TWI891189B - Buffer assembly and transmission assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A buffer assembly and a transmission assembly. The buffer assembly is configured to buffer a force applied by a clutch to an output shaft of a motor and includes a connection rod, at least one bearing and a fastener. Two opposite ends of the connection rod are configured to be connected to the clutch and the output shaft, respectively. The at least one bearing is disposed through the connection rod. The fastener is sleeved on the connection rod and rests on a side of the at least one bearing that is located close to the motor.

Description

Buffer components and transmission components

The present invention relates to a shock absorber assembly and a transmission assembly, and in particular to a shock absorber assembly and a transmission assembly including a bearing.

With the growing awareness of energy conservation and carbon reduction, many manufacturers have been actively promoting the electrification of traditional engine-powered vehicles in recent years. Tractors, used as agricultural machinery, are one type of vehicle for which manufacturers are actively promoting electrification. To electrify a vehicle, the power output from the motor must be transmitted to a transmission.

However, shifting gears in the transmission exerts an axial force on the motor. This axial force, when transmitted to the motor's output shaft, can potentially damage the motor. Therefore, there is a need to develop a structure that can buffer the axial force generated during gear shifting to improve the reliability of electrified vehicles.

The present invention provides a buffer assembly and a transmission assembly to buffer the force applied to the output shaft of the motor when the transmission shifts gears.

A buffer assembly disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention is used to buffer a force applied by a clutch to an output shaft of a motor. The assembly comprises a connecting shaft, at least one bearing, and a fastener. Opposite ends of the connecting shaft are drivingly connected to the clutch and the output shaft, respectively. The at least one bearing extends through the connecting shaft. The fastener is sleeved on the connecting shaft and abuts against the side of the at least one bearing closest to the motor.

Another embodiment of the present invention discloses a transmission assembly comprising a transmission case, a motor, and a buffer assembly. The transmission case includes a housing and a clutch disposed within the housing. The motor has an output shaft. The buffer assembly is used to buffer the force exerted by the clutch on the output shaft and includes a connecting shaft, at least one bearing, and a fastener. Opposite ends of the connecting shaft are drivingly connected to the clutch and the output shaft, respectively. The connecting shaft is rotatably mounted in the housing via at least one bearing. The fastener is mounted on the connecting shaft and abuts against a side of the at least one bearing proximal to the motor.

According to the damper assembly and transmission assembly disclosed in the above-described embodiment, a bearing is mounted on the connecting shaft, and a fastener is mounted on the connecting shaft and abuts the side of the bearing closest to the motor. Therefore, when the transmission shifts, the force transmitted from the clutch to the motor's output shaft is buffered and absorbed by the bearing and fastener. This prevents the motor's output shaft from being damaged by the transmission shift, thereby improving the reliability of vehicles using damper assemblies or transmission assemblies after electrification.

Furthermore, because the fasteners fit over the connecting shaft and abut against the side of the bearing closest to the motor, they help secure and position the bearing and connecting shaft. Furthermore, no additional coupling structure is required on the connecting shaft or the motor's output shaft. This allows the damper assembly to be used with different motor types and facilitates assembly and disassembly of the motor relative to the damper assembly and the transmission housing it is mounted on.

10: Transmission components

100: Gearbox

110: Shell

120: Clutch

200: Motor

210:Output shaft

211: Mounting hole

300: Buffer component

310: Linked shaft

311: Main Department

312: First mounting protrusion

313: Second mounting protrusion

315: Abutment surface

320: Assembly seat

330: Bearing seat

331: Abutment

340: Bearings

341: Fixed part

342: Rotating part

350: Fasteners

360:Bearing cap

P1: Tension

P2: Thrust

D1, D2: Diameter

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transmission assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a partially enlarged view of the schematic cross-sectional view of the transmission assembly in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the buffer assembly of the transmission assembly in Figure 1.

The following detailed description of the features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention is sufficient to enable anyone with ordinary skill in the art to understand the technical aspects of the embodiments of the present invention and implement them accordingly. Furthermore, based on the disclosure, patent application, and drawings in this specification, anyone with ordinary skill in the art can easily understand the relevant objectives and advantages of the present invention. The following embodiments further illustrate the concepts of the present invention in detail and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transmission assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a partially enlarged view of the cross-sectional view of the transmission assembly in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the buffer assembly of the transmission assembly in Figure 1.

In this embodiment, the transmission assembly 10 is suitable for use in a vehicle (not shown), such as a traction machine. Furthermore, the transmission assembly 10 is used, for example, to electrify the vehicle. In this embodiment, the transmission assembly 10 includes a transmission 100, a motor 200, and a buffer assembly 300.

The transmission 100 includes a housing 110 and a clutch 120 disposed in the housing 110. The motor 200 has an output shaft 210.

In this embodiment, the buffer assembly 300 includes a connecting shaft 310, an assembly seat 320, a bearing seat 330, two bearings 340, and a fastener 350. The buffer assembly 300, through the bearings 340 and fastener 350, is used to buffer the force applied by the clutch 120 to the output shaft 210 during gear shifting in the transmission 100, such as the pulling force P1 or pushing force P2 in FIG2 .

The connecting shaft 310 has opposite ends that are drivingly connected to the clutch 120 and the output shaft 210, respectively. Specifically, in this embodiment, the connecting shaft 310 includes a main body 311, a first mounting protrusion 312, and a second mounting protrusion 313. The first mounting protrusion 312 and the second mounting protrusion 313 protrude from opposite sides of the main body 311. The first mounting protrusion 312 is, for example, mounted in a mounting hole 211 of the output shaft 210. Furthermore, the first mounting protrusion 312 may be heat-treated to enhance its surface hardness and wear resistance. The second mounting protrusion 313 is secured to the clutch 120, for example, by screws.

The present invention is not limited to the connection between the connecting shaft 310 and the output shaft 210. In other embodiments, the first mounting protrusion of the connecting shaft may also have a mounting hole for inserting the output shaft. In other words, in other embodiments, the mounting hole may be designed on the first mounting protrusion to insert the output shaft.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the diameter D1 of the second mounting protrusion 313 is larger than the diameter D2 of the main body 311, thereby forming a contact surface 315 between the second mounting protrusion 313 and the main body 311.

The assembly base 320 is removably secured to one side of the transmission case 100 housing 110, for example, by screws, and is disposed around the outer side of the second mounting protrusion 313 of the connecting shaft 310. The bearing base 330 abuts against the side of the assembly base 320 facing away from the housing 110 and is removably secured to the assembly base 320, for example, by screws. In other words, the bearing base 330 is removably secured to one side of the housing 110 via the assembly base 320 and is disposed around the body 311 of the connecting shaft 310 and the outer side of the second mounting protrusion 313. The bearing base 330 is generally hollow and cylindrical, with an abutment portion 331 formed on its inner annular wall.

The two bearings 340 are used to buffer or absorb the pulling force P1 or pushing force P2 in FIG2 . Each bearing 340 includes a fixed portion 341 on the relatively outer side and a rotating portion 342 on the relatively inner side. The rotating portion 342 is rotatably disposed on the fixed portion 341 . The two bearings 340 are adjacently disposed between the main body 311 of the connecting shaft 310 and the bearing seat 330. The fixed portion 341 and rotating portion 342 of the bearing 340 closer to the housing 110 abut against the abutment portion 331 of the bearing seat 330 and the abutment surface 315 of the connecting shaft 310, respectively. Thus, the connecting shaft 310 is rotatably mounted on the housing 110 via the two bearings 340, and the bearing seat 330 is sandwiched between the two bearings 340 and the assembly seat 320.

In this embodiment, the two bearings 340 are, for example, beveled ball bearings, arranged in a back-to-back arrangement (DB arrangement). This allows the two bearings 340 to more effectively buffer or absorb the tensile force P1 or thrust force P2 shown in Figure 2 . However, the present invention is not limited to the number and type of bearings. In other embodiments, the buffer assembly may include only one bearing or three or more bearings, and the bearings may be deep groove ball bearings, tapered roller bearings, or self-aligning ball bearings. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the combination of bearings. In other embodiments, the two bearings may be arranged in a face-to-face arrangement (DF arrangement), or the two bearings may be separated from each other by a spacer ring.

In this embodiment, the bearing seat 330, against which the fixing portion 341 of the bearing 340 abuts, can accommodate assembly tolerances between the bearing 340 and the housing 110, or between the bearing 340 and the assembly seat 320. The assembly seat 320, which is removably fixed to the housing 110, enhances the ease of installation of the bearing seat 330. Furthermore, the assembly seat 320 and the bearing seat 330 help ensure concentricity between the two bearings 340. However, in other embodiments, the assembly seat and the bearing seat may be integrated into a single component. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the buffer assembly may not include both the assembly seat and the bearing seat.

In this embodiment, the fastener 350 is, for example, a nut, such as a sun nut or a precision nut. The fastener 350 is mounted on the body 311 of the connecting shaft 310 and abuts against the side of the two bearings 340 closest to the motor 200 (i.e., the side facing away from the housing 110). This forces the fixed portion 341 and rotating portion 342 of the two bearings 340 against the abutment portion 331 of the bearing seat 330 and the abutment surface 315 of the connecting shaft 310, respectively, thereby confining the two bearings 340 between the bearing seat 330, the connecting shaft 310, and the fastener 350. Furthermore, the fastener 350 is separated from the motor 200.

In this embodiment, the buffer assembly 300 may further include a bearing cover 360. The bearing cover 360 is mounted over the fastener 350 and the main body 311 of the connecting shaft 310, and rests against the side of the bearing seat 330 facing away from the housing 110. The bearing cover 360 not only restrains the fixing portion 341 of the bearing 340 but also prevents foreign matter from entering the bearing 340 and affecting its operation or reducing its service life. In other embodiments, the buffer assembly may not include a bearing cover.

According to the damper assembly and transmission assembly disclosed in the above-described embodiment, a bearing is mounted on the connecting shaft, and a fastener is mounted on the connecting shaft and abuts the bearing on the side closest to the motor. Therefore, when the transmission shifts, the force transmitted from the clutch to the motor's output shaft is buffered and absorbed by the bearing and fastener. This prevents the motor's output shaft from being damaged by the transmission shift, thereby improving the reliability of vehicles using the damper assembly or transmission assembly after electrification.

Furthermore, because the fasteners fit over the connecting shaft and abut against the side of the bearing closest to the motor, they help secure and position the bearing and connecting shaft. Furthermore, no additional coupling structure is required on the connecting shaft or the motor's output shaft. This allows the damper assembly to be used with different motor types and facilitates assembly and disassembly of the motor relative to the damper assembly and the transmission housing it is mounted on.

Although the present invention is disclosed above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may make modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of patent protection for the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the patent application attached to this specification.

110: Housing 120: Clutch 210: Output shaft 211: Mounting hole 310: Connecting shaft 311: Main body 312: First mounting protrusion 313: Second mounting protrusion 315: Abutment surface 320: Assembly seat 330: Bearing seat 331: Abutment 340: Bearing 341: Fixed portion 342: Rotating portion 350: Fastener 360: Bearing cover P1: Tensile force P2: Thrust D1, D2: Diameters

Claims (13)

A buffer assembly is provided for buffering a force applied by a clutch to an output shaft of a motor. The buffer assembly comprises: a connecting shaft, the connecting shaft having opposite ends drivingly connected to the clutch and the output shaft, respectively; at least one bearing passing through the connecting shaft; and a fastener sleeved on the connecting shaft and resting against a side of the at least one bearing proximal to the motor; wherein the fastener is configured to be separated from the motor. The buffer assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the number of the at least one bearing is two, and the two bearings are adjacent to each other and pass through the connecting shaft. The cushioning assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two bearings are bevel ball bearings and are arranged in a back-to-back back-to-back combination. The buffer assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the fastener is a nut. A transmission assembly includes: a transmission case including a housing and a clutch disposed in the housing; a motor having an output shaft; and a buffer assembly for buffering a force applied by the clutch to the output shaft and including: a connecting shaft having opposite ends drivingly connected to the clutch and the output shaft, respectively; at least one bearing, the connecting shaft being rotatably disposed in the housing via the at least one bearing; and a fastener sleeved on the connecting shaft and resting against a side of the at least one bearing proximal to the motor; wherein the fastener is separate from the motor. A transmission assembly as described in claim 5, wherein the number of the at least one bearing is two, and the two bearings are adjacent to each other and pass through the connecting shaft. A transmission assembly as described in claim 6, wherein the two bearings are bevel ball bearings and are arranged in a back-to-back back-to-back combination. A transmission assembly as described in claim 5, wherein the connecting shaft includes a main body and a first mounting protrusion, the first mounting protrusion protrudes from one side of the main body and is mounted in a mounting hole of the output shaft, and the at least one bearing and the fastener are passed through the main body. A transmission assembly as described in claim 8, wherein the connecting shaft further includes a second mounting protrusion, the second mounting protrusion protruding from a side of the main body away from the first mounting protrusion and fixed to the clutch. A transmission assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the diameter of the second mounting protrusion is larger than the diameter of the main body so that a contact surface is formed between the second mounting protrusion and the main body, and the at least one bearing is confined between the fastener and the contact surface. The transmission assembly as described in claim 5, wherein the buffer assembly further includes a bearing seat, which is detachably fixed to the housing and is arranged around the outer side of the connecting shaft, and the at least one bearing is confined between the bearing seat, the connecting shaft and the fastener. The transmission assembly as described in claim 11, wherein the buffer assembly further includes an assembly seat, which is detachably fixed to the housing and the bearing seat and is arranged around the outer side of the connecting shaft, and the bearing seat is clamped between the at least one bearing and the assembly seat. The transmission assembly as described in claim 5, wherein the fastener is a nut.