Concentric Swivel Joint Structure for Low-Cost Wear Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing swivel joints for working vehicles suffer from high replacement costs and labor-intensive maintenance due to rapid wear of intermediate cylinders, particularly in hot water passages, where the low lubricating properties of water lead to quick wear and frequent replacement.
Innovation Solution
The swivel joint design includes a concentric arrangement of outer, intermediate, and inner cylinders with specific annular grooves and packings, allowing for easy processing and replacement of the inner cylinder, which is the smallest and most worn component, while maintaining separate passages for hydraulic oil, hot water, and air, and incorporating level differences to prevent packing damage during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the intermediate cylinder is used for hot water passage, then the swivel joint can supply hot water, but the intermediate cylinder wears quickly due to low lubricating property of water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the fluid passage system into three separate cylinders: outer cylinder for hydraulic oil, intermediate cylinder for hot water, and inner cylinder for air. This segmentation allows each cylinder to be optimized for its specific fluid type, with the inner cylinder specifically designed to bear the wear from water passage while being easily replaceable.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner cylinder is designed as a sacrificial component that can be easily replaced when worn. By making the inner cylinder separate and accessible, the system allows replacement of only the worn water-bearing component rather than the entire swivel joint assembly, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the intermediate cylinder is made large to accommodate multiple passages, then multiple fluids can be supplied, but the replacement cost and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having one large intermediate cylinder with multiple passages, the patent segments the system into three separate concentric cylinders, each dedicated to a specific fluid. This allows the inner cylinder (water passage) to be small and easily replaced, while the other cylinders remain in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a nested cylinder configuration where the inner cylinder is placed inside the intermediate cylinder, which is placed inside the outer cylinder. This nesting allows multiple fluid passages to coexist in a compact space while maintaining independent replaceability of each cylinder.
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 design reduces replacement costs by minimizing the need to replace larger components, improves processing accuracy, and reduces the likelihood of fluid leakage, while allowing simultaneous supply and discharge of multiple fluids.
Implementation Method 1
as the lubricating property of water is low, intermediate cylinder 131 is worn quickly
Implementation Method 2
Adjacent to respective annular grooves 148, 149, and 129 in the upper and lower direction, annular packings 146, 147, and 127 are fitted
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a swivel joint for which replacement costs can be kept low when worn. A swivel joint (A) for supplying and discharging various types of fluid between the top and bottom of a rotating platform comprises an outer cylinder (1), an intermediate cylinder (2), and an inner cylinder (3) that are fit concentrically around a central axis. The intermediate cylinder (2) can freely rotate with respect to the outer cylinder (1) and the inner cylinder (3), and a hydraulic fluid flow channel (4) is provided between the outer cylinder (1) and the intermediate cylinder (2). A hot water flow channel (5) between the lower portion of the inner cylinder (3) and the intermediate cylinder (2) comprises inner annular grooves (G) formed on the inner circumferential face of the intermediate cylinder (2). An air flow channel (6) between the upper portion of the inner cylinder (3) and the intermediate cylinder (2) comprises outer annular grooves formed on the outer surface of the inner cylinder (3). It is possible to suppress replacement costs because replacing the inner cylinder, which is the smallest part, suffices if the sliding surface opposite of the inner annular grooves (G) of the hot water flow channel (5) becomes worn.