Inverted Protective Cover Fixing for Bearing Seal Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing large diameter rolling bearings with annular seals face challenges in accessibility and complexity during maintenance due to bulky protective covers, which complicate cleaning and seal changes, especially in aggressive environments like mining machines.

Innovation Solution

A protective cover design with an outer and inner annular portion and a connecting portion, featuring radially extending fixing means such as screws that pass through the cover and inner ring, simplifying fitting and removal, and an annular axial partition for enhanced seal protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pins are inserted into inclined holes from points outside the cover to fix the protective cover, then the cover is securely fixed onto the inner ring, but the arrangement becomes axially bulky and complicated to implement, and accessibility for maintenance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing reliabilityVSAvoidcover structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing means (screws) pass through the protective cover from the inside rather than from outside, inverting the conventional fixation approach. This allows the screw heads to bear on the outer surface of the outer annular portion while the threaded portions engage with the inner ring, simplifying the structure and improving accessibility for maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If pins are inserted into inclined holes to fix the protective cover, then the cover is securely attached, but accessibility for cleaning or seal change maintenance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the fixation direction so that screws pass through the cover from the inside with heads bearing on the outer surface, the fixing mechanism becomes accessible from the outside for easy removal and installation during maintenance, while still providing secure attachment to the inner ring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If a bulky protective cover design is used to protect the seal, then seal protection is improved, but installation and removal complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal protectionVSAvoidinstallation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The inverted fixation method where screws pass through the protective cover from the inside with heads on the outer surface enables simple tool access for installation and removal, reducing manufacturing and maintenance complexity while maintaining adequate seal protection through the connecting annular portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9810266B2Bearing with protective cover for a seal

Publication Date: 2017.11.07 AB SKF SKF PATENT DEPARTMENT

AI summary

A bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring, and at least one seal arranged between the rings. The bearing including a protective cover that delimits an annular space into which the seal extends and provides an outer annular portion and at least one inner portion disposed radially facing and at a distance from one another, and a connecting annular portion linking the outer annular portion and the inner portion; and at least one means for fixing the protective cover onto the inner ring, the fixing means passing through the outer and inner portions of the protective cover and cooperating with the inner ring.