Removable Bearing Cap Structure for Compact Rotary Mechanisms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary mechanisms, such as rotary actuators, face challenges in accessing and replacing bearings due to wear, which complicates maintenance and increases the size and weight of the mechanism, particularly in space-constrained applications like aircraft.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a removable cap that forms a raceway with radially inner and outer bearing races, allowing for easy insertion and removal of bearings through an opening, while an annular component radially retains the cap to maintain the raceway and close the opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If bearings are permanently sealed within the rotary mechanism, then the mechanism structure is simplified and size is reduced, but bearing replacement becomes difficult when worn
Solution Approach 1:
The closure area is segmented into a removable cap and the main housing. The removable cap can be detached to provide access to bearings for replacement, while the main housing maintains the compact structure. This segmentation allows bearing maintenance without requiring disassembly of the entire mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure area transitions from a static sealed structure to a dynamic configurable structure. The removable cap can be positioned in different states (attached or detached) depending on whether bearing maintenance is required, enabling the structure to adapt between operational and maintenance modes.
2Ease of repair
If the closure area is made larger to accommodate bearing access, then bearing replacement is easier, but the overall size and weight of the mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure area is divided into a removable cap portion and the main housing. This segmentation allows the bearing access function to be concentrated in a small, removable component rather than requiring a large integrated opening, thus maintaining compact overall dimensions while enabling bearing replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the planar size of the closure area, the solution utilizes the axial dimension by employing a removable cap that can be detached along the axial direction. This allows bearing access without increasing the radial or circumferential footprint of the mechanism.
3Ease of repair
If a removable cap is added to enable bearing access, then bearing replacement becomes possible, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable cap combines multiple functions into a single component: it serves as a closure element, a bearing retainer, and a maintenance access point. By merging these functions, the number of additional components is minimized while still enabling bearing replacement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable cap is designed as a multi-functional element that performs closure, bearing support, and maintenance access functions. This universality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a rotary mechanism (202) comprising an earth annulus (220a), an output annulus (230), a radially inner bearing race formed on or by one of the earth annulus and the output annulus (220a, 230), a radially outer bearing race partially formed on or by the other of the earth annulus and the output annulus (230, 220a), an opening (262a) in the other of the earth annulus and the output annulus (230, 220a), and a removable cap (100) configured to be received by the other of the earth annulus and the output annulus (230, 220a) to form a raceway (240a) with the radially inner bearing race and the radially outer bearing race and to close the opening (262a), the raceway (240a) extending circumferentially and between the earth annulus (220a) and the output annulus (230b). The earth annulus (220a) is rotatable relative to the output annulus (230). A plurality of bearings (250) is received in the raceway (240a). The plurality of bearings (250) is insertable into and/or removable from the raceway (240a) via the opening (262a) when the removable cap (100) is removed. The removable cap (100) is configured to be radially retained by an annular component extending at least partially around the other of the earth annulus and the output annulus (230, 220a).