Clevis Ring Joint Assembly for Lower-Stress Gimbal Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gimbals in gas turbine engines fail to adequately resist stresses and require skilled personnel for repair or replacement, with high manufacturing and installation costs.
Innovation Solution
A joint assembly featuring a first and second clevis, a ring, and pins with interference fits and welds, allowing for improved load transfer and reduced bending moments, enabling the use of different materials for bearing inserts and clevises, and employing electron beam or laser beam welding for precise joining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional extrusion and forming processes with welds are used to manufacture gimbals, then the structural strength is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components (first clevis, second clevis, ring, and pins) into a single integrated gimbal assembly that functions as a unified structural unit. This integration eliminates the need for separate welding operations between these components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the required structural strength through precise mechanical interfacing and interference fits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces bearing inserts as intermediary elements between the pins and the clevises. These bearing inserts serve as mediators that distribute loads, reduce friction, and protect the primary structural components from direct contact and wear. This intermediary approach allows for the use of optimized materials specifically suited for bearing applications, improving overall structural performance while simplifying the manufacturing of the primary clevis and ring components.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional welding methods are used to connect pins, bellows and flanges, then the assembly is achieved, but the stress resistance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional welding methods with a mechanical interference fit system for connecting the pins to the clevises and ring. The pins feature a shaft portion with a diameter that creates an interference fit within the ring aperture, generating high contact pressures that provide superior stress resistance compared to welding. This mechanical connection method maintains assembly capability while dramatically improving stress resistance under operational loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by using different materials for the bearing inserts and the primary structural components (clevises and ring). The bearing inserts are made from materials optimized for low friction and wear resistance, while the clevises and ring are made from high-strength materials optimized for structural integrity and stress resistance. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall stress resistance while maintaining manufacturability.
3Ease of manufacture
If gimbals are manufactured with integrated materials, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the adaptability for different operational requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gimbal assembly into distinct functional components: the first clevis, second clevis, ring, pins, and bearing inserts. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using materials and processes optimized for its specific requirements. The bearing inserts can be made from materials optimized for bearing applications, while the clevises and ring can be made from high-strength structural materials, providing material selection flexibility without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the clevises and ring with universal features such as standardized apertures, extensions, and mounting interfaces that can accommodate different pin configurations and bearing insert types. This universality allows the primary structural components to be manufactured once and used with various material compositions for the pins and bearing inserts, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while providing adaptability for different operational requirements and material selections.
4Strength
If pins are designed with larger dimensions to resist bending moments, then the load capacity is improved, but the weight of the joint assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces bearing inserts as intermediary elements between the pins and the clevises. These bearing inserts act as mediators that support the pins and distribute loads, significantly reducing the bending moments that the pins themselves must resist. By offloading the structural burden to the bearing inserts, the pins can be designed with smaller dimensions, reducing the overall weight of the assembly while maintaining or even improving the load capacity through the combined pin-bearing insert system.
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 joint assembly enhances durability, reduces weight and cost, and allows for easier maintenance by enabling separate selection of materials for bearing inserts and clevises, while minimizing heat-affected zones and facilitating quick assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The shaft portion of each pin is coupled to the ring by a corresponding interference fit
Implementation Method 2
The head portion is coupled to the ring by a corresponding weld
Implementation Method 3
employing electron beam or laser beam welding for precise joining
Implementation Method 4
employing electron beam or laser beam welding for precise joining
Implementation Method 5
The shaft portion of each pin is coupled to the corresponding first bearing insert or the corresponding second bearing insert by a corresponding clearance fit, such that the shaft portion is rotatable relative to the corresponding first bearing insert or the corresponding second bearing insert
Data Source
AI summary
A joint assembly for joining a first component to a second component includes a first clevis including first clevis apertures and a second clevis including second clevis apertures. The joint assembly includes a first bearing insert and a second bearing insert fixedly coupled to the first clevis and the second clevis, respectively. The joint assembly includes a ring surrounding the first clevis and the second clevis and including a plurality of ring apertures. The joint assembly further includes a plurality of pins received within the corresponding ring aperture. Each pin includes a head portion and a shaft portion extending from the head portion. The shaft portion is coupled to the ring by a corresponding interference fit. The shaft portion is coupled to the corresponding first or second bearing inserts by a corresponding clearance fit such that the shaft portion is rotatable relative to the corresponding first or second bearing inserts.