Patent Application
20240318777
The embodiments as disclosed and described herein relate to a lubrication-saver, the usage of a lubrication-saver and to a landing gear.
Landing gears are well known in the art. Landing gears are used to lower and to raise the front part of a trailer in order to couple the trailer to a tractor. To ease the lowering or raising of the front of a trailer the known landing gears tend to have a gearbox and/or a spindle with a corresponding nut. However, as these elements are turning in relation to the housing of the landing gear or to the housing of the gearbox these elements need to be lubricated, in order to save energy. On the other hand, the usage of a lubricant can have a negative environmental impact and/or makes the landing gear more expensive.
This problem is solved by a lubrication-saver. These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
A lubrication-saver for a gearbox of a landing gear comprise a main body, wherein the main body can have a breakthrough and/or can have a recess. The breakthrough and/or the recess are preferably designed for a spindle or a drive shaft to pass into or through the main body of the lubrication-saver. Particularly preferable the main body has multiple breakthroughs and/or multiple recesses. The lubrication-saver is preferably a device which is supposed to occupy a certain amount of volume, which otherwise would be filled with lubricant. Thus, the lubrication-saver is intended to reduce the amount of lubricant needed, preferably to reduce the amount of lubricant, such as oil or grease, to reach a certain filling level inside of a volume, e.g., inside of a housing of a gearbox. In particular, the lubrication-saver is intended to be used in a gearbox of a landing gear. A landing gear preferably includes an upper leg and a lower leg, which are displaceable in relation to one another, preferably by the usage of a spindle, which could form part of a gearbox or at least partly form part of the gearbox of a landing gear. The gearbox of the landing gear preferably comprises gears, spur gears and/or pinions. In particular, the gearbox of the landing gear could be a multi speed gearbox or a single speed gearbox. The relative movement (raising/lowering) between the upper leg and the lower leg of the landing gear can be realized by a combination of a nut and a/the spindle. The spindle is preferably orientated parallelly to the rising direction and/or parallelly to the height direction of the landing gear. The landing gear is preferably mounted to a trailer, in particular a semitrailer. In order for the lubrication-saver to occupy a certain amount of volume, in particular inside of the gearbox of the landing gear, the lubrication-saver has a main body. Preferably, this main body can be a single piece construction. In other words, the main body can be made out of a single piece. By doing so, the main body is extremely reliable and mechanically stable. In order for the components of the gearbox to function ordinarily, the main body has a breakthrough and/or a recess, wherein a driveshaft of the gearbox can protrude through the breakthrough or into the recess. A breakthrough according to the invention is in particular an opening, which passes completely through the main body. Further or in addition, the breakthrough can be configured in a way that at least a one cutting plain the breakthrough is completely surrounded by parts of the lubrication-saver, in particular by the main body of the lubrication-saver. In other words, the breakthrough is a kind of tunnel passing through the main body and/or through the lubrication-saver. A recess can be a depression, which is open to more than one side. By providing a breakthrough for a drive shaft or for a spindle to pass through the main body, the main body is actually held in place by the spindle and/or the drive shaft. Thus, by providing such a breakthrough, a relatively high amount of volume can be occupied and—at the same time—the position of the lubrication-saver is actually fixed or at least restricted. By using a recess in order for a spindle or a drive shaft to pass into the main body of the lubrication-saver, the volume occupied by the lubrication-saver can actually be increased. Further, such a recess can also be used as a fixing or holding structure for the lubrication-saver, in particular in a gearbox of a landing gear. The breakthrough and/or the recess are, therefore, intended to provide a space at least partly inside of the main body, which could be occupied by a spindle and/or a drive shaft of the landing gear, in particular of the gearbox of the landing gear.
Preferably, the main body of the lubrication-saver has a clearance for a gear, in particular for a spur gear or pinion, of the gearbox of the landing gear. In other words, the main body can have another depression, which is named clearance, which is intended to provide a space inside of the main body for a gear, in particular for a spur gear opinion of the gearbox of the landing gear. Thus, the clearance is actually intended to provide a space for gears of the gearbox. These gears can for instance be fixed to a drive shaft of the gearbox or to a spindle of the landing gear or gearbox. Preferably, the main body has multiple clearances, which are all intended to provide a space for a gear of the landing gear. For instance, the main body can have three or two clearances, wherein one of the clearance is intended to at least partly surround a gear, in particular a pinion, which is fixed to the spindle and, wherein another clearance of the main body is at least partly surrounding a gear, in particular a spur gear, which is fixed to a drive shaft. Preferably or in addition, the main body can have multiple clearances, wherein each of these clearances is connected or can be connected to a breakthrough and/or a recess of the main body. In other words, each of the clearances is provided directly adjacent to a breakthrough and/or recess. This provides the possibility for a drive shaft or a spindled to pass through the main body or into the main body and at the same time the main body is also providing a space for a/the gear, in particular for a spur gear or a pinion, which is/are fixed to the spindle or the drive shaft respectively. Thus, this allows the lubrication-saver, in particular the main body of the lubrication-saver, to occupy a high amount of volume, thus, a lot of lubricant can be saved.
In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the clearance is larger than the diameter of the breakthrough or recess. In particular, the diameter of the clearance is greater than the diameter of the breakthrough or recess, which is positioned directly adjacent to the clearance or connected to the clearance. The diameter of the clearance or of the breakthrough is the maximum diameter of the spindle and/or drive shaft, which could be placed in or through the recess. The diameter of the clearance is the maximum diameter of the gear, which could be placed inside of the clearance. Alternatively, the diameter of the clearance and/or of the breakthrough and/or of the recess is twice the maximum of the radius of the main curvature of the clearance, recess or breakthrough. By designing the lubrication-saver in a way having a diameter of the clearance which is larger than the diameter of the breakthrough or recess, a mechanically stable lubrication-saver, in particular a mechanically stable main body, can be achieved.
Preferably, the or a clearance for the gear is aligned with the or a breakthrough or the or a recess. By aligning the clearance with a breakthrough and/or recess, it is possible for the gear—placed inside of the clearance—to rotate about the same axis of rotation as the shaft or spindle, which passes through the breakthrough and/or into the recess. The wording aligned can be considered as meaning that the center lines of both the recess and/or the breakthrough lies on the same line as the center line of the clearance. Alternatively, or additionally this wording can mean connected. The centerline of the clearance and/or of the breakthrough is in particular the line of rotation of the spindle and/or the drive shaft, which passes into the recess and/or through the breakthrough. Alternatively, the center line is the line of the center points of the main curvature of the breakthrough and/or the recess and/or clearance.
Preferably, the lubrication-saver or the main body is hollow. By using a hollow lubrication-saver and/or main body, weight can be saved. In particular, at least 50%, in particular at least 70%, preferably at least 75% and especially preferably at least 80% of the volume of the lubrication-saver are occupied by the hollow volume/hollow interior of the lubrication-saver and/or of the main body. By doing so, costs can be reduced and/or weight can be saved, in order to increase the transportation load.
Preferably, the lubrication-saver or the main body is made out of a material, which is impermeable for a lubricant, in particular for a grease or an oil. Such a material, therefore, hinders the lubricant to pass into and/or through the lubrication-saver, in particular into the hollow part of the lubrication-saver. Alternatively or additionally, the lubrication-saver can have an impermeable layer or coating. This layer or coating is, therefore, preferably also impermeable for oil, grease or other lubricants.
Preferably, the lubrication-saver or the main body is a one-piece construction or a two-piece construction. By using a one-piece construction, a mechanical stable design of the main body or of the lubrication-saver can be achieved. The usage of a two-piece construction on the other hand, can easily be manufactured.
In particular, the lubrication-saver or the main body is having elements or portions, which are made out of foam, in particular, poly-styrene foam and/or poly-propylene foam. By using a foam, the lubrication-saver or the main body can be constructed as a light weight part. The advantage of poly-styrene foam and of poly-propylene foam is a cheap construction. Further, the entire lubrication-saver or the main body is made out of elements or portions, which are made out of foam, in particular poly-styrene foam and/or poly-propylene foam. Irrespective of the foam used, the foam is preferably a closed-cell foam. This hinders a lubricant to penetrate into the foam. Alternatively, the foam can be an open-cell foam. This type of foam reduces vibrations, in particular in the range of acoustics. Preferably, the open-cell foam can have an inner coating, which is impermeable for a lubricant.
Alternatively, or additionally preferable the lubrication-saver or the main body is a blow molding construction. By using a blow molding technique to form the lubrication-saver or the main body, a cost-effective way of manufacturing the lubrication-saver or the main body can be achieved. Further, a blow molding construction of the lubrication-saver or the main body results in a mechanical stable construction.
Another aspect of the invention can relate to the usage of a lubrication-saver as described above or below, which is used to save lubricant, in particular grease or oil in a gearbox of landing gear. By using lubrication-saver as described in the invention, in particular by placing the lubrication-saver inside of a gearbox of the landing gear, the lubrication-saver occupies a certain amount of volume inside of the gearbox of the landing gear, so the lubricant needed in order to reach the needed filling level of the lubricant inside of the gearbox can be reduced. Thus, a lubrication-saver can be used for reducing the amount of lubricant needed. In other words, the lubrication-saver can be used to save lubricant.
Another aspect of the invention can relate to the usage of a lubrications-saver as described above and/or below for helping to install a gear or multiple gears of a landing gear. In other words, the lubrication-saver can be used as an installation tool of a gear or multiple gears of a landing gear. By using the lubrication-saver as an installation tool, the effort of manufacturing or assembling a landing gear, in particular the gearbox of the landing gear, can be reduced. For example, the usage of a lubrication-saver as an installation tool can easily be achieved by placing gears inside of a or multiple clearances of the main body of the lubrication-saver.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a landing gear, wherein the landing gear comprises a gearbox and a lubrication-saver as described herewith. Preferably, the lubrication-saver is placed inside of the housing of the gearbox. Preferably, the housing of the gearbox is formed by the upper leg of the landing gear.
In particular, the main body of the lubrication-saver has four side walls, which are each parallelly aligned to a sidewall of the housing of the gearbox. In particular, all of these four side walls can contact the corresponding sidewalls of the gearbox. By doing so, the relative orientation of the lubrication-saver in comparison to the gearbox housing is fixed/stabilized.
Preferably, the ratio of the volume of the gearbox to the volume of the lubrication-saver is in a range of 0.15 to 0.80, preferably in a range of 0.4 to 0.63, in particular preferable in a range of 0.51 to 0.56. The volume of the gearbox is the volume, which is inside of the housing, which contains the gearbox. In particular the volume is the volume of the gearbox housing. Preferably, the volume occupied by the drive shafts, gears and the spindle is not part of the volume of the gearbox. In other words, the volume of the gearbox is the free volume, which can be filled by a fluid/lubricant. Should the ratio of the volume of the gearbox to the volume of the lubrication-saver be in a range of 0.15 to 0.80, a high amount of lubricant can be saved. Should the ratio be in a range of 0.4 to 0.63, the lubrication-saver is particularly suitable for multispeed landing gearboxes.
Preferably, a drive shaft of the gearbox of the landing gear is passing through the breakthrough of the main body of the lubrication-saver and/or wherein a spindle of the landing gear, in particular a spindle of the landing gear forming part of a gearbox of the landing gear, is passing through the breakthrough of the main body of the lubrication-saver. Due to the arrangement of the drive shaft or a spindle, which passes through the breakthrough, the lubrication-saver is held in a formfitting way inside of the gearbox of the landing gear. Thus, by this arrangement, the lubrication-saver can reliably be fixed/mounted inside of the landing gearbox.
Preferably, the landing gear is a multispeed landing gear. Especially the lubrication of a multispeed gearbox of a landing gear requires a high amount of lubricant. Thus, the arrangement of a lubrication-saver inside of a part of the landing gear, in particular inside of the multispeed gearbox of the landing gear, is capable of reducing the amount of the lubricant needed drastically.
In a beneficial embodiment, the landing gear is a motorized landing gear. By using a motorized landing gear, the effort needed to operate the landing gear can be reduced. As a motorized landing gear requires a reliable lubrication of the gearbox of the landing gear, the usage of a lubricant-saver as described above and below is extremely beneficial, in order to save lubricant.
Preferably, the gearbox of the landing gear is an internal gearbox, in particular a gearbox inside of an upper leg of the landing gear. In other words, the lubrication-saver is placed inside of an internal gearbox of the landing gear.
Preferably, the gearbox of the landing gear contains a lubricant, in particular an oil or grease. The benefit of the usage of a grease is based on a relatively easy way of ceiling the gearbox. Furthermore, grease is a lubricant having a long lifetime cycle.
Should oil be used as a lubricant of the gearbox of the landing gear, the cooling of the gearbox can be increased.
The invention can relate to the following embodiments:
According to a first embodiment a lubrication-saver (1) for a gearbox of a landing gear (100) is provided, comprising a main body (10), wherein the main body (10) has a breakthrough (12) and/or a recess (13), in particular in order for a spindle (110) or a drive shaft (120) to pass into or through the main body (10) of the lubrication-saver (1).
According to a second embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on said first embodiment the main body (10) has a clearance (14) for a gear, in particular for a spur gear or pinion, of the gearbox (102) of the landing gear (100).
According to a third embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on said second embodiment, the diameter of the clearance (14) is larger than the diameter of the breakthrough (12) or the recess.
According to a fourth embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to three, the clearance (14) for the gear is aligned with the breakthrough (12) and/or the recess (13).
According to a fifth embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to four, the lubrication-saver (1) or the main body (10) is hollow.
According to a sixth embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to five, the lubrication-saver (1) or the main body (10) is a one-piece construction or a two-piece construction.
According to a seventh embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to six, the lubrication-saver (1) or the main body (10) is having elements or portions made out of foam, in particular poly-styrene foam and/or poly-propylene foam.
According to an eighth embodiment of the lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to seven, the lubrication-saver (1) or the main body (10) is a blow molded construction.
It is furthermore preferred to use a lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to eight to save lubricant, in particular grease or oil, in a gearbox of a landing gear.
It is furthermore preferred to use a lubrication-saver (1) based on any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to eight as an installation tool of a gear or multiple gears of a landing gear (100).
A landing gear (100) according to a first embodiment is provided, comprising a gearbox (102) and a lubrication-saver (1) according to any of the before-mentioned embodiments one to eight.
According to a second embodiment of the landing gear (100) based on said first embodiment of the landing gear (100), the ratio of the volume of the gearbox (102) to the volume of the lubrication-saver (1) is in a rage of 0.015 to 0.80, preferably in a range of 0.4 to 0.63, and most preferably in the range of 0.51 to 0.56.
According to a third embodiment of the landing gear (100) based on said first or second embodiment of the landing gear (100), a driveshaft (120) of the gearbox (102) of the landing gear (100) is passing through the breakthrough (12) of the main body (10) of the lubrication-saver (1) and/or a spindle (110) of the landing gear (100) is passing through the breakthrough (12) of the main body (10) of the lubrication-saver (1).
According to a fourth embodiment of the landing gear (100) based on any of the before-described first to third embodiment of the landing gear (100), the landing gear (100) is a multispeed landing gear.
According to a fifth embodiment of the landing gear (100) based on any of the before-described first to fourth embodiment of the landing gear (100), the landing gear (100) is a motorized landing gear.
According to a sixth embodiment of the landing gear (100) based on any of the before-described first to fifth embodiment of the landing gear (100), the gearbox (102) is an internal gearbox, in particular a gearbox inside of an upper leg of the landing gear (100).
According to a seventh embodiment of the landing gear (100) based on any of the before-described first to sixth embodiment of the landing gear (100), the gearbox (102) contains a lubricant, in particular an oil of grease.
Further advantages and features of the lubrication-saver and landing gear will be apparent from the following description with reference to the figures. Individual features of the embodiments shown can thereby also be used in other embodiments, unless this has been expressly excluded. These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
In
Furthermore, the lubrication-saver 1 and/or the main body 10 has another recess 13, which is parallelly orientated to the breakthrough 12. This recess 13 is aligned with and connected to one of the clearances 14, as presented in
The main body 10 of the embodiment presented in
In
The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments only. Modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
