drive device

Abstract

Drive device, in particular unit load conveyor roller drive device, with at least one drive shaft (10) and at least one gear element (12) which is fitted onto the drive shaft (10) in at least one assembled state, characterized by at least one positive locking unit (14) which connects the drive shaft (10) and the gear element (12) in the assembled state at least with respect to one direction of rotation (42) of the drive shaft (10) in a positive locking manner, wherein the positive locking unit (14) has at least one drive positive locking element (20) which is part of the drive shaft (10), wherein the drive positive locking element (20) is designed as an external toothing (22) of the drive shaft (10), wherein the external toothing (22) is provided for a toothing with an external toothing (24') of a further gear element (26').

Description

State of the art

[0001] The invention relates to a drive device according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A drive device comprising a drive shaft and a gear element, which is connected to the drive shaft via an interference fit, is known from the prior art. A rotationally fixed connection between the drive shaft and the gear element is formed by frictional engagement and can only be released with considerable force.

[0003] EP 2 860 338 A2 a driven flap arrangement, in particular a tailgate arrangement, for a motor vehicle with a flap and with a flap drive for opening and / or closing the flap, wherein the flap drive comprises a motor with a motor shaft and a motor pinion and at least one planetary gear with sun gear, planet carrier with planet rolling elements arranged on bearing pins and ring gear, wherein the sun gear of the planetary gear is formed by the motor pinion and an output shaft is driven via the planetary gear, in which the motor pinion is mounted on the motor shaft.

[0004] WO 2015 / 188873 A1 relates to an automotive auxiliary electric motor with a motor rotor having multiple rotor coils, a mechanical commutator for energizing the rotor coils, and a permanent magnet motor stator with multiple magnetic poles. The motor stator consists of a single-piece, homogeneous stator body made of permanent magnet particles in a plastic compound. In the area of ​​the motor rotor containing the rotor coils, the stator body comprises a motor section and an axially adjacent support section. The wall thickness of the motor section is greater than the wall thickness of the support section.

[0005] KOLLMANN, FG: Form-fit shaft-hub connections, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 1984, discloses: In form-fit shaft-hub connections, normal forces are generated in one or more pairs of contact surfaces, which balance the external forces to be transmitted. The pairs of contact surfaces are always arranged symmetrically with respect to one or more planes containing the shaft axis. Such a symmetrical arrangement of two pairs of contact surfaces results in a driver. The plane of symmetry of each driver coincides with a meridional section of the shaft. The symmetry of the drivers enables the transmission of circumferential forces in both directions.

[0006] The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide a generic device with improved properties regarding the connection of a gear element and a drive shaft. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1, while advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims. Advantages of the invention

[0007] The invention relates to a drive device, in particular a unit load conveyor roller drive device, with at least one drive shaft and at least one gear element which is fitted onto the drive shaft in at least one mounted state.

[0008] It is proposed that the drive device shall have at least one positive locking unit which, in the assembled state, connects the drive shaft and the gear element to each other in a positive locking manner, at least with respect to one direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

[0009] The term "drive device" shall be understood to mean, in particular, a functional component, especially a structural and / or functional component, of a drive system. The term "drive" shall be understood to mean, in particular, an apparatus designed for the generation, transmission, and / or conversion of an energy and / or motion parameter, especially a rotational motion parameter, particularly a direction of rotation and / or a rotational speed and / or a torque. Advantageously, the drive device comprises at least one motor, preferably an electric motor, with at least one drive shaft, and / or a gear unit, in particular with at least one output shaft.In particular, the gearbox unit provides a transmission between the motor's drive shaft and the output shaft, the output shaft being specifically designed to generate a rotational movement of a drive roller for unit load conveyors.

[0010] The term "drive shaft" is understood to mean, in particular, a component that is at least partially rod-shaped and is intended for transmitting rotary motion and / or torque, and / or advantageously also for supporting rotating parts. In particular, the drive shaft is intended to transmit the rotary motion of the motor, especially to the transmission unit.

[0011] The term "intended" should be understood to mean specifically programmed, designed, and / or equipped. The fact that an object is intended for a specific function should be understood to mean, in particular, that the object fulfills and / or executes this specific function in at least one application and / or operating state.

[0012] A "gear element" is understood to be, in particular, an element designed to interact with at least one other gear element, especially for the transmission and / or conversion of at least one energy and / or motion parameter, advantageously a rotary motion and / or torque. In particular, the gear element is designed to form an input to the gear unit. Specifically, the gear element should form at least one, preferably exactly one, input stage of the gear unit. An "input stage" is understood to be, in particular, a contact point with power transmission to another component of the gear unit, such as another gear element. The gear element preferably forms a sun gear of a planetary gear system.Preferably, the transmission element and the drive shaft are at least partially made of an at least largely identical, in particular metallic, material and / or of two materials with similar properties, in particular similar hardness.

[0013] The term "assembled state" refers in particular to a state in which the drive device is in an arrangement intended for normal operation. Specifically, in the assembled state, the drive shaft and the transmission element are in a mutual operative connection.

[0014] The term "positive locking" is understood to mean, in particular, that adjacent surfaces of positively locked components exert a holding force on each other in the normal direction of the surfaces. Specifically, the components are in geometric engagement with one another. In addition to the positive locking connection, a force-fit and / or material-fit connection may be provided between the drive shaft and the transmission element.

[0015] Such a design allows for improved properties regarding the connection between the gear element and the drive shaft. In particular, improved torque and / or power transmission can be advantageously achieved. Furthermore, a simple and / or reversible connection between the drive shaft and the gear element can be advantageously achieved, thereby enabling non-destructive assembly and / or disassembly. Additionally, simplified replacement of the gear element is advantageously facilitated. This allows for increased flexibility, especially through the ability to combine a single drive shaft with various gear elements. Furthermore, variance and thus complexity are advantageously reduced, particularly by reducing the number of input stages to a single input stage and / or eliminating the need for multiple input stages.This can result in advantageous savings in material and / or production costs.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the gear element be fitted onto the drive shaft with some play, where "play" is understood in particular as a limited retention of freedom of movement between two interlocking components. This advantageously allows for simple and / or reversible and / or non-destructive assembly and / or disassembly. Furthermore, fitting the components with some play advantageously avoids potential material stresses caused by tension and / or strain.

[0017] Furthermore, it is proposed that the positive locking unit comprises at least one positive locking element which is part of the transmission element, wherein the positive locking element may in particular be designed as a surface geometry, in particular as an inner surface geometry of a recess of the transmission element which preferably forms a receptacle for the drive shaft, such as a toothed section and / or a polygonal shape and / or an oval shape and / or another surface geometry known to those skilled in the art, and / or preferably as at least one recess and / or as at least one hole for receiving a bolt and / or a cam and / or another geometry known to those skilled in the art, designed to correspond with a recess and / or a hole.In particular, it is conceivable that the positive-locking transmission element is at least partially designed as a bolt and / or a cotter pin, which engages, in particular, at least partially in a recess of the drive shaft and / or the transmission element. This advantageously achieves a positive lock, which can particularly prevent possible slippage, especially the occurrence of friction and the associated loss of kinetic energy. Preferably, the transmission element is formed in one piece.The term "one-piece" shall be understood to mean, in particular, at least materially bonded, for example by a welding process, an adhesive bonding process, an injection molding process and / or another process that appears sensible to the person skilled in the art, and / or advantageously formed in one piece, such as by production from a single casting and / or by production in a single or multi-component injection molding process and advantageously from a single blank.

[0018] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the positive-locking transmission element be designed as an internal toothing of the transmission element. In this context, "internal toothing" is understood to mean, in particular, a toothing that circumferentially surrounds an inner recess of the transmission element, in which preferably all tooth tips, preferably spaced evenly spaced circumferentially, point in a radially inward direction. This advantageously allows a particularly effective positive locking action to be achieved. In particular, this allows the force transmission to be advantageously distributed over a plurality of teeth, especially evenly.

[0019] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the positive locking unit comprises at least one drive positive locking element which is part of the drive shaft, wherein the drive positive locking element may in particular be designed as a surface geometry, in particular as a radial outer surface geometry of the drive shaft, such as a toothing and / or a polygonal shape and / or an oval shape and / or another surface geometry known to those skilled in the art, and / or preferably as at least one recess and / or as at least one hole for receiving a bolt and / or a cam and / or another geometry known to those skilled in the art, which is provided to correspond with a recess and / or a hole.In particular, it is conceivable that the positive-locking drive element is at least partially designed as a bolt and / or a cotter pin, which engages, in particular, at least partially in a recess of the drive shaft and / or the transmission element. This advantageously achieves a positive lock, which can particularly prevent possible slippage, especially the occurrence of friction and the associated loss of kinetic energy. Preferably, the drive shaft is formed in one piece.

[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the positive-locking drive element be designed as an external toothing of the drive shaft. Specifically, an "external toothing" is understood to be a toothing, particularly on a radially outwardly directed surface, circumferentially, in which preferably all tooth tips, preferably spaced evenly in the circumferential direction, point in a radially outward direction. This advantageously allows a particularly effective positive locking action to be achieved. In particular, this allows the force transmission to be advantageously distributed over a plurality of teeth, especially evenly.

[0021] Preferably, the external teeth are designed to mesh with the external teeth of another gear element. It is particularly conceivable that the other gear element forms a planetary gear of a planetary gear set. In particular, the external teeth can advantageously mesh with the external teeth of a plurality of other gear elements. This allows for increased flexibility, especially since the drive shaft is compatible with various gear units and / or gear elements. In particular, this makes the drive shaft advantageously suitable for use with or without an additional gear element attached. This allows for a wider range of applications.

[0022] If the internal teeth are designed to correspond to the external teeth, a particularly effective positive locking and / or a particularly effective force and / or torque transmission can be advantageously achieved.

[0023] Advantageously, the positive locking unit connects the drive shaft and the gear element, at least partially, with respect to one axial direction of the drive shaft. This advantageously allows for an ideal fit of the drive shaft in the gear element, in which, in particular, the applied force and / or torque is distributed as evenly as possible across the positive locking unit during operation. Specifically, the positive locking unit provides a stop in the axial direction, which advantageously facilitates assembly, particularly by defining an optimal insertion depth of the drive shaft and preferably preventing slippage in the axial direction of the drive shaft.

[0024] Furthermore, it is proposed that the external teeth have an inner radius that is smaller than the outer radius of the drive shaft at an untoothed section of the drive shaft. Here, "shaft" is understood to mean, in particular, a straight, slender part of a component, especially the drive shaft. The "inner radius" is understood to mean, in particular, the radius of a circle that touches the respective surface points of all recesses between adjacent teeth that are closest to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft. The "outer radius" of the drive shaft is understood to mean, in particular, the radius of a circle that lies on the surface of the drive shaft's shank, especially directly at the transition from the untoothed to the toothed section.Preferably, the transition between the inner radius of the external teeth and the outer radius of the drive shaft forms a stop, which is specifically designed to limit the insertion depth of the gear element. This advantageously ensures an ideal fit of the drive shaft in the gear element, where, in particular, the applied force and / or torque is distributed as evenly as possible across the positive-locking unit during operation. Furthermore, assembly can be advantageously simplified, especially by defining an optimal insertion depth of the drive shaft and preferably preventing axial slippage of the drive shaft. This also results in high stability of the assembly.

[0025] Furthermore, it is proposed that the drive device includes an electric motor which has the drive shaft and is designed to continuously drive the gear element. This advantageously allows for a speed reduction and / or torque modification between the rotational movement of the drive shaft, which corresponds in particular to the motor's rotational movement, and the rotational movement of the output shaft, which preferably corresponds to the rotational movement of a drive roller for unit load conveyors.

[0026] The drive device according to the invention is not intended to be limited to the application and embodiment described above. In particular, the drive device according to the invention may, to achieve a functionality described herein, comprise a different number of individual elements, components, and units than the number mentioned herein. Drawings

[0027] Further advantages become apparent from the following description of the drawings. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.

[0028] They show: Fig. 1. A perspective view of an electric motor drive with a drive device, Fig. 2 a perspective view of a drive shaft and a gear element of the drive device, Fig. 3 a perspective view of part of a gear unit of the drive device, Fig. 4 a perspective view of the drive shaft and Fig. 5 a perspective view of part of another gear unit Description of the exemplary implementations

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows an electric motor drive 40 with a drive device in an assembled state. The drive device includes an electric motor 52. The drive device has a drive shaft 10 and a gear element 12. The drive shaft 10 is part of the electric motor 52. The gear element 12 is installed as part of a gear unit 38 of the drive device. The gear element 12 is fitted onto the drive shaft 10. The drive shaft 10 has a shaft 34. The shaft 34 is connected to a rotor (not shown) of the electric motor 52. The electric motor 52 is designed to continuously drive the gear element 12.

[0030] The drive shaft 10 rotates in operation about an axis of rotation 54 extending in the axial direction 28 in one of the directions of rotation 42. The gear unit 38 translates a rotation of the drive shaft 10 into a rotation of an output shaft 36 of the gear unit 38.

[0031] Fig. Figure 2 shows the gear element 12 mounted on the drive shaft 10. The gear element 12 is mounted on the drive shaft 10 with some play. The drive shaft 10 is inserted into the gear element 12. The drive device has a positive locking unit 14, which, in the assembled state, positively connects the drive shaft 10 and the gear element 12, at least with respect to the directions of rotation 42. The positive locking unit 14 has a gear positive locking element 16, which is part of the gear element 12. The positive locking unit 14 has a drive positive locking element 20, which is part of the drive shaft 10.

[0032] The transmission positive locking element 16 is designed as an internal toothing 18 of the transmission element 12. The drive positive locking element 20 is designed as an external toothing 22 of the drive shaft 10. The transmission positive locking element 16 and the drive positive locking element 20 are designed to correspond to each other. The transmission positive locking element 16 and the drive positive locking element 20 engage with each other and form a positive-locking connection. Additionally, the transmission element 12 includes an external toothing 56.

[0033] The gear element 12 is formed in one piece. The drive shaft 10 is formed in one piece.

[0034] The rear side 46 of the gear element 12 together with the front side 48 of the drive shaft 10 forms an essentially flat surface.

[0035] Fig. Figure 3 shows a part of the gear unit 38 in a perspective view. The gear unit 38 comprises a planetary gear 44 with three further gear elements 26, each with an additional external toothing 24. The gear elements 26 form planet gears of the planetary gear 44. Gear element 12 forms a sun gear of the planetary gear 44. In an assembled state of the gear unit 38, the additional external toothing 24 of the further gear elements 26 are in mesh with the external toothing 56 of gear element 12.

[0036] Fig. Figure 4 shows the drive shaft 10 with the external teeth 22 and the shaft 34. The external teeth 22 of the drive shaft 10 extend from the front end of the drive shaft 10 to an edge 50 of the positive-locking drive element 20 and have an inner radius 30. The shaft 34 has an outer radius 32. The inner radius 30 is smaller than the outer radius 32. The edge 50 forms a stop that cannot be overcome by the gear element 12 when it is fitted. Thus, the positive-locking unit 14 connects the drive shaft 10 and the gear element 12 at least partially with respect to the axial direction 28 of the drive shaft 10. The edge 50 thus advantageously achieves a positive lock in the axial direction 28.

[0037] Fig.Figure 5 shows another possible use of the drive shaft 10. In this case, the use of the gear element 12 is omitted. The external toothing 22 of the drive shaft 10 is designed to mesh with another external toothing 24' of further gear elements 26'. The further gear elements 26' form planet gears of a planetary gear set 44'. In an assembled state, the drive shaft 10 itself forms a sun gear of the planetary gear set 44'.

Claims

[1] Drive device, in particular unit load conveyor roller drive device, with at least one drive shaft (10) and at least one gear element (12) which is fitted onto the drive shaft (10) in at least one assembled state, characterized by at least one positive locking unit (14) which connects the drive shaft (10) and the gear element (12) in the assembled state at least with respect to one direction of rotation (42) of the drive shaft (10) in a positive locking manner, wherein the positive locking unit (14) has at least one drive positive locking element (20) which is part of the drive shaft (10), wherein the drive positive locking element (20) is designed as an external toothing (22) of the drive shaft (10), wherein the external toothing (22) is provided for a toothing with an external toothing (24') of a further gear element (26'). [2] Drive device according to claim 1, characterized by, that the gear element (12) is fitted onto the drive shaft (10) with play. [3] Drive device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the positive locking unit (14) has at least one positive locking transmission element (16) which is part of the transmission element (12). [4] Drive device according to claim 3, characterized by , that the transmission positive locking element (16) is designed as an internal toothing (18) of the transmission element (12). [5] Drive device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the internal toothing (18) is designed to correspond to the external toothing (22). [6] Drive device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the positive locking unit (14) connects the drive shaft (10) and the gear element (12) at least partially in a positive locking manner with respect to at least one axial direction (28) of the drive shaft (10). [7] Drive device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the external toothing (22) has an inner radius (30) which is smaller than an outer radius (32) of the drive shaft (10) on an untoothed shank (34) of the drive shaft (10). [8] Drive device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an electric motor (52) which has the drive shaft (10) and which is intended for a continuous drive of the transmission element (12). [9] Electric motor drive (40) with a drive device according to one of the preceding claims.

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