Replaceable Ball Support Structure for Axial Piston Shoes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ball support arrangements in axial piston machines are permanently molded onto the piston shoe, requiring the entire piston to be replaced when worn out, leading to high maintenance effort and cost.
Innovation Solution
A separate and replaceable ball support arrangement that can be toollessly mounted and dismounted from the piston shoe, allowing individual replacement without replacing the piston, using materials like plastics, ceramics, and fibers for optimal friction characteristics and lubrication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ball support arrangement is permanently molded onto the piston shoe, then the structural integrity and reliability are improved, but the maintenance effort and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support arrangement is divided into separate modular components: a retention member that attaches to the piston shoe and a ball support element that fits within the retention member. This segmentation allows the ball support element to be replaced independently without replacing the entire piston shoe assembly, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and ease of repair.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ball support arrangement is permanently molded onto the piston shoe, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the replacement cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support arrangement is segmented into a retention member and a separate ball support element. The retention member remains permanently attached to the piston shoe, while the ball support element can be independently replaced. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing simplicity for the retention member while enabling quick replacement of the wear-prone ball support element without time-consuming removal of the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention member is pre-installed on the piston shoe during manufacturing, creating a reusable base structure. This preliminary action allows subsequent replacements of the ball support element to be performed quickly without requiring re-manufacturing or complex assembly procedures, reducing replacement time while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
3Ease of repair
If the ball support arrangement is separately replaceable, then the maintenance cost and effort are reduced, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support arrangement is segmented into a retention member and a ball support element, where the retention member serves as a permanent mounting structure and the ball support element is the replaceable component. This segmentation enables cost-effective maintenance by allowing replacement of only the worn ball support element, while the retention member remains in place, thereby reducing overall maintenance costs without introducing excessive structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A ball support arrangement for a piston shoe arrangement (1), wherein the piston shoe arrangement (1) is configured to be provided in an axial piston machine, wherein the piston shoe arrangement (1) includes a piston body (2) having a ball shaped end (3) and a piston shoe (4), wherein the ball shaped end (3) is provided in the piston shoe (4), wherein the ball support arrangement is arranged between the piston shoe (4) and the balls shaped end (3). The objective of the present invention is to provide a ball support arrangement, which is easy to replace and low on maintenance. This objective is solved by a ball support arrangement, which is separate and replaceable, wherein at least a ball portion (5) of the ball support arrangement is configured to accommodate at least part of the ball shaped end (3).