Segmented Spherical Oil Film Bearing for Shorter Mill Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spherical oil film bearings for rolling mills face challenges such as difficult assembly and maintenance due to discontinuous internal surfaces, inadequate lubrication, and excessive length, which have hindered their adoption in heavily loaded applications despite their potential to simplify mill design and increase stiffness.
Innovation Solution
A novel spherical oil film bearing design featuring a subdivided bushing with interconnected segments and a continuous internal spherical surface, along with a lubrication system using elliptically rebored pads to ensure effective lubrication, addresses these issues by allowing for easier assembly, improved alignment, and reduced length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the bushing is subdivided into multiple separate components, then assembly is simplified, but alignment difficulty increases and manufacturing complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing is divided into multiple separate components (first bushing component, second bushing component, etc.) that can be assembled independently around the sleeve. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and prepared separately, improving ease of assembly while maintaining the ability to achieve proper alignment through the connection elements provided in the patent.
2Reliability
If the internal spherical surface is made continuous, then lubrication improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides for a continuous internal spherical surface in the bushing that extends across all bushing components. This continuous surface ensures uniform lubrication distribution and consistent contact with the spherical sleeve, improving reliability by eliminating discontinuities that would disrupt the lubrication film and bearing performance.
3Length of stationary object
If the bearing length is reduced, then mill stiffness increases, but lubrication adequacy worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs elliptically rebored pads located at specific positions within the bushing components. These rebored pads create localized regions with enhanced lubrication capacity and oil retention, ensuring adequate lubrication is maintained even when the overall bearing length is reduced. The local quality enhancement at critical locations compensates for the reduced overall length.
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 improved design enhances the assembly and maintenance of spherical oil film bearings, ensures adequate lubrication, and shortens the bearing length, thereby increasing the stiffness and operational efficiency of rolling mills.
Implementation Method 1
A means is provided for supplying liquid lubricant to the interface between the external and internal spherical bearing surfaces
Data Source
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AI summary
An oil film bearing rotatably supports a roll in a rolling mill. The bearing comprises a sleeve 28 having an internal bore 30 and an external spherical surface 32. The internal bore is configured and dimensioned for axial insertion onto a neck 34 of the roll. A bushing 38 has an internal spherical surface configured and dimensioned to surround and rotatably contain the external spherical surface of the sleeve. The bushing is subdivided into multiple interconnected segments 38a, 38b contained and radially supported by a chock 46.