Integrated Electro-Hydraulic Unit With Barrel-Shaped Bending Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing integrated electro-hydraulic units face challenges in accommodating shaft bending while maintaining the parallel orientation of the cylinder block with respect to the central axis, leading to potential misalignment and inefficiencies in fluid flow.
Innovation Solution
The integrated electro-hydraulic unit incorporates a joint defined by a barrel-shaped portion of the shaft and a corresponding interior receiving portion of the cylinder block, allowing for shaft bending while maintaining the cylinder block's parallel orientation, using a splined interface and a biasing mechanism to ensure alignment and unobstructed fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid coupling is used between the shaft and cylinder block, then the structural strength is improved, but the shaft bending accommodation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between the shaft and cylinder block is segmented into two functional zones: a rigid splined interface for torque transmission and a flexible barrel-shaped interface for bending accommodation. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrel-shaped portion of the shaft acts as an intermediary element between the rigid splined coupling and the cylinder block. It provides a transition zone that accommodates bending while maintaining the parallel orientation requirement through its geometric design.
2Productivity
If the cylinder block orientation is constrained to remain parallel to the central axis, then the fluid flow efficiency is improved, but the shaft bending stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bending stress is extracted from the cylinder block by allowing the shaft to bend independently within the barrel-shaped interface. The cylinder block maintains its fixed parallel orientation while the shaft absorbs the bending stress through its flexible coupling mechanism.
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex alignment mechanism is used to maintain parallel orientation, then the orientation precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrel-shaped portion of the shaft with its curved surface provides passive geometric constraints that guide the cylinder block to maintain parallel orientation with the central axis. This curved geometry inherently enforces the alignment requirement without requiring additional active control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated electro-hydraulic unit including an electric machine having a stator and a rotor. The integrated electro-hydraulic unit includes a hydraulic machine having a shaft configured to rotate around a central axis and a cylinder block coupled to the shaft. The cylinder block includes a plurality of bores receiving a plurality of pistons. The cylinder block is configured to rotate about the central axis to generate reciprocating movement of the plurality of pistons within the plurality of bores. The cylinder block and the shaft are coupled for rotation via a joint that accommodates bending of the shaft while maintaining a parallel orientation of the cylinder block with respect to the central axis. The joint is defined by a barrel-shaped portion of the shaft and a corresponding interior receiving portion of the cylinder block.