Guide Member With Elastomer Mount And Hardened Friction Surface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing guide members in joints, such as those in rolling stock, face issues with high misalignments, impacts, and vibratory actions due to rigid assembly, leading to wear, jamming, and corrosion, and are unable to accept significant misalignments or low-amplitude movements effectively.

Innovation Solution

The guide member, comprising a ring and pin with a surface hardening treatment and lubricant reserve arrangements, is combined with a deformable flexible material to reduce friction and prevent jamming and corrosion, allowing for higher misalignment acceptance. The ring and pin undergo surface hardening treatments, and the ring features lubricant reserve arrangements like grooves or channels, while the outer periphery is joined to an elastomer element for engagement in the bore.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the ring is rigidly mounted in the bore of a support, then the assembly provides stable support, but it cannot accept high misalignments or vibratory actions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemisalignment acceptanceVSAvoidrigid assembly stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a flexible element (elastomer, rubber, or polymer) between the ring and the support bore, creating a flexible mounting arrangement that allows the ring to adapt to misalignments and absorb vibratory actions while maintaining stable support. The flexible material deforms to accommodate dimensional variations and movements without compromising the overall structural stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If the ring and pin are subjected to surface hardening treatment, then wear resistance is improved, but the friction surface becomes more prone to jamming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidjamming tendency

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different surface treatments to different regions of the friction surfaces. The bulk material receives surface hardening treatment (nitriding, carburizing, or induction hardening) for wear resistance, while the actual friction surface receives a contrasting treatment (phosphating, oxidation, or polymer coating) that reduces friction and prevents jamming. This local differentiation allows each surface to optimize its specific function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite surface structure where a hard substrate (from surface hardening treatment) is combined with a softer friction-reducing layer (from phosphating, oxidation, or polymer coating). This composite structure provides both wear resistance from the hard substrate and low friction/jamming resistance from the outer layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of operation

If the friction surface is treated to reduce friction coefficient, then smooth operation is improved, but the tendency to corrosion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefriction coefficientVSAvoidcorrosion susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the friction surface through controlled treatments. Surface hardening modifies hardness and wear resistance, while subsequent phosphating, oxidation, or polymer coating modifies surface chemistry and topology to reduce friction. The lubricant reserve arrangements also change the operational parameters by maintaining a lubricating film.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution enhances the guide member's ability to handle misalignments and vibratory actions by reducing friction and preventing jamming and corrosion, ensuring reliable operation under challenging conditions.

Implementation Method 1

the ring and/or the pin is subjected, at least at its friction surface, to a surface hardening treatment by diffusion or by structural transformation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface hardening by diffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

the ring and/or the pin is subjected, at least at its friction surface, to a surface hardening treatment by diffusion or by structural transformation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface hardening by structural transformation: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 3

The outer periphery of the ring is joined to an element made from a deformable flexible material suitable for being engaged in the bore of a support

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8092092B2Guide member

Publication Date: 2012.01.10 H E F

AI summary

A guide member has a ring for mounting a pin with friction and articulation and/or sliding capacity. The member is adapted for mounting in the bore of a support. The ring and/or the pin is subjected, at least at its friction surface, to a surface hardening treatment by diffusion or by structural transformation, followed by finishing surface treatment for reducing the tendency to jamming and to reduce the friction coefficient. The friction surface of the ring, comprising its bore, has arrangements acting as a lubricant reserve. The outer periphery of the ring is joined to an element made from a deformable flexible material suitable for being engaged in the bore of the support.