Gearbox oil transfer

Abstract

A gear box including a main housing carrying an input shaft and an output shaft, a carrier mounted on the housing having a bore, an isolator plate mounted on the carrier having a bore aligned with the bore of the carrier, and an isolator mounted on the isolator plate having a bore aligned with the bores of the isolator plate and the carrier. The carrier includes a sump spaced from the bore and a return passage in fluid communication with the sump, the return passage extending through the carrier to the main housing. The isolator plate includes an inner surface and an oilway formed therein, the oilway extending from the inner surface to the sump such that the inner surface is in fluid communication with the main housing through the oilway, the sump and the return passage, fluid from the inner surface being drawn into the main housing through the oilway, the sump and the return passage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an oil transfer device for a gearbox, and more particularly to a system for preventing oil leakage by transferring oil from a shaft through-hole back into the gearbox. Background Technology

[0002] Gear drives are commonly used between a drive and a driven component to, for example, change the speed or torque of the drive to the speed or torque required by the driven component. For instance, a gear drive can be used between a motor and a fan to drive the fan at a speed different from the motor's output speed.

[0003] This type of gear transmission is integrated into a gearbox and is typically housed within a gearbox body or casing. Internal components of the gearbox, such as gears as bearings, require lubrication to reduce friction, wear, and heat. The lubricating medium, typically gear oil, is usually circulated within the casing by either forced or passive methods, such as an oil pump or splash lubrication.

[0004] In most gear systems or gearboxes, there is a through-hole or opening in the housing through which the input and / or output shafts pass. Various sealing mechanisms, such as radial lip seals, mechanical seals, or non-contact bearing isolators, are used at the through-hole to prevent oil leakage through the rotating shaft. However, radial lip seals and mechanical seals require direct contact with the rotating shaft, leading to frequent wear and leakage, and necessitating frequent replacement. While non-contact bearing isolators do not wear, they tend to leak when used in splash lubrication applications. This is especially true when the gearbox is oriented such that the shaft utilizing the non-contact bearing isolator is oriented in a horizontal plane.

[0005] One approach to addressing oil leaks in non-contact bearing isolators is to contain or "capture" any oil leaking from the shaft. This can contaminate the environment, waste lubricant, and lead to catastrophic failures due to oil loss. Another approach is to use an external system, such as oil lines, to collect the oil and redirect it to an auxiliary or main oil tank.

[0006] Therefore, a system is needed to prevent oil leakage through the rotating shaft in the gearbox using a non-contact bearing isolator. Ideally, such a system is a passive system. Even more ideally, such a system reduces contamination and waste by transferring the lubricating oil back to the gearbox. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In one aspect of this disclosure, the gearbox includes a main housing or housing, and an auxiliary housing or carrier, which together support an input shaft and an output shaft. The carrier typically serves as the auxiliary housing, supporting the shaft assembly and being mounted to the main housing by, for example, bolted connections. The carrier is mounted on the main housing and has a bore through which the input or output shaft extends. An isolator is mounted on the carrier and has a bore aligned with the bore in the carrier, through which the input or output shaft extends. A non-contact bearing isolator is mounted on the isolator and has a bore aligned with the bore in the isolator, through which the input or output shaft extends. The gearbox may include intermediate drive stages that do not require external penetration.

[0008] In one embodiment, the carrier includes a gathering well spaced from the shaft bore and a return oil passage in fluid communication with the gathering well and the main oil reservoir. The return oil passage extends through the carrier to the main casing.

[0009] The isolation plate includes an isolation dam with a main oil passage formed therein. The main oil passage is located on the rear or inner side of the isolation plate, extends from the inner surface of the isolation dam to a gathering well, and is in fluid communication with the main casing via the gathering well and a return oil passage. Fluid on the inner surface of the isolation dam is drawn into the main casing through the main oil passage, the gathering well, and the return oil passage.

[0010] The oil transfer system includes an integrated isolation dam within an isolation plate that limits the amount of oil reaching the rear or inner side of the bearing isolator. Oil passing through this barrier is transferred back to the main housing via a series of passages and channels, effectively preventing oil leakage through the rotating shaft penetrations in the gearbox.

[0011] In one embodiment, the auxiliary oil passage is an integral channel extending radially downward from a baffle plate hole. The baffle plate may include radial protrusions along which the auxiliary oil passage extends. In such an embodiment, the protrusions are aligned with the gathering well of the carrier.

[0012] In one embodiment, the carrier includes a protrusion containing a gathering well, which is aligned with a separator protrusion to provide continuity with the two separator passages. Return channels in the carrier are spaced apart above the bottom of the gathering well and may be parallel to or inclined to the borehole orientation. The return channels extend from the gathering well to the main reservoir.

[0013] On one hand, an oil transfer system for a gearbox is disclosed, for a gearbox having a main housing, an input shaft, and an output shaft. The oil transfer system includes an auxiliary housing or carrier mountable to the main housing of the gearbox. The carrier has a bore through which the input or output shaft extends. An isolator plate is mounted on the carrier and has a bore aligned with the bore on the carrier, through which the input or output shaft extends. An isolator stator is mounted to an isolator plate and has a bore concentric with the bore on the isolator plate, through which the input or output shaft extends. An isolator rotor is fixed to a shaft extending through the aforementioned components.

[0014] The carrier includes a gathering well spaced from the shaft bore and a return channel in fluid communication with the gathering well. The return channel extends through the carrier to the main casing. In one embodiment, the baffle may include features that reduce the inner diameter, such as a radially inwardly oriented lip or baffle dam located adjacent to the oil passage. The baffle includes a baffle dam and main and auxiliary oil passages formed therein. The main oil passage extends from the inner surface of the baffle dam to the gathering well, such that the inner surface is in fluid communication with the main casing through the main oil passage, the gathering well, and the return channel. In such an embodiment, the flow path is defined to draw fluid from the inner surface of the baffle dam through the baffle main oil passage, the gathering well, and the return channel into the main casing.

[0015] In one embodiment, the auxiliary passage is an integral channel extending radially from a hole formed in a separator. The separator may include protrusions along which the auxiliary passage extends. The protrusions may be aligned with a gathering well.

[0016] In one embodiment, the carrier includes a protrusion containing a gathering well, which is aligned with a separator protrusion to provide continuity with the two separator passages. Return channels within the carrier may be spaced apart above the bottom of the gathering well. The channels may be oriented parallel to or inclined to the borehole.

[0017] On the other hand, the gearbox includes an auxiliary housing mounted on the main housing, which carries the input shaft and / or output shaft. An isolator plate is mounted on the carrier, and an isolator stator is mounted on the isolator plate. A concentric bore extends through the carrier, the isolator plate, and the isolator, through which the input or output shaft passes.

[0018] The oil return channel extends from the isolator to the main housing. The oil return channel communicates with the shaft bore and is configured to return the oil from the isolator to the main housing.

[0019] In one embodiment, the return oil passage communicates with a shaft bore at the separator. The return oil passage may be an integral radially extending passage formed in the separator. The separator may include features that reduce the inner diameter, such as a radially inwardly oriented lip disposed adjacent to the oil passage.

[0020] This disclosure can be further understood by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which will be briefly described below. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Embodiments of systems and methods for preventing leakage through rotating shafts by transferring oil within a gearbox are disclosed as examples and are not limited to the accompanying drawings, wherein reference numerals in the drawings denote similar elements, wherein:

[0022] Figure 1A and 1BThese are isometric and front views of an example gearbox having a main housing or auxiliary housing or carrier, and an embodiment having a gearbox oil transfer device;

[0023] Figure 2 It is an isometric view of the auxiliary housing, the isolation plate and the isolator, and the input shaft extending through the isolator;

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Side view of the carrier, isolation plate, isolator and shaft assembly;

[0025] Figure 4 Is with Figure 2 A similar view, in which the axis components have been removed for easier viewing;

[0026] Figure 5 This is an isometric view of the isolation panel removed from the carrier;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the isolation plate;

[0028] Figure 7 Is with Figure 4 A similar view, in which the isolation panels and isolators have been removed for easier observation;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the carrier, showing the isolation plate and isolator, as well as the shaft assembly extending through the isolator; and

[0030] Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view of a horizontal carrier. Detailed Implementation

[0031] While this disclosure is readily available in various forms of embodiments, preferred embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described below. It should be understood that this disclosure should be considered as exemplary and not intended to limit it to the specific embodiments shown.

[0032] A novel device or system is disclosed that prevents or reduces oil leakage from gearbox 12 by transferring oil within gearbox 12 from the area of ​​the main housing 16 or auxiliary housing 26, including the through member, back to the main housing oil reservoir. Figure 1A and 1B An example of a gearbox 16 is shown, which has a system 10 for preventing or reducing oil leakage. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term gearbox 12 refers to the entire assembly, including the main housing or housing 16, the auxiliary housing or carrier 26, the input and output shafts 18, 20, and all internal components, such as the gears 22 and bearings 24 within the housing 16. The terms gear housing, gear housing, housing, and enclosure are used interchangeably and refer to the housing containing the gears 22 and other power transmission components.

[0033] Gear 22 and bearing 24 are contained in housing 16 or auxiliary housing 26. Figure 2-3 Partial views of housing 16 or auxiliary housing 26 are shown in Figures 8-9. Input shaft 20 is connected to a motor (not shown), and driven components such as a fan (not shown) are mounted or connected to output shaft 18.

[0034] The housing 16 has an auxiliary housing or horizontal carrier 26, a partition plate 28, and an isolator 30 mounted on the housing 16. The carrier 26, partition plate 28, and isolator 30 provide a through-hole 14a through which the input shaft 20 exits the housing 16. Figure 2-4 As shown in Figure 8, a horizontal carrier 26 is mounted on a housing 16, a partition plate 28 is mounted on the carrier 26, and an isolator 30 is installed in an opening 32b in the partition plate 28. The isolator 30 serves as a sealing device for the input shaft 20. The through-holes or holes 32a, 32b, and 32c located in the carrier 26, the partition plate 28, and the isolator 30, respectively, are concentric and allow the shaft 20 to pass through.

[0035] It should be understood that gearbox 12 contains a medium, such as oil, which serves as a lubricant for gear 22 and bearing 24. The oil reduces friction and wear on the loaded rotating parts, such as gear 22 and bearing 24, while also providing a cooling medium for the components. However, the lubricant, such as oil, can leak from the main housing 16 or auxiliary housing 26 at housing penetrations 14a, 14b. For example, oil can leak from the interface between the input shaft 20 and the isolator 30, or from the isolator / rotor interface. Oil leaks can damage gearbox 16 or cause unnecessary contamination to the surrounding area.

[0036] To contain the oil within the main housing 16 and the auxiliary housing 26 and to reduce leakage, one embodiment of the gearbox oil transfer system 10 uses an improved carrier 26 and a partition plate 28, such as Figure 5-9 The best option is shown below. First, refer to... Figure 7-9 The carrier 26 includes a body 34, which is generally circular in shape and has a front or outer end 36 and a rear or inner end 38. The rear or inner end 38 mates with the main housing 16, and a partition plate 28 is mounted on the front or outer end 36. An integral gathering well 42 is formed within a lower radial protrusion 40. A return oil passage 44 extends longitudinally from the gathering well 42 through the carrier 26 to provide fluid communication with the main housing 16 of the gearbox 12.

[0037] Referring to references 5, 6, and 8, the separator 28 is generally circular in shape (to mate with the front end 36 of the carrier) and includes radial protrusions 48 such that the separator 28 is mounted on and mates with the front end 36 of the carrier. The separator protrusions 48 cover the carrier protrusions 40 and the gathering well 42. The separator 28 has a thickness t defining a concentric hole 32b. 28The diameter of the portion near the rear end of the orifice 32b decreases, forming a lip 52 that acts as an isolation dam to limit the amount of oil allowed to enter the cavity 74 located behind the isolator 30.

[0038] An integral oil passage 56 is formed in the partition plate 28. In one embodiment, the oil passage 56 is formed as a channel extending radially downward from the partition plate hole 32b into the partition plate protrusion 48. The oil passage 56 turns rearward toward the rear end 54 of the partition plate 28 and opens 60. The opening 60 is aligned with the gathering well 42 located in the carrier protrusion 40. Thus, the partition plate hole 32b is in fluid communication with the main reservoir of the main casing 16 as the oil passage 56 passes through the partition plate 28 into the carrier gathering well 42 and through the carrier return oil passage 44. Figure 8 As shown in the optimal diagram, the height h of the return oil channel 44 is... 44 It is higher than the height of the oil passage 56 into the gathering well 42.

[0039] In one embodiment, the isolator plate 28 is secured to the front or outer end 36 of the carrier by a series of fasteners 62. The isolator stator is mounted in the isolator plate 28 by an interference fit.

[0040] Refer again Figure 8 Oil circulates in gearbox 12 through one or more oil passages, such as oil passage 70. Relative to carrier 26, oil flows into and around bearings 24 and shafts 18, 20. Therefore, oil is prone to leaking at the through-hole 14a of shaft 20, and more specifically at the interface 72 of the isolator stator and rotor.

[0041] When oil flows toward isolator 30, the isolation dam 52 of isolation plate 28 restricts its flow past the rear end 54 of the isolation plate. However, considering the fluid properties of the oil and the splashing effect within gearbox 12, oil may escape and flow past the isolation dam 52 into the cavity 74 between isolator 30 and isolation plate 28.

[0042] In this system, oil entering cavity 74 will not leak from the isolator stator / rotor interface 72. Instead, the oil is discharged into oil passage 56 and collected in oil collection well 42. As oil fills oil collection well 42, it will reach the height or elevation of return oil passage 44 in carrier 26 and flow towards main housing 16, as indicated by arrow 76. Additionally, the natural pumping action of bearing 24 draws oil away from return oil passage 44 and oil collection well 42, thereby significantly reducing or eliminating leakage at the shaft penetration and isolator stator / rotor interface 72.

[0043] It should be understood that the system of this disclosure prevents oil leakage from the gearbox 12 by transferring oil within the housing 16 to a region of the housing that includes a through-hole, such as through-hole 72, wherein the system is shown only as an example. It should also be understood that this system can be used in a variety of devices and systems that contain lubricant within a housing and seal through-holes into such a housing, and such other systems are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[0044] In this disclosure, the words “a” or “one” will be understood to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to the plural term should include the singular term where appropriate. All patents and published applications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, whether or not explicitly stated in the text of this disclosure.

[0045] Those skilled in the art will also understand that any relative directional terms such as side, upper, lower, top, bottom, rear, inner, front, outer, etc., may be used for illustrative purposes only and may not be intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] As will be observed from the foregoing, many modifications and variations can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concept of this disclosure. It should be understood that there is no intention to limit or infer limitations from the specific embodiments shown.

Claims

1. A gearbox, comprising: A main housing that supports the input and output shafts; A carrier, mounted on the main housing, the carrier having a hole, wherein one of the input shaft and the output shaft extends through the hole in the carrier; An isolation plate is mounted on the carrier and has a hole aligned with a hole in the carrier, wherein one of the input shaft and the output shaft extends through the hole in the isolation plate; An isolator is mounted on the isolator plate and has a hole aligned with a hole in the isolator plate, wherein one of the input shaft and the output shaft extends through the hole in the isolator plate; The carrier includes an oil gathering well spaced apart from the carrier orifice, and an oil return channel in fluid communication with the oil gathering well and extending through the carrier to the main casing. The isolation plate includes an inner surface and an oil passage formed therein, the oil passage extending from the inner surface to the gathering well, such that the inner surface is in fluid communication with the main casing via the oil passage, the gathering well, and the return oil passage. The fluid at the inner surface is drawn into the main casing through the oil passage, the gathering well, and the return passage.

2. The gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil passage is a radially extending channel formed in the partition plate.

3. The gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The partition plate includes protrusions, and the oil passages extend along the protrusions.

4. The gearbox according to claim 3, characterized in that, The protrusion is aligned with the oil gathering well.

5. The gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle plate includes a radially inwardly oriented lip positioned near the oil passage.

6. The gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The return oil channel is spaced apart from the bottom of the oil gathering well.

7. The gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil return channel is oriented parallel to or inclined to the carrier hole.

8. The gearbox according to claim 3, characterized in that, The carrier includes protrusions aligned with the baffle plate protrusions, and the oil gathering well is formed in the carrier protrusions.

9. An oil transfer system for a gearbox, the gearbox having a housing, an input shaft, and an output shaft, the system comprising: A carrier that can be mounted onto a gearbox housing has a hole through which one of the input shaft and the output shaft extends; An isolation plate is mounted on the carrier and has a hole aligned with a hole in the carrier, wherein one of the input shaft and the output shaft extends through the hole in the isolation plate; An isolator is mounted on the isolator plate and has a hole aligned with a hole in the isolator plate, wherein one of the input shaft and the output shaft extends through the hole in the isolator plate; The carrier includes an oil gathering well separated from the carrier orifice and an oil return channel in fluid communication with the oil gathering well and extending through the carrier to the main casing. The isolation plate includes an inner surface and an oil passage formed therein, the oil passage extending from the inner surface to the gathering well, such that the inner surface is in fluid communication with the main casing via the oil passage, the gathering well, and the return oil passage. The flow path is defined as drawing fluid from the inner surface into the main casing through the oil passage, the oil gathering well, and the oil return passage.

10. The oil transfer system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The oil passage is a radially extending channel formed in the partition plate.

11. The oil transfer system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The partition plate includes protrusions, and the oil passages extend along the protrusions.

12. The oil transfer system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The protrusion is aligned with the oil gathering well.

13. The oil transfer system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The baffle plate includes a radially inwardly oriented lip disposed near the oil passage.

14. The oil transfer system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The return oil channel is spaced apart from the bottom of the oil gathering well.

15. The oil transfer system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The return oil channel is oriented parallel to or inclined to the carrier hole.

16. The oil transfer system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The carrier includes protrusions aligned with the baffle plate protrusions, and the oil gathering well is formed in the carrier protrusions.

17. A gearbox, comprising: A main housing that supports the input and output shafts; A carrier is installed on the main housing; An isolation plate is installed on the carrier; An isolator is mounted on the isolation plate; A shaft hole extends through the carrier, the isolation plate, and the isolator, the shaft hole accommodating one of the input shaft and the output shaft; and An oil return channel extends from the isolation plate to the main housing, the oil return channel communicating with the shaft hole and configured to return the oil at the isolation device to the main housing; The separator includes a radially inwardly oriented lip, the separator includes an inner surface and an oil passage formed therein, and the lip is disposed near the oil passage.

18. The gearbox according to claim 17, characterized in that, The oil return channel is connected to the shaft hole at the isolation plate.

19. The gearbox according to claim 17, characterized in that, A portion of the oil return channel is a radially extending channel formed in the isolation plate.

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