Angular contact bearing and gear mechanism comprising a thrust washer

Abstract

In a thrust washer for the axial securing of rolling elements of a bearing, and a gear mechanism including a thrust washer, the thrust washer is arranged as a circular disk, which has an axially protruding, in particular radially outer, projection. The circular disk has a recess, which is disposed out of center, i.e., the center point of the, e.g., circular recess thus particularly being set apart from the center axis and/or from the center point of the circular disk. The projection may have an annular shape, and the ring axis is set apart from the center point of the, e.g., circular recess.

Claims

1. An angular contact bearing, comprising: an internal ring; an external ring; and two rows of rolling elements axially set apart from each other, centers of gravity of the rolling elements of a first row being arranged in a plane having a normal direction aligned parallel to an axial direction, centers of gravity of the rolling elements of a second row arranged in a plane having a normal direction aligned parallel to the axial direction, the rolling elements of the first row being set apart from one another at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, and the rolling elements of the second row being set apart from one another at regular intervals in the circumferential direction; wherein the first row of rolling elements and the second row of rolling elements include an equal number of rolling elements.

2. The angular contact bearing according to claim 1, wherein the rolling elements include balls.

3. The angular contact bearing according to claim 1, wherein the rolling elements of the first row are arranged at a different radial distance than the rolling elements of the second row.

4. The angular contact bearing according to claim 1, wherein the rolling elements of the first row and the rolling elements of the second row are aligned in the circumferential direction.

5. A gear mechanism, comprising: at least one eccentric shaft; at least one externally toothed disk; and at least one ring gear including a planet wheel, a sun-gear shaft, and a hollow wheel; wherein the eccentric shaft includes an eccentric core region on which the externally toothed disk is rotatably mounted and/or with the aid of a bearing, an external toothing of the externally toothed disk meshing with an internal toothing of the hollow wheel, which is connected in a torsionally fixed manner to a housing part of the gear mechanism, the eccentric shaft rotatably mounted in an output shaft, the output shaft rotatably mounted with respect to the hollow wheel with the aid of angular contact bearings, the ring gear is connected to the eccentric shaft in a torsionally fixed manner, with the aid of a polygonal section, and/or with the aid of a spline, each ring gear meshing with the sun-gear shaft, the external toothing of the externally toothed disk arranged as an involute tooth system, and the internal toothing of the hollow wheel arranged as an involute tooth system; and wherein the angular contact bearings include an internal ring, an external ring, and two rows of rolling elements axially set apart from each other, centers of gravity of the rolling elements of a first row being arranged in a plane having a normal direction aligned parallel to an axial direction, centers of gravity of the rolling elements of a second row arranged in a plane having a normal direction aligned parallel to the axial direction, the rolling elements of the first row being set apart from one another at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, and the rolling elements of the second row being set apart from one another at regular intervals in the circumferential direction.

6. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the rolling elements include balls.

7. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the output shaft is arranged as a planet-gear carrier having two side pieces, webs being provided on a first side piece of the planet-gear carrier, a second side piece being connected to the webs with the aid of screws such that the angular contact bearings are pretensioned, a first angular contact bearing being braced on the first side piece, a second angular contact bearing being braced on the second side piece, the angular contact arranged in an O-arrangement.

8. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein a thrust washer is provided on the eccentric shaft to axially restrict the rolling elements of the bearing of the externally toothed disk, the thrust washer being provided in a centrical region of the eccentric shaft and/or a region of the eccentric shaft that is in rotational symmetry with respect to an axis of the eccentric shaft, a projection provided on the thrust washer covering an edge and/or a margin of the eccentric core region such that the thrust washer is connected to the eccentric shaft, whose axis of rotation extends centrally through the circular disk, via a keyed connection and/or in a torsionally fixed manner, in at least in the circumferential direction.

9. The gear mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the thrust washer is secured against twisting, the thrust washer arranged as a circular disk having an axially protruding, radially outer projection, the circular disk having a recess disposed out of center, a center point of the recess being set apart from a center axis and/or from a center point of the circular disk such that the thrust washer connectable via a keyed connection and/or in a torsionally fixed manner, at least in the circumferential direction, to an eccentric shaft whose axis of rotation extends centrally through the circular disk, the projection having an annular shape and the ring axis set apart from the center point of the recess.

10. The gear mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the thrust washer is arranged as a circular disk having an axially protruding, radially outer projection.

11. The gear mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the circular disk has a recess disposed out of center, a center point of the recess being set apart from the center axis and/or from the center point of the circular disk, the projection having an annular shape, and the ring axis being set apart from the center point of the recess.

12. The gear mechanism according to claim 9, wherein an axial region covered by the projection is encompassed by an axial region covered by the eccentric core region, and/or an axial region covered by the thrust washer overlaps with the axial region covered by the eccentric core region.

13. The gear mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the projection is positively connected to the eccentric core region and/or elastically pressed onto the eccentric core region in the radial direction.

14. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the eccentric shaft has a section that is out of round and on which the ring gear is connected to the eccentric shaft in a torsionally fixed manner.

15. The gear mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the section that is formed out of round is axially set apart from the eccentric core region.

16. The gear mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the section that is formed out of round has a hypotrochoidal shape, is shaped as a hypotrochoid, and/or includes hypotrochoidal sections.

17. The gear mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the ring gear has a recess that is shaped to match the section that is formed out of round such that the ring gear is connected to the eccentric shaft in a torsionally fixed and playfree manner with the aid of the out-of-round section.

18. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the eccentric core region is arranged as a cylindrical section disposed parallel to but at a distance from, and not coaxially to, a center axis of the eccentric shaft and/or the ring gear.

19. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein an external toothing of the disk meshes with a hollow wheel and/or with a housing-forming hollow wheel.

20. The gear mechanism according to claim 19, wherein the external toothing is arranged as an involute tooth system.

21. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the eccentric shaft has a further eccentric core region axially set apart from the eccentric core region and has an offset of 180.degree. in the circumferential direction, the eccentric core regions having the same shape.

22. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the eccentric shaft is rotatably mounted and accommodated in an output shaft of the gear mechanism, and an axis of the eccentric shaft is arranged parallel to and at a distance from an axis of the output shaft.

23. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the output shaft is rotatably mounted in the hollow wheel with the aid of at least one angular contact bearing.

24. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the ring gear meshes with a sun-gear toothing disposed coaxially to the output shaft, the ring gear, the sun-gear toothing, and at least one further ring gear forming a spur-gear distribution gear stage.

25. The gear mechanism according to claim 24, wherein the sun-gear toothing is arranged in a torsionally fixed and coaxial manner with respect to a toothed wheel that meshes with a toothed part and/or a pinion that is directly driven by an electric motor and/or is driven via a coupling.

26. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the eccentric shaft has a further eccentric core region on which a second externally toothed disk of the gear mechanism is rotatably mounted, an external toothing of the second disk meshing with an internal toothing of the hollow wheel.

27. The gear mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the output shaft is arranged as a planet-gear carrier shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a gear mechanism with eccentric shafts 11 according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an associated longitudinal view.

(3) FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of an eccentric shaft 11 and a planet gear 4 that is connected to the shaft.

(4) FIG. 4 shows the non-exploded illustration that is associated with FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through an eccentric shaft 11 together with the bearings (14, 15, 5, 16) and two thrust washers 50 for the rolling elements of bearings 5 and 15, the shaft being provided with a spline section instead of a polygonal connection section.

(6) FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of eccentric shaft 11, bearing 5, and thrust washer 50.

(7) FIG. 7 shows the eccentric shaft and bearing 5 in an exploded and an oblique view.

(8) FIG. 8 shows thrust washer 50 in an oblique view in a first viewing direction.

(9) FIG. 9 shows thrust washer 50 in an oblique representation in another viewing direction.

(10) FIG. 10 shows the gear mechanism according with double-row angular contact bearings 100 in an O-arrangement instead of bearings 10 and 6.

(11) FIG. 11 shows one of angular contact bearings 100 in a cross-sectional view.

(12) FIG. 12 shows angular contact bearing 100 partially cut and in an oblique view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) As illustrated in the Figures, the input shaft drives a pinion 3, which meshes with a toothed wheel 2.

(14) Toothed wheel 2 is connected in a torsionally fixed manner to a sun-gear shaft 1, which has a sun-gear toothing or is connected to a sun gear in a torsionally fixed manner.

(15) Three planet gears 4, each being connected to an eccentric shaft 11 in a torsionally fixed manner, mesh with the sun-gear toothing. The sun-gear toothing therefore forms a spur-gear distribution gear stage together with planet gears 4.

(16) For the torsionally fixed connection of respective planet gear 4 to the individual eccentric shaft 11, eccentric shaft 11 includes an axial section that is arranged in a polygonal shape. The polygon may be shaped according to a hypotrochoid. Planet wheel 4 has a correspondingly shaped inner-polygonal recess and is placed on top of eccentric shaft 11, in particular thermally shrunk-fit onto the shaft. As a result, a torsionally fixed and playfree connection is readily provided between the respective planet wheel 4 and respective eccentric shaft 11.

(17) The polygonal outer contour of eccentric shaft 11 is able to be produced without any significant work because the eccentric shaft includes two axial sections that are set apart from the axial section and are arranged as an eccentric core region (31, 32) in each case. Each eccentric core region has a cylindrical external surface for this purpose; however, the cylinder axis is set apart from the center axis of eccentric shaft 11, the cylinder axis being aligned parallel to the center axis.

(18) Eccentric core regions 31, 32 are axially spaced apart from one another or, at most, are at least disposed so as to touch each other, and have an offset of 180 in the circumferential direction; in all other respects, eccentric core regions 11 are arranged in the same manner.

(19) As a result, eccentric core regions 31 and 32 and the polygonal section are able to be produced using one and the same machine tool, i.e., using a single clamping, which means that no special additional effort is required to produce the polygonal outer contour.

(20) A bearing 5, which is accommodated in a bore hole that is situated centrically on a first externally toothed disk 7, is placed onto first eccentric core region 31. First disk 7 is thus rotatably mounted on eccentric core region 31. The external toothing of disk 7 is arranged in the form of an involute tooth system and is meshing with the internal toothing of a hollow wheel 9 that is connected to the housing or forms a housing. The internal toothing of hollow wheel 9 is also arranged as an involute tooth system.

(21) A bearing 5, which is accommodated in a bore hole that is situated centrically on a second externally toothed disk 8 is placed onto second eccentric core region 32. Second disk 8 is thus rotatably mounted on second eccentric core region 32. The external toothing of second disk 8 is arranged in the form of an involute tooth system and is also meshing with the internal toothing of hollow wheel 9.

(22) The internal toothing of hollow wheel 9 extends across such a wide axial region that it covers the two axial regions that are covered by the external toothings of the first and second disk 7, 8.

(23) Eccentric shafts 11 are rotatably mounted in output shaft 12, and the bearing seats of the bearings that support eccentric shafts 11 are radially set apart from the center axis of output shaft 12.

(24) Output shaft 12 is situated coaxially with respect to sun-gear shaft 1.

(25) Output shaft 12 is mounted in hollow wheel 9 with the aid of angular contact bearing 10.

(26) As illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 9, eccentric shaft 11 is also able to be provided with a spline 70 instead of a polygonal contour. In other words, the accommodated toothed wheel is connected using a splined connection, in particular by a keyed connection.

(27) Bearing 5 which is slipped onto first eccentric core region 31 mounts first disk 7, and bearing 15 which is slipped onto second eccentric core region 32 mounts second disk 8.

(28) With the aid of bearings 14 and 16, eccentric shaft 11 is mounted on both sides of eccentric core regions 31 and 32. Bearing 14 is accommodated in output shaft 12.

(29) Thrust washers 50 are disposed on eccentric core regions 31 and 32; they have a circumferential and axially protruding projection 51 in the circumferential direction, which creates an axial restriction and fixation of the rolling elements of bearing 5.

(30) Thrust washer 50 has a non-centrical hole through which a section of eccentric shaft 11 is guided. Projection 51, which is slipped over the edge of the respective eccentric core region (31, 32), thus forms an anti-rotation device for thrust washer 50. Thrust washer 50 is therefore provided in the form of a keyed, and consequently a torsionally fixed connection, with eccentric shaft 11 in the circumferential direction. Projection 51 simultaneously acts as an axial restriction of the rolling elements.

(31) In addition, eccentric core region 31 includes a thrust flange 60, which has a larger radial extension than the remaining area of eccentric core region 31 arranged as a bearing seat for bearing 5. Since bearing 5 is situated axially between thrust flange 60 and first thrust washer 50 with its projection 51, it is axially secured on both sides.

(32) Thrust flange 60 is formed in one piece, i.e., as one part, on eccentric shaft 11, in particular on eccentric core region 31.

(33) A second thrust washer 50 is likewise provided for the axial securing of bearing 15, and thus also of the rolling elements of bearing 15; the second thrust disk 50 is slipped onto second eccentric core region 32, and the projection of the second thrust disk axially restricts the rolling elements of bearing 15.

(34) In addition, eccentric core region 32 includes a further thrust flange 60, which has a larger radial extension than the remaining area of eccentric core region 32 arranged as a bearing seat for bearing 15. Since bearing 15 is disposed axially between further thrust flange 60 and first thrust washer 50 with its projection 51, it is axially secured on both sides.

(35) Thrust flange 60 is formed in one piece, i.e., as one part, on eccentric shaft 11, in particular on eccentric core region 32.

(36) Respective thrust washer 50 is produced from steel, in particular from a sheet steel.

(37) The two thrust flanges 60 are therefore arranged coaxially with respect to the particular eccentric core region (31, 32), and the eccentric core regions (31, 32) are situated out of center, i.e., eccentrically, with respect to the axis of rotation of eccentric shaft 11.

(38) A hollow pipe 17, which restricts and thus holds the lubricating oil in the interior of the gear mechanism, is connected to output shaft 12 in a torsionally fixed manner. Hollow pipe 17 is situated radially within sun-gear shaft 1 and radially at a distance from disks 7 and 8.

(39) With the aid of the involute tooth systems of disks 7 and 8 as well as hollow wheel 9, simple bracing on the stationary part, i.e., the part that may also be used as a housing part, or thus also on a housing part that is connected to hollow wheel 9, is able to be implemented in a simple and cost-effective manner.

(40) As illustrated in FIG. 10, angular contact bearings 6 and 10 are able to be replaced by two other angular contact bearings 100, which are aligned in an O-arrangement with respect to each other.

(41) The internal ring of bearing 100, which replaces bearing 10, is positioned against a step of output shaft 12, in particular a first side part of output shaft 12, which is implemented as a planet-gear carrier having two side pieces, and the external ring of bearing 100, which replaces bearing 10, is positioned against a step of hollow wheel 9. Output shaft 12 has a precisely machined bearing seat for the internal ring of bearing 100, which replaces bearing 10, and the hollow wheel has a precisely machined bearing seat for the external ring of bearing 100, which replaces bearing 6. As a result, bearing 100, which replaces bearing 10 is braced against the first side piece of output shaft 12. Bearing 100, which replaces bearing 6 is braced against the second side piece.

(42) This output shaft 12 is arranged as a planet-gear carrier having two side pieces, and axially extending webs are formed in one piece i.e., as one part, on a first side piece, onto which the second side piece of the planetary-gear carrier is placed and connected with the aid of screws. The second side piece is pressed in the axial direction in the direction of the first side piece. Interposed bearings 100 are thereby prestressed, particularly prestressed in the axial direction.

(43) Internal ring 112 of bearing 100, which replaces bearing 6, is positioned against a step of the second side piece of planet-gear carrier 12 and accommodated in a precisely machined bearing seat of the second side piece. The external ring of bearing 100, which replaces bearing 6, is positioned against a step of hollow wheel 9 and is accommodated in a precisely machined bearing seat of hollow wheel 9.

(44) When screw-fitting the second side piece with the webs that are formed in one piece on the first side piece, i.e., in one part, pretension is therefore induced on bearings 100 disposed in the O-arrangement.

(45) As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the angular contact bearing has two rows of balls that are situated axially apart from each other. Each row of balls is situated in a circle, and the normal direction of the plane including the circle is aligned in the axial direction.

(46) The number of rolling elements 111, i.e., especially balls, of the first row of balls equals the number of rolling elements 111 of the second row of balls.

(47) The balls of each row of balls are disposed in the same axial position and are set apart from each other at regular intervals in the circumferential direction.

(48) The first row of balls covers a smaller radial-distance region than the second row of balls. As a result, the first row of balls has a smaller radial extension than the second row of balls.

(49) The first row of balls has a smaller axial distance from the other angular contact bearing than the second row of balls.

(50) With the aid of angular contact bearings 100, a particularly easy production is able to be carried out.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(51) 1 Sun-gear shaft 2 Toothed wheel 3 Pinion 4 Planet wheel 5 Bearing 6 Angular contact bearing 7 First externally toothed disk 8 Second externally toothed disk 9 Hollow wheel 10 Angular contact bearing 11 Eccentric shaft 12 Output shaft 13 Bearing 14 Bearing for eccentric shaft 11 15 Bearing for second disk 8 for the mounting on eccentric shaft 11 16 Bearing for the eccentric shaft for the rotatable mounting with respect to the sun-gear toothing 17 Pipe 30 Polygonal sections of eccentric shaft 11 31 First eccentric core region 32 Second eccentric core region 50 Thrust washer 60 Thrust flange 51 Circumferential axial projection 70 Spline 100 Double-row angular ball bearing 110 External ring 111 Rolling element, in particular ball 112 Internal ring