Fixing arrangement for a rubber seal for sealing a rolling bearing

Abstract

A fixing arrangement for a rubber seal for sealing a rolling bearing is proposed which can be easily mounted in position by press-fitting and which prevents rotation of the rubber seal together with the rotary member of the bearing. A thick-walled fitting portion 3 and a protrusion 4 are formed on the radially outer portion of a rubber seal 1 reinforced by a metal core 2. The fitting portion 3 is press-fitted in a seal groove 22 formed in the radially inner surface of an outer race 21 at each end. The protrusion 4 is brought into elastic contact with a large-diameter cylindrical surface 23 formed on the outer race 21. Thus, the rubber seal 1 is fixed in position and prevented from rotating together with the inner race of the bearing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rolling bearing and seal fixing arrangement comprising:
 a rolling bearing outer race having a radially inwardly facing small diameter cylindrical surface, a radially inwardly facing large diameter cylindrical surface that is larger in diameter than said small diameter cylindrical surface and is located axially outwardly of said small diameter cylindrical surface, and a radially inwardly facing seal groove located axially between said small diameter cylindrical surface and said large diameter cylindrical surface and being recessed so as to have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the large diameter cylindrical surface; and   a rubber seal, having a reinforcing metal core embedded therein, mounted to the rolling bearing outer race;   wherein the rubber seal includes a fitting portion engaged in a press-fit relationship in the seal groove of the rolling bearing outer race, and a contact portion formed axially outwardly of the fitting portion and engaged in elastic contact with the large diameter cylindrical surface of the rolling bearing outer race; and   wherein the metal core has a cylindrical portion at a radially outer portion thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The rolling bearing and seal fixing arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said contact portion comprises an annular protrusion. 
     
     
         3 . The rolling bearing and seal fixing arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein a side of the annular protrusion facing the fitting portion is a tapered surface tapered such that a wall thickness of the annular protrusion deceases radially outwardly. 
     
     
         4 . The rolling bearing and seal fixing arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber seal includes a plurality of lips to be kept in elastic contact with an outer periphery of an inner race. 
     
     
         5 . The rolling bearing and seal fixing arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the radially outer portion of the reinforcing metal core is embedded in the fitting portion of the rubber seal and includes a portion that is disposed radially outwardly beyond the small diameter cylindrical surface of the rolling bearing outer race. 
     
     
         6 . The rolling bearing and seal fixing arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the contact portion of the rubber seal is constituted by an annular protrusion protruding radially outwardly and spaced axially outwardly from the fitting portion of the rubber seal.