Bellows Seal for Self-Aligning Bearing Misalignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sealed bearings face challenges in accommodating large angular misalignments and axial displacements without compromising load-carrying capacity or restricting angular motions, particularly in self-aligning bearings like spherical roller bearings.

Innovation Solution

A seal design featuring a soft material one-piece component with a bellows-like intermediate membrane, allowing for snap-in mounting and independent operation during axial and radial displacements, enabling misalignment compensation up to 1.5° and large axial displacements while maintaining internal bearing geometry integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a seal is provided in a self-aligning bearing to maintain sealing functionality, then sealing reliability is improved, but the ability to accommodate large angular misalignments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing functionalityVSAvoidangular misalignment accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The seal is designed with a bellows-like intermediate membrane that is flexible and can deform to accommodate angular misalignments and axial displacements between the bearing rings. This flexible membrane structure allows the seal to maintain its sealing function while adapting to large angular misalignments up to 1.5° without compromising the bearing's self-aligning capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The seal structure incorporates dynamic elements that allow independent movement of the inner and outer seal portions relative to each other during axial and radial displacements. The bellows-like membrane can expand and contract dynamically to accommodate the relative motion between bearing rings, maintaining sealing effectiveness while enabling large angular misalignments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the contact angle is reduced to accommodate angular misalignments, then angular motion ability is improved, but load carrying capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveangular motion abilityVSAvoidload carrying capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The seal design applies local quality by having different functional zones: the bellows-like intermediate membrane provides flexibility for angular misalignment accommodation, while the seal portions engaging with the bearing rings maintain appropriate contact angles for load carrying. This localized differentiation allows the seal to simultaneously enable large angular motions and maintain adequate load capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If axial displacement is allowed between bearing rings, then operational flexibility is improved, but seal integrity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaxial displacement capabilityVSAvoidseal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bellows-like intermediate membrane is specifically designed to accommodate axial displacements between the bearing rings while maintaining seal integrity. The membrane's flexible structure allows it to stretch and compress with axial motion, preventing leakage paths from forming even when the bearing rings move relative to each other by amounts corresponding to C4 clearance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The seal effectively maintains sealing functionality and reduces friction, allowing for larger misalignments and displacements without contact issues, enhancing the bearing's operational flexibility and performance compared to conventional sealed spherical bearings.

Implementation Method 1

a seal design featuring a soft material one-piece component with a bellows-like intermediate membrane, allowing for snap-in mounting and independent operation during axial and radial displacements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7785014B2Sealed bearing

Publication Date: 2010.08.31 AB SKF SKF PATENT DEPARTMENT

AI summary

A sealed, self-aligning bearing includes an inner bearing ring with race tracks for rolling bodies, and an outer bearing ring with a race track for the rolling bodies, positioned radially outside the inner bearing ring. At least at one side of the bearing, a bearing seal is arranged axially outside the race tracks and bridges the space between the inner and outer bearing rings. The bearing seal has an outer annular rim fitted in an annular groove in the inner surface of the outer bearing ring and an inner annular rim arranged to slidingly contact the outer surface of the inner bearing ring. The outer rim and the inner rim of the bearing seal are interconnected by an intermediate member formed as a bellows-like thin membrane able to alternatively be stretched and compressed for permitting the bearing rings of the self-aligning bearing to make displacements and/or angular misalignments.