Lubricating mechanism for planetary gear train

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12297900-B2
Application number	US-202318859175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2023
Priority date	Apr 24, 2022
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A lubricating mechanism for a planetary gear train, including a planetary gear, a sliding bearing, a planetary gear shaft, and a thrust bearing. The thrust bearing is arranged at an end surface of the planetary gear. A gap is formed between the thrust bearing and end surface. An axial and radial channel are formed in the thrust bearing in a lubricating position in a circumferential direction. The thrust bearing includes a groove facing the end surface. A seal is provided in the groove. One end of the axial channel is in communication with the gap, the other end being in communication with the radial channel and being an open end leading to an outside of the planetary gear train. The axial channel is closer to the sliding bearing than the groove in a radial direction. The seal is configured to prevent lubricating oil from being discharged from the gap.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lubricating mechanism for a planetary gear train, the planetary gear train comprising:
a planetary gear;
a sliding bearing;
a planetary gear shaft; and
a thrust bearing,
the planetary gear being supported on the planetary gear shaft by the sliding bearing,
the thrust bearing being arranged at an end surface of the planetary gear, and a gap being formed between the thrust bearing and the end surface of the planetary gear,
wherein an axial channel and a radial channel are formed in the thrust bearing in at least one lubricating position in a circumferential direction of the thrust bearing,
wherein the thrust bearing is provided with a groove facing the end surface of the planetary gear,
wherein a seal is provided in the groove,
wherein one end of the axial channel is in communication with the gap, the other end of the axial channel is in communication with the radial channel, and the other end of the radial channel is an open end leading to an outside of the planetary gear train, and
wherein the axial channel is closer to the sliding bearing than the groove in a radial direction, and the seal is configured to prevent lubricating oil from being discharged from the gap.

2. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein at least two axial channels and at least two radial channels are formed in the thrust bearing for each lubricating position,
wherein one of the axial channels that is in communication with the gap is closer to the sliding bearing than the groove in the radial direction, and the axial channels and the radial channels are alternately connected end to end.

3. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein a pressure valve is provided at the open end.

4. The lubricating mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the pressure valve is a fixed-pressure pressure valve or a pressure-adjustable pressure valve.

5. The lubricating mechanism of claim 3 , wherein pressure valves are unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the thrust bearing.

6. The lubricating mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the lubricating mechanism further comprises an oil inlet for the lubricating oil and a check valve arranged at the oil inlet.

7. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the lubricating positions are unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the thrust bearing.

8. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the seal is a contact seal or a non-contact seal.

9. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the thrust bearing is provided with at least one convex ring facing the end surface of the planetary gear, the convex rings being arranged at intervals in a radial direction;
wherein the end surface of the planetary gear facing the thrust bearing is provided with grooves corresponding to the convex rings on a one-to-one basis, each groove being configured to accommodate a corresponding convex ring,
wherein an axial clearance and a radial clearance are formed between an outer surface of each convex ring and an inner surface of the groove opposite the convex ring, and
wherein the axial clearance and the radial clearance are in communication with the gap.

10. The lubricating mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the convex ring has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the sliding bearing or than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the planetary gear.

11. The lubricating mechanism of claim 9 , wherein in the radial direction, a shortest distance between two adjacent convex rings close to the sliding bearing is greater than a shortest distance between two adjacent convex rings away from the sliding bearing.

12. The lubricating mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the convex ring is closer to the sliding bearing than the seal in the radial direction.

13. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the end surface of the planetary gear facing the thrust bearing is provided with at least one convex ring, each convex rings being arranged at intervals in a radial direction;
the thrust bearing is provided with grooves facing the end surface of the planetary gear and corresponding to the convex rings on a one-to-one basis, each groove being configured to accommodate a corresponding convex ring; and
an axial clearance and a radial clearance are formed between an outer surface of each convex ring and an inner surface of the groove opposite the convex ring,
wherein the axial clearance and the radial clearance are in communication with the gap.

14. The lubricating mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the convex ring has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the sliding bearing or than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the planetary gear.

15. The lubricating mechanism of claim 13 , wherein in the radial direction, a shortest distance between two adjacent convex rings close to the sliding bearing is greater than a shortest distance between two adjacent convex rings away from the sliding bearing.

16. The lubricating mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the convex ring is closer to the sliding bearing than the seal in the radial direction.

17. The lubricating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the thrust bearing is provided with at least one first groove facing the end surface of the planetary gear, each first grooves being arranged at an intervals in the radial direction;
wherein the end surface of the planetary gear facing the thrust bearing is provided with second grooves corresponding to the first grooves on a one-to-one basis,
wherein an accommodating space is formed by each first groove and a corresponding second groove,
wherein a barrier is provided in each accommodating space,
wherein an axial clearance and a radial clearance are formed between an inner surface of each accommodating space and an outer surface of the barrier accommodated in the accommodating space, and
wherein the axial clearance and the radial clearance are in communication with the gap.

18. The lubricating mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the barrier has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the sliding bearing or than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the planetary gear.

19. The lubricating mechanism of claim 17 , wherein in the radial direction, a shortest distance between two adjacent accommodating spaces close to the sliding bearing is greater than a shortest distance between two adjacent accommodating spaces away from the sliding bearing.

20. The lubricating mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the barrier is closer to the sliding bearing than the seal in the radial direction.

Assignees

• Zf Wind Power Tianjin Co Ltd
• Zf Wind Power Antwerpen Nv

Inventors

• Zhou Dan
• Niu Guowei

Classifications

• F16H57/0471

  Bearing · CPC title

• F16H57/043 Primary

  within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts · CPC title

• F16H2057/085

  Bearings for orbital gears · CPC title

• F16H57/08

  of gearings with members having orbital motion · CPC title

• F16H57/0482

  Gearings with gears having orbital motion · CPC title