Friction-wheel planetary gear with bevel gears

• US 6,558,285 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Sieber, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US10/018,186
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 475/193, 475/194, 475/195, 475/215, 476/48, 476/61
• US Class Current: 475/193
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/52 in which a member of uniform effective diameter mounted on a shaft may co-operate with different parts of another member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6649 characterised by the means for controlling the torque transmitting capability of the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/486 delivered by photo-electric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/487 delivered by rotating magnets
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/56 for comparing two speeds

Abstract

A friction-wheel epicyclic gear (10, 10a) is proposed. The friction-wheel epicyclic gear (10, 10a) has bevel wheels (12, 42), which roll on a friction wheel (14) and drive a gear output shaft (26). The contact pressure between the bevel wheels (12, 42) and the friction wheel (14) is variable. A detection of the slip between the bevel wheels (12, 42) and the friction wheel (14) is provided, and the contact pressure is variable as a function of the slip. In this way, the friction-wheel epicyclic gear (10, 10a) can always be operated at the slip limit, so that the wear is only slight and the efficiency is high.

Claims

1. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear, comprising a power takeoff shaft;

a friction wheel;

bevel wheels which roll on said friction wheel;

a gear wheel by which said bevel wheels drive said power takeoff shaft, said bevel wheels and said friction wheels being arranged so that a contact pressure between said bevel wheel and said friction wheel is variable;

means for detecting a slip between said bevel wheels and said friction wheel, and said contact pressure being variable as a function of the slip;

an additional bevel wheel with an additional pinion provided on said additional bevel wheel and meshing with an additional gear wheel; and

a device detecting and comparing rotary speeds of said gear wheel and said additional gear wheel, said contact pressure being variable as a function of a difference in the rotary speeds.

2. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear as defined in claim 1, wherein a gear ratio of said gear wheel and of said pinion that drives said gear wheel is equal to a gear ratio of said additional gear wheel and said additional pinion so that in a slipless state a difference in the rotary speeds of said gear wheel and said additional gear wheel is zero.

3. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising a first input shaft and a second input shaft and output shafts, said gear wheel driving said first input shaft while said additional gear wheel driving said second input shaft, a gear ratio of, the epicyclic gear being designed such that at equal rotary speeds at said input shafts, rpm of said output shafts is zero;

a sensor with which a rotary speed of said output shafts is detected and transmitted to said device, the contact pressure being variable as a function of a signal.

4. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising means for detecting rotary speeds including discs provided on their circumference with a plurality of elements, and two magnetic-field sensitive sensors which scan said elements and generate alternating voltage signals that are supplied to said device, said slip is ascertainable from a displacement of the alternating voltage signals.

5. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear as defined in claim 4, wherein said elements are formed as elements selected from the group consisting of poles and teeth.

6. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear as defined in claim 4, wherein said sensors are sensors selected from the group consisting of Hall sensors, GMR sensors and AMR sensors.

7. A friction-wheel epicyclic gear as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising means for detecting the rotary speeds and including incremental discs, and sensors which scan said incremental discs and generate alternating voltage signals which are supplied to said device, the slip being ascertainable from a displacement in the alternating voltage signals.