UNITIZED BEARING ASSEMBLY WITH MOLDABLE RACE MEMBERS AND LABYRINTH SEAL

摘要

UNITIZED BEARING ASSEMBLY WITHMOLDABLE RACE MEMBERS AND LABYRINTH SEALAbstract of the DisclosureAn improved bearing assembly for a McPhersonstrut has plastic components adapted for ease ofmoldability that also cooperate to form a labyrinthseal as well as to unitize the assembly. Upper andlower housing members include trough shaped pathwayportions and coaxial sealing grooves that togethercomprise a concave surface any radial cross section ofwhich does not have a return bend relative to thebearing axis, thus allowing the race members to bemolded by an axial draw mold. Each race member alsoincludes retention tabs extending radially into thesealing grooves, backed by axial access slots to alsoallow the retention tabs to be molded by the same mold.A cage includes cylindrical sealing flanges, eachhaving a convex shape similar to the concave shape ofthe sealing grooves. thus allowing sealing flanges tobe received within respective sealing grooves with aslight clearance, so that the cage is moldable and alsoforms a non rubbing labyrinth seal. The sealing flangesalso include retention lips formed so as to be moldablealong with the cage that cooperate with the retentiontabs of the housings to prevent axial separation of thecomponents and to unitize the assembly.