Composite Fastening Collar With Metal Insert for Lightweight Bearing Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flanged rolling bearing units made from metallic materials are heavy, which poses a challenge for applications requiring lightweight solutions, such as in aircraft, where they need to compensate for alignment errors and manufacturing tolerances while minimizing weight and maintaining robust fastening.
Innovation Solution
A fastening interface using a composite material, specifically glass-fibre reinforced polyamide, with a metallic insert and a helical elastic member, such as a helicoil, that allows for overmoulding and single drilling operation, providing a lightweight and robust fastening solution that compensates for alignment errors and prevents screw loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metallic materials are used for flanged rolling bearing units, then strength and robust fastening are improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is made from composite material comprising glass fibres and a polyamide matrix, replacing traditional metallic materials. This composite construction reduces weight while maintaining mechanical strength through the reinforcement of glass fibres within the polyamide structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening interface is divided into distinct functional components: a collar made from composite material for lightweight structural support, and a separate fastening insert made from metallic material for robust fastening. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together as an integrated system.
2Weight of moving object
If composite material is used for the collar, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar and fastening insert are manufactured as separate components and then assembled together. The insert is inserted into a recess of the collar and secured by deformation or adhesive bonding, combining two manufacturing processes into a modular assembly that simplifies production while maintaining the weight benefits of composite materials.
3Adaptability or versatility
If floating nuts are used for fastening, then alignment errors are compensated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment compensation function is extracted from a complex floating nut mechanism and integrated directly into the collar structure through the bearing surface. The bearing surface is configured to accommodate misalignment between the shaft and bearing, eliminating the need for separate floating nut components while maintaining the alignment compensation capability.
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 results in a lightweight, robust, and fuel-efficient fastening system suitable for high-speed applications with minimal maintenance, resistant to chemical products and acids, while maintaining anti-loosening functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a fastening interface using a composite material, specifically glass-fibre reinforced polyamide, with a metallic insert and a helical elastic member, such as a helicoil, that allows for overmoulding
Implementation Method 2
The elastic member is configured to withstand significant radial deformation during mechanical loading and to return to its original shape when the mechanical loading is stopped.
Data Source
AI summary
Interface for fastening a first component to a second component providing a fastening collar made from composite material intended to be overmoulded at least on a part of the first component and including a bearing surface intended to bear on the second component and a fastening insert extending along an axis of elongation substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface of the collar for fastening to the second component, the fastening collar being overmoulded around the insert.