Gear case having three lubricant chambers

• US 5,768,954 A
• Filed: 10/21/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Grabherr, Werner, Sellmair, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Battista, Mary Ann
• Application Number:
  US08/727,514
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 74/606 A, 74/467, 74/606 R, 184/11.1, 184/13.1, 184/6.12
• US Class Current: 74/606.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0447 Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/045 Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0453 Section walls to divide a gear sump
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0483 Axle or inter-axle differentials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19991 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2186 Gear casings

Abstract

A gear case for a vehicle which has three casing chambers in which a first wall (11) separates the first (2) and the second (3) casing chambers from one another. The first wall (11) determines an upper lubricant level (22) while a lower lubricant level (21) of the gear casing is set by the volume of lubricant in the first (2) and the third (4) casing chambers.

Claims

1. A gear case (1) having first, second and third casing chambers (2-4), said first casing chamber (2) being separated from said second casing chamber (3) by a first wall (11), a height of said first wall (11) defining an upper lubricant level (22) so that any increase in a volume of lubricant, due to a temperature increase, causes said lubricant to flow from said first casing chamber (2) into said second casing chamber (3), and a basket wheel (6) being located within said second casing chamber (3) for scooping and conveying lubricant located therein, said third casing chamber (4) being separated from said second casing chamber (3) by a second wall (13), and said third casing chamber (4) being connected with said first casing chamber (2) by an aperture (19);

wherein said third casing chamber is formed from a plurality of individual chambers which are separated from one another by ribs (24-28), and each of said plurality of individual chambers are connected with one other by a passage, and a lower lubricant level (21) of said gear casing is defined by a volume of lubricant in said first and said third casing chambers (2 and

     4).

2. The gear case according to claim 1, wherein said first wall (11), located between said first and said second casing chambers (2, 3), has a passage (23) which allows for compensation of different lubricant levels, in said first and second casing chambers (2, 3), when said gear casing is inactive.

3. A gear case (1) in a vehicle having a first casing chamber (2) having a lubricant sump from which lubricant is conveyed via a pump (20) to places in said gear case to be lubricated, a second casing chamber (3) being separated from said first casing chamber (2) by a first wall (11), a third casing chamber (4) being connected with said first casing chamber (2) by an aperture (19) and being separated from said second casing chamber (3) by a second wall (13), a height of said first wall (11) between said first and second casing chambers (2, 3) defining an upper lubricant level (22) so that any increase in a volume of lubricant, resulting from an elevation in lubricant temperature, flows into said second casing chamber (3) for conveyance by a bucket wheel (6) being located in said second casing chamber (3), and a lower lubricant level (21) being defined by a lubricant volume in said first and said third casing chambers (2, 4);

and

lubricant from said bucket wheel (6) is conveyed to containers (14,

     16) which have a discharge aperture (15,

     18).

4. The gear case according to claim 3, wherein said containers (14, 16) are located within said gear case (1).