METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A TRIBOLOGICAL COMPONENT

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an annular tribological component in the form of a seal or a sliding bearing of a brittle material. In order to attain the necessary sealing action even with a segmented construction, without expensive reprocessing being necessary in connection with the manufacture of segment surfaces bounding on one another, it is proposed that the annular component be formed of segments made by breaking a ring element and that the segments be assembled such that fractured surfaces fitting one another lie one upon the other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details, advantages and features of the invention emerge not only from the claims, the features to be inferred from these-by themselves and/or in combination-but also on the basis of the following description of a preferred embodiment to be inferred from the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates three segments of an annular component,

FIG. 2 illustrates a tribological component composed of the segments in accordance with FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 illustrates a cutout of a ring in the region in which the latter is subdivided by breaking,

FIG. 4 illustrates a cutout of a ring with a depression proceeding from the outer peripheral area and allocated tool,

FIG. 5 illustrates a further representation of a ring in plan view and

FIG. 6 illustrates a section along the lines AC in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To manufacture a tribological component in the form preferably of a seal (axial or radial seal) or a sliding bearing, a ring 10 made of carbon-graphite material, electrographite or ceramics such as SiC is manufactured which is then perforated to produce three segments 12, 14, 16 in the embodiment. The ring 10 can have a rectangular or rectangle-like or an unequal sided trapezoidal cross section, to name but a few examples. The segments 12, 14, 16 are then placed upon a shaft or a piston rod and enclosed circumferentially from a traction element such as a spiral tension spring so that the segments 12, 14, 16 sit upon the shaft or the piston rod and are likewise assembled circumferentially with an exact fit after running in. Thus the fractured surfaces 18, 20 or 26, 28 lie one on the other with an exact fit and form-locking. Moreover, the annular element can be constructed with minus tolerance in relation to its inner diameter so that the segments 12, 14, 16 run at first spaced from one another after being set upon a shaft or a piston with respect to fractured surfaces 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and form-locking mating occurs only after running in. An exactly fitting manufacture is obviously likewise possible.

There exists after the running-in a practically contact-free gap seal with minimal gap loss and therewith high sealing action.

Corresponding axial or bearing ring seals and radial seals are suited for circulating as well as for axial motions of a shaft or a piston.

In order to manufacture a ring to be inferred from FIG. 2 from a brittle material, thus to break a one-part ring into three parts which are equally large, the procedure according to the invention is as follows. After the ring has been manufactured in the usual manner from the brittle material, such as, for example, carbon-graphite material or electrographite material, which can if need be be infiltrated with salts, metals or resins, or a ceramic material, three depressions are introduced at the same distance from one another preferably in the form of bore holes 30 radially as well as centrally between the lateral surfaces 36, 38 of the ring 32. Moreover, a bore hole 30 representing a blind hole should have a depth which runs at least approximately in the center, preferably ⅔ to ⅚ between the outer peripheral area 34 and the inner surface 40 of the ring, thus approximately ⅓ to ⅙ before the inner surface 40 ends. The tip 42 of a tool is then introduced into the borehole. The tip tapers conically and is flattened such that the wider side extends along the lateral surfaces 36, 36 of the ring 32. Conditioned in this way, forces originating from the bore hole 30 act upon penetration of the tool into the bore hole 30 in the direction of arrows 44, 46, owing to which the ring 32 breaks on a plane which runs transversally or perpendicular to the lateral surfaces 36, 38 as well as to the outer peripheral area 34 and the inner surface 40. This is indicated purely schematically by line 48, 50 in FIG. 3.

In other words, the tip 42 of the tool is to be compared with a flattened spear tip or with a flattened punch, whereby the wide sides extend along the lateral surfaces 36, 38 of the ring upon penetration of the tool into the bore hole 30.

The method of the invention for manufacturing fractured surfaces in a subdivided ring are to be clarified once again on the basis of FIG. 4, in order then to make available a tribological component in the form of a seal or a sliding bearing by assembling the segments manufactured by breaking. Here the reference numbers which are used in connection with FIG. 1 to 3 are used.

The ring 10 represented in cutout in FIG. 4 has a depression 30 proceeding from the outer peripheral area 34 which is constructed by a cutting processing method such as milling or eroding. The tip 42 of the tool is then pushed into the depression 30. The tip moreover tapers conically toward the free end and has flat surfaces 52 which are oriented parallel to the lateral surfaces 36, 38 of the rings 10 when the tip 42 is pushed into the depression 30. In this way, a continuous crack 54 arises which specifies the fracture of the ring 10 under the influence of force to the regions adjacent to the crack 54. A breaking out of the edges of the fractured surfaces does not take place so that the individual segments can be assembled with an exact fit with the consequence that the lateral surfaces 36, 38 guarantee the necessary sealing action.

If the depression 30 proceeds from the outer peripheral area 34 in the embodiment, then there obviously exists the possibility that corresponding depressions 30 originate from the inner surface 40 whose longitudinal axes should run parallel to the lateral surfaces 36, 38 and centrally between these.

The depth of the recesses in connection with which it is preferably a matter of blind holes, in particular depends upon the material used. Experiments have established that the bottom of the depression 30 should end approximately at the distance from ⅔ to ⅚ of the height of the ring 30 proceeding from the opening. Other dimensionings are likewise possible. The depression 30 can also be constructed as a through-bore or a bore hole if need be, thus extending from the outer peripheral area 34 to the inner surface 40, without leaving the invention, to the extent that it is not a matter of functional surfaces in this connection.

If preferably the three bore holes 30 distributed at equidistant spacing along the outer peripheral area 34 are introduced following production of the ring 32, the corresponding depressions can obviously be formed out during production of the ring 32.

A top view of a sealing ring 60 is represented in FIG. 5 which in accordance with the theory of the invention is broken into three segments 62, 64, 66 and then assembled again. Here the spacing between the fracture lines or fractured surfaces 68, 70 can be distributed equidistant over the circumference, thus the fracture lines 78, 70 enclose an angle α, which amounts to 120° or approximately 120°. One will furthermore recognize that depressions, especially in the form of blind holes 72, are introduced beforehand on the fracture sites or fractured surfaces 68, 70 to be created to break the ring 60 into segments 62, 64, 66, which extend above the height of the ring 60 originating from the outer surface 74 with a measure x which corresponds approximately to ⅔ to ⅚ of the height of the ring 60 without a restriction of the theory of the invention taking place in this way. Independently of this, the diameter of the blind hole 72 is such that the latter is smaller than the width of the ring 60, thus the blind hole 72 or a corresponding depression extends exclusively within the ring. This nonetheless does not rule out that a groove 76 running in the axial direction runs in the outer edge region from the bottom of which the blind hole bore hole 72 then originates.

Corresponding to the state of the art, the peripheral area 74 has a circular groove 78 in which a locking ring is introduced in order to secure segments 62, 64, 66. In order to prevent a radial or axial displacement of the sealing ring 60 after arranging this on the shaft, grooves or blind holes in accordance with further sealing arrangements are moreover provided into which latching or fixing elements 80 engage, which proceed, for example, detachably from a partition of a chamber into which the sealing ring or several sealing rings 60 are introduced. As is apparent on the basis of FIGS. 5 and 6, a groove 82 running axially from the peripheral area 74 proceeding as a receptacle for the latching or fixing element 80, preferably constructed as a pin or a plate, can be provided which describes an angle β, which can lie between 0° and 120°, in relation to the blind hole 72 into which the tool is introduced for bursting the sealing ring 60. Consequently, the blind hole 72 also serves as a receptacle for the fixing element 80. If a groove is used for accommodating the fixing element 80, then the groove obviously may not penetrate any functional surfaces of the sealing ring. The depth y of the groove 82 or the blind hole can lie in the range of half the height of the ring 60.

If the receptacle for the fixing element 80 preferably proceeds from the outer peripheral area 74, then a corresponding depression 84, such as an oblong hole, into which the fixing element engages can also be created in a lateral surface.

The number of receptacles for fixing elements is not restricted to one. Rather, many receptacles can be created in the sealing ring 60 and many fixing elements can be used in accordance with the requirements.

If the method of the invention has been explained on the basis of a ring to be broken into three parts, it is not a departure from the invention if a ring is to be subdivided into a number deviating from this and/or the segments have different arch lengths.

Furthermore, the depressions specifying the cracks and therewith the fractured surfaces can also be created already before finishing the ring, especially in the green body using pressing in, for example.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a tribological component in the form of a ring (10, 60) as a sealing ring or sliding bearing with outer peripheral area (34, 74), lateral surfaces (36, 38) as well as inner surfaces (40) including the steps manufacturing a one-part ring of brittle material,breaking the ring into segments (12, 14, 16, 62, 64, 66) andassembling the segments to construct the tribological component, whereby proceeding from one of the surfaces of the ring, depressions (30, 72) are constructed in the ring for breaking the ring into segments corresponding the number of segments, wherein, for breaking the ring (10, 60) into the depressions (30, 72), a tool (42) is inserted such that the ring breaks into the segments (12, 14, 16, 62, 64, 66) with fractured surfaces (68, 70) running radially and transversely in relation to the lateral surfaces (36, 38) of the ring.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the depression (30, 72) is constructed proceeding from a non-functionally relevant surface (34, 74) of the subdivided ring and ends at a distance in relation to the functionally relevant surfaces.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the depression (30, 72) is constructed proceeding from the outer and/or inner surface (34, 40, 74) of the subdivided ring (10, 60) and running radially.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the depression (30, 72) is created with a non-cutting method or through a cutting processing method.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the non-cutting method takes place by pressing into the ring (10, 60) in its green stage.

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein the cutting processing method takes place by milling, boring or eroding into the percolated ring (10, 60).

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein three depressions are constructed in the ring (10, 60) arranged distributed on the outer peripheral area or inner surface (34, 40, 74).

8. Method according to claim 5, wherein a total of three depressions are constructed arranged distributed evenly on the outer peripheral area or inner surface (34, 40, 74).

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the depression (30, 72) is constructed such that this runs approximately centrally between the lateral surfaces (36, 38) of the ring (10, 60).

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the depression (30, 72), proceeding from the outer or inner peripheral area, ends as an output surface spaced ⅔ to ⅚ of the height of the ring from the output surface.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein, for breaking the ring (10, 60) into the segments (12, 14, 16, 62, 64, 66), a tool (42) is introduced into the depression (30, 72), which has a conically running tip with flattenings (52) which can be oriented parallel to the lateral surfaces.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein when introducing the tool (42) into the depression (30, 72), the flattenings (52) or the flat sides of the tip are oriented parallel or almost parallel to the lateral surfaces (36, 38) of the ring (10, 60).

13. Method according to claim 11, wherein the tool (42) is successively introduced in respective depressions (30, 72) for breaking the ring (10, 60).

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein from at least one outer surface (74) of the ring (60), a further depression (82, 84), such as a blind hole or a groove, is introduced, into which the latching or fixing element(s) (80) is/are inserted.