Crawler Bushing Seal Ring Retention via Tapered Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crawler bushing sealing devices face issues with wear resistance and maintenance, particularly due to excessive force exerted by elastic rings on seal members, leading to early wear and potential oil leakage.
Innovation Solution
A crawler bushing design featuring a large-diameter and small-diameter cylindrical part with an elastic ring, a seal ring, and tapered surfaces that prevent axial movement, allowing for secure attachment and easy replacement of the seal ring, thereby maintaining a stable sealing function without excessive force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wear-resistant plate is attached to the seal contact end face with adhesive, then wear resistance is improved, but replacement becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The seal contact end face is segmented into a base crawler bushing body and a separate wear-resistant plate that can be independently replaced. The wear-resistant plate is positioned in a recess and retained by an elastic ring, allowing it to be removed and replaced without replacing the entire bushing or using adhesives.
2Ease of repair
If an elastic ring is used to retain the wear-resistant plate, then ease of replacement is improved, but excessive force is exerted on the seal member causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic ring applies localized retaining force only to the wear-resistant plate and seal ring assembly, while the seal member itself is protected from excessive force by the tapered surfaces that guide and distribute loads. The seal contact end face provides a localized sealing interface that prevents oil leakage without transmitting excessive axial force to the seal member.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the elastic ring exerts strong resilience on the wear-resistant plate, then retention is improved, but the seal member experiences excessive pressing force leading to early wear
Solution Approach 1:
The seal ring acts as an intermediary between the elastic ring and the seal contact end face. The seal ring is pushed by the elastic ring's resilience but transfers force to the seal contact end face through controlled contact, preventing direct transmission of excessive axial force to the seal member while maintaining stable retention of the wear-resistant plate.
4Ease of repair
If a simple insert structure is used for the wear-resistant plate, then ease of replacement is improved, but axial movement of the plate and elastic ring cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The wear-resistant plate and seal ring feature asymmetric tapered surfaces that prevent axial movement. The tapered surfaces create a mechanical interference fit that allows easy radial insertion and replacement while preventing unwanted axial displacement during operation, combining ease of replacement with positional stability.
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 design ensures a long-term stable sealing function and facilitates easy maintenance by preventing axial movement of the seal ring and elastic ring, reducing wear and leakage, and simplifying the replacement process.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic ring, when inserted into the small-diameter cylindrical part, is given a slight squeeze and deforms. At this time, the seal ring is pushed axially outward by resilience of the elastic ring
Implementation Method 2
a first tapered surface which is formed on the outer periphery of the small-diameter cylindrical part and spreads radially outward while extending axially outward; and a second tapered surface which is formed on the inner periphery of the seal ring and narrows radially inward while extending axially inward
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a crawler bushing and a crawler link device that can maintain a sealing function stably on a long-term basis and permits easy maintenance for recovery of the sealing function. The bushing includes: crawler bushing body (31) including large-diameter cylindrical part (31a) defining an intermediate section along axis (O) and small-diameter cylindrical part (31b) which defines an end section along axis (O) and is smaller in diameter than large-diameter cylindrical part (31a); elastic ring (32) mounted to an outer periphery of small-diameter cylindrical part (31b); seal ring (33) which is formed with seal contact end face (37) at its outer end and coupled to small-diameter cylindrical part (31b) through elastic ring (32); reverse tapered surface (36) and mountain-shaped projection (35) for preventing outward movement of elastic ring (32) along axis (O) of small-diameter cylindrical part (31b); and tongue-shaped projection (39) and reverse tapered surface (40) for preventing outward movement of seal ring (33) along axis (O) of small-diameter cylindrical part (31b).