Segmented Bearing Inner Ring for Loom Fatigue Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bearing components in shedding machines and loom systems experience premature fatigue and damage due to high-speed operations and repetitive stress, leading to reduced lifespan and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A bearing design featuring an inner ring with a slot forming a material bridge between the peripheral raceway and the inner race, allowing for elastic deformation and distribution of load across multiple rolling elements, reducing stress peaks and material fatigue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the inner ring is made solid and rigid to maintain structural strength, then the bearing can support high loads, but the rolling elements are subjected to concentrated stresses leading to material fatigue and premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The inner ring is divided into multiple segments separated by radial slots, allowing each segment to deform independently under load. This segmentation enables the inner ring to distribute stresses across multiple rolling elements rather than concentrating them, thereby reducing material fatigue while maintaining overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner ring transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can elastically deform under operational loads. This dynamic capability allows the bearing to adapt to varying load conditions, distributing stresses more evenly across rolling elements and reducing peak stresses that cause fatigue.
2Productivity
If the cam rotates at high speed to increase productivity, then the machine operates more efficiently, but the rollers are subjected to repeated cycles of highly localized stresses promoting material fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented inner ring with radial slots allows the bearing to accommodate high-speed operations by distributing the repeated localized stresses across multiple segments and rolling elements. This prevents stress concentration at any single point, thereby maintaining component durability despite high operating speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner ring's flexibility parameter is changed from rigid to elastic, enabling it to absorb and distribute the high-frequency stresses generated during high-speed operation. This parameter change allows the bearing to maintain reliability under increased operating speeds.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the outer ring deforms under centripetal and centrifugal forces, then the bearing adapts to load variations, but the inner ring's rigidity causes loss of contact or increased load on rolling elements outside the load zone
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented inner ring allows each segment to deform independently in response to outer ring deformation, maintaining contact with rolling elements across the entire circumference. This prevents loss of contact or excessive load concentration on specific rolling elements, ensuring uniform stress distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the inner ring can deform locally to match the load distribution pattern, with each segment adapting its degree of deformation based on local conditions. This local quality adjustment ensures uniform contact and load distribution across all rolling elements.
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 bearing design significantly reduces material fatigue and the risk of premature failure by distributing loads more evenly across rolling elements, enhancing the lifespan and reliability of the components.
Implementation Method 1
the inner ring, more precisely the material bridge located between the slot and the peripheral raceway, deforms elastically in such a way as to ovalize the deformation of the inner ring and thus distribute the load over a greater number of rolling elements
Data Source
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AI summary
A bearing (25) for a shearing machine or a motion transmission system for the frames of a loom, comprising an inner ring (72), an outer ring (74), and rolling elements (76). The inner ring is centered on a main axis (A72), comprises two lateral surfaces normal to the main axis, and defines a circular peripheral raceway (80) centered on the main axis. The outer ring (74) defines an inner raceway (82), which is circular and centered on the main axis. The rolling elements (76) are interposed radially with respect to the main axis between the peripheral raceway and the inner raceway, so as to guide the outer ring in rotation relative to the inner ring about the main axis.The inner ring (72) includes at least one opening (90), opening onto the two lateral surfaces, extending opposite a portion of the peripheral raceway (80), and forms a material bridge (94) between the opening and the peripheral raceway. The material bridge (94) extends over an angular sector (99) of the inner ring, is centered on the main axis (A72) of the bearing, and has a vertex angle (α1) greater than or equal to the vertex angle (β2) of an angular sector occupied by two rolling elements (76), preferably greater than or equal to the vertex angle (β5) of an angular sector occupied by five rolling elements, preferably greater than or equal to the vertex angle (β9) of an angular sector occupied by nine rolling elements, and preferably even greater than or equal to the vertex angle (β13) of an angular sector occupied by thirteen rolling elements. The inner ring (72) further includes at least one hole (88) for fixing the bearing (25).