A hub-bearing assembly having an axis of rotation and provided with a bearing outer ring and a bearing inner ring that define between them an interspace. The outer ring having a shaped groove and the inner ring being provided with a flange that is transverse to the axis of rotation; a sealing device, which is interposed between the outer ring and the inner ring to prevent the entry of impurities into the hub-bearing assembly through the interspace, being provided with a protective cover mounted on the flange to rotate with the inner ring, and extends around the outer ring to close off the interspace from the exterior of the interspace, and has a free terminal edge arranged to snap into the shaped groove to define an annular outlet that is placed inside the shaped groove.

A sealing assembly for a cup bearing of a universal joint includes a seal sub-assembly configured to be positioned in a space between a cup of the cup bearing and a trunnion of the universal joint. The seal sub-assembly includes an elastic sealing member configured to contact an outer surface of the trunnion, and a seal insert attached to the elastic sealing member and configured to contact an inner surface of the cup. The seal insert includes an extension portion configured to contact and extend away from a rim surface of the cup. The sealing assembly further includes an external shield including an inner portion and an outer portion. The inner portion is configured to contact the outer surface of the trunnion, and the outer portion is attached to the extension portion of the seal insert.

A method of producing a wheel bearing apparatus includes: performing positioning of a slinger of a sealing device with respect to a base shaft portion of a hub spindle by pressing a jig to press-fit the slinger to the base shaft portion, using an inner ring contacted surface, which is a step portion between a small-diameter shaft portion and a large-diameter shaft portion of the hub spindle, as a reference surface; and fitting, after the slinger is press-fitted to the base shaft portion, an inner ring to the small-diameter shaft portion such that the inner ring reaches a position at which the inner ring comes into contact with the inner ring contacted surface, in a state where an outer ring, rolling elements, and the sealing device have been assembled to the hub spindle.

A hub-bearing assembly having an axis of rotation and provided with a bearing outer ring and a bearing inner ring that define between them an interspace. The outer ring having a shaped groove and the inner ring being provided with a flange that is transverse to the axis of rotation; a sealing device, which is interposed between the outer ring and the inner ring to prevent the entry of impurities into the hub-bearing assembly through the interspace, being provided with a protective cover mounted on the flange to rotate with the inner ring, and extends around the outer ring to close off the interspace from the exterior of the interspace, and has a free terminal edge arranged to snap into the shaped groove to define an annular outlet that is placed inside the shaped groove.

A method for assembling a wheel bearing apparatus includes disposing a positioning jig such that a lateral face of the positioning jig on one side in an axial direction contacts a lateral face of a hub flange on a side of a slinger, the positioning jig having a ring shape separated into a plurality of partial portions arranged in a circumferential direction, a width of the positioning jig in the axial direction being equal to a distance between a lateral face of a disc portion on a side of the hub flange and a lateral face of the hub flange on the side of the slinger, the distance being set to obtain an appropriate interference; and attaching the slinger such that the lateral face of the disc portion on the side of the hub flange contacts a lateral face of the positioning jig on another side in the axial direction.

A bearing unit may have a radially outer ring, a radially inner ring, a row of rolling bodies interposed between the radially outer ring and the radially inner ring, a casing inside which the rings of the bearing unit are housed. The bearing unit may further have a sealing device and a disc-like element for protecting the sealing device, made as one piece, entirely of plastic or composite material, axially external with respect to the sealing device, stably anchored in a seat of the casing and having a radial distance (d2) between a radially internal surface of the disc-like element and the radially inner ring ranging between 0.75 mm and 0.95 mm so as to block large-size external contaminants, without making contact with the radially inner ring.

A procedure for mounting of a hub bearing assembly having a rotatable hub, and a bearing unit having a stationary radially outer ring, and two bodies rolling crowns disposed between the radially outer ring and the hub. The assembly process involves the following steps: a) pressing-fit a first seal on the hub, b) mounting an axially external cage and the axially outside rolling bodies, in correspondence with a track of the axially outer hub, c) the radially outer ring assembly and inclination of the same outer ring of a predetermined angle with respect to the hub, d) mounting of the axially interior rolling bodies in correspondence with a track of the axially inner hub, and the radially outer ring alignment to the hub, f) snap insertion of the axially internal cage on rolling bodies and g) the pressing-fit a second seal on its seat.

The inner elastic sealing member 5 includes an inner cylindrical base portion 5A leading to an end portion of an inner cylindrical portion 1B of the inner ring 1, and also includes, at an outer circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical base portion 5A, a projection 7 extending radially outward of an inner periphery of a lower end of an inner cylindrical portion 2B of the outer ring 2. The outer elastic sealing member 6 includes a lip 6B brought into pressure contact with a pressure contact surface B of the outer ring 2. An upper surface 7A of the projection 7 is spaced downward from the lower end of the inner cylindrical portion 2B of the outer ring 2, and an outer circumferential surface 7C of the projection 7 is spaced radially inward from the lower member 8.

A wheel bearing assembly for a vehicle includes at least one rolling-element bearing having a first bearing ring and a second bearing ring defining therebetween a bearing interior, rolling elements disposed in the interior, and a seal assembly for sealing the bearing assembly. The seal assembly includes a sleeve-shaped element connected to the second bearing ring such that the sleeve-shaped element rotates with the second bearing, and the sleeve-shaped element includes a flange that forms an axial stop for the rolling elements. A carrier element is connected to the first bearing ring such the carrier element rotates with the first bearing ring, and the carrier element includes a radially extending annular flange. The radially extending annular flange supports a radially encircling seal having at least one seal lip, and the seal lip extends toward the second bearing ring and sealingly abuts on the sleeve shaped element.

A rolling-bearing sealing device includes: an outer ring fixed to a rotating sprocket housing; an inner ring fixed to a non-rotating motor housing; a plurality of rolling elements between the outer and the inner rings; a retainer holding the rolling elements; and an oil seal including a slinger and a seal lip and fixed to the inner ring, in which a radial lip of the oil seal is pressed against the outer ring or the sprocket housing, and in which the sprocket housing has an end face provided with a side plate fixed thereto, for sliding contact by a side lip extended axially from the oil seal.