A flexible tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing and its assembly method

Abstract

This invention discloses an elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, comprising a bushing and a plurality of thrust pads movably mounted on one end of the bushing circumferentially. The thrust pads are capable of limited tilting relative to the end face of the bushing, and an elastic pad layer is provided between the bushing and the thrust pads to limit the maximum tilting angle of the thrust pads. This invention also discloses an assembly method, comprising the following steps: S1, placing the first hemispherical joint into the first groove with its threaded mounting groove's central axis parallel to the end face of the bushing, and then rotating it to align the threaded mounting groove with the first through hole; S2, inserting a fixing pin after aligning the first fixing pin hole and the second fixing pin hole; S3, passing the first connecting bolt through the first through hole, screwing it into the threaded mounting groove, and tightening it. This invention provides controllable tilting space for the pads and reduces vibration and noise by setting an elastic pad layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of bearing equipment, and particularly relates to a water-lubricated thrust bearing and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] With the deepening of economic globalization and the increasing prosperity of maritime trade, the trend towards larger ships has become evident, placing higher demands on ship propulsion systems. In traditional propulsion systems, excessively long propulsion shafts not only occupy a large amount of internal space, reducing space utilization and propulsion efficiency, but also continuously increase the difficulty of system design and construction costs. These intractable defects have prompted the industry to gradually turn its attention to shaftless rim propellers. This type of propeller integrates the drive motor and propeller into one unit, abandoning the traditional separate engine and propeller design. It eliminates multiple components such as shaft transmission, mechanical seals, oil lubrication systems, and motor cooling systems, resulting in a more compact structure.

[0003] Currently, water-lubricated media are widely used in marine propulsion systems due to their environmental friendliness, wide availability, high safety, and flame retardancy. Water-lubricated bearings are not only environmentally friendly and pollution-free, but also possess outstanding characteristics such as simple structure, convenient maintenance, excellent friction performance, strong vibration damping ability, and corrosion resistance. Water-lubricated thrust bearings mainly include two structures: fixed pad and tilting pad. Fixed pad structures are inferior to tilting pad structures in terms of load-sharing capacity, vibration damping performance, and ability to form hydrodynamic lubrication. However, traditional tilting pad thrust bearings are mostly rigidly designed to achieve reliable tilting function, resulting in complex structures. Once installed, the maximum tilting angle of the pads is fixed, lacking adjustable components to control the maximum tilt angle, leading to poor adaptability and a lack of effective vibration and noise reduction capabilities. Because the propeller rotation in the flow field generates multi-directional pulsating forces, it causes shaft vibration. These vibrations are transmitted to the hull through the bearings, resulting in significant ship vibration and noise, affecting normal operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies and defects mentioned in the background art above, and to provide an elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing with easy control and adjustment of the maximum tilt angle, simple and compact structure, convenient processing and maintenance, and tilting and elastic vibration reduction functions.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution proposed by this invention is as follows:

[0006] A water-lubricated, elastic tilting pad thrust bearing includes a bushing and a plurality of thrust pads movably mounted at one end of the bushing in a circumferential direction. The thrust pads are capable of limited tilting relative to the end face of the bushing, and an elastic pad layer is provided between the bushing and the thrust pads to limit the maximum tilt angle of the thrust pads.

[0007] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, the thrust pad comprises two friction surface layers and a rigid base layer. The friction surface layers are spaced apart along the circumference of the bushing on the side of the rigid base layer opposite to the bushing. The elastic pad layer is disposed on the other side of the rigid base layer. The thrust pad is movably connected to the bushing via a fastening assembly. The fastening assembly is installed on the rigid base layer in the spaced area of ​​the friction surface layers and passes through the elastic pad layer to connect with the bushing. This configuration is equivalent to two thrust pads sharing a single rigid base layer and connecting to the bushing via a single fastening assembly. Compared to the existing technology's one-to-one pairing of thrust pads and fastening devices, this effectively reduces the number of fastening devices, simplifies the overall structure, and, because the fastening assembly is located in the spaced area of ​​the friction surface layers, makes the connection and installation between the base layer and the bushing more convenient. It also facilitates later inspection, maintenance, or replacement, effectively improving the maintainability of the bearing.

[0008] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, the fastening assembly includes a first connecting bolt and a first hemispherical joint. The first hemispherical joint is located at the threaded end of the first connecting bolt. The connecting end face of the bushing has a corresponding first groove adapted to the first hemispherical joint. The first hemispherical joint is movably engaged in the first groove. The rigid base layer and the elastic pad layer have corresponding first through holes for the threaded bolt of the first connecting bolt to pass through. With this configuration, the first connecting bolt can directly pass through the rigid base layer and the elastic pad layer and be fixedly connected to the first hemispherical joint pre-placed in the bushing. The first hemispherical joint is movably engaged in the first groove on the bushing, allowing the first connecting bolt and the thrust pad to tilt freely within a certain angle range.

[0009] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, the upper and lower surfaces of the first hemispherical joint are both planes, and the plane of the upper surface is higher than its center. A threaded mounting groove for securing the first connecting bolt is provided along the axial direction at the center of the upper surface, and symmetrical planar assembly notches are provided on both sides of the threaded mounting groove. The first groove is a constricted structure adapted to the spherical contour of the first hemispherical joint. The first hemispherical joint and the bushing are respectively provided with a first fixing pin hole and a second fixing pin hole for inserting a fixing pin. This design allows the constricted first groove to form a good fit with the spherical surface of the first hemispherical joint, restricting its disengagement, while not restricting its necessary rotational freedom. This allows the thrust pad to still achieve the required lateral tilting and oscillation during bearing operation. The planar assembly notches facilitate the first hemispherical joint's insertion into the first groove. Combined with the fixing pins inserted in the first and second fixing pin holes, the joint angle can be temporarily fixed during installation, ensuring smooth thread engagement and greatly simplifying the assembly operation.

[0010] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, a first elastic buffer pad is affixed to the lower end of the bolt head of the first connecting bolt. When the bearing load decreases, the thrust pad will rebound upwards under the restoring action of the underlying elastic pad layer. The first elastic buffer pad can effectively absorb and buffer this rebound impact, preventing the impact force from acting directly on the bolt head, thereby preventing the first connecting bolt from loosening due to repeated impacts and significantly improving the reliability of the connection. In addition, the first elastic buffer pad can further absorb some high-frequency vibration energy, playing an auxiliary role in the overall vibration reduction and noise reduction effect.

[0011] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, the end of the bushing is provided with a protruding structure, which is located on both circumferential sides of the thrust pad. The protruding structure effectively restricts the horizontal rotation of the thrust pad on the end face of the bushing.

[0012] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, an inverted trapezoidal platform is provided at the connection between the rigid base layer and the friction surface layer, and the friction surface layer is provided with an inverted trapezoidal groove that fits into the inverted trapezoidal platform. The inverted trapezoidal structure enables a mechanical interlock between the rigid base layer and the friction surface layer, improving their connection strength.

[0013] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, the other end of the bushing is provided with a connecting flange for connection to an external propulsion device, and the inner wall of the bushing is provided with a radial bearing liner, which has multiple water grooves for lubrication and cooling along its circumference. Integrating the thrust pads and the radial bearing liner onto the bushing results in a simple and compact bearing structure that is easy to process and maintain.

[0014] In the aforementioned elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, preferably, the fastening assembly includes a second connecting bolt and a second hemispherical joint. The second hemispherical joint is located at the bolt head end of the second connecting bolt. The rigid base has a second groove adapted to the second hemispherical joint. The end face of the bushing has a corresponding second threaded hole for fixing the second connecting bolt. The second hemispherical joint is located within the second groove, and the rigid base can move relative to the second hemispherical joint. Through the spherical engagement of the second hemispherical joint and the second groove on the rigid base, a flexible ball joint is formed. While the second connecting bolt fixes the bushing, the thrust pad can tilt freely within a certain angle range, effectively adapting to off-center load conditions during operation. During installation, simply placing the hemispherical joint into the second groove and tightening the bolt completes the hinge connection. The assembly and disassembly process is direct and simple, greatly facilitating on-site installation and subsequent maintenance of the bearing.

[0015] As a general technical concept, the present invention also provides an assembly method for a resilient tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing, comprising the following steps:

[0016] S1. Place the first hemispherical joint into the first groove with its threaded mounting groove center axis parallel to the end face of the bushing, and then rotate it so that the threaded mounting groove is aligned with the first through hole.

[0017] S2. Align the first fixing pin hole with the second fixing pin hole and insert the fixing pin;

[0018] S3. Pass the first connecting bolt through the first through hole, screw it into the threaded mounting groove, and tighten it.

[0019] S4. Remove the fixing pin.

[0020] Since the first hemispherical joint cannot be directly inserted into the first groove, the hemispherical joint can be vertically inserted into the hole through the flat assembly notches on both sides, and then the installation can be completed by rotation. After installation, the closing structure can naturally lock the joint to prevent it from coming out during operation, thus achieving reliable axial positioning under a simple structure. Furthermore, by inserting a fixing pin to temporarily fix the joint position, the first connecting bolt can be smoothly screwed in, effectively avoiding the problem of the joint rotating during the tightening process. This greatly simplifies the assembly operation in a compact space and improves assembly efficiency and success rate.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0022] This invention provides a controllable tilt space for the thrust pad by setting an elastic pad between the bushing and the thrust pad, utilizing its elastic deformation. This allows the bearing to control the maximum tilt angle of the thrust pad by adjusting parameters such as the thickness and hardness of the elastic pad, thereby improving the bearing's adaptability and load-bearing stability under complex working conditions. At the same time, the elastic pad has excellent impact resistance, vibration reduction, and noise reduction effects during operation, effectively suppressing the transmission of vibration and noise to the hull. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing of Example 1;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the thrust pad structure in Example 1;

[0026] Figure 3This is a front view of the fastening assembly in Example 1;

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Cross-sectional view at point AA;

[0028] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first hemispherical joint in Example 1;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the thrust pad of Example 1;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the thrust pad without a friction surface layer in Example 1;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the posture of the first hemispherical joint in the first groove in Embodiment 1.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a front view of the fastening assembly in Embodiment 2;

[0034] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Cross-sectional view of BB section;

[0035] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Enlarged view of point B;

[0036] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the thrust pad structure in Example 2.

[0037] Legend

[0038] 1. Bushing; 11. First groove; 12. Second threaded hole; 13. Second fixing pin hole; 14. Raised structure; 15. Radial bearing liner; 151. Water groove; 2. Thrust pad; 21. Friction surface layer; 211. Inverted trapezoidal groove; 22. Rigid base layer; 221. First through hole; 222. Second groove; 223. Inverted trapezoidal platform; 23. Elastic pad layer; 3. Fastening assembly; 31. First connecting bolt; 311. First elastic buffer pad; 32. First hemispherical joint; 321. Threaded mounting groove; 322. Planar assembly notch; 323. First fixing pin hole; 33. Second connecting bolt; 331. Second elastic buffer pad; 34. Second hemispherical joint. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully and in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following specific embodiments.

[0040] It should be noted that when a component is described as being "fixed to, attached to, connected to or connected to" another component, it can be directly fixed to, attached to, connected to or connected to the other component, or it can be indirectly fixed to, attached to, connected to or connected to the other component through other intermediate connectors.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The technical terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0042] Unless otherwise specified, all raw materials, reagents, instruments and equipment used in this invention can be purchased from the market or prepared by existing methods.

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing of this embodiment includes a bushing 1 and a plurality of thrust pads 2 movably mounted on one end of the bushing 1 in the circumferential direction. The thrust pads 2 can tilt to a limited extent relative to the end face of the bushing 1, and an elastic pad layer 23 is provided between the bushing 1 and the thrust pads 2 to limit the maximum tilt angle of the thrust pads 2.

[0045] In this embodiment, the thrust pad 2 includes two friction surface layers 21 and a rigid base layer 22. The friction surface layers 21 are attached to the rigid base layer 22 away from the bushing 1 along the circumference of the bushing 1. The elastic pad layer 23 is disposed on the other side of the rigid base layer 22. The thrust pad 2 is movably connected to the bushing 1 through a fastening component 3. The fastening component 3 is installed on the rigid base layer 22 in the space between the two friction surface layers 21 and passes through the elastic pad layer 23 to connect with the bushing 1.

[0046] In this embodiment, the spacing between adjacent friction surface layers 21 is equal. The friction surface layer 21 is made of high wear-resistant and high-strength plastic, providing good lubrication and wear resistance. The rigid base layer 22 is made of metal, ensuring the overall support strength of the tile. The elastic pad layer 23 is made of rubber. The rigid base layer 22 and the elastic pad layer 23 are connected by a vulcanization process to ensure the connection strength between the two.

[0047] In this embodiment, as Figures 2 to 5As shown, the fastening assembly 3 includes a first connecting bolt 31 and a first hemispherical joint 32. The first hemispherical joint 32 is located at the screw end of the first connecting bolt 31. The connecting end face of the bushing 1 is provided with a first groove 11 that is adapted to the first hemispherical joint 32. The first hemispherical joint 32 is movably engaged in the first groove 11. The rigid base layer 22 and the elastic pad layer 23 are provided with a first through hole 221 for the screw of the first connecting bolt 31 to pass through.

[0048] In this embodiment, as Figure 6 and Figure 9 As shown, the upper and lower surfaces of the first hemispherical joint 32 are both planes, and the plane on which the upper surface is located is higher than its center. A threaded mounting groove 321 for fixing the first connecting bolt 31 is provided along its axial direction at the center of the upper surface, and a planar assembly notch 322 is symmetrically provided on both sides of the threaded mounting groove 321. The first groove 11 is a constriction structure that matches the spherical contour of the first hemispherical joint 32. The first hemispherical joint 32 and the bushing 1 are respectively provided with a first fixing pin hole 323 and a second fixing pin hole 13 for passing through the fixing pin.

[0049] In this embodiment, as Figure 5 As shown, a first elastic buffer pad 311 is attached to the lower end of the bolt head of the first connecting bolt 31.

[0050] In this embodiment, the end of the bushing 1 is provided with a protruding structure 14, which is located on both sides of the thrust pad 2.

[0051] In this embodiment, as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, an inverted trapezoidal platform 223 is provided at the connection between the rigid base layer 22 and the friction surface layer 21, and an inverted trapezoidal groove 211 is provided on the friction surface layer 21 to fit into the inverted trapezoidal platform 223.

[0052] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 As shown, the other end of the bushing 1 is provided with a connecting flange for connection to an external propulsion device. The inner wall of the bushing 1 is provided with a radial bearing liner 15, and the radial bearing liner 15 is provided with a plurality of water tanks 151 for lubrication and cooling along the circumference.

[0053] In this embodiment, specifically, the inner wall of the bushing 1 has a threaded hole, and the radial bearing liner 15 is positioned and fixed to the inner surface of the bushing 1 through the threaded hole. The radial bearing liner 15 provides radial support for the shaft system, and the circumferentially distributed water grooves 151 meet the lubrication and cooling requirements. The radial bearing liner 15 is made of a high wear-resistant and high-strength plastic material to provide sufficient radial support strength and lubrication performance. In other embodiments, the radial bearing liner 15 may be made of other high wear-resistant and high-strength materials depending on the actual situation.

[0054] The assembly method of the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0055] S1. Place the first hemispherical joint 32 into the first groove 11 with the central axis of its threaded mounting groove 321 parallel to the end face of the bushing 1, and then rotate it so that the threaded mounting groove 321 is aligned with the first through hole 221.

[0056] S2. Align the first fixing pin hole 323 with the second fixing pin hole 13 and insert the fixing pin;

[0057] S3. Pass the first connecting bolt 31 through the first through hole 221, screw it into the threaded mounting groove 321 and tighten it;

[0058] S4. Remove the retaining pin.

[0059] In this embodiment, the specific steps include first positioning the first hemispherical joint 32 with... Figure 9 Place the device in the first groove 11 in the indicated position, then rotate it 90 degrees so that the threaded mounting groove 321 is aligned with the first through hole 221. Then, align the first fixing pin hole 323 with the second fixing pin hole 13 and insert the fixing pin. Next, pass the first connecting bolt 31 through the first through hole 221, screw it into the threaded mounting groove 321 and tighten it. Finally, pull out the fixing pin to complete the assembly.

[0060] Example 2:

[0061] like Figures 10 to 13 As shown, this embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that: the fastening assembly 3 includes a second connecting bolt 33 and a second hemispherical joint 34. The second hemispherical joint 34 is located at the bolt head end of the second connecting bolt 33. The rigid base layer 22 has a second groove 222 adapted to the second hemispherical joint 34. The end face of the bushing 1 has a corresponding second threaded hole 12 for fixing the second connecting bolt 33. The second hemispherical joint 34 is located in the second groove 222, and the rigid base layer 22 can move relative to the second hemispherical joint 34. The lower end of the bolt head of the second connecting bolt 33 is affixed with a second elastic buffer pad 331, which has the same function as the first elastic buffer pad 311.

[0062] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a water-lubricated, elastic tilting pad thrust bearing, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Place the first hemispherical joint (32) into the first groove (11) with the central axis of its threaded mounting groove (321) parallel to the end face of the bushing (1), and then rotate it so that the threaded mounting groove (321) is aligned with the first through hole (221); S2. Align the first fixing pin hole (323) and the second fixing pin hole (13) and insert the fixing pin; S3. Pass the first connecting bolt (31) through the first through hole (221), screw it into the threaded mounting groove (321) and tighten it; S4. Remove the retaining pin; The elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing includes a bushing (1) and a plurality of thrust pads (2) movably mounted on one end of the bushing (1) in the circumferential direction. The thrust pads (2) are capable of limited tilting relative to the end face of the bushing (1), and an elastic pad (23) is provided between the bushing (1) and the thrust pads (2) to limit the maximum tilt angle of the thrust pads (2). The thrust pad (2) includes two friction surface layers (21) and a rigid base layer (22). The two friction surface layers (21) are attached to the rigid base layer (22) away from the bushing (1) at intervals along the circumference of the bushing (1). The elastic pad layer (23) is provided on the other side of the rigid base layer (22). The thrust pad (2) is movably connected to the bushing (1) through a fastening component (3). The fastening component (3) is installed on the rigid base layer (22) in the interval area of ​​the friction surface layers (21) and passes through the elastic pad layer (23) to connect with the bushing (1). The fastening assembly (3) includes a first connecting bolt (31) and a first hemispherical joint (32). The first hemispherical joint (32) is located at the screw end of the first connecting bolt (31). The connecting end face of the bushing (1) is provided with a first groove (11) that is adapted to the first hemispherical joint (32). The first hemispherical joint (32) is movably locked in the first groove (11). The rigid base layer (22) and the elastic pad layer (23) are provided with a first through hole (221) for the screw of the first connecting bolt (31) to pass through. The upper and lower surfaces of the first hemispherical joint (32) are both planes, and the plane on which the upper surface is located is higher than its center. A threaded mounting groove (321) for fixing the first connecting bolt (31) is provided along its axial direction at the center of the upper surface, and a planar assembly notch (322) is provided symmetrically on both sides of the threaded mounting groove (321). The first groove (11) is a closing structure that is adapted to the spherical contour of the first hemispherical joint (32). The first hemispherical joint (32) and the bushing (1) are respectively provided with a first fixing pin hole (323) and a second fixing pin hole (13) for passing through the fixing pin.

2. The assembly method of the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower end of the bolt head of the first connecting bolt (31) is provided with a first elastic buffer pad (311).

3. The assembly method of the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, The bushing (1) has a protruding structure (14) at its end, and the protruding structure (14) is located on both sides of the thrust pad (2) in the circumferential direction.

4. The assembly method of the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, An inverted trapezoidal platform (223) is provided at the connection between the rigid base layer (22) and the friction surface layer (21), and the friction surface layer (21) is provided with an inverted trapezoidal groove (211) that fits into the inverted trapezoidal platform (223).

5. The assembly method of the elastic tilting pad water-lubricated thrust bearing according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, The other end of the bushing (1) is provided with a connecting flange for connection to an external propulsion device. The inner wall of the bushing (1) is provided with a radial bearing liner (15). The radial bearing liner (15) is provided with a plurality of water tanks (151) for lubrication and cooling along the circumferential direction.

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