Transmission Joint Bellows Structure for Flexibility Without Buckling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bellows for transmission joints face issues with buckling and undesired deformation, particularly when the outer and inner joint members are at large angles, despite the use of reinforcing ribs and specific fold designs.
Innovation Solution
A bellows design featuring a hollow tubular body with fastening regions of differing diameters, interconnected by a deformable wall with a stiffening collar or extension section, ensuring flexibility and preventing buckling through controlled deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the bellows is designed with a deformable wall to provide flexibility for large joint angles, then the flexibility is improved, but buckling and undesired deformation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows structure implements different properties in different regions: the fold region has enhanced stiffness through reinforcing ribs to prevent buckling, while the extension sections maintain flexibility for joint movement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall flexibility and local buckling resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows combines materials with different properties - a stiffening collar made of stiff material (such as metal or rigid plastic) is integrated with the flexible bellows body (rubber or elastomer). This composite structure provides both the flexibility needed for joint movement and the stiffness required to prevent buckling in the fold region.
2Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcing ribs are added to prevent buckling, then the buckling resistance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows is divided into distinct functional sections: fold regions with reinforcing ribs for buckling prevention, extension sections for flexibility, and end sections for mounting. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently, providing buckling resistance where needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire structure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the fold region is designed with specific forms and dimensions to prevent buckling, then the buckling resistance is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows is pre-formed during manufacturing with predetermined fold patterns, extension section lengths, and reinforcing rib positions. This preliminary structuring ensures that the critical geometric parameters for buckling resistance are built-in during production, reducing the need for high-precision adjustments during assembly and 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 design achieves improved flexibility and effectively prevents buckling, protecting transmission components by maintaining a sealed inner space and preventing lubricant leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable wall (30) which interconnects the two fastening regions and forms at least one fold between the two fastening regions
Implementation Method 2
A bellows design featuring a hollow tubular body with fastening regions of differing diameters, interconnected by a deformable wall with a stiffening collar or extension section, ensuring flexibility and preventing buckling through controlled deformation
Implementation Method 3
The bellows forms an inner space that is closed to the surroundings so that no dirt can enter the transmission joint. In addition, the inner space can be filled with a lubricant and no lubricant can leave the inner space
Data Source
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AI summary
Bellows (10) for the protection of parts of a transmission joint (40), wherein the bellows (10) is in the form of a hollow tubular body that is open at each of its ends and has a fastening region (21;22) at each of its open ends. The two fastening regions (21;22) have cross-sections with different outer diameters and run essentially in parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the bellows (10), and these end side fastening regions (21;22) are interconnected by a deformable wall (30) that runs transverse to the longitudinal axis (X) of the bellows (10), wherein the deformable wall (30) forms at least one fold (32) between the two fastening regions (21;22). Thereby, a first fastening region (21) with the larger outer diameter D is extended in the direction of a second fastening region (22) with the smaller outer diameter d by means of a circumferential extension section (50) with a circular free edge (51) and the deformable wall (30) is connected to this extension section (50) at a first connection line (60) which is located before the free edge (51) of the extension section (50). The outer surface of the extension section (50) is straight at least between the first connection line (60) and the free edge (51).