Grooved Resin Bearing for Scroll Machinery Wear
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Bearing wear and seizure issues occur due to biased contact in scroll-type fluid machines, particularly when the shaft is inclined or deforms under high loads, and existing solutions either increase rotational resistance or struggle to maintain an oil film effectively.
Innovation Solution
A bearing with a tubular member coated with a layer featuring intersecting grooves that vary in interval and depth along the axial direction, with peak portions supporting the shaft, reducing contact area and facilitating oil film formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If grooves are provided in the resin layer, then the area of contact between the shaft and bearing is reduced, but the resistance when the shaft rotates increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing surface is divided into regions with different properties: peak portions that contact the shaft and grooved portions that reduce contact area. This local differentiation allows the bearing to have both reduced contact area and controlled rotational resistance through strategic placement of contact and non-contact zones.
2Device complexity
If a bearing supports a shaft on only one side, then the structure is simplified, but wear and seizure are likely to occur due to biased contact
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing inner circumferential surface is segmented into multiple peak portions and grooves along the axial direction. This segmentation distributes the contact load across multiple peak portions rather than concentrating it at a single location, reducing biased contact effects while maintaining the simple single-side support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing employs an asymmetric distribution of peak portions and grooves that is optimized for single-side support conditions. The varying intervals and depths of grooves create an asymmetric contact pattern that compensates for the biased loading, allowing the simplified single-side support structure to achieve reliable wear resistance.
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
This configuration effectively suppresses wear and seizure regardless of shaft inclination by minimizing frictional resistance and ensuring consistent lubrication, even under biased contact conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the area of contact between the shaft and the bearing is greater in comparison to the case where grooves are provided in the resin layer, and thus the resistance when the shaft rotates is greater
Implementation Method 2
it is difficult to obtain an oil film and suppress wear
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Bearing 11 has base material 110 and coating layer 111. Base material 110 contains crank shaft 13 on an inner circumferential surface side. The inner circumferential surface of base material 110 is coated with coating layer 111. The inner circumferential surface side of base material 110 is coated with resin with thickness t, the resin is dried, and thereafter surface treatment is carried out such that multiple grooves C are provided on the surface of the resin so as to intersect with the direction of crank shaft 13, whereby coating layer 111 is formed. Peak portions B formed between adjacent grooves C come into contact with the outer circumferential surface of crank shaft 13 to support crank shaft 13. With bearing 11, the thickness of peak portions B at the center in the direction of the crank shaft 13 differs from the thickness of peak portions B at the end.