Patent ID: 12247641

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a compact intermediate shaft transmission arrangement that is easy to manufacture.

The automotive intermediate shaft transmission arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention is part of a motor vehicle transmission by which the drive torque of a traction motor is transmitted to the driven wheels. The intermediate shaft transmission is neither directly connected to the traction motor nor directly to the wheels, but is indirectly coupled to the traction motor via a gear stage and to the driven motor vehicle wheels via a further gear stage.

The intermediate shaft transmission arrangement comprises a rotatably and axially floatingly mounted intermediate shaft body which supports an external input toothing and an external output toothing in a rotationally fixed manner. Torque from a traction motor is applied via the input toothing, and the torque applied is output via the output toothing. The intermediate shaft body is radially rotatable and floatingly supported exclusively by floating radial roller bearings. Preferably, exactly two floating radial rolling bearings are provided.

The input toothing and the output toothing are angled oppositely to each other so that the resulting axial forces or toothing forces act in opposite directions to each other, and thus ideally neutralize each other to a large extent. Neither the input toothing nor the output toothing thus comprises arrow teeth, which are costly to produce.

The two longitudinal ends of the intermediate shaft body are respectively axially supported by a simple thrust bearing. Since the input toothing and the output toothing are inclined in opposite directions to one another and thus at most a small resulting axial force has to be supported axially, the axial bearing can be simply constructed and compactly dimensioned.

All in all, the bearing arrangement of the intermediate shaft body completely avoids the need for a fixed radial bearing and only requires axial bearings designed for relatively low axial forces.

The axial bearing can be configured respectively as a pure thrust bearing. The axial bearings and the intermediate shaft body in question can be arranged and designed axially with clearance in such a way that, even under disadvantageous temperature conditions, virtually no or at most relatively low axial stress occurs. This reduces wear of the axial bearings to a minimum, which in turn permits compact and simple axial bearings.

Preferably, the intermediate shaft body is configured as a hollow shaft. For example, arrangements for lubricating the bearings and the gear stages can be provided in the hollow space of the intermediate shaft body.

Preferably, the two axial bearings respectively directly support the end face of the intermediate shaft body. The axial bearings thus do not support an annular step in the axial extension of the intermediate shaft body. This allows a radially compact design of the intermediate shaft body.

Preferably, the inner rings of the two radial rolling bearings are defined directly by the intermediate shaft body. This results in a compact, simple and lightweight design of the two radial rolling bearings.

Preferably, the outer rings of the two radial rolling bearings are defined by a sheet metal outer ring, respectively. More preferably, the sheet metal outer ring defines respectively a roller sleeve for cylindrical rolling elements. The sheet metal outer ring is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and is lighter than a solid construction of the outer ring.

Preferably, the running surfaces of the two axial bearings designed as rolling bearings are defined by a sheet metal body, respectively. This provides a simple, inexpensively producible and lightweight construction of the axial bearings.

Preferably, the two longitudinal ends of the intermediate shaft body are respectively supported by one of the floating radial rolling bearings. The two radial rolling bearings are thus arranged in the axial end regions of the intermediate shaft body, and axially enclose the input toothing and the output toothing.

An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

The figures show a two-stage automotive intermediate shaft transmission arrangement10as part of an automotive transmission by which the rotational drive power of an electric traction motor, for example, introduced into the transmission is stepped down. The intermediate shaft transmission arrangement10comprises, in a transmission housing12, a rotatable and floatingly supported intermediate shaft20which supports, rotationally fixed on an intermediate shaft body22formed as a hollow shaft, an external input toothing24and an output toothing28which is also external. The intermediate shaft20or intermediate shaft body22rotates about an axis of rotation11.

The input toothing24is mounted externally on a separate input gear25, which is mounted rotationally fixed to the intermediate shaft body22. The output toothing28is configured on the intermediate shaft body22itself. The helical input toothing24is angled in the opposite direction to the output toothing28, which is also angled, so that the resulting axial forces act in opposite directions to each other during a torque transmission, and substantially neutralize each other during operation.

Axially between the input toothing24and the output toothing28, a locking toothing26is provided in the present case, which has no gear function, but only serves to temporarily rotationally lock the intermediate shaft20in a parking mode of the motor vehicle.

The intermediate shaft20or the intermediate shaft body22is radially supported at the two longitudinal ends23,23′ by a floating radial rolling bearing30,30′, respectively, and axially supported by an axial bearing40,40′, respectively.

The radial rolling bearings30,30′ respectively comprise cylindrical rolling elements36. The inner rings32of the radial rolling bearings30,30′ are respectively defined by a cylindrical surface32′ of the intermediate shaft body22. The outer rings34of the two radial rolling bearings30,30′ are respectively defined by a sheet metal outer ring body34′ which defines a roller sleeve for the rolling elements36. The outer ring body34′ is seated radially outwardly in a hollow cylindrical receiving shoulder of a housing wall12′.

The axial bearing40,40′ is respectively arranged between an annular end face41of the intermediate shaft body22, which lies in a transverse plane, and an opposite and parallel end wall49of a static housing wall12′, which also lies in a transverse plane. The transverse planes are respectively perpendicular to the rotational axis11.

The running surfaces42,45of the two axial bearings40,40′, each designed as a rolling bearing, are each defined by a sheet metal body43,44, wherein cylindrical rolling elements46are held captive in position between the sheet metal bodies43,44by a corresponding cage. Under all temperature conditions, the axial bearings40,40′ are at most under a slight axial preload, so that the bearing wear is low.

While subject matter of the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Any statement made herein characterizing the invention is also to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive as the invention is defined by the claims. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made, by those of ordinary skill in the art, within the scope of the following claims, which may include any combination of features from different embodiments described above.

The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.