Planet carrier for supporting at least one planet wheel in a planetary gear for an adjustment unit for adjusting two components adjustable in relation to one another, planetary gear comprising such a planet carrier, and motor-gear unit comprising such a planetary gear

Abstract

A planet carrier for supporting at least one planet wheel in a planetary gear for an adjustment unit for adjusting two components adjustable in relation to one another. The planet wheel comprises a planet wheel axle, which has first and second axle portions protruding beyond the planet wheel, and the planet carrier comprises a tubular main body with a passage that penetrates the main body, first and second support portions originating from the passage, where the first and second support portions are designed for the rotational accommodation of the first and the second axle portions. The planet carrier can include protrusions that fix the first and the second axle portions in the support portions.

Claims

1. A planet carrier for supporting a planet wheel in a planetary gear for an adjustment unit for adjusting two components adjustable in relation to one another, comprising: the planet wheel comprising: a planet wheel axle with a first axle portion protruding beyond the planet wheel and a second axle portion protruding beyond the planet wheel, the planet carrier comprising: a tubular main body having an outer surface, a passage arranged in the tubular main body and which penetrates the tubular main body, a first support portion that originates from the passage and the outer surface, and a second support portion that originates from the passage and the outer surface, wherein the first and the second support portions are arranged for the rotatable accommodation of the first and the second axle portions of the planet wheel axle, and elastic projections that fix the first and the second axle portions in the support portions.

2. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic projections are elastically deformable projections formed by the main body, wherein the axle portions are clipped into the support portions.

3. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic projections are plastically deformed projections formed by the main body.

4. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support portions each have a delimiting surface for delimiting the axial mobility of the planet wheel.

5. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular main body defines a planet carrier axis and the support portions are arranged such that the planet wheel axle extends skewed to the planet carrier axis when the axle portions are accommodated in the support portions.

6. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planet wheel has planet wheel gear teeth having a crowning.

7. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planet wheel has planet wheel gear teeth having a profile overlap.

8. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planet carrier comprises plastic.

9. The planet carrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the planet carrier is injection-molded.

10. A helical wheel planetary gear for an adjustment unit for adjusting two components adjustable in relation to one another, comprising: a planet carrier that defines a planet carrier axis, the planet carrier comprising: a tubular main body having an outer surface, a passage arranged in the tubular main body and which penetrates the tubular main body, a first support portion that originates from the passage and the outer surface, and a second support portion that originates from the passage and the outer surface, wherein the first and the second support portions are arranged for the rotatable accommodation of a first and a second axle portions of the planet wheel axle, and elastic projections that fix the first and the second axle portions in the support portions; a planet wheel with planet wheel gear teeth, is the planet wheel is installed in the planet carrier such that the planet wheel is rotatable about a planet wheel axle, wherein the planet wheel axle extends skewed to the planet carrier axis, a helical wheel shaft with helical gear teeth, the helical wheel shaft is installed such that the helical wheel shaft is rotatable about the planet carrier axis, wherein helical wheel gear teeth engage with planet wheel gear teeth, and an inner helical wheel having inner gear teeth, which are engaged with the planet wheel gear teeth.

11. A motor-gear assembly for an adjustment unit for adjusting two components adjustable in relation to one another, comprising: an electric motor and a helical wheel planetary gear comprising: a planet carrier that defines a planet carrier axis, the planet carrier comprising: a tubular main body having an outer surface, a passage arranged in the tubular main body and which penetrates the tubular main body, a first support portion that originates from the passage and the outer surface, and a second support portion that originates from the passage and the outer surface, wherein the first and the second support portions are arranged for the rotatable accommodation of a first and a second axle portions of the planet wheel axle, and elastic projections that fix the first and the second axle portions in the support portions; a planet wheel with planet wheel gear teeth, is the planet wheel is installed in the planet carrier such that the planet wheel is rotatable about a planet wheel axle, wherein the planet wheel axle extends skewed to the planet carrier axis, a helical wheel shaft with helical gear teeth, the helical wheel shaft is installed such that the helical wheel shaft is rotatable about the planet carrier axis, wherein the helical wheel gear teeth engage with the planet wheel gear teeth, and an inner helical wheel having inner gear teeth, which are engaged with the planet wheel gear teeth, wherein the electric motor has a motor shaft, which is connected in a rotationally-fixed manner to the helical wheel shaft.

12. The motor-gear assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inner helical wheel is connected in a rotationally-fixed manner to the electric motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the present application will be explained in greater detail hereafter with reference to the appended drawings. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1a) shows a perspective illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a proposed planet carrier having three planet wheels in the non-assembled state,

(3) FIG. 1b) shows the planet carrier shown in FIG. 1a) in the assembled state,

(4) FIG. 2 shows the assembled planet carrier shown in FIG. 1b) on the basis of an illustration in partial section,

(5) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged illustration of a region of the part of FIG. 2 in section, and

(6) FIG. 4 shows an illustration in partial section of a motor-gear assembly having the planet carrier shown in FIGS. 1a) to 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1a) shows a perspective illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a proposed planet carrier 10 having three planet wheels 12 in the non-assembled state. FIG. 1b) shows the planet carrier 10 shown in FIG. 1b) in the assembled state.

(8) The planet carrier 10 comprises a tubular main body 14 having an outer surface 16. The tubular main body 14 encloses an interior 18, which can be seen best in FIG. 4. Moreover, the main body 14 defines a planet carrier axis AP.

(9) The tubular main body 14 has three passages 20, which penetrate the main body 14 from the outer surface 16 toward the interior 18. In addition, one first support portion 22 and one second support portion 24, which each originate from the passage 20 and from the outer surface 16, are arranged per passage 20 in the main body 14. The support portions 22, 24 therefore lead into the passage 20 and are open toward the outer surface 16. The support portions 22, 24 only partially penetrate the main body 14 and therefore do not establish a connection to the interior 18. The support portions 22, 24 therefore each have a shell-shaped base 25 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Furthermore, the support portions 22, 24 each have a delimiting surface 26.

(10) The three planet wheels 12 each comprise a planet wheel axle 28, which has a first axle portion 30 and a second axle portion 32, each of which protrudes beyond the planet wheel 12. The planet wheels 12 are each provided with planet wheel gear teeth 34, which have a crowning B and a profile overlap Ea.

(11) For assembling the planet carrier 10, the planet wheels 12 are provided with the planet wheel axle 28. The planet wheel axle 28 can be manufactured from metal, for example, onto which the planet wheel 12 is pressed. Alternatively, the planet wheel 12 and the planet wheel axle 28 can be embodied in one piece, for which purpose manufacturing the planet wheel axle 28 and the planet wheel 12 from plastic suggests itself.

(12) The planet wheels 12 provided with the planet wheel axle 28 are subsequently inserted into the passage 20 and the two support portions 22, 24 until the planet wheel axle 28 rests on the base 25 of the support portions 22, 24. As can be seen from FIGS. 1a) and 1b), in this case the planet wheel 12 protrudes radially outward out of the passage 20 beyond the outer surface 16 of the planet carrier 10. It is recognizable from FIG. 4 that the planet wheel 12 protrudes into the interior 18.

(13) The passage 20 and the support portions 22, 24 are arranged such that the planet wheel axles 28 extend skewed to the planet carrier axis AP when the axle portions 30, 32 are accommodated in the support portions 22, 24. The axial mobility of the planet wheel 12 is delimited by the delimiting surfaces 26. When reference is made to an axial mobility of the planet wheels 12, this relates to a movement along an axis of rotation defined by the planet wheel axles 28 and the support portions 22, 24, about which the planet wheels 12 can rotate in the planet carrier 10.

(14) The delimiting surface 26 terminates the support portions 22, 24 axially and therefore the material volume of the main body 14 occupied for the provision of the support portions 22, 24 is kept small. The torsional rigidity of the main body 14 is enhanced in contrast to the support portions 22, 24, which would run out into the main body 14 without the end wall 26.

(15) The planet wheel axles 28 are dimensioned such that they permit a certain axial mobility of the planet wheels 12. However, the axial mobility is selected such that the planet wheels 12 cannot bear against the main body 14 in the passage 20. The ability of the planet wheels 12 to rotate is ensured in this way.

(16) The assembled planet carrier 10 is shown on the basis of illustrations in partial section in FIGS. 2 and 3. In particular, it is recognizable from FIG. 3 that the planet carrier 10 has fixing means 36, using which the axle portions 30, 32 of the planet wheel axles 28 can be fixed in the support portions 22, 24. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the fixing means 36 are designed as elastic projections 38, which are formed by the main body 14 and protrude into the support portions 22, 24. During the insertion of the axle portions 30, 32 into the support portions 22, 24, the projections 38 are briefly deformed. When the axle portions 30, 32 rest on the base 25 of the support portions 22, 24, the projections 38 returned back into their original shape and form an undercut, and therefore the axle portions 30, 32 are fixed in an interlocked manner in the support portions 22, 24. The axle portions 30, 32 can thus be clipped into the support portions 22, 24. Moreover, the undercut enhances the load bearing component of the support portions 22, 24, whereby the support of the axle portions 30, 32 is enhanced.

(17) In FIG. 4, a motor-gear assembly 39 is shown on the basis of an illustration in partial section, which comprises a helical wheel planetary gear 40 having the planet carrier 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Moreover, the helical wheel planetary gear 40 comprises a helical wheel shaft 42, which has helical wheel gear teeth 44, which are engaged with the planet wheel gear teeth 34. Furthermore, the helical wheel planetary gear 40 comprises an inner helical wheel 46 having inner gear teeth 48, which engage in the planet wheel gear teeth 34. The helical wheel shaft 42 is axially and radially installed using a ball bearing 50, wherein the ball bearing 50 is arranged in a bearing receptacle 52.

(18) Furthermore, the motor-gear assembly 39 comprises an electric motor 54 having a motor shaft 56, which protrudes out of the electric motor 54. The helical wheel shaft 42 forms a motor shaft receptacle 58, in which the motor shaft 56 engages in a rotationally-fixed manner. The bearing receptacle 52 is fastened in a rotationally-fixed manner on the electric motor 54. Moreover, the inner helical wheel 46 is connected in a rotationally-fixed manner to the bearing receptacle 52. Because the inner helical wheel 46 is fastened in a rotationally-fixed manner on the bearing receptacle 52 and indirectly fastened in a rotationally-fixed manner on the electric motor 54, the rotation of the motor shaft 56 is converted into a rotation of the planet carrier 10. The planet carrier 10 has a driver 60, to which an output shaft (not shown) can be connected in a rotationally-fixed manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(19) 10 planet carrier

(20) 12 planet wheel

(21) 14 main body

(22) 16 outer surface

(23) 18 interior

(24) 20 passage

(25) 22 first support portion

(26) 24 second support portion

(27) 25 base

(28) 26 delimiting surface

(29) 28 planet wheel axle

(30) 30 first axle portion

(31) 32 second axle portion

(32) 34 planet wheel gear teeth

(33) 36 fixing means

(34) 38 projection

(35) 39 motor-gear assembly

(36) 40 helical wheel planetary gear

(37) 42 helical wheel shaft

(38) 44 helical wheel gear teeth

(39) 46 inner helical wheel

(40) 48 inner gear teeth

(41) 50 ball bearing

(42) 52 bearing receptacle

(43) 54 electric motor

(44) 56 motor shaft

(45) 58 motor shaft receptacle

(46) 60 driver

(47) AP planet carrier axis

(48) B crowning

(49) .sub. profile overlap