Retained Nut and Gasket Fastener Assembly for Mill Liner Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fastener systems used in mill liners experience heavy wear and tear, leading to slurry egress and inefficient handling during maintenance, where components can fall and cause damage, resulting in time-consuming and costly downtime.
Innovation Solution
A fastener system comprising a washer with a dual-section bore, a gasket that compresses and deforms to engage with a bolt, and a retainer structure to securely hold the nut, enhancing sealing and handling efficiency by retaining components and facilitating easier assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fastener systems are used to secure mill liners, then the structural elements can be coupled, but the components experience heavy wear and tear leading to slurry egress and component loss
Solution Approach 1:
The bore of the washer is segmented into a first section and a second section by a shoulder portion. The first section receives the nut and retainer structure, while the second section receives the gasket. This segmentation allows each component to be optimally positioned and retained, improving sealing performance while reducing wear through proper load distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer structure is nested within the first section of the bore, and the gasket is nested within the second section of the bore. The retainer structure axially retains the nut, while the gasket provides sealing. This nested arrangement ensures all components are securely held in place, preventing component loss and slurry egress.
2Ease of operation
If conventional fastener systems are used, then the liner can be secured to the shell, but handling during maintenance is inefficient and components can fall causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer structure automatically retains the nut within the first section of the bore, and the gasket is automatically retained in the second section. This self-retaining design eliminates the need for additional retention mechanisms and ensures components remain secured during handling and maintenance operations, preventing component loss and damage.
3Productivity
If conventional fastener systems are used, then the liner can be attached to the shell, but assembly and disassembly are time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The washer integrates multiple functions: it provides a mounting surface, contains the retainer structure in its first section, holds the gasket in its second section, and secures the nut. This merging of functions into a single component simplifies the assembly process and reduces the number of parts that need to be handled during maintenance, thereby increasing productivity and reducing downtime.
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 system improves sealing by compressing and deforming the gasket, reduces wear, and enhances handling by retaining components, thereby reducing downtime and maintenance costs by allowing for efficient coupling and decoupling of structural elements.
Implementation Method 1
a gasket that compresses and deforms to engage with a bolt
Implementation Method 2
a gasket that compresses and deforms to engage with a bolt
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a washer, a nut, a retainer structure, and a gasket. The washer has a bore extending between a distal end and a proximal end. A first section of the bore extends from the distal end to a shoulder portion. A second section of the bore extends from the shoulder portion to the proximal end. The shoulder portion defines an aperture. The nut is configured to be received in the first section of the bore. The nut includes a threaded bore configured to threadably engage a threaded shaft of a bolt. The retainer structure is configured to axially retain the nut in the first section of the bore of the washer. The gasket has a through-bore axially aligned with the bore of the washer and the threaded bore of the nut. The gasket is configured to be axially retained in the second section of bore of the washer.