Submersible Motor Bearing Hub With Spring Anti-Rotation Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing submersible pump motor anti-rotation systems, such as those using elastomeric rings, are prone to degradation at high temperatures, necessitating a more reliable solution for preventing rotation of rotor sections.
Innovation Solution
A motor bearing system featuring a V-shaped anti-rotation spring with a supporting portion biased against a hub outward facing sidewall and a locking portion protruding through a slit in a collar, engaging with a stator groove to prevent rotation, while also incorporating a tab to stop axial movement and maintain secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If elastomeric rings are used for anti-rotation, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the reliability deteriorates at high temperatures due to material degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from elastomeric to spring steel and changes the structural parameter from a simple ring to a V-shaped spring with supporting and locking portions. This transformation maintains ease of manufacture through standard spring forming processes while dramatically improving high-temperature reliability by eliminating material degradation issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategy by using spring steel that combines elastic properties for the supporting portion with hardened properties for the locking portion. This composite approach allows the single component to exhibit both flexibility for engagement and hardness for reliable locking, resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and reliability.
2Reliability
If a rigid anti-rotation member is used, then reliability improves, but the ability to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics principle by designing the anti-rotation member as a resilient spring that can dynamically adjust its position and engagement force. The spring's elastic deformation capability allows it to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the stator while maintaining reliable engagement, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent explicitly addresses thermal expansion by using the spring's elastic properties to absorb dimensional changes in the stator caused by temperature variations. The spring can compress or extend to accommodate these changes while maintaining constant engagement force, ensuring reliable operation across varying thermal conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the anti-rotation spring is made resilient, then adaptability to thermal changes improves, but the force to prevent rotation may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses curvature strategically in the V-shaped spring design where the supporting portion has a curved surface matching the hub's curvature for optimal contact, while the locking portion extends radially outward to engage the stator groove. This geometric configuration ensures both adaptability through elastic deformation and sufficient locking force through the radial engagement geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-biasing the spring against the hub surface, which pre-loads the spring to maintain constant engagement force with the stator groove. This preliminary biasing ensures that the spring is always under tension ready to prevent rotation, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and force.
4Reliability
If a slit is added to the collar for spring engagement, then the anti-rotation mechanism becomes more reliable, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by introducing a slit that divides the collar structure, allowing the spring to be inserted and engaged. This segmentation creates a functional separation between the collar's structural role and the spring's anti-rotation role, improving reliability while the slit itself is a simple feature that adds minimal complexity to manufacturing.
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 effectively prevents rotation of rotor sections across varying temperatures, ensuring reliable operation and stability by utilizing a resilient spring mechanism that maintains engagement with the stator groove and prevents axial movement, thus addressing the limitations of elastomeric materials at high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
An anti-rotation spring has a supporting portion inwardly biased against the hub outward facing sidewall and a locking portion protruding outward through the slit into engagement with the groove to prevent rotation of the hub and the collar
Data Source
AI summary
A submersible pump electrical motor has a bearing hub between adjacent rotor sections. The bearing hub has a hub outward facing sidewall and a hub inward facing hub sidewall through which the shaft extends. A collar having a collar inward facing sidewall is rigidly mounted to the hub outward facing sidewall. The collar has a collar outward facing sidewall spaced from stator sidewall by an annular clearance. A slit in the collar extends from the collar inward facing sidewall to the collar outward facing sidewall. An anti-rotation spring has a supporting portion inwardly biased against the hub outward facing sidewall and a locking portion protruding outward through the slit into engagement with the groove to prevent rotation of the hub and the collar.