrical axial end portion and a radially outwardly extending bulge defining a radially inwardly facing channel between the first and second cylindrical axial end portions, and
an O-ring mounted in the radially inwardly facing channel,
wherein the sheet metal ring includes a junction extending from a first axial edge of the sheet metal ring to a second axial edge of the sheet metal ring, a first portion of the sheet metal ring being attached to a second portion of the sheet metal ring at the junction,
wherein the sheet metal ring is bounded by an outer surface of an imaginary cylinder and wherein the first cylindrical axial end portion and the second cylindrical axial end portion lie on the imaginary cylinder,
wherein the first cylindrical axial end portion extends from a first side of the channel to the first axial edge of the sheet metal ring and the second cylindrical axial end portion extends from a second side of the channel to the second axial edge of the sheet metal ring, and
wherein the imaginary cylinder intersects the O-ring.