Agitator Shaft Service Tool With Secure Bearing Housing Coupling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agitator systems face challenges in safely and efficiently translating the rotary shaft assembly relative to the bearing housing due to the significant weight of the shaft, which poses safety risks and complicates maintenance operations.
Innovation Solution
A service tool with a coupling arrangement that allows quick and secure attachment to the bearing housing by rotating the tool body, featuring a tool coupling detail that engages with the bearing housing coupling detail, and a translation unit to move the shaft assembly, ensuring stable translation without the need for additional tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the rotary shaft assembly is lifted manually during maintenance, then the bearings and seals can be accessed, but safety risks increase and the operation becomes complex due to the significant weight of the shaft
Solution Approach 1:
A service tool acts as an intermediary device between the rotary shaft assembly and the bearing housing. The service tool includes a coupling arrangement that connects to the bearing housing and a translation unit that connects to the rotary shaft assembly, enabling safe and controlled translation of the heavy shaft without direct manual handling
Solution Approach 2:
The service tool is divided into functional segments: a coupling arrangement for attaching to the bearing housing, a translation unit for moving the shaft assembly, and a shaft assembly attachment bracket for securing the rotary shaft. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while reducing overall operational complexity
2Reliability
If a service tool is designed with a secure coupling arrangement, then the translation operation becomes safe, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling arrangement uses an abutment surface that abuts a support surface of the bearing housing, creating a stable load-bearing interface. The tool coupling detail engages with the bearing housing coupling detail through rotational movement, ensuring secure attachment while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The service tool is designed to be self-securing through its coupling mechanism. The tool coupling detail automatically engages with the bearing housing coupling detail when the tool body is rotated into position, and the abutment surface naturally abuts the support surface, providing inherent security without requiring additional complex locking mechanisms
3Reliability
If the service tool requires additional tools for attachment, then the coupling can be secure, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The service tool features a self-securing coupling mechanism that requires no additional tools for attachment. The tool coupling detail engages with the bearing housing coupling detail through a simple rotational movement of the tool body, and the abutment surface automatically abuts the support surface, enabling secure attachment by hand
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a service tool (100) for translating a rotary shaft assembly (20) of an agitator system (10) in relation to a bearing housing (30) supporting the rotary shaft assembly (20). The service tool (100) comprises a tool (110) body, a shaft assembly attachment bracket (150) configured to be releasably attached to an end portion of the rotary shaft assembly (20), and a translation unit (180) configured to, when actuated, translate the shaft assembly attachment bracket (150) in relation to the tool body (100) along a translation axis (TA). The coupling arrangement (120) comprises at least one tool coupling detail (124) connected to the tool body (110) and configured to releasably engage a bearing housing coupling detail (34) of the bearing housing (30). The tool coupling detail (124) is movable along a axial direction (AD) in relation to the tool body (110) such that an abutment surface (112a) of the tool body (110) is biased against a support surface (32) of the bearing housing (30) in response to moving the tool coupling detail (124) along the axial direction (AD) while the tool coupling detail (124) engages the bearing housing coupling detail (34). A service arrangement (200) and a method (300) of translating a rotary shaft assembly (20) of an agitator system (10) in relation to a bearing housing (30) are also provided