Piston Rod Scraper Ring with Drainage Grooves for Oil Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scraper rings for reciprocating compressors are complex, costly, and prone to oil leakage and damage due to their serial arrangement and sharp scraping edges, which limits size reduction and fails to adequately adjust for wear and thermal expansion.
Innovation Solution
A scraper ring design featuring a groove-shaped drainage opening extending from one axial end to the other, connected to multiple inner circumferential grooves, allowing for improved oil removal and simplification of manufacture, with recesses for adjustability and reduced risk of damage, and made from plastic for durability and ease of production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple scraper rings are arranged in series to improve scraping effect, then oil scraping performance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple scraping functions into a single scraper ring by providing multiple sealing sections with scraping edges on the inner circumferential surface. These sealing sections are spaced axially apart and connected by ring segments, allowing one ring to perform the scraping function that previously required multiple separate rings and support rings.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraper ring is divided into multiple sealing sections separated by ring segments. The ring segments provide structural flexibility and wear compensation while the sealing sections perform the scraping function. This segmentation allows the single ring to adapt to piston rod variations and wear without requiring multiple separate components.
2Productivity
If sharp scraping edges are used to improve oil removal, then scraping effectiveness is improved, but risk of piston rod damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides different surface qualities at different locations: the scraping edges have sharp, precise surfaces for effective oil removal, while the outer circumferential surface has a deliberately rougher finish with higher arithmetic mean roughness. This local quality differentiation allows effective scraping while reducing the risk of catastrophic failure and providing wear tolerance.
Solution Approach 2:
The rough outer surface acts as a cushion or buffer zone that can absorb minor impacts and wear before they reach the critical scraping edges. This beforehand cushioning protects the sharp scraping edges and piston rod from sudden damage while maintaining scraping effectiveness.
3Strength
If scraper rings are made rigid to maintain structural stability, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability to wear and thermal expansion decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper ring incorporates dynamic elements through the ring segments that connect the sealing sections. These segments allow the ring to flex and adapt to thermal expansion and wear while maintaining overall structural integrity. The ring can dynamically adjust its shape to accommodate piston rod variations without compromising strength.
4Reliability
If multiple offset rings are used to seal radial cuts, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and assembly precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple separate offset rings, the patent segments a single ring into multiple sealing sections separated by ring segments. The radial cuts are sealed within each sealing section, and the ring segments provide the necessary flexibility and positioning without requiring precise relative positioning of multiple separate rings.
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 design reduces the number of scraper rings needed, minimizes oil leakage, and enhances wear compensation and thermal expansion adjustment, while preventing damage to the piston rod and improving the scraping effect with a simpler assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
a circumferential annular spring on the circumference of the former, i.e., the annular spring generates a radial contact pressure to enable a proper functioning of the scraper ring
Implementation Method 2
at least one drainage opening is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the scraper ring, which is connected to at least one inner circumferential groove, to remove scraped oil from the inner circumferential grooves
Data Source
AI summary
A scraper ring is provided with a plurality of sealing sections on the radially inner circumferential surface, each including a scraping edge, wherein the sealing sections are spaced axially apart from each other by inner circumferential grooves, with at least one recess provided on the circumference of the scraper ring which extends at least partially from a first axial ring end to a second axial ring end and extends at least partially in a direction different from the axial direction of the scraper ring. At least one drainage opening is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the scraper ring, which is connected to at least one inner circumferential groove for removing scraped oil from the inner circumferential grooves.