Mechanical Seal Pump Vanes With Anti-Buckling Spring Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the circulation pump mechanism of existing mechanical seal devices, the springs can buckle and come into contact with the side surface of the mounting groove, leading to wear and potential breakage over time.
Innovation Solution
The mechanical seal device incorporates a retaining member with insertion holes that hold the spring in place, preventing the intermediate portion from buckling and contacting the mounting groove side surface. Additionally, conical coil springs are used, with the small diameter end exposed to the vane side, further inhibiting contact with the mounting groove.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the spring is merely placed in the mounting groove with ends contacting the bottom surface and back surface of the vane, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the intermediate portion of the spring may buckle and contact the side surface of the mounting groove, leading to wear and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
A retaining member is introduced as an intermediary component between the spring and the mounting groove. The retaining member has an insertion hole that receives and holds the spring, preventing the spring's intermediate portion from buckling and contacting the side surface of the mounting groove. This mediator structure resolves the contradiction by providing both support for the spring (improving reliability) and a defined installation path (maintaining ease of manufacture).
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining member extends in the radial direction from the rotor, creating a new spatial dimension for spring support. By positioning the retaining member radially outward from the rotor and forming the insertion hole to receive the spring, the structure prevents spring buckling through three-dimensional spatial arrangement rather than relying solely on the two-dimensional mounting groove geometry.
2Reliability
If the spring is constrained to prevent buckling and contact with the mounting groove, then spring durability is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining member is integrated with the rotor as a unified structure, where the retaining member forms an integral part of the rotor assembly. This merging approach allows the spring to be constrained without requiring separate, independent components, thereby improving spring durability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
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 configuration effectively prevents the spring from coming into contact with the rotor and wearing, ensuring prolonged functionality and reliability of the mechanical seal device.
Implementation Method 1
a spring provided on a deep side with respect to the vane in the mounting groove and configured to bias the vane in a direction in which the vane is caused to project from the outer circumferential surface of the rotor
Data Source
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AI summary
A mechanical seal device (1) includes a circulation pump mechanism (30) configured to circulate a sealing liquid in a sealing liquid chamber (8). The circulation pump mechanism (30) includes a rotor (31) provided on a rotary shaft (51) so as to be integrally rotatable with the rotary shaft (51) and having mounting grooves (31c) open at an outer circumferential surface (31b) thereof, a plurality of vanes (32) provided in the mounting grooves (31c) and configured to freely project and retract with respect to the outer circumferential surface (31b) of the rotor (31), a spring (33) provided on a deep side with respect to the vane (32) in each mounting groove (31c) and configured to bias the vane (32) in a direction in which the vane (32) is caused to project from the outer circumferential surface (31b) of the rotor (31), and a retaining member (42) provided on the deep side with respect to the vane (32) in each mounting groove (31c) and having an insertion hole (42a) into which the spring (33) is inserted.