Offset Barycenter Ring for Nut Locking and Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking devices for large nuts on rotary shafts fail to achieve reliable locking and accurate balancing, leading to potential unbalance, vibration, and fatigue, particularly in turbomachines where high-speed rotation and thermal stress are involved.
Innovation Solution
A locking device with offset barycenter ring design, featuring radial fingers and notches that are mutually prime in number, with the ring's internal outline offset to center its mass on the shaft axis, and additional shorter fingers for stabilization, allowing accurate balancing and secure locking without compromising design or requiring additional components like ventilation tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking device with radial fingers and notches is used to prevent nut loosening, then locking reliability is improved, but balancing accuracy deteriorates due to the added mass and eccentric positioning of the fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The internal outline of the ring is deliberately designed to be asymmetric with an offset barycenter relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. This asymmetric geometry creates a counterbalancing mass distribution that compensates for the eccentric positioning of the radial fingers, allowing the overall center of mass to remain aligned with the rotation axis despite the locking fingers being offset from the center
Solution Approach 2:
The offset barycenter of the ring's internal outline acts as a counterweight mechanism. By positioning the barycenter offset from the longitudinal axis in a specific direction, the design creates a counterbalancing effect that offsets the unbalance caused by the radial locking fingers, thereby maintaining accurate balancing without requiring additional counterweights or complex adjustment mechanisms
2Manufacturing precision
If additional shorter fingers are added to stabilize the ring position, then balancing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is segmented into multiple radial fingers of different lengths: at least one first radial finger for primary locking engagement, and at least two other shorter radial fingers for stabilization and balancing. This segmentation allows each finger to perform a specific function while collectively achieving both secure locking and accurate balancing
Solution Approach 2:
The ring structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the offset barycenter for counterbalancing, houses multiple radial fingers for both locking and stabilization, and maintains structural integrity. The shorter fingers serve dual purposes of preventing ring tilting and contributing to the overall mass distribution for balancing
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of outer notches and inner notches are made mutually prime to maximize alignment positions, then locking versatility is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design specifies that the number of outer notches and inner notches are mutually prime numbers. This parameter selection maximizes the number of angular positions where notches can align, providing versatility for different installation orientations while the tolerance design accommodates the resulting precision requirements
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for locking a nut (13) in a tightened position on a rotary shaft (12), said rotary shaft (12) being hollow at least at one end (14). The locking device comprises a plurality of outer notches (16) formed in a face of the nut (13), said outer notches (16) extending parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the nut (13), a plurality of inner notches (15) formed in the end (14) of the rotary shaft (12), said inner notches (15) extending parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the rotary shaft (12), and a ring (18) suitable for being installed inside said end (14) of the rotary shaft (12) and presenting at least one first radial finger (19) for being received both in one of the inner notches (15) and in one of the outer notches (16) with the nut (13) being in a tightened position and the two notches (15, 16) housing said first radial finger (19) being at least partially in alignment in a radial direction. In order to balance the ring about a central axis (X), the ring (18) presents an internal outline (21) arranged in such a manner that the barycenter (B) of said internal outline (21) is offset relative to said longitudinal axis (X) when the ring (18) is installed inside the end (14) of the rotary shaft (12).