Agricultural Gearbox Fluid Reservoir Layout for Lower Churning Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machine gear arrangements experience excessive churning losses and heating due to fluctuating oil levels, leading to undesirable temperature increases, especially under high performance conditions.
Innovation Solution
A gear arrangement with a gear housing featuring a recess below the intermediate gear, separated by a separating agent, forms a fluid reservoir that maintains a stable oil level and reduces churning losses by allowing fluid to collect and flow through the gear housing for lubrication and cooling, with lateral fluid reservoirs ensuring consistent fluid supply and reducing fluid loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gears are partially immersed in oil for lubrication, then lubrication is provided, but churning losses occur and heat is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The gear housing interior is segmented into an upper working region and a lower fluid reservoir by a separating means. This segmentation allows the fluid to be stored in the lower region while only the necessary amount contacts the gears in the upper region, reducing churning losses while maintaining adequate lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
A separating means acts as an intermediary between the fluid reservoir and the gear working region. This separator controls fluid contact with gears, allowing lubrication when needed while preventing excessive immersion that causes churning losses.
2Reliability
If fluid level fluctuates to accommodate gear operation, then lubrication is maintained, but churning losses increase and heating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The interior space is divided into distinct zones: a lower fluid reservoir separated by a separating means and an upper working region. This segmentation stabilizes the fluid level in the working region, preventing fluctuations that cause churning losses and heating while ensuring continuous lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the intermediate gear's rotation to automatically pump fluid from the lower reservoir through the separating means into the upper working region. This self-regulating mechanism maintains stable fluid levels without external control, preventing both lubrication deficiency and excessive immersion.
3Loss of substance
If a separating agent is provided between transmission sections, then lubricant is retained in non-operating sections, but fluctuating churning losses occur within transmission sections
Solution Approach 1:
The gear housing interior is segmented into a lower fluid reservoir and an upper working region using a separating means. This segmentation retains lubricant in the lower reservoir while maintaining a stable, controlled fluid level in the upper region, eliminating fluctuating churning losses that occur in conventional single-chamber designs.
4Reliability
If gears are immersed in fluid for lubrication, then lubrication and cooling are provided, but fluid loss increases and maintenance needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interior space is divided into a lower fluid reservoir separated by a separating means and an upper working region where gears operate. This segmentation allows continuous lubrication and cooling of gears while the majority of fluid remains stored in the lower region, minimizing fluid loss and reducing maintenance requirements.
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 solution provides reliable and efficient lubrication and cooling, reducing churning losses and maintaining a stable temperature balance, even in inclined positions, thereby extending the service life of the fluid and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
the intermediate gear is immersed in the fluid in the lower region of the interior during operation
Implementation Method 2
The interior space has an internal structure for enlarging the surface area of the gear housing and improving heat dissipation from the gear housing
Implementation Method 3
the separating means of the bottom-side fluid reservoir has a fluid-permeable opening through which the fluid reaches the lower region of the interior during operation
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a transmission arrangement (10) for an agricultural machine, in particular a tractor, combine harvester or forage harvester, comprising a drive gear (14) and at least one first output gear (16), each rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (24) and rotatably connected to a drive shaft (22) or output shaft as a secondary drive, wherein the gears (14, 16, 16, 20) are arranged in an interior space (30) formed by a transmission housing (12), which has an internal structure (28) on the inside and is at least partially filled with a fluid (46) during operation.According to the invention, the gearbox housing (12) has at least one recess (38) on its inside, in particular arranged laterally adjacent to a gear (14, 16, 18, 20), which is at least partially covered by a separating element (34) to form a fluid reservoir (39, 40), wherein the fluid reservoir (39, 40) is connected to the interior (30) of the gearbox housing (12) by at least one fluid-permeable opening (36).