Bearing system with water exclusion

A bearing has an outer ring that has an axially outward edge. The inner ring of the bearing has a flange that extends radially outward past the outer edge of the outer ring and defines a slot between them. The external surface of the outer ring is inclined radially inwardly moving axially inwardly from the outer edge of the outer ring for defining a conical section terminating in a circumferential groove. Internally, the outer ring has a borehole in from the outer edge which is also radially inwardly inclined moving axially inward from the outer edge. The outward surface incline directs water away from the slot. The inward surface incline directs water between the rings outward through the slot. The single inclined surface on the exterior of the outer ring may be replaced with a series of inclined surfaces giving the exterior a toothed appearance. A seal may be disposed internally between the outer and inner rings. Attachment boreholes in the flange are at the radially outward tip of the axially edge of the outer ring.

What is claimed is:

1. A bearing comprising:

an outer ring, an inner ring radially inward of the outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements between the outer and inner rings;

the outer ring having an axially outer edge; the inner ring supporting a flange which extends radially outward from the inner ring and past the outward edge of the outer ring and defining a small axial length slot between the flange and the edge of the outer ring;

the outer ring having a radially external surface, and toward the axial edge of the outer ring at the external surface, that surface includes a section that is radially inwardly inclined moving axially away from the axial edge for defining a conically shaped section of the external surface, whereby liquid on the external surface in the vicinity of the slot would tend to move axially away from the slot axially along the inwardly inclined section of the external surface;

said flange extending radially outward of the outer ring, and there are attachment boreholes defined in the portion of the flange extending beyond the outer ring for attachment of the flange;

said inclined section on the external surface of the outer ring beginning at the outer edge of the outer ring in the region of the attachment boreholes in the flange of the inner ring.

2. The bearing of claim 1, further comprising a seal disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring located axially inward on the outer ring from the outer edge.

3. The bearing of claim 1, wherein the radially inclined section of the external surface of the outer ring terminates in a circumferential groove around the outer ring that is axially inward from the outer edge of the outer ring.

4. The bearing of claim 3, wherein the outer ring has an internal surface which defines a borehole, and axially inward from the axially outer edge of the outer ring, that borehole is radially inwardly inclined in the axial direction away from the outer edge of the outer ring, whereby water which might enter the space between the outer and inner rings may be caused to settle along the outer ring surface in the borehole and exit through the slot.

5. The bearing of claim 1, wherein the outer ring has an internal surface which defines a borehole, and axially inward from the axially outer edge of the outer ring, that borehole is radially inwardly inclined in the axial direction away from the outer edge of the outer ring, whereby water which might enter the space between the outer and inner rings may be caused to settle along the outer ring surface in the borehole and exit through the slot.

6. The bearing of claim 5, wherein the radially inwardly inclined surface of the borehole is approximately parallel to the inclined, conical section of the exterior surface of the outer ring.

7. The bearing of claim 6, further comprising a seal disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring located axially inward on the outer ring from the outer edge, wherein the seal is axially inward of the conical borehole in the interior surface of the outer ring.

8. A bearing comprising:

an outer ring, an inner ring radially inward of the outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements between the outer and inner rings;

the outer ring having an axially outer edge; the inner ring supporting a flange which extends radially outward from the inner ring and past the outward edge of the outer ring and defining a small axial length slot between the flange and the edge of the outer ring;

the outer ring having a radially external surface, and toward the axial edge of the outer ring at the external surface, that surface includes a section that is radially inwardly inclined moving axially away from the axial edge for defining a conically shaped section of the external surface, whereby liquid on the external surface in the vicinity of the slot would tend to move axially away from the slot axially along the inwardly inclined section of the external surface;

a plurality of the inclined sections at the external surface of the outer ring, starting at the outer edge of the outer ring and moving axially inward;

each of said sections starting radially outward and being inclined radially inward moving axially inward from the outward edge, and each section starting radially more outward than the axially inward end of the previous inclined section, providing the external surface of the outer ring inward from the outer edge with a circumferential, generally toothed shape defined by the plurality of inclined sections.

9. The bearing of claim 8, wherein each of the two toothed sections starts from a radially more elevated peak and terminates axially inward at a radially more inward groove, and each successive peak and its respective groove of each section axially more inward from the outer edge of the outer ring is gradually radially more inward than the peak and respective groove of the axially previous section, so that the teeth also define a radially inwardly inclined array.

10. The bearing of claim 8, wherein the outer ring has an internal surface which defines a borehole, and axial inwardly from the axially outer edge of the outer ring, that borehole is radially inwardly inclined in the axial direction away from the outer edge of the outer ring, whereby water which might enter the space between the outer and inner rings may be caused to settle along the outer ring surface in the borehole and exit through the slot.

11. A bearing comprising:

an outer ring, an inner ring radially inward of the outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements between the outer and inner rings;

the outer ring having an axially outer edge; the inner ring supporting a flange which extends radially outward from the inner ring and past the outward edge of the outer ring and defining a small axial length slot between the flange and the edge of the outer ring;

the outer ring having a radially external surface, and toward the axial edge of the outer ring at the external surface, that external surface includes a section that is radially inwardly inclined moving axially away from the axial edge for defining a conically shaped section of the external surface, whereby liquid on the external surface in the vicinity of the slot would tend to move axially away from the slot axially along the inwardly inclined section of the external surface;

sealing means secured to one of said rings and being in sliding engagement with the other of said rings.

12. The bearing of claim 11 wherein there are a plurality of the inclined sections at the external surface of the outer ring, starting at the outer edge of the outer ring and moving axially inward;

each of said sections starting radially outward and being inclined radially inward moving axially inward from the outward edge, and each section starting radially more outward than the axially inward end of the previous inclined section, providing the external surface of the outer ring inward from the outer edge with a circumferential, generally toothed shape defined by the plurality of inclined sections.

13. The bearing of claim 11, wherein the sealing means is secured to the outer ring axially inward from the outer edge.

14. The bearing of claim 13, wherein the sealing means includes flexible first and second lips in sliding engagement with the inner ring and the flange, respectively.

15. The bearing of claim 14, wherein the outer ring has an internal surface and the sealing means is disposed radially inward of said internal surface.

16. The bearing of claim 15, wherein said first and second lips are in sliding engagement with said inner ring and said flange at locations disposed radially inward of said slot.

17. The bearing of claim 16, wherein each of said lips, cross-section, have a first and a second end;

said lips metting at said first ends, said second end of said first lip being engaged with said inner ring, and said second end of said second lip being engaged with said flange.

18. The bearing of claim 17, wherein said first lip flares axially inward from its said second end to its said first end, and said second lip flares axially outward from its said second end to its said first end.

19. The bearing of claim 11, wherein the outer ring has an internal surface which defines a borehole, and axially inward from the axially outer edge of the outer ring, that borehole is radially inwardly inclined in the axial direction away from the outer edge of the outer ring, whereby water which might enter the space between the outer and inner rings may be caused to settle along the outer ring surface in the borehole and exit through the slot.