Metal Bellows Accumulator Support Structure for Radial Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal bellows type accumulators face durability issues due to contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell during radial vibration, leading to potential deformation and damage.
Innovation Solution
A metal bellows type accumulator design featuring a support member with a cushioning property, where the clearance between the trough portions of the metal bellows and the support member is smaller than that between the peak portions and the outer shell, restricting radial deflection and preventing collision with the shell surface, and ensuring the support member's length does not obstruct the bellows' expansion and contraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the metal bellows is allowed to vibrate radially during expansion and contraction, then the accumulator can operate smoothly, but the metal bellows may contact the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell causing deformation and damage
Solution Approach 1:
A support member is introduced as an intermediary element between the metal bellows and the outer shell. This support member has a cushioning property that allows it to absorb impact when the metal bellows vibrates radially, preventing direct contact and damage between the bellows and the outer shell while still permitting smooth operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member with cushioning property is positioned in advance within the inner periphery of the metal bellows to provide protective cushioning before any potential contact damage can occur. This beforehand cushioning absorbs the impact energy during radial vibration, preventing deformation and damage to the metal bellows.
2Reliability
If the clearance between the metal bellows and outer shell is reduced to prevent contact, then durability improves, but radial vibration is restricted affecting operation
Solution Approach 1:
The support member serves as a mediator that enables small clearances to be maintained without restricting necessary radial vibration. It absorbs the impact when the bellows moves, allowing the system to have both small clearance for durability and sufficient freedom for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member changes the effective clearance parameter dynamically - maintaining a small geometric clearance for durability while providing cushioning that effectively increases the functional clearance during vibration, thus not restricting radial deflection freedom.
3Reliability
If a rigid support structure is added to prevent contact, then durability improves, but the bellows expansion and contraction is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The support member changes from a rigid structural element to a compliant cushioning element, altering the mechanical properties of the support system. This allows the support to provide durability protection while accommodating the full range of expansion and contraction movements without obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member appears to combine structural integrity with cushioning properties, creating a composite functional element that provides both mechanical support for durability and elastic compliance to allow free expansion and contraction cycles of the metal bellows.
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 design effectively restricts radial deflection, preventing collision with the shell and enhancing the durability of the metal bellows by using a cushioning support member to absorb impacts, thus maintaining the accumulator's operational integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a support member arranged in an inner periphery of the metal bellows, made of a cushioning material, and having a function of supporting an inner peripheral surface of the metal bellows
Data Source
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AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a metal bellows-type accumulator in which reduced durability due to a metal bellows (2) vibrating in the radial direction and contacting the inner circumferential surface (11 a) of an outer shell (1) does not occur. To achieve said purpose, the bellows-type accumulator is provided with: an outer shell (1), on one end of which a pressure-introducing passage (C) is opened; a metal bellows (2) which is capable of expanding and contracting in the axial direction, comprises ridges (211) facing radially outward and troughs (212) facing inward formed alternately in the axial direction, and has one end (21 a) in the axial direction fixed to the outer shell (1), wherein the metal bellows (2) separates the inner chamber of the outer shell (1) into a pressure introduction chamber (A) that is in communication with the pressure-introducing passage (C) and a gas chamber (B) in which a cushioning gas is sealed; and a support member (3), which is disposed on the inner circumference of the metal bellows (2) and is obtained from a cushioning material that is fixed to the outer shell (1). The gap in the radial direction between the troughs (212) of the metal bellows (2) and the outer circumferential surface of the support member (3) is smaller than the gap in the radial direction between the ridges (211) of the metal bellows (2) and the inner circumferential surface (11 a) of the outer shell (1).