Gear Unit External Oil Collection via Check Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear units require a complex construction to manage the separate lubrication oils for toothed wheels and bearings, necessitating a common oil return system that complicates the design and requires additional chambers and seals.
Innovation Solution
The gear unit design allows for direct external collection of toothing and bearing lubricating oils from separate spaces within the gear unit housing, eliminating the need for a common oil return chamber and associated complex construction elements, using a combination of check valves and pumps for oil management in both atmospheric and partial vacuum operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common oil return chamber is used to collect both toothing and bearing lubricating oils, then the gear unit can be constructed with a unified oil collection system, but the device complexity increases due to additional chambers, seals, and hydraulic shut-off flaps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the oil collection system into separate pathways: toothing lubricating oil is collected directly from the toothing space via a first oil line, and bearing lubricating oil is collected directly from the bearing space via a second oil line. Both lines lead separately to the external oil collecting receptacle, eliminating the need for a common internal collection chamber and associated complex sealing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the oil collection function from the internal gear unit structure and relocates it to an external oil collecting receptacle. This allows both toothing and bearing oils to be collected outside the gear unit housing, simplifying the internal structure by removing the need for internal collection chambers, hydraulic shut-off flaps, and multiple seals.
2Device complexity
If separate oil lines are used for toothing and bearing lubricating oils leading directly to external collection, then the construction is simplified, but additional components like check valves and pumps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the collection destination of both toothing and bearing lubricating oils to a single external oil collecting receptacle. While the collection pathways are separate, they converge at the external receptacle, allowing unified external management of both oil types without requiring complex internal switching mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The check valves in the oil lines automatically regulate oil flow based on pressure differential, enabling self-regulating oil collection without requiring active control mechanisms. The system uses the natural pressure differences between the toothing space, bearing space, and external receptacle to drive oil flow, with check valves preventing backflow.
3Reliability
If toothing space is operated in partial vacuum for improved lubrication, then lubricating oil can be directed more effectively to toothed wheels, but oil removal becomes more difficult without complex hydraulic shut-off mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the partial vacuum environment of the toothing space and the external oil collecting receptacle. It allows oil to be removed from the toothing space under partial vacuum conditions by opening only when the pressure differential favors outward flow, while preventing external contaminants or pressure spikes from affecting the vacuum environment.
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
This design simplifies the gear unit construction by eliminating the need for a common oil return chamber and associated hydraulic shut-off flaps and seals, enabling efficient and direct oil collection from each space, thus reducing the complexity and enhancing operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
in partial vacuum operation under partial vacuum pressure
Implementation Method 2
the toothing lubricating oil can be conveyed from the toothing space into the oil collecting receptacle external to the gear unit via a delivery pump
Implementation Method 3
in atmospheric operation the toothing lubricating oil can be conveyed from the toothing space into the oil collecting receptacle external to the gear unit at least via a check valve
Data Source
AI summary
Gear unit with a gear unit housing, a drive-side and an output-side shaft and a gear ratio stage. The gear unit housing has a toothing space in which there are intermeshing toothed wheels and a bearing space separated from the toothing space. The bearing space in which bearing lubricating oil can be collected is operated under atmospheric pressure. The bearing lubricating oil is guided from the bearing space to an oil collecting receptacle external to the gear unit. The toothing lubricating oil collected in the toothing space is fed to the oil collecting receptacle to be at least partially separated from the bearing lubricating oil. In partial vacuum operation the toothing lubricating oil is conveyed from the toothing space into the oil collecting via a delivery pump, and in atmospheric operation, the toothing lubricating oil is conveyed from the toothing space into the oil collecting receptacle via a check valve.