Fin Stabilizer Pivot Bearing With Spherical Guides Against Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pivot column bearings in fin stabilizers for watercraft suffer from misalignments due to thermal stresses during welding, leading to jamming, damage, and noise, and require manual adjustments to compensate for misalignments.
Innovation Solution
The pivot column bearing features spherical guide surfaces in the upper and lower bearings to automatically compensate for misalignments, ensuring constant play and reducing switching clicks, with lubrication designed to facilitate smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cylindrical plain bearing surfaces are used in pivot column bearings, then the bearing structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but misalignments due to thermal stresses during welding cause jamming, damage, and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the cylindrical plain bearing surface with a spherical plain bearing surface. This spherical geometry allows the bearing to automatically accommodate misalignments between the upper and lower bearings caused by thermal stresses during welding, eliminating jamming and damage while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If axial and radial play is provided in the pivot column bearing to compensate for misalignment, then damage and jamming are prevented, but the clearance fit is too large causing noise and bearing damage when misalignment is minimal or non-existent
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical plain bearing surface provides automatic compensation for misalignments through its geometric properties. When misalignment exists, the spherical surface allows appropriate play; when misalignment is minimal, the spherical geometry maintains optimal contact without excessive clearance, thereby reducing noise and preventing bearing damage.
3Reliability
If manual adjustment measures are taken after installation to compensate for misalignment, then bearing operation is improved, but the device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical plain bearing surface enables the bearing to self-adjust and self-compensate for misalignments automatically during operation. This eliminates the need for manual adjustment measures such as shimming or reworking bearings after installation, reducing device complexity and installation time while maintaining reliable operation.
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 provides reliable operation by automatically adjusting to misalignments, minimizing damage and noise, and maintaining optimal fit without the need for external adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
Due to the sphericity or crowning, misalignments or angular misalignments between the plain bearings can be compensated for with constant play
Implementation Method 2
A lubricant supply is formed such that when the load direction is switched, the lubricant is pressed or passed through the bearings and corresponding free spaces like grease
Data Source
AI summary
A pivot column bearing is provided for a pivotable fin stabilizer of watercraft, the stabilizer having a column pivotable about a vertical axis. The pivot column bearing includes an upper bearing and a lower bearing, the upper and lower bearings being configured to mount the pivot column pivotably about the vertical axis. At least one of the upper bearing and the lower bearing has spherical guide surfaces.