Resin-Coated Thrust Bearing Grooves for Wear Particle Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Scroll compressors face challenges in forming an adequate oil film between the thrust race and thrust bearing due to low peripheral speed, leading to increased friction and power loss, especially under poor lubrication conditions, where wear particles from resin coatings can infiltrate and clog the sliding surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A sliding member with a resin-coated surface featuring lattice-shaped discharge grooves and planar protrusions, where the grooves serve as both a lubricating oil channel and a contaminant discharge pathway, reducing contact resistance and preventing contaminants from accumulating on the sliding surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a resin coating is applied to the thrust bearing surface to reduce friction, then power loss is reduced, but wear particles are generated that infiltrate and clog the sliding surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes wear particles from the sliding surface by providing discharge grooves that allow particles to be discharged from between the thrust race and thrust bearing, preventing accumulation and clogging while maintaining the resin coating's low friction benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The resin coating is formed with a porous structure containing fine holes, which allows the coating to maintain low friction while managing wear particle generation and discharge through the porous network in conjunction with the discharge grooves
2Force
If the swirl vane swings at low peripheral speed, then compression force is effectively applied, but an adequate oil film cannot form between the thrust race and thrust bearing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing discharge grooves at specific locations on the thrust bearing surface and creating a porous structure in specific regions of the resin coating, enabling localized oil film management and contaminant discharge where most needed while maintaining compression force transmission
3Loss of energy
If wear particles accumulate on the sliding surface, then friction increases and power loss increases, but discharge pathways are needed that do not compromise the sliding surface integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The resin coating serves multiple functions: it provides low friction surface, manages wear particle generation through its porous structure, and works with the discharge grooves to enable particle discharge, while the discharge grooves themselves serve dual purposes of particle discharge and oil distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the discharge groove structure with the resin coating by forming the grooves in the thrust bearing and filling portions with resin coating, creating an integrated structure that combines the discharge function with the low-friction surface in a single component
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 solution effectively reduces power loss by ensuring consistent lubrication and preventing contaminants from digging into the sliding surfaces, resulting in improved fuel efficiency and longevity of the thrust bearing.
Implementation Method 1
Friction between the thrust race and the thrust bearing thus increases in a state where an oil film does not readily form on the sliding surface
Implementation Method 2
it is difficult to form an adequate film of oil between the thrust race on the swirl vane side and the sliding surface of the thrust bearing
Implementation Method 3
A sliding member with a resin-coated surface featuring lattice-shaped discharge grooves and planar protrusions, where the grooves serve as both a lubricating oil channel
Implementation Method 4
wear particles from the resin are also produced in this case through friction, and may infiltrate between the sliding surfaces of the thrust race and the thrust bearing and dig into these surfaces
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A thrust bearing (1) is equipped with a resin coating applied to the surface of a base material (11). Lattice-shaped discharge grooves (13) are formed in the surface of the thrust bearing (1), and planer protrusions (14) having a square shape or the like are formed at the adjacent positions thereof. Each corner part (14A) of each planer protrusion (14) form a sliding surface (1B) that slides with respect to a counterpart member. Contaminants (16) such as wear particles that have infiltrated between the counterpart member and the sliding surface (1B) fail into the discharge grooves (13) and then are discharged outside of the sliding surface (1B). The chamfering of each corner part (14A) to a rounded shape prevents the contaminants (16) from accumulating in the discharge grooves (13), thus preventing the contaminants (16) from biting into the planer protrusions (14) (the sliding surface (1B)).