Chain Actuator Drive with Resilient Bearing Lock
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building chain actuator drive arrangements face issues with reduced service life due to vibrations and worm screw forces, leading to component deformation, noise, and power loss, which increases manufacturing and assembly complexity and risks.
Innovation Solution
A drive arrangement featuring a worm drive with a worm screw and wheel connected to a motor, supported by bearings with a resilient assembly that allows for easy assembly and distributes vibrations, reducing wear on the motor and enhancing service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If components are assembled with tight fit and fixedly attached to achieve stiffness and prevent displacement, then reliability improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arrangement is divided into modular components (motor module, bearing module, worm drive module, housing module) that can be assembled independently and then connected together. This segmentation allows each module to be manufactured and tested separately, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining reliability through standardized interfaces between modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing is nested within the housing, and the worm drive is nested within the bearing assembly. This nested structure allows compact arrangement of components while maintaining proper alignment and stiffness. The housing provides a rigid outer structure that contains and protects the internal components, eliminating the need for additional external support structures.
2Reliability
If tight fit and fixed attachment are used to prevent component displacement, then reliability improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing acts as an intermediary structure that provides precise mounting surfaces and alignment features for the motor, bearing, and worm drive components. By incorporating precision-machined reference surfaces and locating features directly into the housing, the system achieves accurate component positioning without requiring extremely tight tolerances on individual parts. The housing serves as the master reference frame for the entire assembly.
3Device complexity
If motor bearings alone absorb vibrations and worm screw forces, then device complexity remains low, but service life decreases due to increased wear
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing is designed with dynamic load distribution features that allow it to adapt to varying vibration and force conditions. The bearing configuration includes elements that can flex or adjust under load, distributing stresses more evenly across the bearing races and rolling elements. This dynamic response reduces peak stresses and prevents premature fatigue failure, extending service life without adding complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing and mounting structure incorporate damping elements and compliant features that cushion against vibrations and shock loads before they reach the motor bearings. By providing this protective cushioning in advance, the system reduces the impact of harmful vibrations on the motor, preventing premature wear and extending the service life of the entire drive arrangement.
4Manufacturing precision
If components are rigidly connected to maintain alignment, then manufacturing precision requirements are high, but ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arrangement is divided into modular components (motor module, bearing module, worm drive module, housing module) that can be assembled independently and then connected together. This segmentation allows each module to be manufactured and tested separately, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining reliability through standardized interfaces between modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing acts as an intermediary structure that provides precise mounting surfaces and alignment features for the motor, bearing, and worm drive components. By incorporating precision-machined reference surfaces and locating features directly into the housing, the system achieves accurate component positioning without requiring extremely tight tolerances on individual parts. The housing serves as the master reference frame for the entire assembly.
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 solution simplifies assembly, extends the service life of the drive arrangement, and reduces the risk of human error while effectively managing vibrations and worm screw forces, leading to improved reliability and reduced maintenance requirements.
Implementation Method 1
at least one resilient assembly, arranged adjacent the at least one recess and configured to allow the bearing to be inserted into the recess by moving the bearing in a first direction along the center axis, the resilient assembly being configured to prevent the bearing from moving in a second, opposite direction along the center axis after the bearing has been fully inserted into the recess
Implementation Method 2
The vibrations wear the components of the drive assembly down, leading to gaps and/or increased gaps between components. Such gaps between components lead to drive assembly power loss, reducing the maximum effective load which can be maneuvered by the drive arrangement.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A building chain actuator drive arrangement (1) comprising a worm screw (2) having a center axis (C) and a motor (5) configured to rotate the worm screw (2) around the center axis (C). A bearing (6) having a center axis coaxial with the center axis (C) is provided to support the worm screw (2). A bracket element (7) and/or a housing element, is connected to the motor (5) and comprises an axially extending recess (8) configured to accommodate the bearing (6). A resilient assembly (12) is arranged adjacent the recess (8) and configured to allow the bearing (6) to be inserted into the recess (8) by moving the bearing (6) in a first direction (D1) along the center axis (C), and to prevent the bearing (6) from moving in a second, opposite direction (D2) after the bearing (6) has been fully inserted into the recess (8).