Meander Clamping Ring Bellows for Self-Centering Seals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing sealing bellows with embedded clamping rings have high manufacturing costs and efforts due to complex assembly and chemical pretreatment, which can lead to environmental pollution and are not self-centering, resulting in potential leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
A sealing bellows with a clamping ring formed as a circular, meander-shaped disc that is elastically variable in diameter, allowing for self-centering and even radial expansion to securely grip machine elements without chemical bonding, using metallic or polymeric materials for cost-effective and environmentally friendly production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamping ring is embedded in the edge region of the sealing bellows, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping ring is extracted from the embedded configuration and replaced with an external clamp that acts on the sealing bellows from the outside. This eliminates the need for embedding the clamping ring into the edge region, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the sealing function through external clamping force.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of embedding the clamping ring inside the edge region (internal configuration), the solution inverts the approach by using an external clamp that surrounds and clamps the sealing bellows from the outside. This inversion simplifies manufacturing while achieving the same sealing reliability through external mechanical constraint.
2Strength
If chemical pretreatment is applied to the clamping ring for embedding, then the bonding strength is improved, but environmental pollution increases and production costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The chemical bonding system (adhesive pretreatment and vulcanization) is replaced with a purely mechanical clamping system. The external clamp exerts direct mechanical force on the sealing bellows to achieve the desired sealing effect, eliminating the need for chemical pretreatment and associated environmental pollution while maintaining sufficient bonding strength through mechanical constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution replaces the expensive and environmentally harmful chemical pretreatment process with a simpler, more cost-effective mechanical clamping approach. The external clamp provides sufficient sealing force without requiring costly adhesives or complex chemical processing, thereby reducing both production costs and environmental impact.
3Manufacturing precision
If a rigid clamping ring with fixed diameter is used, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to tolerance variations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid clamping ring with fixed diameter is replaced with a dynamic clamp that can adapt its configuration to match the actual dimensions of the sealing bellows. The clamp's flexible or adjustable design allows it to accommodate tolerance variations in the sealing bellows while maintaining precise clamping force, thereby improving adaptability without sacrificing manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a clamping ring with a fixed, precisely controlled diameter, the solution employs a clamp whose effective clamping parameters can vary to adapt to the actual dimensions of the sealing bellows. This parameter flexibility allows the clamp to accommodate tolerance variations while maintaining sufficient clamping precision for reliable sealing.
4Ease of operation
If an open clamping ring with toothed geometry is used, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for assembly tools and procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The separate assembly tool and clamping ring are merged into a single integrated external clamp component. This unified design eliminates the need for separate assembly tools and complex toothed engagement procedures, thereby maintaining ease of assembly while reducing overall device complexity. The clamp is designed to be installed directly onto the sealing bellows without requiring additional tools.
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 solution simplifies assembly, ensures automatic centering, and provides a long-lasting, tight seal with reduced risk of leakage and environmental impact, suitable for large series production.
Implementation Method 1
The clamping ring (4, 5) each consist of a metallic material... the clamping ring is formed as a circular, meander-shaped disc that is elastically variable in diameter, allowing for self-centering and even radial expansion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A sealing bellows comprising a sheath (1) made of a rubber-elastic material, which has an edge region (2, 3) on each end face, wherein a clamping ring (4, 5) for fastening the sealing bellows to a machine element is arranged in at least one of the edge regions (2, 3). The clamping ring (4, 5) is formed by an annular disk (6) which, viewed in the circumferential direction (7), has a meandering shape.