Planetary Gearbox Bearing Modularity for Variable Load and Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for durable and cost-effective planetary gearboxes that can be easily produced and adapted to varying stresses and speeds, as existing gearboxes face challenges in meeting increasing performance and economic demands in wind turbines and industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A series of planetary gearboxes is developed, utilizing rolling bearings with standardized widths and diameters, allowing for modular design and incremental graduation of bearing widths, which simplifies production and adaptation to different requirements by using interchangeable rolling bearings and spacer elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different bearing widths are used for different planetary gearboxes, then adaptation to varying stresses and speeds is improved, but component variability and production complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly is segmented into modular components: standardized rolling bearings with fixed widths, adjustable spacer elements, and planetary gear carriers. This segmentation allows the same standardized bearings to be used across different planetary gearbox types while achieving different overall bearing widths through combination, thus reducing component variability while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using different bearing widths, the invention changes the parameter of spacer element thickness to achieve different overall bearing widths. The rolling bearings themselves maintain standardized widths, and the adaptability is achieved by varying the spacer element dimensions, which is a simpler parameter to standardize and manufacture.
2Productivity
If standardized rolling bearings are used across multiple planetary gearbox types, then production efficiency and cost-effectiveness are improved, but adaptability to different bearing width requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly is divided into standardized rolling bearings (with fixed, standardized widths) and adjustable spacer elements. This segmentation allows the same standardized bearings to be used across all planetary gearbox types, improving production efficiency, while the spacer elements provide the necessary adaptability for different overall bearing width requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer element acts as an intermediary component between the standardized rolling bearings and the planetary gear carrier. It mediates between the fixed bearing width and the variable overall bearing width requirements, allowing standardized bearings to be used while still achieving adaptability through the intermediary spacer element.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rolling bearings with different widths are used for different planetary gearbox types, then adaptability to stress variations is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized rolling bearings serve multiple functions across different planetary gearbox types, eliminating the need for different bearing widths. The same standardized bearings can be used universally, and adaptability to different stress variations is achieved through the combination with spacer elements, simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of changing the bearing width parameter (which is complex to manufacture), the invention changes the spacer element thickness parameter to achieve adaptability. This parameter change is much easier to implement in manufacturing while maintaining the same standardized bearings across all product types.
4Ease of manufacture
If modular design with interchangeable components is implemented, then production simplicity and cost-effectiveness are improved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The modular design uses standardized rolling bearings that serve multiple functions across different planetary gearbox types. Although this adds spacer elements as separate components, the standardized bearings can be used universally, reducing the total number of different component types and simplifying production through interchangeability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing assembly is segmented into interchangeable standardized bearings and spacer elements. This segmentation allows for simplified production through standardized manufacturing processes and easy assembly/disassembly, with the spacer elements being simple, inexpensive components that do not significantly increase overall complexity.
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 approach reduces component variability, enhances production efficiency, and allows for flexible adaptation to different stress levels and speeds, resulting in cost-effective and reliable planetary gearboxes suitable for wind turbines and industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one planetary gear is mounted on at least two rolling bearings arranged axially one behind the other
Data Source
AI summary
A series of planetary gearboxes includes a plurality of subseries of planetary gearboxes. Each of the plurality of subseries includes a planetary gear carrier of a planetary stage, at least two rolling bearings, and a planetary gear mounted on the at least two rolling bearings. The at least two rolling bearings in a first one of the first plurality of subseries have a first bearing width and in a second one of the first plurality of subseries having a second bearing width.