Patent ID: 8322244
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: F16H,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A gear mechanism arrangement comprising: an axial bearing apparatus; a shaft mounted rotatably in the axial bearing apparatus, the shaft fixedly coupled to a first mechanical coupling point and a second mechanical coupling point, the first mechanical coupling point configured to engage a gear stage and the second mechanical coupling point configured to engage a movement converter, the movement converter configured to convert between a rotational movement and a longitudinal movement of the gear mechanism arrangement, wherein the axial bearing apparatus is configured to transmit a force which acts axially on the shaft to a stationary part of the gear mechanism arrangement, a bearing bush arranged coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and disposed between the shaft and the stationary part of the gear mechanism arrangement, a wrap spring wound on the shaft and having a first end fastened to the bearing bush, wherein the axial bearing apparatus has a first axial bearing and a second axial bearing, the first axial bearing being arranged between the stationary part of the gear mechanism arrangement and the bearing bush and the second axial bearing being arranged between the shaft and the bearing bush, wherein the wrap spring is wound on the shaft such that the wrap spring fixes the bearing bush to the shaft during rotational movement of the shaft in a first rotational direction and releases the bearing bush from the shaft during rotational movement of the shaft in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction, wherein the first axial bearing is active and the second axial bearing is inactive during rotational movement of the shaft in the first rotational direction to allow the bearing bush to rotate with respect to the stationary part of the gear mechanism arrangement along with the shaft, wherein the second axial bearing has a higher degree of efficiency than the first axial bearing such that the second axial bearing is active and the first axial bearing is inactive during rotational movement of the shaft in the second rotational direction to allow the shaft to rotate with respect to the bearing bush, and wherein the wrap spring is arranged such that neither of the two axial bearings are covered by the wrap spring.