Bearing Ring Temperature Compensation Ring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bearing rings face challenges in temperature compensation due to differential thermal expansion between the bearing and its housing, leading to clearance issues and the need for additional components to prevent material deformation into undercuts, which complicates assembly and reduces effective compensation.

Innovation Solution

A bearing ring with a temperature compensation ring made from an elastic material, vulcanized onto its surface in an interference-fit or materially bonded manner, ensuring the entire volume is available for compensation without creating cavities, and capable of expanding to fill grooves, thus preventing deformation into undercuts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an elastomer ring is pushed onto the outer ring for temperature compensation, then temperature compensation is achieved, but the elastomer ring material can flow into the groove under pressure, reducing compensation effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature compensation effectivenessVSAvoidelastomer ring volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The groove is pre-filled with a material (such as a filling compound or different elastomer material) before the temperature compensation elastomer ring is installed. This preliminary action prevents the compensation ring material from flowing into the groove under pressure, ensuring that the entire volume of the compensation ring remains available for its intended temperature compensation function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a metal plate ring is added to cover the groove to prevent material flow, then material flow is prevented, but the assembly process becomes more complex and requires additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of material flowVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The groove filling function is merged with the temperature compensation ring itself by using a multi-material construction where the groove is pre-filled with a compatible material during the same manufacturing or assembly process. This eliminates the need for separate metal plate rings while maintaining the prevention of material flow and ensuring temperature compensation effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the elastomer ring is made to compensate for axial clearance, then clearance compensation is achieved, but any volume loss to groove filling directly reduces the compensation capability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaxial clearance compensationVSAvoidelastomer ring volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The groove is pre-filled with an appropriate material before the temperature compensation ring is installed, ensuring that the entire volume of the compensation ring is available for axial clearance compensation. This preliminary filling action prevents volume loss and ensures that the full expansion capability of the elastomer ring is utilized for its intended compensation function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution simplifies the assembly process, ensures reliable temperature compensation by utilizing the full volume of the temperature compensation ring, and maintains the ring's structural integrity by preventing material flow into undercuts, effectively addressing clearance issues across varying temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

the components may expand or deform differently in response to a temperature change. The elastomer ring should expand at such a rate that at least in the axial direction no clearance arises between the housing and the outer ring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

The temperature compensation ring is vulcanized on or onto a radial outer surface of the bearing ring. Since the temperature compensation ring is vulcanized onto the bearing ring, in some exemplary embodiments the temperature compensation ring can be connected in an interference-fit or materially bonded manner to the bearing ring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVulcanization:

Data Source

PatentUS9689428B2Bearing ring including a temperature compensation ring, bearing including the bearing ring, and method for manufacturing a bearing ring

Publication Date: 2017.06.27 AB SKF SKF PATENT DEPARTMENT

AI summary

A bearing ring includes a temperature compensation ring made from an elastic material vulcanized or otherwise materially bonded onto an outer surface of the bearing ring, the outer surface being oriented in a radial direction. The bearing ring includes a radially encircling groove, and in an unloaded state of the temperature compensation ring, that is, independently of an application of axial pressure against the temperature compensation ring, the temperature compensation ring fills the groove in an interference-fit manner.