BEVEL GEAR DRIVE

Abstract

A bevel gear drive includes an input shaft which includes an input bevel gear and has an input interface at one shaft end thereof. The input shaft is arranged vertically in operation and supported by a bearing at a side of the input bevel gear facing away from the input interface. An output shaft includes an output bevel gear in direct meshing engagement with the input bevel gear, with the output shaft being overhung-mounted and having an output interface at one shaft end thereof which faces away from the output bevel gear. Both, the input shaft and the output shaft are mounted in a drive housing.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A bevel gear drive, comprising: an input shaft including an input bevel gear and having an input interface at one shaft end thereof, said input shaft being arranged vertically in operation; a bearing for supporting the input shaft at a side of the input bevel gear facing away from the input interface; an output shaft including an output bevel gear in direct meshing engagement with the input bevel gear, said output shaft being overhung-mounted and having an output interface at one shaft end thereof which faces away from the output bevel gear; and a drive housing in which the input shaft and the output shaft are mounted.

14. The bevel gear drive of claim 13, wherein the input bevel gear has a toothing with a cone point which points toward the input interface.

15. The bevel gear drive of claim 13, wherein the input interface is directed vertically upwardly, and the output shaft is arranged horizontally in operation.

16. The bevel gear drive of claim 13, further comprising a bearing assembly, said output shaft extending horizontally and supported by the bearing assembly, said drive housing being filled with liquid lubricant during operation of the bevel gear drive up to a level of the bearing assembly.

17. The bevel gear drive of claim 13, wherein the input shaft carries at least one add-on part on a side of the bearing facing away from the input bevel gear.

18. The bevel gear drive of claim 17, wherein the at least one add-on part is a member selected from the group consisting of a pump, a reverse motion block, a ventilator, a brake and a sensor for determining the position of the input shaft.

19. The bevel gear drive of claim 17, wherein the at least one add-on part is arranged outside the drive housing.

20. A drive, comprising: a bevel gear drive comprising an input shaft including an input bevel gear and having an input interface at one shaft end thereof, said input shaft being arranged vertically in operation, a bearing for supporting the input shaft at a side of the input bevel gear facing away from the input interface, an output shaft including an output bevel gear in direct meshing engagement with the input bevel gear, said output shaft being overhung-mounted and having an output interface at one shaft end thereof which faces away from the output bevel gear, and a drive housing in which the input shaft and the output shaft are mounted; and a main drive connected downstream of the bevel gear drive, said main drive being coupled via the output interface of the output shaft to the bevel gear drive.

21. The drive of claim 20, wherein the main drive is a planetary drive.

22. The drive of claim 20, wherein the input bevel gear has a toothing with a cone point which points toward the input interface.

23. The drive of claim 20, wherein the input interface is directed vertically upwardly, and the output shaft is arranged horizontally in operation.

24. The drive of claim 20, wherein the bevel gear drive includes a bearing assembly, said output shaft extending horizontally and supported by the bearing assembly, said drive housing being filled with liquid lubricant during operation of the bevel gear drive up to a level of the bearing assembly.

25. The drive of claim 20, wherein the input shaft carries at least one add-on part on a side of the bearing facing away from the input bevel gear.

26. The drive of claim 25 wherein the at least one add-on part is a member selected from the group consisting of a pump, a reverse motion block, a ventilator, a brake and a sensor for determining the position of the input shaft.

27. The bevel gear drive of claim 25, wherein the at least one add-on part is arranged outside the drive housing.

28. A geared motor, comprising: a drive comprising a bevel gear drive which includes an input shaft including an input bevel gear and having an input interface at one shaft end thereof, said input shaft being arranged vertically in operation, a bearing for supporting the input shaft at a side of the input bevel gear facing away from the input interface, an output shaft including an output bevel gear in direct meshing engagement with the input bevel gear, said output shaft being overhung-mounted and having an output interface at one shaft end thereof which faces away from the output bevel gear, and a drive housing in which the input shaft and the output shaft are mounted, and a main drive connected downstream of the bevel gear drive, said main drive being coupled via the output interface of the output shaft to the bevel gear drive; and a motor coupled via the input interface of the input shaft to the bevel gear drive.

29. The geared motor of claim 28, wherein the motor has a rotor shaft, and further comprising a coupling piece configured to connect the rotor shaft to a vertically upper end of the input shaft of the bevel gear drive.

30. A method for operating a bevel gear drive which comprises an input shaft including an input bevel gear and having an input interface at one shaft end thereof, said input shaft being arranged vertically in operation, a bearing for supporting the input shaft at a side of the input bevel gear facing away from the input interface, a horizontally extending output shaft including an output bevel gear in direct meshing engagement with the input bevel gear, said output shaft being overhung-mounted and having an output interface at one shaft end thereof which faces away from the output bevel gear, and a drive housing in which the input shaft and the output shaft are mounted, said method comprising filling the drive housing with liquid lubricant during operation of the bevel gear drive up to a level of a bearing assembly to support the output shaft.

Description

[0027] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which these are achieved will now be described more clearly and intelligibly in relation to exemplary embodiments, and illustrated in detail by reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in section of a known bevel gear drive as a bevel gear preliminary stage of a main drive,

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration in section of a preferred embodiment of a bevel gear drive as a bevel gear preliminary stage of a main drive,

[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration in section of a bevel gear drive with an add-on ventilator,

[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a planetary drive with a bevel gear drive serving as a preliminary stage,

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a geared motor, and

[0033] FIG. 6 is a section through an input interface.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a bevel gear preliminary stage of a drive, as known from the prior art. The bevel gear preliminary stage has an overhung mounted input shaft 11 with an input bevel gear 13, an output shaft 12 with an output bevel gear 14 in meshing engagement with the input bevel gear 13 and a drive housing 19 in which the two shafts 11, 12 are mounted. The bevel gear preliminary stage is arranged during its operation so that the input shaft 11 is arranged vertically and the output shaft 12 is arranged horizontally.

[0035] The input shaft 11 is connected at its vertically upper end 17 to a drive motor. The bearings 15 of the input shaft 11 are arranged thereunder and the input bevel gear 13 is arranged vertically beneath the bearing 15 on the input shaft 11. The cone point of the toothing of the input bevel gear 13 herein points vertically downwardly. The output shaft 12 is mounted at both ends in bearings 16A, 16B, i.e. on both sides of the output bevel gear 14. The output shaft 12 is connected at one end 18 to a drive main stage.

[0036] In order to ensure sufficient lubrication of all the lubrication points of the bevel gear preliminary stage, i.e. also the bearings 15 arranged at the motor-side end of the input shaft 11, the lubrication oil level 40 in the drive housing 19 must reach as far as the vertically uppermost bearing 15.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a bevel gear drive according to the invention which serves as a bevel gear preliminary stage of a main drive. The bevel gear preliminary stage has an overhung mounted input shaft 21 with an input bevel gear 23, an output shaft 22 with an output bevel gear 24 in meshing engagement with the input bevel gear 23 and a drive housing 29 in which the two shafts 21, 22 are mounted. The bevel gear drive is arranged during its operation so that the input shaft 21 is arranged vertically and the output shaft 22 is arranged horizontally.

[0038] The input shaft 21 has an input interface 27 at its vertically upper end 27, by means of which it can be connected to a drive motor. Herein, the drive motor has a vertical rotor shaft position. The input bevel gear 23 is arranged thereunder on the input shaft 21. The bearings 25 of the input shaft 21 are arranged under the input bevel gear 23. The cone point of the toothing of the input bevel gear 23 herein points vertically upwardly. The output shaft 22 has, at the end thereof facing away from the output bevel gear 24, an output interface 28 for connecting to a main drive, for example, a planetary drive. The output shaft 22 is mounted overhung in bearings 26 arranged between the output bevel gear 24 and the output interface 28. The oil-tight sealing of the bearing site 25 at the vertically lower end of the input shaft can take place with the aid of seals as are known to persons skilled in the art, for example, with the aid of a pressure tube.

[0039] In order to ensure sufficient lubrication of all the lubrication sites of the bevel gear drive, it is sufficient with the bevel gear drive according to the invention if the lubricating oil level 40 in the drive housing 29 reaches as far as the vertically lower edge of the bearings 26 of the horizontally arranged output shaft 22. This lower oil level 40 as compared with the situation shown in FIG. 1 is possible due to the displacement according to the invention of the bearings 25 of the input shaft 21 to a position vertically below the input bevel gear 23.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a preferred development of a bevel gear drive according to the invention as a preliminary stage of a main drive. Herein, at the end of the input shaft 21 lying opposite the input interface, said input shaft is elongated vertically downwardly beyond the bearings 25 far enough that sufficient assembly space is provided to arrange a reverse motion block 31 within the drive housing 29 and to arrange a ventilator rotor 32 on the input shaft 21 outside the drive housing 29.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a planetary drive 3, comprising a planetary main drive 2 and a bevel gear drive 1 as a bevel gear preliminary stage. Herein, the planetary main drive 2 is coupled via the output interface 28 to the bevel gear drive 1. The planetary main drive 2 can comprise one or more coaxially mounted planetary stages which are mounted in a dedicated, preferably cylindrical, housing.

[0042] It is possible that the coupling is configured as a toothed coupling. The output shaft 22 of the bevel gear drive is configured as a hollow shaft onto the planet-side end of which an internal toothing is arranged. The planetary main drive 2 comprises an input shaft with a corresponding external toothing.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a geared motor, comprising a motor 4, a bevel gear preliminary stage 1 and a planetary main drive 2. Herein, the motor 4 is coupled via an input interface to the bevel gear preliminary stage 1. As FIG. 6 shows, the input interface provides a connection for conjoint rotation between a rotor shaft 61 of the motor 4 and the input shaft 21 of the bevel gear preliminary stage 1. The input shaft 21 is herein configured as an externally toothed solid shaft and the rotor shaft 61 as an internally toothed hollow shaft. An externally toothed pin 62 is placed on the end side of the input shaft 21 and is connected to the input shaft 21 for conjoint rotation by means of a pushed-over internally toothed sleeve-shaped coupling piece 63. The pin 62 engages, in turn, with its external toothing in the internal toothing of the motor hollow shaft 61. By means of differently dimensioned pins 62, it is readily possible to create conjointly rotating connections between the bevel gear preliminary stage and motors of different types.

[0044] Alternatively, a commercially available journal with a keyway can be used, as is commonplace with IEC motors. In this case, a different form must merely be provided for the coupling piece 63. This then has a keyed connection on the motor side and on the output side, a further internal toothing.