Slide Bearing Clearance Adjustment With Locking Screw Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bearing assemblies with multiple slide bearing segments require cumbersome and time-consuming adjustments of bearing clearance using assembly shims, necessitating frequent installation and removal of bearing segments to determine correct shim thickness.
Innovation Solution
A bearing assembly with adjustable slide bearing segments featuring an adjusting screw that uses an external thread and clamping screws to lock the bearing clearance, allowing for quick and easy adjustment without repeated installation, where the clamping screws interact with sections of the adjusting screw to secure it in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If assembly shims are used to adjust bearing clearance, then the bearing clearance can be adjusted, but the adjustment process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming requiring frequent installation and removal of bearing segments
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting screw enables dynamic adjustment of the bearing clearance by allowing the bearing segment to be positioned at different distances from the sliding surface through threaded movement, eliminating the need for static shim selection and multiple installation cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The adjusting screw acts as an intermediary mechanism between the bearing segment and the housing, providing controlled adjustment of the bearing clearance through its threaded engagement with the housing and direct contact with the bearing segment
2Manufacturing precision
If assembly shims are used to adjust bearing clearance, then the bearing clearance can be adjusted, but the process requires frequent installation and removal of bearing segments
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting screw transforms the static shim adjustment process into a dynamic threaded adjustment process, allowing continuous and precise control of bearing clearance through rotation rather than discrete shim selection
Solution Approach 2:
The adjusting screw serves as a mediating device that simplifies the adjustment operation by providing a direct mechanical interface between the operator and the bearing segment position, eliminating the need for complex shim installation procedures
3Ease of operation
If the adjusting screw is not locked, then the bearing clearance can be adjusted, but the adjusting screw may move from its adjusted position
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting screw mechanism is segmented into distinct functional zones: the threaded portion for adjustment, the groove section for clamping screw engagement, and the bearing contact portion, allowing independent optimization of adjustment and locking functions
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping screw acts as an intermediary locking mechanism that secures the adjusting screw in its adjusted position by engaging with the groove, preventing unintended movement while maintaining the adjusted bearing clearance
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
Enables rapid and precise adjustment of bearing clearance without the need for multiple installations, ensuring the adjusting screw remains locked in position, thereby simplifying the process and reducing time consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The respective adjusting screw (8) has an external thread (10), via which the adjusting screw (8) can be screwed into a recess (9) preferentially on the housing side, which has an internal thread (11)
Implementation Method 2
At least one clamping screw (16) extends through the sections (13, 14) of the adjusting screw (8), which axially limit the groove (12), and thus also through the groove (12), via which clamping screw (16) the sections (13, 14) of the adjusting screw (8), which limit the groove (12) of the adjusting screw (8), can be clamped
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing assembly for supporting a rotor in a fixed housing includes multiple slide bearing segments, each having a slide bearing body supported against a sliding surface. In the region of each slide bearing segment, the bearing clearance between the respective slide bearing body and the sliding surface is adjustable by an adjustment screw, each adjustment screw having an outer thread via which the screw can be screwed into a recess having an inner thread, each adjustment screw having a groove delimited on both sides by adjustment screw sections. A clamping screw extends through the adjustment screw sections and also through the groove, the adjustment screw sections can be clamped by the clamping screw, whereby each adjustment screw can be secured in the respective recess.