Split torque compound planetary drivetrain for wind turbine applications

• US 8,235,861 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lopez, Fulton Jose, Gadre, Aniruddha Dattatraya, Hallman, Darren Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Ha D.
• Application Number:
  US12/290,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 475/331
• US Class Current: 475/331
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/00 Transmission of mechanical power
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 15/10 using gearing not limited to rotary motion, e.g. with oscillating or reciprocating members
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/40311 of the epicyclic, planetary or differential type
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/2845 by allowing limited movement of the sun gear
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2001/289 comprising two or more coaxial and identical sets of orbital gears, e.g. for distributing torque between the coaxial sets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A compound planetary gear transmission unit includes a second stage with axially staggered planets.

Claims

1. A compound planetary gear transmission unit comprising:

a stationary ring gear meshed with more than three first stage planets;

a rotating carrier configured to engage the more than three first stage planets;

a first plurality of second stage planets driven by a first plurality of the more than three first stage planets; and

a second plurality of second stage planets axially staggered from the first plurality of second stage planets, the second plurality of second stage planets driven by a second plurality of the more than three first stage planets.

2. The compound planetary gear transmission unit according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first sun rotatable about a central axis and engaging the first plurality of second stage planets;

a second sun rotatable about the central axis in a coaxial relationship with the first sun and engaging the second plurality of second stage planets; and

a torque transfer mechanism configured to transfer torque from both the first and second suns to an output shaft.

3. The compound planetary gear transmission unit according to claim 2 wherein the torque transfer mechanism comprises a differential gear system configured to equalize torque differences transmitted to the output shaft by the first and second suns.

4. The compound planetary gear transmission unit according to claim 2, wherein the torque transfer mechanism is configured to offset timing differences between the first and second suns.

5. The compound planetary gear transmission unit according to claim 2, wherein the torque transfer mechanism comprises a double-helical coupling mechanism configured to equalize torque differences transmitted to the output shaft by the first and second suns.