Spline Gearbox Oil Feed Using Centrifugal Pressure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spray oil supply methods for serration-based shaft-hub connections in transmissions, such as those in wind turbines, are inefficient, leading to high oil consumption and inadequate lubrication, especially at varying operational speeds.
Innovation Solution
An oil supply line is implemented from the radial inside to a cavity within the serration, utilizing centrifugal forces to build oil pressure and optimize lubrication based on operational speed, ensuring reliable lubrication without excessive oil usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spray oil supply is used for splined connections, then lubrication is provided, but oil consumption is high and lubrication efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional external oil supply approach by implementing an internal oil supply system where oil is delivered from the center of the splined shaft through radial channels to the splined connection surfaces. This inversion enables direct oil delivery to the lubrication points, eliminating the need for spray systems and reducing oil consumption while improving lubrication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating splined shaft itself serves as the oil delivery mechanism. The rotation of the shaft generates centrifugal force that moves oil through the internal channels and delivers it to the splined connection surfaces. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external spray systems and reduces oil consumption while maintaining effective lubrication.
2Productivity
If centrifugal force is used to build oil pressure, then lubrication efficiency is optimized for varying speeds, but the system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the rotational motion of the splined shaft itself to generate centrifugal force, which automatically builds oil pressure and delivers oil to the lubrication points. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external pumps or pressure control systems, optimizing lubrication efficiency across varying speeds without significantly increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The oil pressure and flow rate are automatically adjusted based on the rotational speed of the shaft. As the shaft rotates faster, centrifugal force increases, building higher oil pressure and delivering more oil to the splined connections. This dynamic parameter change optimizes lubrication efficiency for varying operational speeds without requiring complex control systems.
3Reliability
If oil is supplied from radial outside, then lubrication is provided, but contamination and pressure differences interfere with lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the oil supply direction from external (radial outside) to internal (radial inside). Oil is supplied to the center of the rotating splined shaft and then delivered radially outward through internal channels to the splined connection surfaces. This inversion protects the oil supply from contamination and pressure interference, as the oil is delivered from a protected central location rather than being exposed to the external environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal channels within the splined shaft serve as intermediaries that transport oil from the protected central supply to the external splined connection surfaces. This intermediary pathway shields the oil from contamination and pressure differences in the external environment, ensuring reliable lubrication delivery.
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 ensures consistent and efficient lubrication of serration connections, reducing oil consumption and maintaining operational reliability across different speed conditions.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing centrifugal forces to build oil pressure and optimize lubrication based on operational speed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a transmission (TGR) having a shaft-hub connection (SHC) which is formed as a serration (SRT) and has an axial extent along a shaft axis (SHX), wherein an oil line (ÖLS) of the serration (SRT) is provided in order to lubricate relative movements occurring in the serration (SRT) between a shaft side (SFS) and a hub side (HBS) of the shaft-hub connection (SHC). To improve the operational safety and in the interest of a more compact structure, it is proposed that the oil line (ÖLS) opens from radially inwards directly into a cavity (CAV) on the serration (SRT) such that the serration (SRT) can be supplied with the oil (OIL) at the oil pressure (OPR) prevailing in the cavity (CAV).