CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and benefit of German patent application DE 102020109057.9 filed Apr. 4, 2020, which is fully incorporated by reference and made a part hereto.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an adapter plate for connecting a motor and a housing of a gear, and to a method for operating a gear.

STATE OF THE ART

From the state of the art, adapter plates are known for connecting a motor and a housing of a gear.

In motor-gear combinations, a transgression of oil or grease from the gear into the motor may cause problems. Sealings are provided for avoiding such a transgression.

In order to recognize the risk which might arise of potentially transgressing oil when the sealing between the motor and the gear fails, solutions are known from the state of the art to provide leakage sensors such as described in the document DE 10 2015 105 609 A1, for example. Known solutions, however, recognize leakage but cannot prevent the transgression in particular in installation positions having a gear perpendicularly arranged above the motor. The solutions known from the state of the art, such as, for example shown in the document FR 2 622 946 A1, are complicated and comparably laborious to install. Moreover, such solutions in turn prevent the leakage to be recognized by means of the sensor mentioned above.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is a task of the invention to solve the problems of the state of the art at least partially. It is in particular a task of the invention to provide for an improved possibility by means of which an imminent transgression of lubricant from a gear into a motor can be recognized or prevented. Furthermore, it is a task of the invention to propose a corresponding gear and a corresponding method for operating such a gear.

The task is solved by an adapter plate and method as disclosed herein Advantageous further developments and embodiments will result from the dependent claims and from this description.

One aspect relates to an adapter plate for connecting a motor and a housing of a gear, having a passage opening for receiving a shaft coupling at least partially, a groove arranged in a first front side of the adapter plate and circumferentially extending around the passage opening, and at least one channel which is in communication with the groove.

A further aspect relates to a gear having an adapter plate attached to a housing of the gear in one of the typical embodiments described herein.

A further aspect relates to a method for operating a gear in one of the typical embodiments described herein, wherein the axis of the shaft coupling is oriented to be at least substantially vertical.

The term “at least substantially vertical” in this context means in particular an angular range of a maximum of 10° deviation from the vertical, a maximum of 5° deviation or a maximum of 2° deviation from the vertical. In typical embodiments, the at least one channel is oriented to be at least substantially radial. Typically, “at least substantially” is to be understood in analogy with the definition above having corresponding angular ranges.

The shaft coupling is in particular provided for receiving a drive shaft such as a motor shaft, or a gear driving shaft of a gear installed in the input side. The shaft coupling may comprise, for example, a push-on sleeve and a clamping ring clamping the push-on sleeve, or a two-part sleeve clamped by a clamping ring, in which the two parts of the sleeve are welded together by a bellow. Typically, the clamping ring is arranged in the axial area of a larger second diameter of the passage opening of the adapter plate.

In typical embodiments, the groove is configured to be concentrically extending around the circumference of the passage opening. The groove may be interrupted or include a variable cross-section across the circumference. In exemplary embodiments, the groove is configured circumferentially to have a uniform cross-section, for example, to have a U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section.

Typically, the at least one channel comprises an overflow channel for discharging lubricant from the groove to the outside of the adapter plate. In typical embodiments, an overflow channel is provided extending from the groove in particular to a circumferential surface of the adapter plate. The adapter plate typically has two front sides. Typical adapter plates comprise a front side on the gear side, which can also be referred to as a first front side. Embodiments comprises a front side on the motor side, which can also be referred to as a second front side, and which is in particular opposite to the front side on the gear side. The circumferential surfaces delimiting the adapter plate to the outside in the radial direction with respect to the axis of the passage opening, may be rounded or even. Typical circumferential surfaces of embodiments comprise at least a channel opening, for example, a channel opening of an overflow channel or a sensor channel.

In typical adapter plates of embodiments, the at least one channel comprises a first sensor channel and a first sensor in communication with the first sensor channel.

In typical adapter plates of embodiments, the at least one channel comprises a second sensor channel and a second sensor in communication with the second sensor channel. Further channels, in particular sensor channels each having sensors associated can be provided in embodiments.

Typically, the first sensor channel or the second sensor channel is in each case suitable to detect lubricant. Typical sensors of exemplary embodiments are configured as leakage sensors, for example, as capacitive sensors. Alternatively, optical sensors may be employed for detecting lubricant.

Sensor channels of embodiments typically extend from the groove to a sensor receptacle, in which the sensor is received. Such a sensor receptacle, for example, may be a recess in a side wall of the adapter plate or else may be arranged within the adapter plate. In further exemplary embodiments, a sensor channel may be guided also to the outside of the adapter plate so that an arrangement of the corresponding sensor is possible outside the adapter plate.

Typical adapter plates are provided for an installation position having an at least substantially vertically standing axis of the shaft coupling, with the groove being arranged on the upper front side, and with the second sensor channel including a horizontally higher board in an outer wall of the groove than the first sensor channel. In such an arrangement, the first front side is the upper front side of the adapter plate on the gear side. Typically, the axis of the passage opening corresponds to the axis of the shaft coupling or the axis of rotation of the shaft coupling. A lower “board” for the first sensor channel may also be understood in this application that no board whatsoever is present. The lower edge of the first sensor channel may in particular be located at the same height or lower than the deepest region of the groove.

Typically, the first sensor channel and the second sensor channel are arranged in different axial planes. “Different axial planes” in this context means a different position in the axial direction of the adapter plate.

By the board of the second sensor channel that is situated higher, or by the arrangement in different axial planes, it may be achieved that the two sensors are applied with different leakage amounts of lubricant, for example oil or grease, in the groove. For example, the first sensor may be used for a warning function, and the second sensor in the sensor channel situated higher may be used for an alarm function. Typically, the overflow board of the overflow channel is situated higher than the board of the second sensor channel. When large leakage amounts arise, for example, leakage liquid may thus be prevented from getting into the motor. Typically, the overflow channel is arranged in another axial plane than the sensor channel or the sensor channels.

Typically, the sensor channels and the overflow channel, respectively, are arranged spaced from one another in the circumferential direction of the groove. An exemplary arrangement may provide an angle of at least 30° or at least 60° or at least 90° between the individual channels. In this way, each channel has enough space in the outer wall of the groove. Typically, the channels each are arranged at least substantially perpendicular to a planar circumferential surface of the adapter plate, or are arranged at least substantially in the radial direction.

Typically, the at least one channel, for example the first, the second sensor channel or the overflow channel, are inclined with respect to a plane situated perpendicular to the direction of the passage opening. In this way, it is achieved, in particular in the overflow channel, that in case of a vertical installation, a flow-off of the arising leakage liquid can be ensured. Typical angles with respect to the plane are more than 0° and/or less than 30° or less than 20°. In further embodiments, the channel is installed horizontally in the plane. Leakage liquid may be pressed to the outside by the force of weight of liquid within the groove.

In typical adapter plates, the passage opening has at least a first diameter and a second diameter which is larger with respect to the first diameter, with the groove being arranged at least partially in an axial area of the first diameter. In this way, an inward projection is created in the area of the groove so that the groove can take up leakage liquid leaking from the gear interior space and dripping off the bearing. In typical embodiments, the smaller, first diameter of the passage opening is arranged on the first front side of the adapter plate on the gear side.

In a typical gear, the first diameter of the passage opening of the adapter plate is smaller than an outer diameter of a drive bearing for mounting the shaft coupling. Typically, the adapter plate is arranged adjacent to the drive bearing for mounting the shaft coupling. In typical embodiments, a push-on sleeve or a part of a sleeve of a bellow coupling is mounted by the drive bearing. Lubricant dripping off the drive bearing can be collected by the groove, in particular when the axis of the shaft coupling is standing vertically. In typical embodiments, the first diameter is smaller than or equal to an outer diameter of the shaft coupling.

In typical embodiments of gears, the groove of the adapter plate is configured, in an axial projection, to be at least partially overlapping with the drive bearing. In the area of the drive bearing, a sealing, in particular a radial shaft sealing ring may be provided for sealing an interior space of the gear filled with a lubricant such as oil or grease. If lubricant leaks from the sealing, it can be collected in embodiments by means of the groove.

Typical gears comprise a bearing flange which is arranged between the adapter plate and the housing of the gear. Typically, at least two parts of the group consisting of the bearing flange, the adapter plate, the housing of the gear or the housing of a motor are screwed together.

In typical gears, the bearing flange engages in the axial direction, in particular partially or slightly with the groove. Thus, a positional securement or centering of the bearing flange may be achieved by means of the adapter plate.

Typical embodiments of gears have a shaft coupling accommodated within the bearing flange. In this way, a compact construction can be achieved.

Advantages of typical embodiments may be that an integrated fail-safe solution for detecting and discharging a leakage is provided, in particular without additional required constructional space being necessarily created. In embodiments, additional mechanical components do not necessarily exist. In typical embodiments, it is possible to achieve a protection of the added electric motor from penetrating lubricant and against a possible contamination of an encoder.

