Self-triggering Anti-seizing Guide Bearing for Shock Absorbers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide bearings in mechanisms like shock absorbers can seize, leading to partial locking of guided pieces, which is costly to prevent and maintain, and current solutions are not entirely effective.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an automatic release assembly between the bearing surface and the guided piece, which allows relative displacement when guidance forces exceed a triggering value, preventing locking and enabling detection of seizing incidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high manufacturing quality and regular checking are implemented to prevent seizing, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide bearing incorporates an automatic release assembly that enables the bearing to self-release when seizing occurs. The release element automatically activates upon detection of abnormal friction forces, allowing the guided piece to move relative to the bearing surface without requiring external intervention or complex monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
A release element is introduced as an intermediary component between the guided piece and the bearing surface. This release element can assume different positions (engaged or disengaged) to either maintain normal guiding contact or allow relative movement when seizing is detected, thereby preventing complete locking of the mechanism.
2Reliability
If multiple guide bearings are placed in series to compensate for seizing, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each guide bearing is equipped with its own automatic release assembly that enables independent self-release functionality. When seizing occurs in one bearing, only that specific bearing releases while others continue to operate normally, eliminating the need for redundant backup bearings in series.
3Reliability
If automatic release assembly is added to allow relative displacement during seizing, then reliability is improved, but guiding precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The release element dynamically transitions between two states: an engaged position that provides precise guiding contact under normal operating conditions, and a disengaged position that allows relative movement when abnormal friction forces indicate seizing. This dynamic adaptation maintains guiding precision when needed while preventing locking when problems occur.
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
The solution effectively prevents locking between guided pieces during seizing incidents, allowing for continued operation and easy detection of maintenance needs, while maintaining desired guiding characteristics without significant changes to the bearing or mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The automatic release assembly is arranged to allow a relative displacement of the guided piece with respect to the intermediate piece, at least in one displacement orientation, when the guidance forces, at least in one displacement orientation (in the movement of the guiding contact), between the guided piece and the other guided piece exceed a triggering value of this assembly. In some embodiments, the guidance forces between the two guided pieces are substantially, in particular exclusively, frictional forces between the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface.
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing for guiding a first guided piece includes a first bearing surface with respect to a second bearing surface fixedly attached to a second guided piece. At least one first intermediate piece is interposed between the first bearing surface and the first guided piece and at least one first automatic release assembly for i) in a first assembly state, fixedly attaching the at least one first intermediate piece and the first guided piece for guidance forces which are lower than a triggering value, and ii) in a release state, permitting a relative displacement of the first guided piece with respect to the at least one first intermediate piece, at least in one displacement orientation, for guidance forces which are greater than the triggering value of the first assembly.