Floating Bearing Roller Profile for Concrete Mixer Drum

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing roller profiles for truck mixer floating bearings experience high Hertzian pressure due to deformations, leading to potential damage and premature wear, as the constant radius design results in a small contact surface and increased risk of edge pressure during axis tilting.

Innovation Solution

A novel roller profile with a crowned surface featuring at least two different radii, where the central area has a larger radius and the end areas have a smaller radius, reducing the contact pressure and minimizing edge contact risk through a larger contact surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a constant radius profile is used for the roller tread, then the manufacturing is simple, but the contact surface is small leading to high Hertzian pressure and premature wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller profile manufacturingVSAvoidroller and raceway durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The roller tread profile is divided into different zones with different radii: a central zone with a larger radius (5000-10000mm) to increase contact surface and reduce Hertzian pressure, and edge zones with smaller radii (1000-3000mm) to prevent edge contact during axis tilting. This local differentiation optimizes both durability and manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the crowning radius is increased to reduce Hertzian pressure, then the contact surface is larger, but the probability of edge contact increases during axis tilting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller and raceway durabilityVSAvoidedge contact prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different zones of the roller tread are assigned different radii to simultaneously achieve large contact surface in the central zone and edge contact prevention in the side zones, resolving the contradiction between durability and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The profile transitions from symmetric constant radius to asymmetric variable radius, with the apex of the tread profile offset from the center axis to account for expected axis tilting under load, optimizing both contact surface and edge contact prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Reliability

If a smaller radius is used for the roller tread, then the risk of edge contact is reduced, but the contact surface is smaller leading to higher Hertzian pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveedge contact preventionVSAvoidroller and raceway durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The roller tread uses small radii (1000-3000mm) only in the edge zones to prevent edge contact during tilting, while the central zone maintains a large radius (5000-10000mm) to ensure sufficient contact surface and low Hertzian pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Duration of action of stationary object

If the roller profile is optimized with multiple radii, then the Hertzian pressure is reduced and service life is extended, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller service lifeVSAvoidroller profile complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The profile is divided into a limited number of zones (typically 2-3 zones) with different radii, which can be manufactured using conventional rolling or grinding processes with multiple passes, balancing service life extension with manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The roller profile parameters (radii, zone widths, apex offset) are optimized within specific ranges to achieve the desired performance while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing processes, thus extending service life without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3219996B1Roller for a floating bearing of a concrete mixer truck
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 LIEBHERR MISCHTECHN
  • EP3219996B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3219996B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3219996B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

The invention relates to a roller for a floating bearing (30) of a truck mixer, which rolls on a running ring of the mixing drum. According to the invention, the running surface profile is partially convex with a specific radius, and at least a further area of ​​the running surface is convex with a different radius or with a different profile shape.