Slip Ring Buffer Structure for Slider Wear and Fatigue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary electronic components, such as slip rings, face challenges in extending the rotation life time beyond three million revolutions due to increased abrasion and metal fatigue of the slider, particularly under high rotational frequencies.
Innovation Solution
A rotary electronic component design featuring a buffer member with flexibility and water absorbability, made from materials like polyurethane, polyvinyl alcohol, or polyolefin, is placed between the slider and rotor to reduce vibration and abrasion, with a lubricant impregnated into the buffer member to enhance sliding smoothness and foreign substance removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a conventional slider structure is used without additional damping components, then the device complexity is low, but the slider experiences increased vibration and metal fatigue reducing rotation life time
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member is nested within the slider structure, positioned between the sliding portion and the rotor. This nested configuration allows the buffer member to be integrated into the existing slider without requiring separate external damping components, thereby extending rotation life time while minimizing increases in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer member acts as an intermediary element between the sliding portion and the rotor. It mediates the interaction by absorbing vibrations and reducing metal fatigue through its elastic and damping properties, thus extending the rotation life time of the slider without significantly complicating the overall structure
2Reliability
If a buffer member with flexibility and water absorbability is added between the slider and rotor, then vibration and metal fatigue are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member is constructed as a flexible component with specific material properties (flexibility and water absorbability). This flexible structure absorbs vibrations and reduces metal fatigue effectively, improving operation reliability while maintaining a relatively simple integrated design that does not significantly increase device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer member utilizes composite material properties combining flexibility and water absorbability to achieve both vibration damping and reliability improvement. This material selection allows the buffer member to perform multiple functions (damping, lubrication retention, vibration absorption) within a single component, improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Loss of substance
If the buffer member contacts the annular electrode to apply lubricant, then abrasion is reduced and life time is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member is designed to automatically apply lubricant to the annular electrode through its own rotational movement and elastic deformation. As the slider rotates, the buffer member naturally contacts the electrode and transfers lubricant without requiring external lubrication systems or additional moving parts, thereby reducing abrasion while maintaining simple device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer member performs multiple functions simultaneously: it dampens vibrations, reduces metal fatigue, and applies lubricant to the annular electrode. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address multiple wear and friction issues, reducing abrasion effectively without requiring separate systems for each function, thus minimizing the increase in 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
The buffer member effectively suppresses slider vibration, reduces metal fatigue, and prevents abrasion by applying a proper elastic force and lubrication, leading to extended life time and high operation reliability of the rotary electronic component.
Implementation Method 1
a buffer member 82 having a flexibility and a water absorbability is provided between the sliding portion 50a and the rotor 40
Implementation Method 2
a buffer member 82 having a flexibility and a water absorbability is provided between the sliding portion 50a and the rotor 40
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary electronic component capable of reducing an abrasion and a metal fatigue of a slider and extending a rotation life time compared to the conventional technology. A rotary electronic component is provided with a buffer member between a sliding portion of a slider and a rotor. Thus, the sliding portion is energized toward the annular electrode with a proper elastic force and the sliding portion is held. Because of this, vibration of the sliding portion is suppressed and metal fatigue of the slider can be reduced. Furthermore, since the lubricant is impregnated into the buffer member and a part of the buffer member is in contact with the annular electrode, the lubricant can be applied on the annular electrode. Consequently, the sliding portion slides smoothly and the abrasion of the contact portion can be further reduced. In addition, since the buffer member functions to wipe the surface of the annular electrode, foreign substances such as dust on the annular electrode are collected. Thus, harmful effect to the contact portion by the foreign substances can be prevented. By the above described configurations, the rotary electronic component of the present invention can obtain the extended life time and high operation reliability.