Adapter Sleeve With Varying Strength Longitudinal Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adapter sleeves for polygonal mandrels and openings suffer from lost motion and inefficient power transmission due to uneven material distribution, which fails to compensate for dimensional tolerances and results in reduced force transmission and increased friction during assembly.
Innovation Solution
The adapter sleeve design features thicker material at the ends of its longitudinal members, which are loaded during assembly, providing enhanced resistance to torsional forces and allowing for direct force transmission, with optional features like free-forming, cross-sectional reductions, and material inserts to accommodate tolerance variations and reduce friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the adapter sleeve has uniform material thickness, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the power transmission is inefficient and lost motion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter sleeve implements local quality by varying the material thickness of longitudinal members along their length. The ends have greater material thickness to provide high resistance to torsional forces and ensure efficient power transmission, while the central areas have reduced material thickness to minimize friction during assembly and compensate for dimensional tolerances. This non-uniform distribution optimizes both strength and ease of assembly.
2Strength
If the material thickness is increased throughout, then the resistance to torsional forces is high, but the friction during assembly increases and tolerance compensation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The solution applies local quality by concentrating greater material thickness at the ends of longitudinal members where torsional forces are transmitted, while reducing material thickness in the central areas. This ensures high resistance to torsional forces at critical locations while minimizing friction during the assembly process and allowing tolerance compensation where needed.
3Force
If the adapter sleeve is made with thicker material at ends, then the force transmission is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies parameter changes by modifying the material thickness parameter of the longitudinal members along their length. The ends have increased material thickness to ensure high force transmission, while the central areas have reduced thickness. This gradient in material parameters optimizes both force transmission capability and manufacturing feasibility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the longitudinal members have reduced material in central areas, then the tolerance compensation is improved, but the overall strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter sleeve implements local quality by strategically distributing material thickness: greater thickness at the ends provides high strength for force transmission, while reduced thickness in central areas enables tolerance compensation. This localized variation in material properties ensures both adaptability to dimensional variations and sufficient overall strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design ensures high resistance to torsional forces, easy assembly, and effective tolerance compensation, minimizing backlash and maintaining high force transmission across the polygonal mandrel and opening, while allowing for flexible accommodation of dimensional variations.
Implementation Method 1
the adapter sleeve has an outer bulge on the longitudinal side surfaces to create a frictional connection with a square opening
Implementation Method 2
Due to the compression of the ends of the longitudinal members during assembly of the adapter sleeve between the polygonal mandrel and the polygonal opening
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
An adapter sleeve (1) for adapting a polygonal mandrel (9) to a polygonal opening (10) of a nut (11), in particular of a lock or a drive mechanism of a connecting rod fitting, has longitudinal members (2-5) of varying strength. Support surfaces (12-15) are arranged at the ends of the longitudinal members (2-5), with which the adapter sleeve (1) is supported against the polygonal mandrel (9) and the polygonal opening (10). The adapter sleeve (1) exhibits particularly high strength at the support surfaces (12-15).