Self-Centering Clutch Sleeve With Segmented Guide Bore
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of self-centring sleeves for clutch release/engagement thrust bearing devices faces challenges in achieving geometric precision and controlling thermal shrinkage of plastic or polymer materials, leading to variations in the central bore's inside diameter, which affects dimensional tolerances.
Innovation Solution
The sleeve features a central bore with alternating series of guide portions and recessed zones, allowing for optimized guidance and reduced manufacturing complexity, with an intermediate bore portion acting as a lubricant reservoir and facilitating contamination passage, while maintaining high dimensional tolerance requirements only for functional guide portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a steel mold is used to manufacture the sleeve by molding method, then the sleeve can be produced efficiently, but it is difficult to master the demolding step which gives rise to variation in the inside diameter of the central bore
Solution Approach 1:
The central bore is segmented into multiple guide portions (first series and second series) with cylindrical surfaces, each contributing to the overall guidance function. This segmentation allows the demolding process to proceed more easily while maintaining precision through the distributed guide portions rather than requiring a single perfectly precise bore
Solution Approach 2:
Different zones of the central bore have different functional qualities: the guide portions have precise cylindrical surfaces for guidance, while the recessed zones have larger diameters for contamination passage and lubricant reservoir functions. This local differentiation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function rather than requiring uniform precision throughout
2Manufacturing precision
If thermal shrinkage of plastic or polymer material is controlled to limit variations in thickness, then dimensional tolerances on the central bore can be met, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and difficult to master
Solution Approach 1:
The central bore is divided into multiple guide portions and recessed zones, which simplifies the molding process by creating natural demolding paths and reducing the need for complex thermal shrinkage control across the entire bore length
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from controlling thermal shrinkage in the radial dimension to managing geometry in the axial dimension through the series of guide portions and recessed zones, thereby reducing the complexity of radial dimensional control
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 simplifies the manufacturing process, ensures precise dimensional control, and enhances the reliability of the guidance function, while allowing for effective lubrication and contamination management within the sleeve.
Implementation Method 1
The intermediate bore portion may act as a reservoir of lubricant in order to optimize the relative axial movement of the guide in the sleeve
Implementation Method 2
This may allow any contamination, such as dust, particles, water, to pass between the exterior surface of the guide and the sleeve
Data Source
AI summary
A sleeve for a clutch release/engagement thrust bearing device. The sleeve provides a body with a first axial bearing surface configured to work together with a translationally mobile control member, a second axial bearing surface configured to interact with a non-rotating ring of a bearing, and a central bore around a central axis configured to accept a cylindrical guide. The central bore of the sleeve provides a first series of guide portions with cylindrical surfaces, a second series of guide portions with cylindrical surfaces, which are axially at the opposite end to the first series. The guide portions of the first series are offset with respect to the guide portions of the second series in the circumferential direction, and an intermediate bore portion that is recessed with respect to the guide portions. The intermediate bore portion extending axially between the first and second series of the guide portions.