Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Coupling accommodates drive between members having... – Torque transmitted via intermediate element
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-11
2001-03-20
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Coupling accommodates drive between members having...
Torque transmitted via intermediate element
C464S158000, C074S462000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203439
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a hydraulic machine with an orbiting displacement element connected unrotatably with an output shaft via an intermediary shaft, the intermediary shaft having at least at one end an external toothing, which engages an internal toothing, which engagement permits a swivel motion of the intermediary shaft.
Such a machine is known from, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,880.
Machines of this kind can, for example, be used as motors, pumps or steering units. The function of the output shaft depends on the desired application purpose. When the machine is used as a motor, the motor delivers its mechanical output via the output shaft. When the machine is used as a pump, it is driven by the output shaft. In the case of a steering unit, a steering handwheel can be connected with the output shaft.
In many cases the displacement element is made as a gear, which mates with a second displacement element made as a ring gear. During operation the displacement element does not only perform a pure rotational movement, it also orbits around the axis of the output shaft. An intermediary shaft, also called “dog-bone”, is provided to enable the transmission of this rotational movement to the output shaft. This intermediary shaft must permit the required swivel motion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In most cases the intermediary shaft is weaker than the displacement element and often also weaker than the output shaft. Thus it limits the load capacity of the machine.
The task of the invention is to increase the load capacity of the machine.
In a hydraulic machine of the kind mentioned in the introduction this task is solved in that the external toothing has teeth with concavely shaped tooth sides having a smaller curvature at the axial ends than in the area of the axial centre.
The curvature of the tooth sides is made so that the available surface is enlarged towards the axial ends of the teeth. Thus the surface pressure of the teeth, that is, the specific load on the tooth sides, is reduced towards the axial ends of the teeth. Towards the axial centre the surface is reduced, and thus the surface pressure, that is, the force divided by the surface increases. Here, however, the tooth is thicker, so that it can more easily stand the load. In the cases known till now, the conditions were practically the opposite. Here the surface pressure increased towards the axial ends of the teeth, which naturally more easily gave rise to the risk of a damage. The fact that the tooth sides are concavely curved eliminates the necessity of creating a sharp inner edge. This reduces the risk of a notch effect, which again increases the load capacity. A resulting additional advantage is a less wear intensive and more stable operating behaviour, as, all other things being equal, the teeth and the corresponding opposite toothing bear on each other with a reduced surface pressure. With this new embodiment the load can practically be doubled, provided that the remaining dimensioning is the same. This is partly a result of the reduction of the notch factor, which contributes substantially to the reduction of the stress level. Another considerable contribution lies in the improved support or carrying behaviour of the profile when compared with a profile with “sharp” teeth on the intermediary shaft.
Preferably, the tooth sides of adjacent teeth are connected with each other through a continuously extending profile. Thus, also the bottom of the tooth clearance can be included in the curvature. This gives a step-free and bend-free connection of the tooth sides, which improves the operating properties and the wearibility and increases the load capacity.
Advantageously, in any axial position the profile has the same curvature as the tooth sides. Each section vertical to the axial direction will thus result in a permanently differentiable curve, on which the corresponding opposite teeth of the internal toothing can roll off well.
In a particularly preferred embodiment it is provided that substantially the shapes of the tooth clearances are formed through parts of the cylindrical surface areas of opposed cone frustums. When making a section parallel to the axis of the intermediary shaft, the bottom of the tooth clearances consists of two straight lines inclined in opposite directions. For production technical reasons small deviations from the shape of an exact straight line are of course permitted. However, in the axial direction the profile no longer has distinct curvatures. A condition for this merely is that the inclinations are adapted to the swivel angle of the intermediary shaft in relation to the displacement element or the output shaft, respectively. Thus, the load can be distributed relatively evenly on half the axial extension of each tooth side, which again reduces the surface pressure.
Advantageously, the bottom in the middle of the tooth clearance has an inclination in the range from 1° to 10°, particularly from 1° to 3.5°, in relation to the axis of the intermediary shaft. Such angles have proved to be expedient. In most cases they are perfectly sufficient to permit the orbiting of the displacement element.
Advantageously, the external toothing has a number of teeth in the range from 3 to 20, particularly from 8 to 12. This results in engagement angles in the range from 30° to 45°. Engagement angles of this size will give the teeth the longest life. Normally this results in a relatively stable operation behaviour.
Advantageously, in the axial direction the internal toothing has a constant shape. Due to the embodiment of the external toothing of the intermediary shaft, the internal toothing of the displacement element or the output shaft, respectively, can now be made so that it does not change in the axial direction. This gives an even better adaptation of the internal toothing to the external toothing.
It is particularly preferred that substantially the shapes of the teeth of the internal toothing are formed through a part of the cylindrical surface area of a cylinder. Indeed this will lead to the situation that on transition from tooth side to tooth clearance a bend will occur, which could cause a notch effect. However, this is not as critical as it would be on the intermediary shaft, as here the component dimensions can be correspondingly larger and more resistant.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2744449 (1956-05-01), Belden et al.
patent: 2922294 (1960-01-01), Wildhaber
patent: 2927510 (1960-03-01), Wilhaber
patent: 3243973 (1966-04-01), Kraeling
patent: 3292390 (1966-12-01), Wildhaber
patent: 3782866 (1974-01-01), McDermott
patent: 3973880 (1976-08-01), Swedberg
patent: 4969371 (1990-11-01), Allen
patent: 570732 (1977-08-01), None
patent: 1357639 (1984-02-01), None
patent: 1076664 (1984-02-01), None
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed., Merriam-Webster Inc., p. 285, 1993.
Johansen Claus Jesper
Petersen Hans Christian
Tychsen Tom
Binda Greg
Browne Lynne H.
Danfoss Fluid Power A/S
Lee Mann Smith McWilliams Sweeney & Ohlson
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