Polymer Flanged Cam Follower for Axial Load Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional metal flanged cam followers suffer from wear, lubrication issues, contamination risks, and electrical conductivity problems, while polymer alternatives lack structural integrity to handle significant axial loads.
Innovation Solution
A flanged polymeric cam follower with a metal hub and a polymeric flanged tire, where the hub provides structural support through a metal flange support plate, eliminating the need for lubrication and reducing wear and noise, while ensuring excellent electrical insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal flanged cam followers are used to withstand axial loads, then structural integrity is improved, but wear and lubrication issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cam follower uses a composite structure with a metal hub providing structural integrity and a polymeric flanged tire providing wear resistance. This combines the advantages of both materials to resolve the contradiction between strength and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam follower is divided into separate functional components: a metal hub for structural support and a polymeric flanged tire for contact with the rail. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function.
2Reliability
If polymer flanged cam followers are used to eliminate lubrication, then electrical insulation is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid construction combines metal and polymer materials, allowing the polymer flanged tire to provide electrical insulation while the metal hub provides the necessary structural integrity to handle axial loads.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the cam follower have different material properties optimized for their specific functions: the flanged tire contact area uses polymer for insulation and wear resistance, while the hub uses metal for structural strength.
3Ease of operation
If polymer material is used for the flanged tire, then lubrication requirement is reduced, but load-bearing capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of metal hub and polymeric flanged tire allows the polymer to provide low-friction contact surfaces that require minimal lubrication, while the metal hub provides the structural framework to bear substantial axial loads.
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 solution provides reduced maintenance, no lubrication required, minimized rail wear, noise reduction, and enhanced electrical insulation, while maintaining structural integrity to withstand substantial axial loads.
Implementation Method 1
at least one bearing disposed over the first axial shaft end such that the hub is rotatable with respect to the shaft via the at least one bearing
Data Source
AI summary
A cam follower includes a shaft and a hub rotatable with respect to the shaft via at least one bearing. A flanged tire is affixed to the outer peripheral surface of the hub, the flanged tire having a main body portion and a flange portion extending radially outwardly therefrom. The main body portion and the flange portion are integrally formed from a polymeric material, and the hub, the main body portion and the flange portion are disposed so as to define a generally planar outer surface. A flange support plate, having a support plate outer diameter that is generally equal to or greater than the flange diameter, is positioned abutting the generally planar outer surface and is rigidly affixed to the hub, the flange support plate being formed from a metal material, thereby providing structural support to the flange portion for axial forces applied to the flange portion.