Elastic Bushing for Planetary Bearing Vibration Damping

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional planetary gears and bearings lack effective damping mechanisms, leading to misalignment and uneven load distribution due to torsional twisting and bending moments, resulting in undesirable vibrations and uneven wear.

Innovation Solution

A preloadable elastic bushing with an elastic layer and a spacer sleeve, featuring slots and channels that allow for uniform prestressing and lubrication, providing a homogeneous bearing surface and damping effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional planetary bearings are used without damping mechanisms, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but misalignment and uneven load distribution occur due to torsional twisting and bending moments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidload distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an elastic element between the planetary bearing and the planetary gear that preemptively absorbs torsional and bending moments before they can cause misalignment. This cushioning element is pre-installed and continuously active, preventing rather than reacting to alignment issues, thus solving the contradiction by maintaining reliability without complicating the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite structure combining rigid bearing components with elastic damping material. This composite approach allows the system to maintain the simplicity of conventional bearings while incorporating the load-distributing benefits of elastic materials, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and load distribution uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If damping devices are added to planetary gears, then vibrations and misalignment are reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration dampingVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the damping function directly into the existing bearing structure by integrating an elastic element between the bearing and the planetary gear. This eliminates the need for separate damping devices, achieving vibration reduction while maintaining device simplicity. The damping function is combined with the mounting structure rather than being added as a separate component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a flexible elastic element (such as an elastomeric layer or flexible ring) as the damping component. This flexible element provides vibration damping through its material properties without requiring complex mechanical structures, thus achieving reliability improvement with minimal increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Stability of the object's composition

If planets are mounted rigidly on their axes, then the structure is stable, but unequal wear occurs due to misalignment from torsional twisting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting stabilityVSAvoidbearing service life
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic element is installed beforehand between the planetary bearing and the planetary gear to cushion against misalignment forces before they cause wear. This preemptive cushioning maintains stable planet mounting while preventing the unequal wear that would otherwise occur, thus extending bearing service life without compromising mounting stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Reliability

If the bearing is made softer to allow planet alignment, then misalignment is reduced, but the bearing strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidbearing load capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making only the mounting interface between the bearing and planetary gear elastic, while keeping the bearing itself rigid and strong. The elastic element is localized to where alignment flexibility is needed, allowing the bearing to maintain its full load-carrying capacity while still permitting the necessary alignment adjustments through the elastic mounting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 effectively reduces vibrations and misalignment, ensuring uniform load distribution and extended wear resistance by creating a homogeneous, elastic mounting system that compensates for torsional and bending stresses.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic layer (4) which connects the outer cylindrical body (8) and the inner cylindrical body (7) to one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a pressure medium (13) is supplied via lines (12), from where the pressure medium (13) is pressed into the displacement space (9), so that the elastic layer (s) (4) is (are) compressed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 3

Lubricant (18) for the wheels of the gear can be supplied via such an opening (19)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentEP3058245B1Elastic bushing for a planetary bearing
Publication Date: 2020.05.06 FM ENERGIE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3058245B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3058245B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3058245B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to an elastic bushing that has a novel damping system as a result of corresponding structural measures and arrangements, for the purpose of eliminating or reducing unwanted vibrations in planetary bearings, particularly planetary gears for planetary gearboxes. The invention also particularly relates to the use of such bushings, planetary gears or planetary gearboxes in machine parts and installations that only transmit low or zero torque, such as in wind turbines.