Segmented Marine Drive Bearing Ring for Easier Shaft Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing drive unit shaft bearings in marine vehicles require frequent replacement, which is cumbersome and often necessitates immobilizing the vehicle in dry docks, due to their complex design and limited space for maintenance within the mobile housing.
Innovation Solution
A segmented shaft bearing design with annular modules and removable cylindrical and frontal active parts allows for easier mounting and dismounting, facilitating maintenance within confined spaces without disassembling the drive unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a conventional shaft bearing design is used, then the bearing provides reliable radial and axial guidance, but the active parts are difficult to replace and require dry dock immobilization
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical active part is divided into multiple cylindrical surfaces, each attached to the annular body in a removable manner. This segmentation allows individual surfaces to be accessed and replaced independently, transforming a complex maintenance operation into simple modular replacements that can be performed in confined spaces without dry dock immobilization.
2Ease of repair
If the drive unit is disassembled for bearing maintenance, then the active parts can be replaced, but the marine vehicle must be immobilized in dry docks
Solution Approach 1:
The annular body is segmented into several retractable annular modules, each having a cylindrical surface part of the cylindrical active component. This modular design enables operators to access and maintain active parts from within the mobile housing without disassembling the drive unit, thereby maintaining operational availability while facilitating easy repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular modules are designed to be mobile relative to each other along the axial direction, allowing the operator to actuate movement of modules to positions where cylindrical surfaces are accessible for disassembly. This dynamic reconfiguration enables maintenance access without external disassembly while keeping the drive unit assembled and operational.
3Ease of operation
If space is provided for operator access within mobile housing, then dry dock immobilization is avoided, but space is reduced and congestion increased by drive bearings and other elements
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the active parts into small removable cylindrical surfaces mounted on retractable annular modules, the design enables maintenance operations in confined spaces. The modular approach allows operators to work on individual small components rather than requiring space to manipulate large integrated bearing assemblies, effectively overcoming the space constraint within the mobile housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractable annular modules can be actuated to positions that provide access to cylindrical surfaces, dynamically creating workspace as needed. This allows the operator to access maintenance areas only when required, minimizing space requirements during normal operation while providing adequate access during maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A ring for shaft bearing of a marine vehicle drive unit has an annular body and a cylindrical active part intended to provide a sliding contact function with another ring at the bearing level. The cylindrical part is segmented into several cylindrical surfaces, each cylindrical surface being attached in a removable manner to the annular body.