Patent Publication Number: US-2009233754-A1

Title: Planet Gear

Description:
The present invention relates to a series of gears which are meshed together to change the mechanical advantage between an input and an output shaft, in the following referred to as a gear system or a train of meshed gears. In particular, the invention relates to a system of epicyclic gears in which at least one wheel axis itself revolves about another fixed axis providing a gear ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft. The system comprises a primary internally driven annulus gear, a secondary internally driven annulus gear, a primary externally driven sun gear being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system, a secondary externally driven sun gear being rotatable around the central axis, a first set of externally driven planet gears, and a second set of externally driven planet gears. The planet gears are arranged to rotate epicyclically around the central axis. The planet gears are arranged to rotate at synchronous speed, and gears of one set of planet gears are meshed with one of the annulus gears and gears of another set of the planet gears are meshed with one of the sun gears. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Planet gearing is sometimes referred to as “Epicyclic gearing” and describes a gear system with a housing comprising one or more planet gears rotating about a centrally located sun gear. Sometimes, the planet gears are mounted on a movable carrier. The carrier may either be fixed relative to the housing, or it may rotate relative to the housing and/or relative to the sun gear. The gear system may further incorporate an outer ring gear with radially inwardly projecting gear teeth, generally referred to as the annulus. The annulus meshes with the planet gears and the planet gears again mesh with the sun gear. There are several ways in which an input rotation can be converted into an output rotation. In general, one of the above mentioned basic components, i.e. the sun, the carrier, or the annulus, is held stationary; one of the two remaining components is an input, providing power to the system, while the last component is an output, receiving power from the system. The ratio of input rotation to output rotation depends on the number of teeth in each gear included in the system and depends further on which component is held stationary. When e.g. the carrier is held stationary, and the sun gear is used as input, the planet gears simply rotate about their own axes at a rate determined by the number of teeth in each gear. If the sun gear has S teeth, and each planet gear has P teeth, the ratio is equal to S/P. If the annulus has A teeth, the planet gears drive the annulus in a ratio of P/A turns for each turn of the planet gears. 
     In one implementation of a planet gear system, the annulus is held stationary and the sun gear is used as the input. This provides the lowest gear ratio, i.e. 1/(1+A/S), attainable with a planet gear train. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved gear system. Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention provides a gear system as mentioned in the introduction being changeable between a first configuration in which power is transmitted between the input shaft and the output shaft via interaction between gears of the first set of planet gears and the primary sun gear, and a second configuration in which power is transmitted between the input shaft and the output shaft via interaction between the gears of the second set of planet gears and the secondary sun gear. 
     This gear system offers a particularly low gear ratio at relatively small outer dimensions of the gear system, and it may therefore be applied in mechanical system with narrow space. Since, at the same time, the power received via the input shaft can be transmitted to the output shaft changeably via interaction between the gears of the first set of planet gears and the first sun gear and interaction between the gears of the second set of planet gears and the second sun gear, the gear system may facilitate different gear ratios at narrow spaces at which gears allowing gear-shifting has previously been too expensive, complicated or too sensitive and unreliable. 
     In the following, a gear will be referred to as an element which is driven by interaction with an adjacent gear or which drives an adjacent gear, i.e. power is transferred between the adjacent gears. Internally driven means that the gear is driven on an inner surface facing towards the central axis and externally driven means that the gear is driven on an outer surface facing away from the central axis. The interaction between adjacent gears may involve a traditional gear mesh via a toothing of cooperating surfaces of the gears or the interaction may be in accordance with the principles of traction gearing wherein power is transmitted through a fluid which forms a film between adjacent gears. The interaction may also be magnetic interaction wherein one gear drives an adjacent gear via magnetic forces. As an example, interaction between some of the gears may be through traction while interaction between other gears is through meshed toothed gear surfaces. Interaction between other gears of the system could be magnetically. 
     A gear wheel is an element which rotates around a wheel axis in the system. The gear wheel may form several gears—i.e. one single element may contain several axially displaced driven peripheral areas which are formed with individual characteristics to interact with adjacent gears. 
     The gear ratio is the ratio between the rotational speed (rounds per minute, in the following RPM) of the input shaft relative to the RPM of the output shaft. The input shaft is in the following defined as the shaft from which the gear system receives power e.g. from an electrical motor, a crankshaft of a bicycle etc, and the output shaft is the shaft by which the gear system transmits power, e.g. to a wheel of a bicycle etc. The gear wheels may be made from a synthetic material e.g. plastic, from metal or from any other material known per se for making gear wheels, e.g. by sintering. The toothing of toothed gears could be bevelled or straight, and the number of teeth as well as the pitch circle and other parameters determining the characteristics of the gears may be chosen based on traditional considerations concerning the transferred torque, noise suppression, rotational speeds of the various gears, and a desired gear ratio between each gear in the gear system. 
     Each set of planet gears may e.g. contain three, four or even more individual planet gears. The rotation of the planet gears of one set of planet gears is synchronous with the rotation of planet gears of the other sets of planet gears which means that there is a fixed ratio, e.g. 1:1 between the RPM of the gears in the first set and the gears in other sets of planet gears. The planet gears could e.g. be synchronised by gear meshes between planet gears in the first set of planet gears and planet gears in the second set of planet gears. The planet gears could also be synchronised to rotate at the ratio 1:1 by forming the gears of the first set of planet gears in a fixed connection with gears of the second set of planet gears. As an example, the gear system may contain one or more gear wheels each forming gears of different sets of planet gears in one piece. 
     The planet gears of one set of planet gears could be joined by a first planet carrier, the planet gears of another set of planet gears could be joined by a second planet carrier etc, or all planet gears could be joined by one single planet carrier. 
     Gears of the first set of planet gears is preferably meshed with the primary annulus gear and gears of the second set of planet gears is preferably meshed with the secondary annulus gear. 
     The gear system may further comprise at least one additional set of externally driven planet gears being rotatable epicyclically around the central axis synchronously with planet gears of the first and second sets of planet gears. Synchronisation may be achieved by interaction between gears of the additional set of planet gears and other planet gears in the system, and planet gears of the additional set of planet gears could be formed in one piece with the gears of other sets of planet gears. The system may further comprise at least one additional internally driven annulus gear being meshed with gears of the additional set of planet gears. In fact any number of planet gears, sun gears, and annulus gears may be implemented. The gear system may further comprise at least one additional sun gear, the system being changeable between the first, the second and at least one additional configuration in which power is transmitted between the input shaft and the output shaft via interaction between gears of one of the sets of planet gears and one of the additional sun gears. 
     In general, any one of the gears may serve as an input and another one of the gears may serve as an output. In order to change the gearing ratio between the input and the output, the remaining gears may either rotate freely, rotation may be hindered or rotation may be completely stopped. The gear system may therefore further comprise breaking means for limiting or preventing rotation of one of the annulus gears thus changing the gear ratio e.g. between a sun gear and another one of the annulus gears. In another embodiment, one of the annulus gears may receive power from an external source and another one of the annulus gears may deliver power to an external source. In this embodiment, braking means may be applied for limiting or preventing rotation of other gears of the system. As an example, the system may comprise braking means adapted to limit or prevent rotation of a planet carrier thereby changing the gear ratio between other gears of the gear system. 
     The sun gear could be movable relative to each planet gear between a position wherein the primary sun gear is meshed with at least one gear of the first set of planet gears and a position wherein the secondary sun gear is meshed with at least one gear of the second set of planet gears. In one embodiment, the sun gears are both fixed to, or they form part of one shared axle, e.g. an input shaft. The sun gears could be moved between the above-mentioned positions corresponding to mesh between one and the other of the sun gears with respective planet gears, by movement of the shaft, e.g. In an axial direction of the axle. In another embodiment, each planet gear is joined to the other planet gears by a planet carrier, and the planet gears are moved relative to the sun gears by movement of the planet carrier. The planet carrier may be rotatable around the centre axis and the planet carrier may form one of the input or the output for the gear system. As an example, the planet carrier could be connected directly to a motor which provides power to the gear system. In an alternative embodiment, the planet carrier comprises a gear which is driven by one of the sun gears. 
     The input shaft may preferably rotate around the centre axis, and as mentioned above, the input shaft may be integral with at least one of the sun gears. 
     In operation, one of the primary sun gear, secondary sun gear, primary annulus gear, secondary annulus gear, or planetary carrier (if the planet gears are fixed to a carrier) is held stationary while any one of the remaining gears may be attached to, or form part of the input shaft or the output shaft. The gear system may thus be adapted for at least 3 different modes of operation. 
     In a first embodiment, the primary and secondary sun gears are interlocked to rotate with equal speed. In this embodiment, each planet gear may preferably be free to rotate epicyclically around the sun gear. One of the annulus gears is fixed relative to a surrounding system and the other annulus gear is free to rotate. I.e. the sun gears, the rotating annulus gear or optionally a planet carrier could be used as input or output for the system. As an example, the sun gears may be rotated by the input shaft, and the rotating annulus may rotate the output shaft. 
     In a second embodiment, one of the sun gears is locked while the other sun gear, both of the annulus gears, and optionally a planet carrier rotates, and any of these parts could be joined with either the input shaft or the output shaft. As an example, the rotating sun gear could be rotated by the input shaft while both of the annulus gears may form outputs for the system. Depending upon the diameters of each of the gears included in the gear system, the input shaft (i.e. the rotating sun gear) may rotate at a speed s 0 , and the primary annulus gear may rotate at a speed s 2 , and the secondary annulus gear may rotate at a speed s 3 , wherein s 1  is different from s 2  which is different from s 3 . 
     In a third embodiment, the planet gears are fixed in a planetary carrier which is held stationary while either one of the sun gears or either one of the annulus gears may be used as input or output for the system. 
     In one embodiment, the primary sun gear is meshed with gears of the first set of planet gears and the secondary sun gear is meshed with gears of the second set of planet gears. In this embodiment, the system comprises coupling mean adapted, selectively, to couple one or the other of the sun gears to the input shaft and thereby to enable transmission of power from the input shaft to that sun gear. The primary sun gear could also be connected to a first driving means, e.g. to a first electrical motor, and the secondary sun gear could be connected to a second driving means, e.g. to a second electrical motor. The motors may be operated independently so that the primary sun gear is used as input when the first motor provides power input to the gear system, and the secondary sun gear is used as an input when the second motor provides input to the gear system. In this embodiment, the motor which is not operated may be decoupled from the sun gear to which it is connected, or the motor may be idling, driven by the sun gear to which it is connected. 
     In any of the mentioned embodiments, the gears of the first and second sets of planet gears may be interlocked to rotate with equal speed or they may be connected via a bearing allowing the gears to rotate relative to each other and thereby allowing one of the gears to rotate at a speed which is different from the speed of the other one. 
     In the first of the above mentioned embodiments, both the input and output shafts may rotate around the centre axis. The output shaft could e.g. be formed integrally with the primary annulus gear. In this embodiment, the secondary annulus gears could be fixed to a reference system via a coupling which, at least in a first state, limits or prevents rotation of the secondary annulus relative to the reference system. In a second state, the coupling may allow rotation of the secondary annulus relative to the reference system. E.g. to prevent overloading of a system, the coupling could be adapted to shift between the first and second states by torque applied to the secondary annulus. This feature facilitates use of the gear e.g. in a power tool such as a drill or screwdriver, e.g. for turning a screw or bolt, and in this operation, the coupling may protect the screws or other parts against overloading. 
     The primary annulus gear could be rotatably suspended in the secondary annulus gear, and the primary and secondary gear may form housing for other gears of the gear system. They may e.g. be assembled via a dust and/or water proof gasket to prevent contamination of the gears or to form a sealed housing in which gear oil can be contained. 
     To facilitate an additional ratio between the input and output speed of the system, the input shaft could be interlocked with the output shaft. In order to reduce noise and wear, transmission of power through the gears may preferably be interrupted upon the interlocking of the input shaft with the output shaft. In one embodiment, the input shaft may be shifted in an axial direction whereby the mesh between the sun gears and the planet gears is interrupted and whereby the input shaft engages the output shaft and thus drives the output at the speed of the input, i.e. the gear system operates at a ratio of 1:1. 
     In one embodiment, the primary and secondary sun gears have different diameters or pitch circles and/or the gears of the first and second set of planet gears have different diameters or pitch circles. 
     In a second aspect, the invention provides a gear system providing a gear ratio between an input shaft and an output shaft, the system comprising:
         at least two internally driven annulus gears being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system, and   at least two sets of externally driven planet gears being joined by a planet carrier to rotate epicyclically around the central axis, and being arranged to rotate at synchronous speed, gears of one set of planet gears being meshed with one of the annulus gears and gears of another set of the planet gears being meshed with another one of the annulus gears,
 
characterised in that the planet carrier facilitates power input to the gear system, and one of the annulus gears facilitates power output from the gear system, the gear system comprising braking means for limiting or preventing rotation of other annulus gears of the system.
       

     Power input could be facilitated e.g. by a shaft which is rotatable around the central axis of the system and which is connected to the planet carrier to rotate the planet carrier around the central axis. 
     In a third aspect, the invention provides a gear system providing a gear ratio between an input shaft and an output shaft, the system comprising:
         at least two internally driven annulus gears being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system,   at least one externally driven sun gear being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system, and   at least two sets of externally driven planet gears being joined by a planet carrier to rotate epicyclically around the central axis, and being arranged to rotate at synchronous speed, gears of one set of planet gears being meshed with one of the annulus gears and gears of one set of the planet gears being meshed with one of the sun gears,
 
characterised in that one of the sun gears facilitates power input to the gear system, and one of the annulus gears facilitates power output from the gear system, the gear system comprising braking means for limiting or preventing rotation of other annulus gears or of the planet carrier.
       

     In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a gear system which comprises:
         a primary internally driven annulus gear   a secondary internally driven annulus gear,   a primary externally driven sun gear being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system,   a secondary externally driven sun gear being rotatable around the central axis,   a first set of externally driven planet gears and a second set of externally driven planet gears, the planet gears being arranged to rotate epicyclically around the central axis, and being arranged to rotate at synchronous speed, gears of one set of planet gears being meshed with one of the annulus gears and gears of another set of the planet gears being meshed with another one of the sun gears,
 
characterised in that the sun gears are moved relative to the planet gears to establish interaction between the primary sun gear and gears of the first set of planet gears, or between the secondary sun gear and gears of the second set of planet gears.
       

     In a fifth aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a gear system which comprises:
         at least two internally driven annulus gears being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system, and   at least two sets of externally driven planet gears being joined by a planet carrier to rotate epicyclically around the central axis, and being arranged to rotate at synchronous speed, gears of one set of planet gears being meshed with one of the annulus gears and gears of another set of the planet gears being meshed with another one of the annulus gears,
 
characterised in that input is provided on the planet carrier, and output is provided from one of the annulus gears while other annulus gears are limited or prevented from rotating.
       

     In a sixth aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a gear system which comprises:
         at least two internally driven annulus gears being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system,   at least one externally driven sun gear being rotatable around a central axis of the gear system, and   at least two sets of externally driven planet gears being joined by a planet carrier to rotate epicyclically around the central axis, and being arranged to rotate at synchronous speed, gears of one set of planet gears being meshed with one of the annulus gears and gears of one set of the planet gears being meshed with one of the sun gears,
 
characterised in that input is provided on one of the sun gears, and output is provided from one of the annulus gears while other annulus gears or the planet carrier are limited or prevented from rotating.
       

     As previously mentioned, the invention may be implemented e.g. in a power tool such as a power screwdriver. In this application, the gear system according to the invention allows a compact design and a low weight of the power tool, while offering the opportunity of shifting between different gear/torque ratios. Furthermore, the gear system contains less components, in particular less gear wheels than known systems in which a gear shift and a comparable gear ratio is provided. The gear system may therefore be less expensive and more reliable. 
     The invention may be implemented in vehicles such as off-highway machinery, wheel loaders, excavators, dozers, tractors, harvesters and similar heavy duty machines or in cars or trucks. In such vehicles, the gear system may be located in each of the driving wheels and due to the compact design, the gear enables a large clearance between the bottom of the vehicle and the road. Since the gear is adapted for different configurations with different gear mesh, the implementation of the gear system in wheels of a vehicle offers the new and inventive feature of allowing gear shift in each of the wheels of the vehicle, individually. 
     The gear system may further be implemented as a servo gear. As an example, such a gear could be used in connection with robots, e.g. pick and place robots and in connection with similar automation equipment with servo motors, e.g. autonomous vehicles etc. In such applications, it is typically desired to enable fast motion when the equipment is unloaded and shift to a relatively slow speed with a higher torque when the equipment is loaded. The gear system according to the invention offers a compact design and the ability of performing such shifts between high and low speed versus low and high torque. 
     In a seventh aspect, the invention provides a vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels, each wheel being provided with power through a gear system of the kind described throughout this document. 
     In an eight aspect, the invention provides a power tool comprising an output provided with power through a gear system of the kind described throughout this document. 
     In a ninth aspect, the invention provides a servo gear system comprising a gear system of the kind described throughout this document. 
     In general, any of the second to the ninth aspect of the invention may be combined with the features described in relation to the first aspect of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in further details with reference to the drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a gear system according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the gear shown in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIGS. 3-4  illustrate in perspective view, the gear system shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative view of the gear, 
         FIGS. 6   a - 6   c  illustrate a gear system in three different configurations, and 
         FIGS. 7-9  illustrate gear systems with only one sun gear. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a gear system  1  implemented in a power screwdriver. The gear system comprises an input shaft  2  coupled to an electrical motor  3 . The gear system further comprises an output shaft  4  which is carried in a bearing. The system includes a primary Internally toothed, and thus internally driven annulus gear  5 , a secondary Internally toothed annulus gear  6 . The primary annulus gear is fixed to a surrounding stationary system, not shown in the drawing, and the secondary annulus gear forms part of the output shaft. The system further includes a primary externally toothed sun gear  7  being rotatable around a central axis  8  of the gear system. The system further includes a secondary externally toothed sun gear  9  being rotatable around the central axis, and a planet gear wheel  10  rotatable epicyclically around the central axis. The planet gear wheel comprises a first externally toothed planet gear  11 , and a second externally toothed planet gear  12 . 
     By moving the input shaft in the axial direction, indicated by the arrow  13 , the primary and secondary sun gears may be brought into, or out of, mesh with the first and second planet gear, respectively. In the configuration where the primary sun gear is meshed with gears of the first set of planet gears, power can be transmitted between the input shaft and the output shaft via this mesh, and when the sun gears are shifted in the direction of the arrow  13 , the mesh is interrupted and the secondary sun gear is meshed with gears of the second set of planet gears to transmit the power via this mesh. In one application, the input shaft  2  and the motor  3  are fixed to each other and movement of the input shaft is performed by moving the motor  3 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a gear system of an essentially similar structure as the system disclosed in  FIG. 1  and with identically marked components. The primary annulus gear  5  is fixed to a reference system via a plurality of notches  15  which engage with radially inwardly extending, flexible protrusions of the reference system so that the annulus gear can rotate stepwise when one protrusion moves from one notch to an adjacent notch. This may facilitate torque imitation e.g. in a power screwdriver. Throughout the following description, the disclosure of notches  15  indicates that it may be desired to limit or prevent rotation of the gear which is provided with the notches. 
       FIGS. 3-4  illustrate in perspective views, a gear system similar to the system shown in  FIG. 2 , with identical numbers for identical parts. In the gear system of  FIGS. 3-4 , the notches  15  are formed directly in an outer surface of the internally toothed annulus gear  6 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a vehicle with a body and four wheels. Each wheel comprises a gear system  1  of the kind illustrated in any of the other figures. Each of the four applied gear systems allows shifting of gear ratio for each wheel individually and thus enhances the grip of the wheels on a surface with varying conditions. 
       FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b  and  6   c  Illustrate an embodiment of the Invention wherein the sun gears  7 ,  9  both form part with the input shaft  2  and thus both rotate with a speed equal to the speed of the input shaft. 
       FIG. 6   a  illustrates a configuration of the gear system wherein the secondary sun gear  9  is meshed with gears of the second set of planet gears  12 . Accordingly, power is transmitted between the input shaft and the output shaft via Interaction between the second ring of each planet gear and the secondary sun gear. 
       FIG. 6   b  illustrates a configuration wherein the input shaft is interlocked with the output shaft via the coupling  16  so that the two shafts rotate at equal speed. None of the sun gears are meshed with the planet gear. 
       FIG. 6   c  Illustrates a configuration wherein the primary sun gear  7  is meshed with gears of the first set of planet gears  11 . Accordingly, power is transmitted between the input shaft and the output shaft via the first ring of each planet gear and the primary sun gear. 
       FIGS. 7-9  illustrate in perspective views, gears with only one sun gear  17 . In this gear, the planet gear  11  of the first set of planet gears and the planet gear  12  of the second set of planet gears are formed in one single gear wheel by a sintering process, i.e. the first and second planet gears are in fixed connection. Three gear wheels, each comprising gears of the first and second set of planet gears are held by a planet carrier  18 . 
     The gear system illustrated in  FIG. 7  comprises two annulus gears  5 ,  6 . The gear is operated by holding the sun gear  17  fixed. One of the two annulus gears  5 ,  6  or the planet carrier  18  is used for an input or output while another one of the two annulus gears  5 ,  6  and the planet carrier  18  is used as output while the last one of the two annulus gears  5 ,  6  and the planet carrier  18  is held fixed. In particular, it is interesting to hold the sun gear and one of the annulus gears fixed. 
     The gear system illustrated in  FIG. 8  comprises a planet carrier  19  which comprises an internal toothing  20  which is meshed with the sun gear  21 . The sun gear can be used as input and thereby rotate the planet carrier which drives the planet gear wheels  22  with the first and second planet gears  11 ,  12  epicyclically around the sun gear  21 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a servo gear, e.g. for a robot. The gear system illustrated in  FIG. 9  comprises three annulus gears  23 ,  24 ,  25  which are driven by mesh with a first, a second and a third planet gear  26 ,  27 ,  28 . Two of the annulus gears comprise notches  15 , c.f. also  FIG. 1 . The notches  15  can be used for limiting or preventing rotation of one of the two annulus gears and thereby to change the gear ratio between the sun gear  7  and the annulus gear  25 . As an example, input is provided on the sun gear  7  and output is provided from the annulus gear  25 . During operation, the rotation of the annulus gear  23  is limited or prevented firstly thereby providing a first change in the gear ratio between input and output. Subsequently, the rotation of annulus gear  24  is limited or prevented thereby providing a second gear ratio between the input and the output. Since the rotation of the annulus gears  23 ,  24  can be stopped by reducing the rotational speed of the annulus gears over a certain period of time thereby providing a smooth transition between a gear ratio with unhindered rotation of the annulus gear and a gear ratio with a stopped annulus gear, the application in which the gear is attached may perform a smooth change in velocity. 
     If, e.g. the application is loaded heavily, a large gear ratio, i.e. a relatively fast input compared to the output may be desired. In. this case, the gear system could be operated by stopping the annulus gear  23 , then stopping the annulus gear  24 , and when the annulus gear  24  has come to a stop, the annulus gear  23  is released and the gear shift is performed in a smooth manner. Stopping of the annulus gears could be performed by braking means, e.g. by use of a magnetic clutch. 
       FIG. 10  discloses a gear system with an annulus gear  29  and another annulus gear  30 . The annulus gear  30  is provided with notches  15  for limiting or preventing rotation of the gear. The system further comprises a planet gear  31  of a first set of planet gears and a planet gear  32  of a second set of planet gears. The planet gear  31  is meshed with the annulus gear  29  and the planet gear  32  is meshed with the annulus gear  30  and with the sun gear  33 .