Omnidirectional Wheel Bearing Fixation by Core Body Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for wheels with multiple free rollers is labor-intensive due to the need for repeated bending of claw portions to secure inner rings, which increases man-hours.
Innovation Solution
A wheel design featuring an annular core body with bearings having inner and outer rings, where the inner rings are fixed to the core body by expanding the core body to fit the inner rings and collar members, and a manufacturing method involving fluid pressurization to fix the inner rings and collar members simultaneously, reducing the need for individual fixing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the claw portion is bent for each free roller to prevent the inner ring from moving, then the reliability of the bearing fixation is improved, but the manufacturing time increases due to repeated individual fixing processes
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual fixing operations for each bearing are merged into a single batch fixing operation. The pipe material is expanded once to simultaneously fix multiple inner rings of bearings to the core body, eliminating the need for repeated individual claw portion bending for each free roller.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe material is preliminarily formed with an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the bearing inner rings before the fixing operation. This preliminary sizing allows the expansion process to efficiently secure multiple bearings simultaneously when the pipe material is radially expanded.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple individual fixing operations are performed for each bearing, then the manufacturing precision of each bearing position is maintained, but the productivity decreases due to repeated manual operations
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual fixing operations are combined into a single batch operation where the pipe material expansion simultaneously secures multiple bearing inner rings to the core body, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining precision through controlled radial expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical operation of bending claw portions for each bearing is replaced by a hydraulic or pneumatic expansion process that radially expands the pipe material to simultaneously fix multiple bearings, reducing manual intervention and increasing production efficiency.
3Strength
If the inner ring is tightly fitted to the core body through expansion, then the strength of the connection is improved, but the complexity of the manufacturing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner diameter parameter of the pipe material is changed through controlled radial expansion from a smaller initial value to a larger final value that matches the bearing inner ring outer diameter. This parameter change creates a tight interference fit that provides strong connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe material may be heated to facilitate radial expansion, utilizing thermal expansion to temporarily increase the inner diameter for easier bearing installation, followed by cooling to create the interference fit. Alternatively, mechanical or hydraulic expansion methods may be used without thermal treatment.
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
This approach significantly reduces manufacturing time by allowing multiple inner rings and collar members to be fixed in a single operation, thereby decreasing the overall man-hours required for wheel production.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurizing step of fixing the inner ring to the pipe material by injecting a fluid into an inner hole of the pipe material and pressurizing the pipe material
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a wheel for an omnidirectional moving device which takes fewer man-hours for manufacturing, and a manufacturing method of the wheel for an omnidirectional moving device which takes fewer man-hours. The wheel includes an annular core body 36; a plurality of bearings 75 each including an inner ring 76 and an outer ring 77 relatively rotatable with respect to the inner ring, and the inner ring being fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the core body; and a plurality of rollers 37 each fixed to the outer ring and rotatably supported by the core body via the bearing. The inner ring is tightened and fitted to the core body.