Ball joint seal

Claim 1

A BALL JOINT SEAL COMPRISING A RESILIENT, THIN-WALLED, CUP-SHAPED ELEMENT OF RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL INCLUDING A BOTTOM END WALL PORTION HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN TO SEALINGLY ENGAGE A BALL JOINT STUD SHANK AND SIDE WALL PORTIONS TO SEALINGLY INTERCONNECT A BALL JOINT HOUSING AND AN ASSOCIATED MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE HOUSING BY THE BALL JOINT STUD, SAID SEAL BOTTOM END WALL PORTION HAVING A RING OF BEARING MATERIAL BONDED THERETO AND SURROUNDING SAID OPENING WITH AN OUTER FACE OF SAID BEARING RING ARRANGED TO HAVE BEARING CONTACT WITH SAID ASSOCIATED MEMBER, AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PERIPHERAL FLANGE PORTION ON THE SEAL SIDE WALL PORTIONS ADJACENT THE CUP OPEN END, A RIGIDIFYING WASHER BONDED TO THE OUTER FACE OF SAID FLANGE PORTION HAVING RADIALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED TEETH ALONG ITS INNER PERIPHERY SPACED BY ENLARGED ROOT OPENINGS, SAID WASHER TEETH AND ROOT OPENING BEING COVERED BY A FLEXIBLE ANNULAR RIM OF RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL WITH THE MATERIAL COVERING THE ROOT OPENINGS BEING DEFLECTABLE TO PROVIDE SELF-SEALING LUBRICANT BLEED BORES, SAID TEETH BEING ARRANGED TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE AND TO SEAL AGAINST THE BALL JOINT HOUSING.