Augmented Slewing Bearing with Nested Catch Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Slewing bearings in military personnel transport vehicles face separation during catastrophic events due to the weight and size of protective armor, limiting their ability to withstand severe loads and dynamic thrusts without compromising weight and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
An augmented slewing bearing assembly featuring nested annular rings with an angled interface, which captures a rotating turret and augments axial load carrying capacity by allowing the rings to contact and share the load during deformation, utilizing high-strength and ductile materials like aluminum, steel, or titanium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the slewing bearing is constructed with traditional aluminum materials, then the weight is reduced, but the strength and stiffness are limited and cannot withstand severe loads during catastrophic events
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs composite material construction by integrating reinforcement elements (such as stiffening ribs, circumferential walls, and triangular support structures) into the aluminum sleving bearing body. This creates a composite structure that combines the lightweight properties of aluminum with the enhanced strength and stiffness provided by the reinforcement geometry, allowing the bearing to withstand severe loads during catastrophic events while maintaining reduced weight
2Strength
If the sleving bearing is designed to withstand severe loads and support protective armor, then the strength is improved, but the weight increases and additional load is placed on the vehicle's suspension
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the sleving bearing structure into multiple functional components including reinforcement ribs, circumferential walls, and support structures that are strategically positioned to handle specific load paths. This segmentation allows the bearing to distribute and manage severe loads more efficiently, achieving high strength-to-weight ratio by providing structural support only where needed rather than uniformly throughout the entire bearing structure
3Weight of moving object
If the slewing bearing is made lightweight to minimize suspension load, then the weight is reduced, but the ability to withstand dynamic thrust loads and impact loads is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds dimensional complexity to the sleving bearing design by incorporating three-dimensional reinforcement features such as vertically extending ribs, circumferential walls at different heights, and triangular support structures. These multi-dimensional structural elements provide enhanced load-bearing capacity in multiple directions (radial, axial, and circumferential) while maintaining lightweight construction, enabling the bearing to reliably withstand dynamic thrust loads and impact loads from off-road environments
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing assembly for a first part that rotates with respect to a second part may include a slewing bearing having an axis of rotation and inner and outer races concentric with the axis of rotation. The inner race may be fixed to the first part and the outer race may be fixed to the second part. An inner, annular catch ring may be fixed to and adjacent to a lower surface of the inner race. An outer, annular catch ring may be fixed to and interposed between a lower surface of the outer race and the second part. A portion of the outer catch ring may be disposed below and adjacent to the lower surface of the inner race.