Bellows Accumulator Assembly for Coaxial Thread Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metal bellows accumulators in hydraulic circuits require complex assembly and multiple components, leading to difficulties in achieving coaxial accuracy between the thread and tool engagement portions, which complicates manufacturing and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
The accumulator design features a pressure vessel with a first section for the thread portion and a second section formed by a single piece with a tool engagement portion, allowing for improved coaxial accuracy through mate fitting, reducing the number of components, and simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for welding between separate internal cylinder and flange portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the pressure vessel is formed by joining multiple members by welding, then the accumulator can be assembled with separate components, but the coaxial accuracy between the thread portion and tool engagement portion deteriorates and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the internal cylinder portion and flange portion into a single integrated pressure vessel formed by a single piece. This eliminates the need for welding between separate components and ensures high coaxial accuracy between the thread portion and tool engagement portion, as both features are formed in one monolithic structure without assembly tolerances.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple members are joined by welding to form the pressure vessel, then component flexibility is improved, but the number of components and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure vessel is formed as a single integrated piece combining the internal cylinder and flange portions, eliminating welding operations and reducing manufacturing steps. This monolithic structure reduces production time while maintaining the necessary functional adaptability of the accumulator components.
3Ease of repair
If separate components are used for the pressure vessel, then ease of repair and replacement is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cylinder portion and flange portion are merged into a single pressure vessel structure, reducing the total number of components from multiple separate parts to one integrated unit. This simplifies the overall device structure while the bellows mechanism remains replaceable, maintaining repairability at the functional level rather than component level.
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 configuration enhances coaxial accuracy between the thread and tool engagement portions, reduces manufacturing complexity and costs, and minimizes the volume of the gas chamber, thereby reducing the amount of fluid sealed in the accumulator.
Implementation Method 1
a bellows mechanism including a bellows which is flexible in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the shell
Implementation Method 2
pressure fluctuation in liquid flowing into the hydraulic circuit and the accumulator is buffered by the swell and shrink function of gas in the gas chamber in response to expansion and contraction of the bellows mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An accumulator includes a pressure vessel and a partition portion separating an interior space of the pressure vessel into a liquid chamber and a gas chamber so that a volume ratio between the liquid chamber and the gas chamber in the pressure vessel is variable. The pressure vessel includes a first section including a thread portion for fastening the accumulator to a support member and a second section joined to the first section and formed by a single piece including a tool engagement portion capable of engaging with a tool for rotating the accumulator. The first section and the second section are fitted together by mating portions coaxial with the thread portion and the tool engagement portion.