Self Aligning Roller Bearing Sliding Seal for Misalignment

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bearing assemblies are susceptible to internal contamination when operating in misaligned conditions, leading to degraded performance and increased maintenance and replacement costs due to exposure of the internal cavity to debris and contaminants.

Innovation Solution

A bearing assembly with a sliding seal formed between a specially shaped collar and a sealing member that radially and axially engages the collar, maintaining a consistent seal during alignment and misalignment, preventing the ingress of contaminants through the use of frusto-spherical sealing surfaces and elastically deformable sealing members.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional bearing structures operate in misaligned conditions, then the bearing can accommodate surrounding structure misalignment, but gaps form between bearing components exposing the internal cavity to contaminants

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member features a frusto-spherical sealing surface that contacts the collar during misalignment. This curved geometry allows the seal to maintain continuous contact with the collar surface even when the bearing operates in a misaligned state, preventing gap formation and contaminant ingress while accommodating the angular displacement between inner and outer races.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member is constructed from an elastically deformable material that can flex and conform to the collar surface during misalignment. This flexibility allows the sealing member to maintain effective sealing contact with the collar across a range of alignment positions, accommodating misalignment without creating gaps that would expose the internal cavity to contaminants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Device complexity

If conventional seals are used in misaligned conditions, then the bearing structure remains simple, but the seal quality degrades and gaps form allowing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The frusto-spherical sealing surface on the sealing member provides a curved contact geometry that maintains consistent sealing pressure and contact with the collar during misalignment. This curved surface design improves seal quality and reliability while accommodating angular displacement, preventing gap formation without requiring complex multi-component sealing systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member utilizes an elastically deformable material that combines flexibility with sealing effectiveness. This material property allows the seal to conform to the collar surface and maintain reliable sealing contact during misalignment, achieving high seal quality with a relatively simple single-piece sealing structure rather than requiring complex composite assemblies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the sealing member maintains consistent contact with the collar during misalignment, then contaminant ingress is prevented, but additional axial and radial forces are applied to the sealing components

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The frusto-spherical sealing surface distributes the sealing contact forces across a curved area rather than a single point. This curved geometry allows the sealing member to maintain consistent contact with the collar during misalignment while distributing the axial and radial forces, preventing excessive stress concentration on the sealing components and reducing the risk of force-induced damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 sliding seal effectively prevents contamination of the inner cavity, extending the operational life of the bearing assembly and reducing maintenance costs by maintaining a consistent seal across a range of alignment positions without introducing new stresses or gaps.

Implementation Method 1

elastically deformable sealing members

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2354579B1Self aligning double-row roller bearing with sealing means.

Publication Date: 2014.09.24

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AI summary

A bearing assembly (10) is disclosed including an inner race (12) and an outer race (14) that is radially spaced from the inner race (12) for receiving roller elements (16) therebetween. A collar (24) is adjacent to and fixed relative to the inner race (12). A sealing member (30) is fixed relative to the outer race (14). The sealing member (30) slidably and sealingly engages the collar (24) axially and radially to maintain a seal between the sealing member (30) and the collar (24) during a misalignment of the inner race (12) relative to the outer race (14) and a predetermined degree of misalignment of the inner race (12) relative to the outer race (14).