Belleville Spring Guide System Reducing Friction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Belleville springs experience significant frictional losses between individual springs and their guide elements, leading to hysteresis and lateral displacement, which affects the accuracy of load-deflection curves and can cause buckling, especially in stacked configurations.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of slidably coupled spring carriers between the springs and their guide mechanism reduces lateral forces and friction, with overlapping carriers providing a guide-free structure that limits deflection and prevents buckling, while anti-friction coatings further minimize frictional effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If Belleville springs are used in stacked configurations with guide elements, then alignment and structural support are improved, but frictional losses and hysteresis increase
Solution Approach 1:
A guideless spring stack system is provided where the springs are arranged in a stack without traditional guide elements. The spring carriers and the interaction between adjacent springs provide the necessary alignment and stability, eliminating the need for separate guide elements that cause friction. This intermediary arrangement between the springs themselves replaces the harmful guide-spring contact.
2Strength
If guide elements are used to maintain spring alignment, then structural support is improved, but lateral forces and friction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are completely removed from the spring stack system. Instead of using separate guide elements to provide structural support and alignment, the invention relies on the self-aligning properties of the spring stack and the spring carriers. The extraction of the harmful guide elements eliminates the source of lateral forces and friction while maintaining necessary structural support through alternative means.
3Device complexity
If traditional spring stacking is used, then simplicity is maintained, but hysteresis and frictional effects worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Spring carriers are introduced as intermediary elements between the Belleville springs in the stack. These carriers provide a platform for mounting the springs and facilitate the guideless arrangement. The carriers help distribute loads evenly and maintain proper spacing between springs, reducing lateral forces and friction while preserving the simplicity of the overall stack configuration.
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 significantly reduces frictional losses and hysteresis, maintaining consistent load-deflection curves and preventing buckling, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency and reliability of Belleville spring stacks.
Implementation Method 1
friction is important during operation of Belleville springs. The friction may arise between individual springs, between the springs and the guide element
Implementation Method 2
anti-friction coatings further minimize frictional effects
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and method are provided for decreasing frictional effects in stacks of Belleville springs and limiting deflection of the springs. In one embodiment, carriers for springs overlap and minimize the effects of lateral forces that are developed as springs in a stack are loaded. Carriers may be used on mandrel guides, in cylindrical guides or without a guide. In other embodiments, maximum load and defection of springs may be provided by the spring carriers.