Tolerance Ring Joint Structure to Prevent Ring Entanglement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tolerance rings often become entangled during manufacturing or storage, requiring manual separation before surface treatment, which complicates the process and hinders efficient assembly between shaft and outer peripheral members.
Innovation Solution
The tolerance ring incorporates an insertion restricting portion with slits and cutouts that limit the entry of another tolerance ring into the abutment joint, preventing entanglement while allowing for easy surface treatment and assembly by restricting the axial and radial entry of adjacent rings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the abutment joint portion is left open to allow easy assembly, then assembly ease is improved, but tolerance rings become entangled during manufacturing and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment joint portion is segmented into multiple insertion restricting portions that divide the open space into smaller restricted zones. These segments allow controlled passage during assembly while preventing complete entanglement of multiple rings during manufacturing and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the abutment joint portion have different properties: insertion restricting portions with smaller cross-sections that restrict entanglement, and expansion portions with larger cross-sections that facilitate assembly. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between preventing entanglement and enabling easy assembly.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If welding is used to close the abutment joint portion, then entanglement is prevented, but assembly becomes difficult and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of completely closing the abutment joint with welding, the structure is segmented into insertion restricting portions and expansion portions. This segmentation prevents entanglement through geometric restriction rather than permanent joining, avoiding welding complexity while maintaining entanglement prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than closing the abutment joint to prevent entanglement (traditional approach), this invention inverts the approach by using strategically positioned insertion restricting portions within an open joint to achieve entanglement prevention without welding, thus simplifying manufacturing.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If protruding portions are made wider at peak ends to restrict entanglement, then entanglement prevention is improved, but circumferential expansion during assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment joint portion has non-uniform cross-sectional area distribution: insertion restricting portions with smaller areas for entanglement prevention, and expansion portions with larger areas for facilitating assembly. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between preventing entanglement and enabling assembly expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The abutment joint portion is designed to be dynamically adaptable: insertion restricting portions maintain smaller dimensions to prevent entanglement during storage, while expansion portions can dynamically expand during assembly to accommodate the pressing operation, achieving both goals through conditional geometry.
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 entanglement between tolerance rings, enabling surface treatment without prior separation and facilitating easier assembly by controlling the expansion of the abutment joint portion, thus improving manufacturing efficiency and assembly compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
The tolerance ring is elastically deformed when being press-fitted between the shaft member and the outer peripheral member. The deformation causes the abutment joint portion to be expanded in the circumferential direction.
Data Source
AI summary
A tolerance ring includes a ring body formed of a strip plate material having a spring property and formed in a ring shape. The tolerance also has a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions are formed on the ring body and radially protrude from the ring body. An abutment joint portion is formed between a first end and a second end of the ring body in the circumferential direction. The tolerance ring includes an insertion restricting portion configured to restrict an entering amount of another tolerance ring in the axial direction being inserted into the abutment joint portion from the side of the first edge of the ring body. The insertion restricting portion is located in an area between a first axial end of the plurality of the protrusions in the axial direction and the first edge, so as to restrict the entering amount of the other tolerance ring.