PLANET GEAR BEARING IN A PLANETARY GEARSET

• US 20150377343A1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Fugel, Wolfgang, Gegner, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 10,077,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/28 with two or more rows of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/30 for axial load mainly
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/305 consisting of rollers held in a cage
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/381 with at least one row for radial load in combination with at least one row for axial load
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/61 Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts in general F16H57/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/581 integral with other parts, e.g. with housings or machine elements such as shafts or gear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/588 Races of sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/60 divided or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6677 from radial inside, e.g. via a passage through the shaft and/or inner ring
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6685 Details of collecting or draining, e.g. returning the liquid to a sump
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/085 Bearings for orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0479 Gears or bearings on planet carriers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/082 Planet carriers

Abstract

A planet gear bearing in a planetary gearset, including a planet carrier (1) having two side walls (2, 3), which are arranged parallel to one another and which accommodate a plurality of planet gear pins (6) in a plurality of axial holes (4, 5) opposite one another on the same axis. A plurality of planet gears (7) are rotatably mounted on the planet gear pins (6) by radial rolling-element bearings (11, 12) inserted into central planet gear holes (8). The radial rolling-element bearings are permanently lubricated via axial and radial lubricant supply lines (9, 10) within the planet gear pins (6). In addition, stop elements (15, 16) having the shape of annular discs are arranged between the side walls (2, 3) of the planet carrier (1) and the axial sides (13, 14) of the planet gears (7) and are designed as wear protection of the planet carrier (1) and the planet gears (7), and as an axial stop for the radial rolling- element bearings (11, 12) of the planet gears (7). According to the invention, the stop elements (15, 16) between the side walls (2, 3) of the planet carrier (1) and the axial sides (13, 14) of the planet gears (7) are designed as axial needle bearings (25, 26), which each include an axial bent-up disc (17, 18) and an axial needle ring (23, 24), which is formed by a plurality of bearing needles (19, 20) and an axial needle cage (21, 22).

Claims

1. A planet gear bearing in a planetary gearset, comprising a planet gear carrier with two side walls that are arranged parallel to each other and hold a plurality of planet gear pins in several coaxial opposing axial holes on which multiple planet gears are supported so that they are rotatable by radial rolling bearings inserted in central planet gear holes and permanently lubricated via axial and radial lubricant feed lines within the planet wheel pins, wherein, between the side walls of the planet gear carrier and the axial sides of the planet gears, ring disc-shaped contact elements are arranged that are formed as wear protection of the planet gear carrier and the planet gears and as an axial contact for the radial rolling bearings of the planet gears, the contact elements between the side walls of the planet gear carrier and the axial sides of the planet gears are provided as axial needle bearings, each including an axial bent-up disc and an axial needle ring formed by a plurality of bearing needles and an axial needle cage.

2. The planet gear bearing according to claim 1, wherein each of the axial needle bearings has an axial width (B_A) of at least 0.8 mm formed from a diameter of the bearing needles and a material thickness of the axial bent-up disc and is adapted to be retrofittable in place of previous contact discs used in a same position with an axial width of 0.8 mm or greater without changes to a surrounding construction.

3. The planet gear bearing according to claim 2, wherein the axial bent-up discs of the axial needle bearings have an S-shaped profile cross section that is formed radially from an outer horizontal leg, an upper vertical leg, a middle horizontal leg, a lower vertical leg, and an inner horizontal leg.

4. The planet gear bearing according to claim 3, wherein the outer horizontal leg, the upper vertical leg, and the middle horizontal leg of the axial bent-up discs are provided for holding the axial needle ring, and inner sides of the upper vertical leg form raceways for the bearing needles.

5. The planet gear bearing according to claim 4, wherein outer sides of the upper vertical leg of the axial bent-up discs contact the side walls of the planet gear carrier and inner sides of the lower vertical leg of the axial bent-up discs are formed as an axial contact for the radial rolling bearings of the planet gears.

6. The planet gear bearing according to claim 5, wherein the radial rolling bearings for each of the planet gears are formed as two radial needle rings including a cage and a plurality of bearing needles that are in contact with the cages with the lower vertical legs of the axial bent-up discs.

7. The planet gear bearing according to claim 6, wherein an outer diameter (D_A) of the middle horizontal leg of the axial bent-up discs is greater than a diameter (D_P) of the planet gear holes, so that, between the lower vertical legs (3334) of the axial bent-up discs (17, 18) and the axial sides of the planet gears, two gap seals are formed for a throttled lubricant outflow from the radial rolling bearings of the planet gears.

8. The planet gear bearing according to claim 6, wherein an outer diameter (D_A) of the middle horizontal leg of the axial bent-up discs is smaller than a diameter (D_P) of the planet gear holes, so that, between the middle horizontal legs of the axial bent-up discs and the planet gear holes two larger ring gaps are formed for a large volume lubricant outflow from the radial rolling bearings of the planet gears.

9. The planet gear bearing according to claim 6, wherein an outer diameter (D_A) of the middle horizontal leg of the axial bent-up discs is less than a diameter (D_P) of the planet gear holes and simultaneously the middle horizontal legs and the inner horizontal legs are extended axially, so that the middle and inner horizontal legs and the lower vertical leg project into the planet gear holes and the planet gears, together with the axial needle bearings and the radial rolling bearings form a module that is installable in the planet gear carrier.