Generator set having coupling member between flywheel and generator

• US 9,774,230 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Chodavarapu, Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US14/951,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20170149305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 290 1 A, 464 96
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/003 Couplings; Details of shafts means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/02 Additional mass for increasing inertia, e.g. flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/025 for power storage
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

A generator set is disclosed. The generator set includes an engine and a flywheel coupled to the engine. The generator set further includes a generator having a housing and a hub portion configured to receive power from the engine. The generator set further includes a coupling member coupled to the flywheel and the hub portion within the housing of the generator. The coupling member includes an outer ring member disposed adjacent to the flywheel. The coupling member further includes an inner ring member disposed within the outer ring member. The coupling member further includes a plurality of blocks disposed within each of plurality of slots. The coupling member is disposed at an axial distance from an inner face of the housing. The housing of the generator includes one or more access openings to access the coupling member from outside the housing.

Claims

1. A generator set comprising:

an engine;

a flywheel coupled to the engine;

a generator having a housing and a hub portion configured to receive a power from the engine; and

a coupling member coupled to the flywheel and the hub portion within the housing of the generator, the coupling member comprising;

an outer ring member disposed adjacent to the flywheel, and coupled to the flywheel, the outer ring member having a plurality of first teeth extending from an inner surface thereof;

an inner ring member disposed within the outer ring member, and coupled to the hub portion, the inner ring member having a plurality of second teeth extending from an outer surface thereof, wherein each of the plurality of first teeth and each of the plurality of second teeth define a plurality of slots between the outer ring member and the inner ring member; and

a plurality of blocks disposed within each of the plurality of slots,

wherein the coupling member is disposed at an axial distance from an inner face of the housing, and wherein the housing comprises one or more access openings to access the coupling member from outside the housing.

2. The generator set of claim 1, wherein the flywheel comprises:

an annular body having a thickness defined between a first surface and a second surface; and

an annular flange extending from the second surface, and configured to engage with the outer ring member of the coupling member.

3. The generator set of claim 2, wherein the outer ring member comprises:

an annular ring body having a width defined between a first end and a second end; and

an annular projection extending from an outer surface of the annular ring body, the annular projection configured to couple to the annular flange of the flywheel using fastening members.

4. The generator set of claim 3, wherein a ratio of the thickness of the annular body of the flywheel to the width of the annular ring body of the outer ring member is in a range between 0.1 and 0.3.

5. The generator set of claim 3, wherein the plurality of blocks comprises:

a first block having a first width, and configured to abut the second surface of the annular body of the flywheel; and

a second block having a second width, and configured to abut the first block, and wherein the width of the annular ring body of the outer ring member is greater than or equal to a sum of the first width of the first block and the second width of the second block.

6. The generator set of claim 5 comprising a face plate coupled to the outer ring member, the face plate configured to restrict axial movement of the first block and the second block within each of the plurality of slots.

7. The generator set of claim 5, wherein the one or more access openings are configured to receive the first block and the second block therethrough.

8. The generator set of claim 1, wherein the axial distance is in a range between 75 mm and 125 mm.

9. A coupling member disposed between a flywheel of an engine and a generator, the coupling member comprising:

an outer ring member disposed adjacent to the flywheel, and coupled to the flywheel, the outer ring member having a plurality of first teeth extending from an inner surface thereof;

an inner ring member disposed within the outer ring member, and coupled to the generator, the inner ring member having a plurality of second teeth extending from an outer surface thereof, wherein each of the plurality of first teeth and each of the plurality of second teeth define a plurality of slots between the outer ring member and the inner ring member; and

a plurality of blocks disposed within each of the plurality of slots.

10. The coupling member of claim 9, wherein the outer ring member comprises:

a first annular ring body having a width defined between a first end and a second end; and

a first annular projection extending from an outer surface of the first annular ring body, the first annular projection configured to couple to an annular flange of the flywheel using fastening members.

11. The coupling member of claim 10, wherein the inner ring member comprises:

a second annular ring body having a width defined between a first end and a second end, wherein the width of the second annular ring body is less than or equal to the width of the first annular ring body; and

a second annular projection extending from an inner surface of the second annular ring body, the second annular projection configured to couple to a hub portion of the generator using fastening members.

12. The coupling member of claim 10, wherein the plurality of blocks comprises:

a first block having a first width, and configured to abut the flywheel; and

a second block having a second width, and configured to abut the first block, and wherein the width of the first annular ring body of the outer ring member is greater than or equal to a sum of the first width of the first block and the second width of the second block.

13. The coupling member of claim 12 comprising a face plate coupled to the outer ring member, the face plate configured to restrict axial movement of the first block and the second block within each of the plurality of slots.

14. A generator set comprising:

an engine;

a flywheel coupled to the engine;

a generator having a housing and a hub portion configured to receive power from the engine; and

a coupling member coupled to the flywheel and the hub portion within the housing of the generator, the coupling member comprising;

an outer ring member disposed adjacent to the flywheel, and coupled to the flywheel, the outer ring member having a plurality of first teeth extending from an inner surface thereof;

an inner ring member disposed within the outer ring member, and coupled to the hub portion, the inner ring member having a plurality of second teeth extending from an outer surface thereof, wherein each of the plurality of first teeth and each of the plurality of second teeth define a plurality of slots between the outer ring member and the inner ring member; and

a plurality of blocks disposed within each of the plurality of slots.

15. The generator set of claim 14, wherein the flywheel comprises:

an annular body having a thickness defined between a first surface and a second surface; and

an annular flange extending from the second surface, and configured to engage with the outer ring member of the coupling member.

16. The generator set of claim 15, wherein the outer ring member comprises:

a first annular ring body having a width defined between a first end and a second end; and

a first annular projection extending from an outer surface of the first annular ring body, the first annular projection configured to couple to the annular flange of the flywheel using fastening members.

17. The generator set of claim 16, wherein the inner ring member comprises:

a second annular ring body having a width defined between a first end and a second end, wherein the width of the second annular ring body is less than or equal to the width of the first annular ring body; and

a second annular projection extending from an inner surface of the second annular ring body, the second annular projection configured to couple to the hub portion of the generator using fastening members.

18. The generator set of claim 16, wherein the plurality of blocks comprises:

a first block having a first width, and configured to abut the second surface of the annular body of the flywheel; and

a second block having a second width, and configured to abut the first block, and wherein the width of the first annular ring body of the outer ring member is greater than or equal to a sum of the first width of the first block and the second width of the second block.

19. The generator set of claim 18 comprising a face plate coupled to the outer ring member, the face plate configured to restrict axial movement of the first block and the second block within each of the plurality of slots.

20. The generator set of claim 18, wherein the housing of the generator comprises one or more openings configured to receive the first block and the second block therethrough.