Integrated Metallic Pump Bearing Support for Coaxiality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric pump designs require multiple components for bearing and mechanical seal support, leading to deformation issues, imperfect coaxiality, and reduced operational life due to the use of metallic and plastic materials, respectively.
Innovation Solution
A single, metallic support integrates both the bearing and mechanical seal receptacles, ensuring better coaxiality and reduced component count by using a metallic material that is less prone to deformation, with a flange and tubular design providing stiffness and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If separate supporting elements are used for the bearing and mechanical seal, then the structural complexity increases with multiple components, but the manufacturing precision and coaxiality between the two supports deteriorate due to deformation and material differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the bearing support and mechanical seal support into a single integrated supporting element made of metallic material. This single component houses both the bearing receptacle and mechanical seal receptacle, eliminating the need for separate plastic and metal supports. The integration ensures perfect coaxiality between the two receptacles while reducing the total number of components, directly resolving the technical contradiction between device complexity and manufacturing precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If a plastic material is used for the mechanical seal support, then the ease of manufacture improves, but the reliability deteriorates due to deformations over time that compromise centering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to metallic material for the integrated supporting element. This material substitution eliminates the deformation issues inherent in plastic materials while maintaining manufacturability through metal forming processes. The metallic material provides superior dimensional stability and centering accuracy over time, directly addressing the reliability concern while preserving ease of manufacture through established metal fabrication techniques.
3Device complexity
If separate metallic and plastic supports are used for bearing and mechanical seal, then the device complexity increases, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to achieve tight dimensional tolerances between different materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bearing support and mechanical seal support into a single metallic component, eliminating the interface between different materials. This integration allows for precise machining of both receptacles from a single material block, achieving tight dimensional tolerances and perfect coaxiality that cannot be obtained when joining separate plastic and metal parts. The single-material construction directly resolves the manufacturing precision issue.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate supports for bearing and mechanical seal are positioned proximate to the interface, then the adaptability to the interface region improves, but the reliability deteriorates due to non-perfect coaxiality generating bending moments on the rotating shaft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the bearing support and mechanical seal support into a single rigid metallic element positioned at the interface region. This unified structure ensures that both receptacles are perfectly coaxial, eliminating the misalignment that would generate bending moments on the rotating shaft. The integration maintains the adaptability to position both components proximate to the interface while eliminating the reliability issue of non-perfect coaxiality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A support (10) for a bearing (12) for an electric pump (50), the support (10) having a contoured portion which forms in a single body: - a receptacle (11) for the bearing (12), - a receptacle (13) for a sealing element (14).