Touchdown Bearing Recess Structure for Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bearing structures for drive shafts in turbo compressors require additional buffer members to absorb impact during touchdown, increasing component count and complexity, and may suffer from eccentricity issues with these buffers.
Innovation Solution
The bearing structure incorporates recessed grooves in the bearing housings and touchdown bearings to absorb impact without additional buffer members, using magnetic bearings and touchdown bearings with rolling members to support the drive shaft, reducing the need for external buffers and minimizing the risk of eccentricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffer members are added to absorb impact during touchdown, then impact absorption is improved, but device complexity and component count increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the impact absorption function into the existing bearing structure by forming recesses directly in the inner ring or outer ring of the touchdown bearing. This eliminates the need for separate buffer members while maintaining impact absorption capability, as the recesses allow the rolling members to move axially and absorb impact energy during touchdown events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the buffer function from separate buffer members and integrates it into the bearing rings themselves through the formation of recesses. The rolling members are allowed to move into these recesses during impact, effectively taking out the buffering capability from auxiliary components and embedding it in the primary bearing structure.
2Reliability
If buffer members are added to absorb impact, then impact protection is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to eccentricity issues
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the buffer function into the bearing rings through integrally formed recesses, the patent eliminates separate buffer components that could become eccentric. The recesses are formed as part of the bearing ring structure, ensuring automatic concentricity with the rolling member path and eliminating alignment issues between separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing structure provides its own impact absorption capability through the recesses formed in the bearing rings, eliminating the need for separate buffer members that would require precise alignment. The rolling members themselves serve the dual function of reducing friction during rotation and absorbing impact by moving into the recesses, making the system self-sufficient.
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 configuration effectively absorbs impact during touchdown, reduces the number of components, and enhances the reliability and durability of the turbo compressor by eliminating the need for additional buffer members and ensuring accurate concentricity of the touchdown bearings.
Implementation Method 1
a drive shaft (13) supported by magnetic bearings (20, 20)
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing structure includes a drive shaft that extends in a horizontal direction, a touchdown bearing, and a bearing housing. The drive shaft is supported by a magnetic bearing. The touchdown bearing includes a rolling member interposed between an outer ring and an inner ring. The bearing housing supports the touchdown bearing from an outer periphery. At least one of an outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft, an inner peripheral surface of the inner ring, an outer peripheral surface of the outer ring, and an inner peripheral surface of the bearing housing includes a recess in a region overlapping the rolling member in a bearing radial direction.