Floating Ring Gear Lubrication for Roadheader Gearboxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Roadheader gearboxes experience misalignment and premature wear due to axial and radial forces, leading to gear destruction, and existing lubrication systems are prone to leaks and vibration-induced failures.
Innovation Solution
A floating gearbox design with spherical bearings and spline connections allows the gear system to maintain optimal alignment, and a lubrication system using a floating ring gear and O-rings ensures consistent lubrication despite tilting and vibrations, while over-torque protection and cooling compartments prevent damage and overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the ring gear is affixed to the housing of the gearbox, then the axial and radial forces are transmitted to the ring gear through the housing, but this causes misalignment of the gears and other components leading to abnormal wear and destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the force transmission function from the gear mounting function by introducing a floating ring gear that is not rigidly affixed to the housing. The ring gear is supported by multiple spherical bearings distributed around the housing, allowing the gear system to be segmented into independent functional modules that can accommodate relative movements without compromising overall integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The floating ring gear design allows the gear system to dynamically adjust its position in response to varying axial and radial forces. The spherical bearings enable the ring gear to float and self-align, transforming the static rigid connection into a dynamic adaptive system that maintains optimal gear alignment under different loading conditions
2Ease of operation
If an internal tube with internal connections is used for lubrication, then lubrication can be provided to the bearings, but the internal connections present potential for leaks that allow water to enter the gearbox
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vulnerable internal connections from the lubrication system by using an external tube that passes through the housing wall. This eliminates the need for internal penetrations and connections within the gearbox, removing the potential leak paths while maintaining effective lubrication delivery to the spherical bearings
Solution Approach 2:
The external tube acts as an intermediary element that bridges the external lubrication source and the internal bearing lubrication points without requiring internal connections. The tube passes through sealed openings in the housing, providing a controlled interface between the external and internal environments that prevents water ingress while allowing lubricant flow
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cutter head and gearbox are inclined with respect to horizontal, then the roadheader can operate in a range of motion, but the bearings are lifted out of the lubricating oil causing lubrication problems
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical bearings are positioned such that they automatically receive lubrication from the oil reservoir through gravity and capillary action, without requiring the gearbox to maintain a specific orientation. The bearing design and positioning enable the system to self-service its lubrication needs across a range of inclinations, eliminating the limitation of fixed orientation
Solution Approach 2:
The floating bearing configuration allows the bearings to dynamically adjust their position relative to the oil reservoir as the gearbox inclination changes. The bearings maintain continuous contact with the lubricating oil through their floating mechanism, ensuring consistent lubrication delivery regardless of the operational angle
4Power
If the tube vibrates within the gearbox due to extreme vibrations, then the cutter head can cut into soil and rock, but the connections leak due to the vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vibration-prone connections from the internal gearbox environment by using an external tube configuration. The tube is externally mounted and secured to the housing, removing it from the high-vibration zone where it would otherwise be susceptible to connection failure, while still allowing it to flex and accommodate the vibrations without leaking
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The floating gearbox design prevents gear misalignment and wear, while the lubrication system maintains effective lubrication and the over-torque protection and cooling compartments enhance the gearbox's reliability and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
The planet gears of the planetary gear system engage the internal gear of the floating ring gear pumping oil through the floating ring gear, the annulus, the gear box housing, the cover and the shaft output spherical bearing
Implementation Method 2
First and second O-rings reside in the first and second grooves of the outer surface of the O-rings and seal the annulus formed by the space between the exterior surface of the ring gear and the interior surface of the housing
Implementation Method 3
A bearing lubrication system includes a gearbox housing wherein the gearbox housing includes a planetary gear system... The planet gears of the planetary gear system engage the internal gear of the floating ring gear pumping oil through the floating ring gear
Data Source
AI summary
Lubricating oil is forced and pumped into and through the first passageway through the floating ring gear and into the annulus between the gearbox housing and the floating ring gear. Lubricating oil from the annulus is pumped into and through the second passageway and through the joint between the second and third passageway, and through the third passageway into the void in the cover. Thereafter the oil passes through the fourth passageway between the void in the cover and the circumferential recess in the cover and lubricating the bearing mounted adjacent the recess in the cover/housing.