Title of Invention

ELASTIC SEALING ELEMENT IN BELLOWS FORM

Abstract

An elastic sealing element is introduced in bellow form, which is applied for sealing of contact surfaces "between at least two components moving to each other and displays a low elastic application zone as also a high elastic deformation zone compared to application zones wherein the deformation zone defines a chamber at its internal side turned to the moving components for admission of lubricant. At least in area of one of both the low elastic zones (6 or 7) an excess pressure discharging device is arranged. The excess pressure discharging device (14) displays at least one out let opening (15) connecting the lubricant chamber (11) with the external side of sealing element (1) and a closing element (16) covering the out let opening. The closing element (16) is in its sides executed as single piece with the sealing element (1) shuts the out let opening (15) through intrinsic elasticity of sealing element material up to a limiting excess pressure in the lubricating chamber (11).

Full Text

-2- Elastic sealing element in bellows form Description. The invention refers to an elastic sealing element in bellows form for sealing of contact areas between at least two components mov- ing to each other corresponding to the description of claim 1. Sealing element as per generic type are for example known from DE 196-34 444 A1 and are applied in many areas of mechanical engi neering for example in automobile engineering. The above stated write up reveals a ball connection arrangement, in which an excess pressure discharging device is present, which is constructed in the form of a valve. Herein an opening connecting the inside of lubri cant chamber with the external air is covered in an elastic sealing element through a retaining ring. In case the pressure inside of lubricant chamber increases following heating of lubricant over a predetermined iso that a corresponding excess pressure lubricant between retaining and sealing element can come out. The design of excess pressure discharging device revealed mentioned write up is disadvantageous to the extent that the retaining ring necessary for sealing of outlet opening opposite to sealing element is displaceable and besides, from assembly reasons must be executed slotted. On ground of these construction based properties, it can happen that the slot of retaining ring is positioned exactly above the opening of outlet of excess pressure. This leads to that, that at normal pressure in lubricant chamber, lubricant can come but unrestricted i.e. the possibility exists, that impurities from outside can get into the lubricant chamber. Over and above that,this type of retaining rings have the tendency to fatigue or for example, to be at least partwise limited in its function through corrosion. Assignment of present invention is therefore to make available an elastic sealing material which each time and under all operating conditions guarantees a reliable sealing, over and above displays an excess pressure discharging device, which works each time secure in function, is easy and less expensive to manufacture and offers protection against assembly fault. -3- This assignment is solved as per invention through that that the excess pressure discharging device is installed in area of one of low elastic application zones in which the sealing element with moving components to be sealed with each other remain in contact and shows atleast one outlet opening connecting the lubricant chamber with external side of sealing element and a closing ; element covering the outlet opening, wherein the closing element through intrinsic elasticity of sealing element material shuts the outlet opening up to a limiting excess pressure in the lubricant chamber. The single piece design of closing element with, the sealing prevents reliably any assembly fault as they could appear in construction as per above mentioned description, since additional components of excess pressure discharge device of sealing element is not present. Over and above that the single piece design is manufactured simple and low- priced. Special shapes of items of invention result out of the features of sub claims. In the following a manufacturing example of articles of invention with the help of enclosed drawings is illustrated closer, They show: Figure 1 Figure 2 An enlarged representation of sealing element out of Figure 1 in area of excess pressure discharging device. The sealing element as per invention marked with reference number 1 is applied in the manufacturing example for sealing of contact surfaces between components 2 and 3. In component 2 it deals with a socket of a ball and socket joint in which the sperical parts 4 of components 3 is applied with which at presents it deals with a link rod of a ball stud. The sealing element 1 possesses a contact zone 6 at the socket of a ball and socket joint 2 & application zone 7 at the link rod 3. Application zones 6 and 7 are built at their joining surfaces to components 2 and 3 in section looking like saw tooth/ indentation forming, so that a labyrinth sealing results. Between application zones 6 and 7 of sealing element 1 a deformation zone 8 stretches, which as can be seen from Figure 1 is shaped in its cross section thinner than application zones 6 and 7. This shaping in combination with bulgy form of deformation zone 8 causes a high elasticity of this zone, so that in this area the deformation of sealing element 1 in relative movement between link rod 3 and socket of a ball and socket joint 2, takes place. Application zone -4- 6 is arranged in a notch 9 in this manufacturing example so that an axial a shifting in direction of longitudinal axis of link rod 3 is excluded. At the external side of contact zone 7 a retaining ring 12 is arranged outside et sealing element 1 to increase the contact force within application zone 7 at the link rod 3. Neighbouring to retaining ring 12, an excess pressure discharging device 14 is located in application zone 7. This excess pressure discharging device serves to that to divert in a controlled way outside, the excesss pressure arising through the deformation zone 8 defined lubricant chamber 11. In Figure 2, the excess pressure outlet device 14 is represented in enlarged size for making it clear. In the. represented manufacturing example the excess pressure discharging devices 14 comprises a slot shaped outlet opening 15, connecting bore 17, which is opened to inside of sealing element, that means towards lubricant chamber 11 as also a cover element 16 which is shaped as sealing lip. The slot 15, which forms the outlet opening runs in oblique angle to external surface 18 of sealing element and is executed rotating. The sealing lip 16, which builds the closing element is, as the Figures 1 and 2 make clear, formed as single piece at the sealing element. The sealing element comprises an elastomer material for example an unvulcanised rubber mixing. The arrangement of slot 15 results in that intrinsic elasticity of elastomer materials causes that the slot 15 is shut through sealing lip 16. The operation conditions result in total arrangement that the lubricant temperature and with that the pressure rises within the lubricant chamber 11, thus the pressure increse leads to that the lubricant penetrates in the bore 17 and presses against floor space 19 of bore. In case the excess pressure exceeds a certain limiting value, then the sealing lip 16 is pressed towards outside in area of bore 17, so that through slot 15, the lubricant can escape to outside, through which the excess pressure within lubricant chamber 11 is reduced. The elastic restoring force of sealing lip results after reduction of excess pressure an automatic recovering of slot 15, so that a penetration of impurities in the lubricant chamber is reliably excluded. The fixing of so called limiting excess pressure, that means, of that pressure which leads to opening of the slot, can make it necessary, to arrange concentric more number of bores17 -5- on the circumference of sealing element. A further variant of excess pressure discharging device as per invention can be so shaped that for example in a certain part circumference area of sealing element 1 the out let opening 15 is shaped as oblique running slot, wherein the slot from the external side of sealing element 1 reaches upto directly in side the lubricant chamber 11. A connecting bore 17 as in above mentioned example can be cancelled in this case. Naturally it is also conceivable to arrange on the circumference of sealing element 1 more number of short slots or notch forming out let opening 15, with that at a high excess pressure, to reduce it correspondingly quickly. Reference lists. 1. - Sealing element 2. - Socket of a ball and socket joint 3. - Link rod 4. - Spherical part 6. - Application zone socket of a ball and socket joint 7• - Application zone link rod 8. - Deformation zone 9. - Notch 10. - Internal side deformation zone 11. - Lubricant chamber 12. - Retaining ring 14. - Excess pressure discharging device 15 • - Outlet opening 16. - Closing element 17. - Bore 18. - External surface 19. - Floor surface. 16. -6-WE CLAIM: 1. Elastic sealing elements (1) in bellow form for sealing of contact surfaces between atleast two moving components (2, 3) moving towards each other with low elastic application zones (6,7) at the moving components, compared to application zone (6, 7) a high elastic deformation zone (8) is located between said application, zones, said deformation zone (8) defines a chamber (11) at its internal side turned to the said moving components for admission of lubricant into said chamber (11) and an excess pressure discharging device (14) characterized in that: the excess pressure discharging device (14) is arranged at least in the area of one of low elastic application zones (6 or 7) and displays atleast one outlet opening (15) connecting the lubricant chamber (11) with the external side of sealing element (1) and a closing element (16) covering the outlet opening wherein the closing element (16) is manufactured in single piece with the sealing element (1) and shuts the outlet opening (15) through the intrinsic elasticity of sealing element material, upto a limit of excess pressure in the lubricant chamber (11), 2. Elastic sealing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet opening (15) is shaped as rotating slot, wherein the slot depth amounts to half the wall thickness of sealing element in the area in which the excess pressure discharging device (14) is arranged and that the lubricant chamber (11) is connected over atleast one bore (17) with the slot (15). -7- 3. Elastic sealing element as claimed in claim 2, wherein more number of bores (17) are arranged atleast to one concentreic radius which connects the lubricant chamber (11) with the slot (15). 4. Elastic sealing element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet opening (15) is shaped as slot which is arranged in a part area of circumference of sealing element (1) and connects the lubricant chamber (11) directly with external side of sealing element (1). 5. Elastic sealing element as claimed in claim 4, wherein more number of slots (15) are arranged as outlet opening over the circumference of sealing element (1). An elastic sealing element is introduced in bellow form, which is applied for sealing of contact surfaces "between at least two components moving to each other and displays a low elastic application zone as also a high elastic deformation zone compared to application zones wherein the deformation zone defines a chamber at its internal side turned to the moving components for admission of lubricant. At least in area of one of both the low elastic zones (6 or 7) an excess pressure discharging device is arranged. The excess pressure discharging device (14) displays at least one out let opening (15) connecting the lubricant chamber (11) with the external side of sealing element (1) and a closing element (16) covering the out let opening. The closing element (16) is in its sides executed as single piece with the sealing element (1) shuts the out let opening (15) through intrinsic elasticity of sealing element material up to a limiting excess pressure in the lubricating chamber (11).

Documents:

01101-cal-1998-abstract.pdf

01101-cal-1998-claims.pdf

01101-cal-1998-correspondence.pdf

01101-cal-1998-description(complete).pdf

01101-cal-1998-drawings.pdf

01101-cal-1998-form-1.pdf

01101-cal-1998-form-2.pdf

01101-cal-1998-form-3.pdf

01101-cal-1998-form-5.pdf

01101-cal-1998-p.a.pdf