Series of adapter devices and adapter device

Abstract

An adapter device and a production series of adapter devices for connecting an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft of a motor, especially an electric motor, to a device to be driven, particularly to a pinion of a gear unit, including

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a production series of adapter devices and an adapter device.

[0002] The German Patent 196 37 361 describes an adapter which is able to transmit a certain torque. However, for industrial applications, it is necessary to construct drives having ever higher torque, accompanied by the most cost-effective design possible.

[0003] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to further develop an adapter device while avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages. In particular, a higher torque should be transmittable, accompanied at the same time by an inexpensive design.

[0004] According to the invention, the objective is achieved with the production series according to the features indicated in claim 1 and with the adapter device according to the features indicated in claim 11.

[0005] Essential features of the invention in the case of the adapter device for connecting an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft of a motor, especially an electric motor, to a device to be driven, particularly to a pinion of a gear unit, including

[0006] an adapter shaft for the rotatably-fixed connection to the device to be driven,

[0007] an intermediate piece engaged with the adapter shaft, and

[0008] a sub-component that is engaged with the intermediate piece and is detachably connectible with form locking to an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft,

[0009] the sub-component including a bore hole for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component,

[0010] and the sub-component having at least three claws for forming the coupling,

[0011] at its second end, thus the end facing the intermediate piece, the adapter shaft having at least three claws for forming a coupling,

[0012] and the intermediate piece being provided between the claws of the sub-component and the claws of the adapter shaft.

[0013] Of advantage in this context is that the adapter shaft has claws on itself. Therefore, the adapter shaft is usable simultaneously for the rotatably-fixed connection to a pinion of a device to be driven, and at its other end is usable as part of a claw coupling which is formed by the claws of the adapter shaft itself, the intermediate piece and the claws of the sub-component. Since the claws are able to be manufactured by processing the master pattern of the adapter shaft, the spatial orientation, particularly the distance to the axis, as well as all further specific geometric characteristics relative to the axis of the adapter shaft may be so well produced, that the need for adjusting the claws relative to the axis of the adapter shaft is eliminated, and therefore it is acceptable to produce the claws with the adapter shaft from one piece. Surprisingly, it has turned out that the tolerances are adhered to so well, that there are even improvements in the service life and further characteristic data compared to an adapter shaft having a separate claw coupling.

[0014] Another important advantage is also that the sub-component includes a bore hole for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component, because motor shafts of various lengths are connectible to it depending on the different design or standard.

[0015] A further advantage is that the intermediate piece is provided between the claws of the adapter shaft and of the sub-component, and therefore, in the event the intermediate piece fails, the claws form a coupling directly, a correspondingly large play developing. Thus, reliability is extremely high, even in the case of breakdown. In particular, because of the large play, in response to the failure described, a noise develops during operation which is clearly transmittable to the operator as a warning indication.

[0016] By integrating the claws into the adapter shaft and the sub-component, many components existing in the related art may be omitted. It is further advantageous that, with the aid of the intermediate piece, on the sub-component side there is created an interface which makes it possible to connect various sub-components. These sub-components must only have the same claws. For that reason, various sub-components are useable for the production series. Therefore, the diversity of functionalities which can be offered increases considerably, while at the same time production expenditure is reduced compared to the related art. For example, it is possible to fulfill the request of the customer to provide only the functionality of a claw coupling between the motor and gear unit, or alternatively, to provide the functionality of an overload coupling in addition to the functionality of a claw coupling.

[0017] In this context, one important advantage of the claw coupling is to compensate for geometrical deviations. An important advantage of the overload coupling is to exhibit a desired behavior in response to overloading. Therefore, both advantages may be combined in the invention, the need for parts or components simultaneously being eliminated compared to the related art; in particular, the connection to the sub-component may be implemented especially simply and quickly and at the same time without further parts which would be used to compensate for the geometric position between a claw coupling and an overload coupling in the case of the related art.

[0018] In one preferred design, it is advantageous that the intermediate piece may be selected to be more flexible, and thus exhibit a torsional stiffness characteristic or transmission function corresponding to a greater elasticity. In addition, the claws are isolated from each other by the radial sections of the intermediate piece. Thus, the coupling attenuates torque fluctuations to be transmitted. As already indicated above, the coupling produced by the adapter device is fail-safe. Namely, if the intermediate piece wears out or is stressed in response to too high a thermal load in such a way that it is worn away, the claws ultimately meet. Thus, the basic function of the adapter device is retained. In such an emergency or accident, the metallic claws, by striking each other, particularly in response to torque fluctuations, then advantageously generate a noise which makes the operator or a monitoring device aware of the wear and tear and therefore the emergency.

[0019] Further advantages are that, due to the intermediate piece, the motor shaft is allowed to extend into the adapter shaft, and therefore the entire adapter device may be implemented in a very compact fashion. In addition, the adapter shaft has claws. Consequently, a coupling function is advantageously integrated into a shaft, thus the adapter shaft. A particularly compact design is thereby achieved which has fewer junctions and/or connections and makes the use of a separate coupling unnecessary. This is a decisive advantage when the invention is used within a production series of gear units and motors. Therefore, the adapter device may advantageously be optimized for the power to be transmitted and for the frame sizes and bore-hole dimensions and/or shaft dimensions used in the production series of gear units and motors.

[0020] Since the adapter shaft and the coupling part with their respective claws are able to be implemented in metal and the number of claws is three or more, large torques are able to be transmitted. In particular, the number of claws may advantageously be optimized in such a way that to the greatest extent possible, all material parts transmit as much force and/or torque as possible. Moreover, there are no substantial material areas which are unused.

[0021] With respect to the intermediate piece, in one preferred design, radial sections are arranged in the radial direction starting in each case from the base member. The base member of the intermediate piece has a bore hole, and the diameter of this bore hole is greater than the diameter of the input shaft, particularly the motor shaft. The radial sections of the intermediate piece are disposed between the claws of the adapter shaft and the claws of the coupling part, and are convex in the radial direction. Each of the radial sections has such a thickness profile in the radial direction, and the claws or their flanks are curved and/or formed radially in such a way in the circumferential direction that under nominal load, the radial sections subject the base member of the intermediate piece to pressure in the radial direction. The radial sections have spacers in the axial direction to the adapter shaft and to the coupling part. The radial sections are each arranged in the radial direction starting from the base member. Due to the special formation of the radial sections and due to the formation of the claws, under load, the material of the radial sections is pushed in the direction of the base member, so that a pressure is able to be exerted on it in the radial direction. Therefore, advantageously no material is squeezed to the outside, which would cause the intermediate piece to wear more quickly.

[0022] The torsional stiffness characteristic or transmission function of the adapter device is likewise variable by the specially selectable design of the radial sections.

[0023] The integration of the spacers for maintaining axial distances into the intermediate piece is advantageously extremely cost-effective, and results in an even more compact construction.

[0024] In particular, the star-shaped configuration of the intermediate piece and the compact construction described interact in such a way that all in all, an extremely compact coupling function is produced accompanied at the same time by extremely high transferable torque. The adapter shaft with its claws is manufactured from one piece, and the sub-component with its claws is manufactured from one piece, or the sub-component includes a driver part which has the claws and is produced with these claws from one piece.

[0025] In one preferred implementation, after the intermediate piece has failed, particularly due to chemically or mechanically caused breakdown, the claws of the sub-component and the claws of the adapter shaft form a play-encumbered, form-locking connection. Thus, the adapter device exhibits increased reliability.

[0026] In one preferred embodiment, the sub-component is able to be variably designed for forming different variants of a production series; for the form-locking connection to an input shaft, it being possible to provide

[0027] either a coupling part which is engaged with the intermediate piece and is detachably connectible with form locking to the input shaft,

[0028] or an overload coupling which is engaged with the intermediate piece and is detachably connectible with form locking to the input shaft, particularly by a feather key connection

[0029] as sub-component. In this context, it is advantageous that it is possible to offer functionalities which differ greatly depending on the application, accompanied by simultaneous ability to rationalize production, the lowering of storage costs and a very compact type of design.

[0030] In one preferred variant, at its end area facing away from the intermediate piece, the adapter shaft has a feather keyway for the connection to a pinion of a gear unit as the device to be driven.

[0031] In one preferred construction, the intermediate piece includes a base member and at least six radial sections arranged in the shape of a star. Advantageous in this case is that the radial sections are able to be mounted together, and at the same time easily and quickly, because the base member connects them. In addition, the number of radial sections is at least six, an optimal value for compressive load per unit area thereby being attainable.

[0032] In one preferred design, to accommodate the input shaft, the sub-component has a bore hole and is connectible to the input shaft by a feather key connection. This is a detachable connecting technique and thus permits quick and easy assembly, servicing or exchange of components.

[0033] In one preferred embodiment, the adapter shaft has a bore hole such that, and the diameter of this bore hole is greater than the diameter of the input shaft such that the end of the input shaft on the adapter shaft side is insertable into the adapter shaft and/or may be provided in a manner that it is able to extend into the adapter shaft without engaging with the adapter shaft. Therefore, different lengths of the motor shaft may be used depending on the standard.

[0034] Essential features of the invention with respect to the production series of adapter devices is that the production series includes at least one size and each size includes at least one variant;

[0035] and each adapter device including at least

[0036] an adapter shaft 1 for the connection to a device to be driven,

[0037] an intermediate piece 2 engaged with adapter shaft 1, and

[0038] a sub-component, engaged with intermediate piece 2, for connection to an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft;

[0039] and each variant being characterized at least by

[0040] a diameter A_i of a bore hole for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component,

[0041] an intermediate piece 2, and

[0042] a diameter D_i at the end of adapter shaft 1 facing away from intermediate piece 2,

[0043] i being a numbering index;

[0044] and the diameters A_i of the bore holes for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component being included by a standardized motor grading;

[0045] and in the case of the production series, with increasing characteristic power, the diameters D_i at least not become smaller;

[0046] and each intermediate piece 2 used in the production series having radial sections 6 which are designed such that, at the greatest power provided for the respective intermediate piece and/or characteristic power, they are in each case subjected to a value of compressive load per unit area lying within a single tolerance range determined for the entire production series;

[0047] and at least one intermediate piece 2 being used in variants of at least two different sizes

[0048] and/or

[0049] at least one intermediate piece 2 being used for sub-components having a different diameter A_i of the bore hole for accommodating the input shaft, and for adapter shafts having different diameters D_i in the area of feather keyway 11 of adapter shaft 1.

[0050] In particular, for each variant, the characteristic power is the nominal power or the power to be transferred in each instance or the maximum transferable power. An important advantage is that, to achieve the objective of the invention, a production series is formed having special features. These features have the advantage, inter alia, of multiple usability within the production series, thus also reduction in storage costs, and the similar processing of parts, thus easier and faster production.

[0051] Another advantage is that the material of the intermediate piece is capable of being loaded up to its limit, and is nevertheless usable repeatedly within the production series. Consequently, the adapter device is in each case able to be implemented with very small volume and the storage costs are kept low, and nevertheless a great variety of alternatives is made possible. In addition, an intermediate piece is used for coupling parts having in each case a different diameter A_i of the bore hole for accommodating the motor shaft and for adapter shafts having different diameters D_i in the area of the feather keyway of the adapter shaft. This means that not only the customary production series offered by the manufacturer, which has no filled 2*2 sub-matrices in its matrix, thus in the two-dimensional numerical schema formed from all tuples of two, but also additional special designs of the production series are included. This is expressed in table form in filled 2*2 sub-matrices.

[0052] Consequently, a new production series is used which is unknown from the related art but which has special cost advantages and is customer-friendly without extra cost.

[0053] The fact that toward the motor, the adapter devices have diameters of a standardized motor grading is customer-friendly and reduces the need for special designs for special diameters of the motor journal.

[0054] In a further advantageous refinement, the compressive load per unit area is determined in the middle of the cam lobes, and the number of radial sections that are loaded in each case is taken into account. In this context, it is advantageous that an approximate value of the physical compressive load per unit area is able to be calculated in a simple manner.

[0055] In another advantageous refinement, the number of radial sections loaded in each case is 3 or 4, the total number of radial sections being 6 or 8. The advantage here is that the radial sections are not too thin, thus exhibit a high stability, and under load, at least 3 radial sections are always loaded.

[0056] In another advantageous embodiment, the tolerance range includes values from 2 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2 to 3.2 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2. In this case, it is advantageous that the material polyurethane is usable for the intermediate piece.

[0057] In another advantageous development, the standardized motor series is an IEC standardized motor grading or a NEMA standardized motor grading. Advantageous in this instance is that motor production series, customary in the market, according to international or U.S. American standard are usable.

[0058] In a further advantageous refinement, the production series is included by a larger production series. The advantage in this case is that, given very large or very small powers to be transmitted, it is also possible to use other adapter devices having, for example, different compressive loads per unit area, or the production series of the present invention is included in a production series which also has intermediate values for diameters D_i and A_i, and therefore offers a still larger selection to the customer.

[0059] In another advantageous refinement, the adapter device in the production series includes an adapter shaft which, at its first end, is connectible in a rotatably fixed manner to a pinion, and at its second end, has at least three claws for forming a coupling. An important advantage in this instance is that the adapter shaft is designed as one part, and thus it is possible to dispense with parts and the production series may be implemented in a particularly cost-effective manner.

[0060] Further advantageous developments are yielded from the dependent claims.

[0061] Reference Numeral List

[0062] 1 adapter shaft

[0063] 2 intermediate piece

[0064] 3 coupling part

[0065] 4 claws of the adapter shaft

[0066] 5 base member

[0067] 6 radial section

[0068] 7 spacer

[0069] 8 claws of the coupling part

[0070] 9 feather keyway of the coupling part

[0071] 10 motor shaft

[0072] 11 feather keyway of the adapter shaft

[0073] 12 feather keyway of the motor shaft

[0074] 13 feather key

[0075] 51 driver part

[0076] 52 screws

[0077] 53 other coupling part

[0078] 58 claws

[0079] 61 tapped hole

[0080] 62 coupling hub

[0081] 63 guide bush

[0082] 64 brake disk

[0083] 65 brake liners

[0084] 66 slotted nut

[0085] 67 disk spring

[0086] 68 thrust ring

[0087] 71 tapped hole

[0088] 72 coupling hub

[0089] 73 retaining ring

[0090] 74 bearing

[0091] 75 collar ring

[0092] 76 ball

[0093] 77 slotted nut

[0094] 78 disk springs

[0095] 79 thrust ring

[0096] The invention shall now be explained in detail with reference to the figures.

[0097] FIG. 1 shows a half section, which in the upper half shows a design having a reversal preventing device, and in the lower half shows a simple design.

[0098] Motor shaft 10 is mounted via a feather key 13 which is inserted in feather keyway 9 of coupling part 3 and in feather keyway 12 of the motor shaft, and represents a connection for transmitting torque. Intermediate piece 2 having base member 5 and radial sections 6 is positioned between coupling part 3 and adapter shaft 1.

[0099] Adapter shaft 1 has a feather keyway 11 for the connection to a pinion of a gear unit as the device to be driven.

[0100] FIG. 2 shows an exploded drawing of the adapter device according to the present invention.

[0101] At its first end, adapter shaft 1 again has a feather keyway 11 for the connection to a pinion of a gear unit. In addition, integrated at its second end are claws 4 which have curved flanks in the radial direction. Intermediate piece 2 features base member 5, radial section 6 and spacer 7. It lies with its radial sections 6 between the claws of adapter shaft 1 and claws 8 of coupling part 3, which includes a feather keyway 9 for receiving feather key 13.

[0102] The flanks of claws 4, 8 are curved in such a way and the radial sections have a convex design such that, under load, particularly rated load or overload, the flexible material of radial sections 6 of intermediate piece 2 is not pressed radially to the outside, but rather radially to the inside toward the axis. Consequently, radial sections 6 then exert a force or a pressure in the radial direction on base member 5.

[0103] The wear and tear of the intermediate piece is reduced in this manner. Spacers 7 keep adapter shaft 1 and coupling part 3 apart.

[0104] Radial sections 6 have a convex shape in the axial, radial and circumferential direction in order, in interaction with the convex shape of the flanks of claws 4, 8 in the radial direction and in the circumferential direction, to exert the indicated radially directed force on the base member.

[0105] After intermediate piece 2 has worn, for example, in an emergency case, the coupling is not allowed to spin, since claws 4, 8 guarantee safety against breakdown.

[0106] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment according to the invention for an IEC grading. Motor power P of the production series is entered in the first line; below it are the appertaining diameters A_i of the bore holes of coupling part 3 from the IEC-Standard grading, which are assigned to the outside diameters of the motor journals. In this context, index i runs from 1 to 10.

[0107] Entered in the left column are the diameters D_i of the pinion journals, thus the diameters D_i of adapter shaft 1 for connection to a pinion in the region of feather keyway 11 of adapter shaft 1. They belong to the manufacturer's own grading of the gear unit manufacturer. In this context, index i runs from 1 to 9. With rising index, the value of diameter D_i increases. Each value D_i is less than the corresponding value A_i having the same index i; thus, D1<A1, D2<A2, and so forth, is always applicable. Diameters D_i and the power to be transmitted in each case are therefore adjusted in such a way that a possibly slightly oversized standardized motor grading of diameters A_i is usable, and at the same time, the adapter device is designed as optimally, particularly as small, as possible.

[0108] Intermediate pieces K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6 for the respective motor journals and pinion journals are entered in the matrix. They are rated in such a way that under load, radial sections 6 are subjected to an approximately equal compressive load per unit area, at the greatest power to be transmitted. The value of the compressive load per unit area lies in a tolerance range around 2.7 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2, and includes essentially values from 2.6 to 2.8 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2. At small or large powers, values such as 3.2 or 2.3 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2 may also occur. Therefore, essentially a special polyurethane is usable, which may be utilized very well or to the maximum.

[0109] Intermediate pieces K2 and K5 fill in 2*2 sub-matrices. This means that in the production series, these intermediate pieces are usable for various diameters A_i and D_i, and therefore not only the standard production series of the manufacturer can be offered, but also special constructions within the production series according to the present invention are feasible, without additional expenditure of time and energy or additional costs. Thus, the intermediate pieces are usable repeatedly within the production series.

[0110] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the present invention for a NEMA grading of diameters A_i which are again indicated in mm. The production series according to FIG. 4 likewise shows multiple usage, with the advantages indicated.

[0111] An important further advantage of the invention is that the same intermediate pieces K1 through K6 are usable for the production series according to FIG. 4 with NEMA grading and for the production series according to FIG. 3 with IEC grading of diameters A_i.

[0112] FIG. 5 again shows the exemplary embodiment of the present invention according to FIG. 2, including the components adapter shaft 1, intermediate piece 2 and coupling part 3. However, coupling part 3 is pushed to one side. In addition, a driver part 51 and another coupling part 53 are shown. Driver part 51 has claws 58 which are equal to claws 8 of coupling part 3, and it may be joined to the other coupling part 53 by screws 52. Driver part 51 and the other coupling part 53 together form a coupling.

[0113] In different exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the coupling is designed according to various acting principles. It is extremely advantageous to design the coupling according to the type of so-called overload coupling.

[0114] In this manner, intermediate piece 2 is just as protected as claws 4 of the adapter shaft and claws 8 of coupling part 3. Naturally, the input and output devices are also protected. The transmission characteristic of an overload coupling is always such that, when the load is unacceptably high, the transmission characteristic no longer corresponds to the transmission characteristic at rated load, and therefore the input and output devices are protected. Such overload couplings are generally known and have widely varying designs. They may be classified according to their acting principles. They are of the automatic switching type, or the non-automatic switching type. Moreover, the overload couplings may be classified according to load-disconnecting or load-retaining transmission characteristic. Further classification features are frictionally-engaged, form-locking or continuous-material characteristics.

[0115] According to FIGS. 6 and 7, a release coupling and a friction coupling are sketched schematically as specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention. However, in furtherance of the inventive principle for one skilled in the art, particularly of the integration of claws into the driver part of a coupling, which, except for the requirement of the inclusion of at least one driver part, is as desired, various further couplings may advantageously be used.

[0116] A friction coupling is sketched schematically in FIG. 6. The shaft on the input side, particularly one driven by an electric motor, is connected to coupling hub 62 by a feather key connection. Disposed about guide bush 63 is brake disk 64 which has tapped holes 61 and, with the aid of screws 52 that may be detachably connected to these tapped holes 61, is connectible to driver part 51 including claws 58.

[0117] With the assistance of claws 58, the friction coupling is engaged with intermediate piece 2 in a corresponding manner as coupling part 3 with its claws.

[0118] Slotted nut 66 is screwed onto coupling hub 62 and exerts force on thrust ring 68 via disk springs 67. Therefore, thrust ring 68 causes brake liners 65 to press against brake disk 64. Brake disk 64 slips only when a critical value for the transmitted torque is exceeded. Consequently, the input and output devices and the adapter device itself are protected.

[0119] FIG. 6 only shows the acting principle of the friction coupling schematically. Therefore, using his/her specialized knowledge, one skilled in the art is in the position to add further components to refine the friction coupling.

[0120] A release coupling is sketched schematically in FIG. 7. The shaft on the input side, particularly one driven by an electric motor, is connected to coupling hub 72 by a feather key connection. Disposed about coupling hub 72 by way of a bearing 74 is collar ring 75, in which balls 76 are located as long as no critical value of torque is yet transmitted. In this context, thrust ring 79 is pressed onto balls 76 by disk springs 78 which are braced against slotted nut 77. Retaining ring 73 represents an axial limitation for bearing 74.

[0121] Driver part 51 including claws 58 is connectible by screws 52 which may be detachably connected to tapped holes 71 of collar ring 75.

[0122] With the assistance of claws 58, the release coupling is engaged with intermediate piece 2 in a corresponding manner as coupling part 3 with its claws.

[0123] FIG. 7 only shows the acting principle of the release coupling schematically. Therefore, using his/her specialized knowledge, one skilled in the art is in the position to add further components to refine the release coupling.

[0124] Thus, in FIG. 5, the production series of adapter devices already described is expanded in its variety in such a way that, on the input side, it is possible to build onto coupling part 3 by various driver parts 51 together with other coupling parts 53, depending on the request of the customer or other requirement. The claws which are engaged with intermediate piece 2 are equal to the claws of coupling part 3 and in the case of driver part 51 are integrated, in particular are worked out from one work piece in one processing operation.

[0125] Thus, when no feather key is desired on the input side, an overload coupling of a selectable acting principle may be provided.

[0126] In further exemplary embodiments of the present invention, with respect to the overload coupling, a sensor is mounted which detects an event in the case of an overload. With respect to the release coupling, for example, an inductive sensor is advantageous for this purpose which detects the relative distance of spherical calotte 75 and thrust ring 79. Instead of inductive sensors, other sensors may also be used which are able to detect correspondingly linear distances.

[0127] Analogously, with respect to the friction coupling, sensors are advantageous which detect the relative movement of the brake disk against brake liners 65, coupling hub 62 or slotted nut 66.

[0128] For the release coupling, it is also possible to monitor an electrical contact between thrust ring 79 and collar ring 75.

[0129] In the instances indicated, the sensor or the monitoring of the electrical contact supplies information about the overload case. This information is passed on, made audible acoustically or indicated visually.

[0130] In particular, in the event of overload, it is even possible to switch off the entire drive or to reduce the torque produced by the electric motor torque.

Claims

1. A production series of adapter devices, the production series including at least one size, and each size including at least one variant, and each adapter device including at least an adapter shaft 1 for connection to a device to be driven, an intermediate piece 2 engaged with the adapter shaft 1, and a sub-component, engaged with the intermediate piece 2, for connection to an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft, and each variant being characterized at least by a diameter A_i of a bore hole for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component, an intermediate piece 2, and a diameter D_i at the end of the adapter shaft 1 facing away from the intermediate piece 2, i being a numbering index, and the diameters A_i of the bore holes for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component being included by a standardized motor grading, and in the case of the production series, with increasing characteristic power, the diameters D_i at least not becoming smaller, and each intermediate piece 2 used in the production series having radial sections 6 which are designed such that, at the greatest power provided for the respective intermediate piece and/or characteristic power, the radial sections are in each case subjected to a value of compressive load per unit area lying within a single tolerance range determined for the entire production series, and at least one intermediate piece 2 being used in variants of it least two different sizes and/or at least one intermediate piece 2 being used for sub-components having different diameters A_i of the bore hole for accommodating the input shaft, and for adapter shafts having different diameters D_i in the region of feather keyway 11 of the adapter shaft 1.

2. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein for each variant, the characteristic power is the nominal power or the power to be transmitted in each instance or the maximum transmittable power.

3. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein for different variants of the production series, the sub-components are designed having different functionality.

4. The production series as recited in claim 3, wherein for the form-locking connection to the input shaft, particularly with the aid of a feather key connection, and for engagement with the intermediate piece 2, the sub-component is either provided with the functionality rigidly as coupling part 3or is provided with the functionality of an overload coupling.

5. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the diameters D_i are always smaller than the diameters A_i given the same index i.

6. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the tolerance range includes values from 2 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2 to 3.2 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2.

7. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the tolerance range includes values from 2.6 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2 to 2.8 N/mm{circumflex over ( )}2.

8. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the standardized motor grading of the diameters A_i is an IEC standardized motor grading and/or a NEMA standardized motor grading.

9. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the production series is included by a larger production series, thus the production series offered to the customer has gaps.

10. The production series as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the larger production series includes a production series having IEC standardized motor grading of diameters A_i and a production series having NEMA standardized motor grading of diameters A_i, and the and/or all intermediate pieces 2 of the production series having IEC standardized motor grading of the diameters A_i are used in the production series having NEMA standardized motor grading of the diameters A_i.

11. An adapter device for connecting an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft of a motor, especially an electric motor, to a device to be driven, particularly to a pinion of a gear unit, including an adapter shaft 1 for the rotatably-fixed connection to the device to be driven, an intermediate piece 2 engaged with the adapter shaft 1, and a sub-component, engaged with the intermediate piece 2, which is detachably connectible with form-locking to an input shaft, particularly a motor shaft, the sub-component including a bore hole for accommodating the input shaft in the sub-component, and the sub-component having at least three claws for forming the coupling, and at its second end, thus the end facing the intermediate piece, the adapter shaft 1 having at least three claws for forming a coupling, and the intermediate piece 2 being provided between the claws of the sub-component and the claws of the adapter shaft.

12. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter shaft 1 with its claws is produced from one piece, and the sub-component with its claws is produced from one piece, or the sub-component includes a driver part which has the claws and is produced with these claws from one piece.

13. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein after failure of the intermediate piece, particularly due to chemically or mechanically caused breakdown, the claws of the sub-component and the claws of the adapter shaft form a play-encumbered form-locking connection.

14. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the sub-components may be implemented differently to form different variants of a production series, for the form-locking connection to an input shaft it being possible to provide as sub-component either a coupling part 3 which is engaged with the intermediate piece 2 and is detachably connectible with form-locking to the input shaft, particularly using a feather key connection, or an overload coupling which is engaged with the intermediate piece 2 and is detachably connectible with form-locking to the input shaft, particularly using a feather key connection.

15. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate piece has a base member and at least six radial sections arranged in the shape of a star.

16. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein for accommodating the input shaft, the sub-component has a bore hole and is connectible to the input shaft by a feather key connection.

17. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter shaft has a bore hole such that, and the diameter of this bore hole is greater than the diameter of the input shaft such that the end of the input shaft on the adapter-shaft side is insertable into the adapter shaft and/or may be provided in a manner that it is able to extend into the adapter shaft without engaging with the adapter shaft 1.

18. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial sections are arranged in the radial direction starting in each case from the base member.

19. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the base member of the intermediate piece has a bore hole, and the diameter of this bore hole is greater than the diameter of the input shaft.

20. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial sections of the intermediate piece are arranged between the claws of the adapter shaft and the claws of the coupling part.

21. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial sections are convex in the radial direction.

22. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the radial sections has such a thickness profile in the radial direction, and the claws or their flanks are curved and/or formed radially in the circumferential direction in such a way that, under nominal load, the radial sections subject the base member of the intermediate piece to pressure in the radial direction.

23. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial sections have spacers in the axial direction to the adapter shaft and to the coupling part.

24. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial sections are arranged in the radial direction starting in each case from the base member.

25. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate piece is made of a more flexible material than the material of the claws.

26. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressive load per unit area is determined in the middle of the radial sections 6 and the number of radial sections loaded in each instance is taken into account and/or the radial sections are approximated by the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped for the determination.

27. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of radial sections (6) loaded in each case is three or four, the total number of radial sections being 6 or 8.

28. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein an intermediate piece which has a base member and at least six radial sections arranged in the shape of a star.

29. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial sections of the intermediate piece are arranged between the claws of the adapter shaft and the claws of the coupling part.

30. The adapter device as recited in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at its end area facing away from the intermediate piece, the adapter shaft 1 has a feather keyway 11 for connection to a pinion of a gear unit.