Pump Bearing Assembly Shield for Lubricant Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bearing assemblies face challenges in providing robust lubricant retention and protection against bearing failure while maintaining tight tolerances and ease of assembly, especially when using conventional bearings or bearings that require tilting during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A bearing assembly design featuring a shield integrated with a bearing support, which extends from the outer ring to provide robust lubricant retention and acts as an end stop in case of failure, allowing the use of conventional bearings and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shield is integral with the outer ring, then robustness and protection against bearing failure is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly is divided into separate components: the bearing (with inner ring, outer ring, and rolling elements) and the shield are manufactured independently and then assembled together. This segmentation allows the bearing to be produced using conventional manufacturing processes while the shield can be designed as a separate protective component, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining protection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
A bearing support is introduced as an intermediary component between the bearing and the shield. The bearing support provides a mounting structure for the shield and supports the outer ring of the bearing, allowing the shield to be positioned and secured without being integral with the bearing itself. This intermediary structure simplifies the overall assembly while maintaining the protective function.
2Strength
If a shield is integral with the outer ring, then robustness is improved, but ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the shield from the bearing components, each part can be manufactured using optimized processes for its specific requirements. The bearing can be manufactured as a standard component while the shield can be produced separately and then assembled, significantly improving ease of manufacture and assembly compared to creating a single integral structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is pre-positioned and secured to the bearing support before final assembly of the bearing components. This preliminary action allows the shield to be properly installed and secured while the bearing is being assembled, simplifying the overall manufacturing process and improving ease of assembly.
3Reliability
If a shield extends from the bearing support, then lubricant retention and protection are improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing support serves multiple functions: it supports the outer ring of the bearing, provides a mounting structure for the shield, and helps position the shield to ensure proper lubricant retention. By making the bearing support multi-functional, the need for additional separate components is reduced, thereby improving lubricant retention without significantly increasing assembly complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If tight tolerances are maintained, then bearing performance is improved, but ease of assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing support acts as an intermediary that facilitates the assembly of the bearing components while maintaining tight tolerances. It provides precise positioning features and mounting structures that guide the assembly process, allowing tight clearances to be achieved without making the assembly process excessively difficult.
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing assembly for mounting a rotatable shaft of a pump and the pump are disclosed. The bearing assembly comprises: a bearing comprising an outer ring and an inner ring; a bearing support configured to support the outer ring of the bearing, the bearing support surrounding at least a portion of an outer surface of the outer ring extending across at least a portion of one end surface of the outer ring; and a shield extending from the bearing support towards the inner ring to thereby obscure at least a portion of an annular gap between the inner and outer ring.