Flexible Bearing Structure With Springs for Vibration and Fatigue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexure bearings suffer from limited fatigue life, vulnerability to vibration-induced failure, and restricted corrosion resistance due to tight dimensional tolerances, making them unsuitable for applications requiring high rotational angles and resistance to environmental stressors.
Innovation Solution
A flexure bearing design featuring a sleeve structure with pillars and blind holes, interconnected by compression springs, allowing for enhanced rotational movement and improved fatigue resistance, along with a double-ended variant that includes a central rotor ring for increased flexibility and vibration absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blade flexures are used to achieve movement in flexure bearings, then the bearing can facilitate rotational movement without lubrication, but the blade design experiences cyclic fatigue loads leading to limited fatigue life and vulnerability to vibration-induced failure
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing is divided into multiple independent pillars (typically 3-6 pillars) that are radially arranged and interconnected by compression springs. Each pillar independently supports radial loads and accommodates vibratory forces, preventing the propagation of cyclic fatigue loads that would occur in a continuous blade structure. This segmentation allows the bearing to tolerate vibration without catastrophic failure of the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Compression springs are introduced between the pillars to provide dynamic compliance and vibration absorption. The springs allow the pillars to move independently in response to vibratory forces while maintaining the overall structural integrity of the bearing. This dynamic element absorbs cyclic energy and reduces fatigue accumulation in the pillar structures.
2Reliability
If tight dimensional tolerance is maintained between blades and housing in existing flexure bearing designs, then the bearing structure is compact, but corrosion resistance is limited due to restricted material selection and design flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing is segmented into discrete pillars and housing components that can be manufactured separately with relaxed tolerances. Each pillar can be independently coated or treated for corrosion resistance without affecting the overall dimensional precision of the assembled bearing. This segmentation allows the use of corrosion-resistant materials and surface treatments while maintaining functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Compression springs act as intermediary elements between the pillars and the housing, providing compliance that accommodates dimensional variations and tolerance stack-ups. This intermediary layer allows the use of materials with different thermal expansion coefficients and corrosion resistance properties without requiring tight dimensional control between dissimilar materials.
3Reliability
If conventional bearings with lubrication are used to facilitate movement, then productive life is increased through reduced wear, but lubrication is restricted or limited in certain industrial applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the lubrication-based mechanical contact system with a flexure-based elastic deformation system. Instead of relying on lubricated sliding or rolling contacts, the bearing uses the elastic compliance of pillars and compression springs to accommodate relative motion between components. This eliminates the need for lubrication entirely, making the bearing suitable for vacuum, food processing, and sterile environments where lubricants are prohibited.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing utilizes flexible pillar structures that deform elastically to accommodate rotational and radial movements. These flexible elements replace rigid lubricated contacts, providing a lubrication-free mechanism that maintains productive life through elastic recovery rather than wear reduction. The flexible pillars can be made from corrosion-resistant materials and coated with protective films for enhanced durability in harsh environments.
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 achieves a higher rotational angle of ±30° compared to existing designs, mitigates fatigue failure, and offers improved corrosion resistance, making it suitable for applications where vibration and environmental factors pose challenges.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end configured to fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end configured to fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve
Data Source
AI summary
A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.