PLANETARY GEAR SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a planetary gear system (1) with a planetary carrier (2) and a plurality of planetary gearwheels (3) which are mounted on the planetary carrier (2) by way of planetary gear bolts (5) and planetary bearings (4), wherein each planetary gear bolt (5) has at least one bore (6, 7, 11) for supplying the planetary bearings (4) with lubricating oil, wherein the at least one bore (6, 7, 11) is associated with an oil-catching element (8b) of a component (8) fixed onto the planetary carrier (2), and the component (8) is in addition designed to be a pulse generator (8a) for a rotational speed sensor (20). The pulse generator (8a) comprises a plurality of raised areas which are arranged around the circumference of the component (8) and which extend in the axial direction.

Claims

1. Planetary gear system (1) with a planetary carrier (2) and a plurality of planetary gearwheels (3), which are mounted on the planetary carrier (2) by way of planetary gear bolts (5) and planetary bearings (4), wherein each planetary gear bolt (5) has at least one bore (6, 7, 11) for the supply of lubricating oil to the planetary bearings (4), wherein the at least one bore (6, 7, 11) is associated with an oil-catching element (8b) of a component (8) fixed on the planetary carrier (2), wherein the component (8) is in addition designed as a pulse generator (8a) for a rotational speed sensor (20), and wherein the pulse generator (8a) comprises a plurality of raised areas (9) which are arranged around the circumference of the component (8) and which extend in the axial direction.

2. Planetary gear system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the raised areas (9) that extend in the axial direction are of roof-shaped form and are arranged in each case obliquely or parallel relative to roof surfaces (9a) in a radial plane.

3. Planetary gear system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the raised areas (9) extending in the axial direction form first openings (9b), which are open inward in the radial direction.

4. Planetary gear system (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the raised areas (9) extending in the axial direction form second openings, which are open in the axial direction.

5. Planetary gear system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the component (8) is a sheet-metal component.

6. Planetary gear system (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the raised areas (9) extending in the axial direction can be produced by deformation from the sheet-metal component.

7. Planetary gear system (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the oil-catching element (8b) comprises a capturing shell which is in the form of an all-round raised area.

8. Planetary gear system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a rotational speed sensor (20) is associated with the pulse generator (8a).

9. Planetary gear system (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotational speed sensor (20) has a longitudinal axis (b) and the longitudinal axis (b) is orientated approximately perpendicularly to the roof surfaces (9a) of the of the raised areas (9) that extend in the axial direction.

10. Component (8) for a planetary gear system (1) with at least one planetary carrier and a plurality of planetary gearwheels, comprising an oil-catching element (8b, 13) and a pulse generator (8a, 12a, 13a) for a rotational speed sensor (20), wherein the pulse generator (8a, 12a, 13a) is in the form of a plurality of roof-shaped raised areas (9, 12, 13) arranged around the circumference of the component (8), which raised areas extend in the axial direction.

11. Component (8) according to claim 10, characterized in that the raised areas (9, 12, 13) extending in the axial direction have in each case roof surfaces (9a, 12a, 13a) which are oblique or parallel relative to a radial plane.

12. Component (8) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the component (8) is in the form of a sheet-metal component.

13. Component (8) according to claim 12, characterized in that the raised areas (9, 12, 13) extending in the axial direction and the oil-catching element (8b, 13) are produced from the sheet-metal component by deformation.

14. Component (8) according to any of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the raised areas (13) extending in the axial direction and constituting the pulse generator (13a) form the oil-catching element.

15. Component (8) according to any of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that as viewed in the radial direction, in addition to the raised areas (9) forming the pulse generator (8a), the component (8) has further raised areas (12) around the circumference of the component (8), which extend in the axial direction and which form a second pulse generator.

Description

[0019] An example embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described in greater detail below, so that from the description and/or the drawings, further features and/or advantages can emerge. The drawings show:

[0020] FIG. 1: A section of a planetary gear system with a combination component according to the invention, which component comprises a pulse generator and an oil-catching element,

[0021] FIG. 2: The combination component in isolation, represented in 3-D,

[0022] FIG. 3: The arrangement of the rotational speed sensor relative to a pulse-generating ring,

[0023] FIG. 4: The combination component in isolation, according to a second embodiment, and

[0024] FIG. 5: The combination component in isolation, according to a third embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an axial section of part of a planetary gear system 1 having a central axis a, around which a planetary carrier 2 is rotatably arranged. The planetary gear system 1 has a plurality of planetary gearwheels arranged around its periphery, of which one planetary gearwheel 3 is shown in the drawing. This gearwheel 3 is mounted by means of a planetary bearing 4 in the form of a roller bearing 4, preferably a needle bearing 4, on a planetary bolt 5, which for its part is fixed firmly on the planetary carrier 2. The planetary bolt 5 has a through-going transverse or radial bore 6 located approximately in the middle, which is connected to a longitudinal or axial bore 7 that extends as far as the end of the planetary bolt 5.

[0026] The planetary carrier 2 has a face 2a, shown on the right in the drawing, on which a combination component 8 according to the invention is fixed. The combination component 8, shown in isolation in FIG. 2, comprises on the one hand a pulse-generating ring 8a which serves as a pulse generator or signal generator for a rotational speed sensor (not shown here), and on the other hand an oil-catching shell 8b, which is arranged in the area of the longitudinal bore 7. In the diameter range of the longitudinal bore 7 the oil-catching shell forms an all-round annular chamber open inward, which is in flow connection with the longitudinal bore or bores 7 of each planetary bolt 5 in such manner that oil being flung off radially outward is diverted into the longitudinal bores 7 and from there, by way of the radial bores 8, makes its way to the planetary bearings 4 in order to ensure their lubrication. FIG. 2 shows the combination component 8 according to the invention, illustrated in perspective in isolation, looking onto the outside 8c, i.e. the side facing away from the face 2a of the planetary carrier. The annular combination component 8 is in the form of a sheet component made from a sheet-metal plate by deformation. As can be seen from the drawing, the pulse-generating ring 8a comprises six pockets 9 arranged uniformly around the circumference, which pockets are produced from the sheet-metal plate by cutting and stamping. As can also be seen from FIG. 1, the pockets 9 each have roof surfaces 9a arranged obliquely relative to the face 2a or to a notional flat surface, which form an opening 9b that is open inward in the radial direction. On the reverse side of the annular combination component 8, in the area of the pockets 9 there is a recess or window in the material (not indexed), which is produced by the pressing-out of the roof-shaped pockets 9. The oil-catching shell 8b, whose cross-section can be seen in the axial section shown in FIG. 1, can be recognized in FIG. 2 as a circular raised area. Around its circumference the combination component has a plurality of fixing openings 10 which serve to enable the combination component 8 to be fixed onto the planetary carrier 2.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows, for a planetary gear system 21, a planetary carrier 22 with a pulse-generating ring 28a having pockets 29. A rotational speed sensor 20 with a longitudinal axis b is arranged fixed to the housing, leaving at its end an air gap between it and the pockets 29. In this case the longitudinal axis b is directed approximately perpendicularly to the roof surface 9a (FIG. 2) of the pockets 29.

[0028] When the planetary carrier 22 rotates, the pockets of the pulse-generating ring 28a pass by the rotational speed sensor 20 at the speed of the circumference, each producing a pulse in the rotational speed sensor, which is preferably a Hall sensor.

[0029] From this the rotational speed of the planetary carrier 22 is determined.

[0030] Otherwise than as shown in FIG. 1, in an alternative embodiment the planetary gear bolts 5 have a bore 11 extending obliquely for the supply of lubrication oil to the planetary bearings 4. The oblique bore 11 extends, starting from the end of the planetary gear bolts 5 through the bolt in a radially outward direction, and opens approximately at the center of the planetary bearing 4. Oil captured by the oil-catching shell 8b can thus make its way through the oblique bores 11 to the planetary bearings 4, to ensure their lubrication.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the combination component 8 according to the invention in isolation, represented in perspective, again looking onto the outside 8c. In this case too the combination component 8 shown in isolation is of annular form and has the pockets 9 described in FIG. 2 arranged uniformly around the circumference. In addition to these pockets 9, the combination component 8 shown in this case has further pockets 12 arranged around the circumference. Starting from the oil-catching shell, these further pockets 12, as viewed radially, are arranged outside the pockets 9. For example, the combination component 8 can have eight pockets arranged uniformly around the circumference. These pockets 12 too can be produced from the sheet-metal plate by cutting and stamping. As a difference from the pockets 9, in this case the pockets 12 have roof surfaces 12a which are parallel to the face 2a or to a notional flat surface, which again form an opening which is open in the radial direction toward the inside. On the reverse side of the annular combination component 8, in the area of the pockets 12 there are again material recesses or windows formed by the pressing-out of the roof-shaped pockets 12. The oil-catching shell 8b, whose cross-section can be seen in the axial section in FIG. 1, is in this case also in the form of a circular raised area. Around its circumference the combination component 8 has a plurality of fixing openings 10 which serve for fixing the combination component 8 to the planetary carrier 2.

[0032] If this combination component 8 is fixed onto a planetary carrier 2 as in FIG. 1 or a planetary carrier 22 as in FIG. 3, it can serve as the pulse-generating ring for two rotational speed sensors. A first rotational speed sensor, as illustrated in FIG. 3, is then arranged fixed on the housing with a longitudinal axis b leaving an air gap at the end between itself and the pockets 29. In this case the longitudinal axis b is positioned approximately perpendicularly to the surface that is oblique relative to the face 2a. In contrast, a second rotational speed sensor is positioned fixed on the housing with its longitudinal axis parallel to the central or rotational axis a of the planetary carrier 22, leaving an air gap at the end between itself and the pockets 12.

[0033] In this case the longitudinal axis of the second rotational speed sensor is approximately perpendicular to the roof surfaces 12a of the pockets 12, which are parallel to the face 2a.

[0034] In an alternative arrangement the second rotational speed sensor can be positioned with its longitudinal axis also perpendicular to the central or rotational axis a of the planetary carrier 22 and radially so as to leave an air gap at the end between itself and the raised area of the pockets 12 that extend in the axial direction.

[0035] When the planetary carrier 22 rotates, the pockets 9, 12, 29 of the pulse-generating ring 8a, 29a move at the circumferential speed past the two rotational speed sensors and each pocket produces a pulse in the rotational speed sensor. From this, the rotational speed of the planetary carrier 22 is determined. The rotational speed sensors can be in the form of Hall sensors.

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the combination component 8 according to the invention, in isolation and viewed in perspective, again looking at the outside 8c.

[0037] The combination component 8 shown in isolation is in this case annular and has four pockets 13 distributed uniformly around its circumference. Here, the pockets 13 are made in such manner that they serve, as previously described, as pulse generators for a rotational speed sensor. For that purpose the pockets 13 can have roof surfaces 13a which are oblique or parallel relative to the face 2a or to a notional flat surface, which pockets form an opening which opens inward in the radial direction.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, the opening can extend as far as the inner circumference of the combination component 8. In this case the pockets 13 are formed and distributed around the circumference of the combination component 8 in such manner that besides their function as pulse generators they also serve as oil-catching elements.

[0039] The pockets 13 can be produced from the sheet-metal plate by deformation, i.e. by cutting and stamping. On the reverse side of the annular combination component 8 there are again material recesses or windows in the area of the pockets 13 due to the pressing-out of the roof-shaped pockets 13. Arranged around its circumference the combination component 8 has a plurality of fixing openings 10, which are used for fixing the combination component 8 onto the planetary carrier 2.

[0040] The combination component 8 is fixed onto a planetary carrier 2 as in FIG. 1 or onto a planetary carrier 22 as in FIG. 3 in such manner that the pockets 13 formed as oil-catching elements are arranged in the area of the bores 7, 11 provided in the planetary gear bolts 5 for the supply of lubricating oil to the planetary bearings 4.

[0041] The number of pockets 13 provided in the combination component 8 is thus at least the same as the number of planetary gears 3 of the planetary gear system 1 to be supplied with lubricating oil.

[0042] The pockets 13 made as oil-catching elements are in flow connection with the bores 7, 11 provided in the planetary gear bolts 5 in such manner that oil flung radially outward is captured and makes its way by way of the bores 6, 7, 11 to the planetary bearings 4, in order to ensure their lubrication.

Indexes

[0043] 1 Planetary gear system

[0044] 2 Planetary carrier

[0045] 2a Face

[0046] 3 Planetary gearwheel

[0047] 4 Planetary bearing/roller bearing

[0048] 5 Planetary gear bolt

[0049] 6 Radial bore/transverse bore

[0050] 7 Axial bore/longitudinal bore

[0051] 8 Combination component/common sheet component

[0052] 8a Pulse generator/pulse generating ring

[0053] 8b Oil-catching element/oil-catching shell

[0054] 8c Outside

[0055] 9 Pocket

[0056] 9a Roof surface

[0057] 9b First opening

[0058] 10 Fixing opening

[0059] 11 Bore

[0060] 12 Pocket

[0061] 12a Roof surface

[0062] 13 Pocket

[0063] 13a Roof surface

[0064] 20 Rotational speed sensor

[0065] 21 Planetary gear system

[0066] 22 Planetary carrier

[0067] 28a Pulse-generating ring

[0068] 29 Pocket

[0069] a Central or rotational axis of the planetary carrier

[0070] b Longitudinal axis of the rotational speed sensor