Detachable Roller Spring Housing for Easier Elastomer Ring Replacement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing roller springs require complex and costly procedures for replacing the elastomer ring, involving removal, shipping, and reinstallation due to their weight, which significantly increases replacement costs.
Innovation Solution
A roller spring design with a detachable housing part that allows for the elastomer ring replacement without removing the entire assembly, where the elastomer ring and removable housing part form an interchangeable unit with a preload, enabling simplified handling and maintaining predetermined spatial positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the entire scroll spring is removed for elastomer ring replacement, then the elastomer ring can be replaced, but the high dead weight makes disassembly, shipping and reassembly costly and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The spring housing is divided into a housing base and a removable housing part. The housing base remains installed in the bogie, while only the lighter removable housing part containing the elastomer ring needs to be detached, shipped, and reassembled. This segmentation reduces the weight of the component that must be handled during maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomer ring is extracted as a separate replaceable component within the removable housing part. The removable housing part can be detached from the housing base, allowing the elastomer ring to be replaced without handling the entire heavy scroll spring assembly.
2Manufacturing precision
If specialized pressing devices are used for elastomer ring installation, then the elastomer ring can be properly installed, but the complexity and cost of requiring special equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable housing part is designed to be self-contained with the elastomer ring pre-installed or easily installable without specialized equipment. The housing part can be detached as a complete assembly from the housing base, allowing maintenance personnel to replace elastomer rings using simple tools rather than complex manufacturer-specific pressing devices.
3Ease of repair
If the entire scroll spring is shipped for elastomer ring replacement, then the elastomer ring can be replaced, but the shipping costs and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The spring housing is segmented into a stationary housing base and a removable housing part. Only the removable housing part containing the elastomer ring needs to be detached and shipped, significantly reducing shipping time and cost compared to transporting the entire scroll spring assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable housing part is designed as a pre-assembled unit that can be quickly detached from the housing base. This preliminary preparation allows maintenance personnel to rapidly remove and replace the housing part without time-consuming disassembly of the entire scroll spring.
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
This design simplifies the replacement process by allowing only the lightweight removable housing part to be handled, reducing costs associated with removal, shipping, and reinstallation, while ensuring the elastomer ring remains bound to a predetermined movement sequence throughout its service life.
Implementation Method 1
When the scroll spring is subjected to axial forces, the elastomer ring rolls up and down in its track, with the spring characteristic being dependent on the rolling contours that are reflected on the walls of the annular gap
Implementation Method 2
The spring housing has a housing base and a housing part that can be removed from the housing base via a detachable connection
Implementation Method 3
The spring mandrel has a stop that limits its spring travel on the spring housing. The stop prevents unintentional separation of the spring housing and the spring mandrel, for example when lifting, in particular when craning a vehicle with a chassis that has constant-force springs
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
In a coil spring consisting of a spring housing, a spring mandrel, and at least one elastomer ring, wherein an annular gap is formed between the spring housing and the spring mandrel, with the walls of the gap forming a raceway that axially accommodates the elastomer ring, it is provided that the spring housing has a housing base and a housing part that can be removed from the housing base via a detachable connection, and that at least the end of the raceway in which the elastomer ring has its stable starting position is located in the housing part.