WO2017094395A1

WO2017094395A1 - Fluid coupling

Info

Publication number: WO2017094395A1
Application number: PCT/JP2016/081400
Authority: WO
Inventors: 大洋緒方; 吉則形谷; 英俊河西; 隼人池田
Original assignee: 株式会社荏原製作所
Priority date: 2015-12-02
Filing date: 2016-10-24
Publication date: 2017-06-08
Also published as: KR20180087358A; JP2017101759A

Abstract

A fluid coupling comprising: an impeller (1) and a runner (2); a radial bearing (40) and a thrust bearing (42) that rotatably support a drive shaft (11); and a lubricating oil supply system (50). The radial bearing (40) has: a support surface (62) that supports the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft (11); a thrust bearing-side end surface (63); and a reverse thrust bearing-side end surface (64). The support surface (62) has a circular groove (68) formed therein at a position adjacent to the thrust bearing-side end surface (63). The radial bearing (40) has an oil passage (69) that extends from the circular groove (68) to the reverse thrust bearing-side end surface (64).

Description

Fluid coupling

The present invention relates to a fluid coupling, and particularly to a fluid coupling bearing structure.

The fluid coupling is a device that transmits the rotation of the input shaft to the output shaft via the working fluid that exists between the impeller that is the input-side impeller and the runner that is the output-side impeller. For example, hydraulic oil is used as the working fluid. By increasing or decreasing the amount of working fluid existing between the impeller and the runner, the rotational speed of the output shaft relative to the input shaft can be changed steplessly.

When the centrifugal force is applied to the working fluid by the rotation of the impeller, the pressure of the working fluid increases, and a thrust force acts on the impeller and the runner. For this reason, the drive shaft to which the impeller is fixed and the output shaft to which the runner is fixed are both supported by the thrust bearing and the radial bearing. These bearings are supplied with lubricating oil by an oil pump such as a gear pump.

JP-A-10-196686

In order to make the entire fluid coupling device compact, it is preferable that the thrust bearing and the radial bearing be adjacent to each other. However, in such an arrangement, the lubricating oil supplied to the radial bearing becomes difficult to flow toward the thrust bearing due to the pressure of the lubricating oil supplied to the thrust bearing. As a result, a sufficient amount of lubricating oil is not supplied to the thrust bearing side of the radial bearing, and the temperature of the radial bearing may increase.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and provides a fluid coupling having a bearing structure capable of sufficiently supplying lubricating oil to a radial bearing adjacent to a thrust bearing. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above-described object, an aspect of the present invention includes an impeller and a runner arranged to face each other, a drive shaft to which the impeller is fixed, an output shaft to which the runner is fixed, and the drive shaft. A radial bearing and a thrust bearing that rotatably support the radial bearing, and a lubricating oil supply system that supplies lubricating oil to the radial bearing and the thrust bearing, wherein the radial bearing and the thrust bearing are adjacent to each other, and the radial bearing The bearing has a support surface that supports the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft, a thrust bearing side end surface facing the thrust bearing, and an anti-thrust bearing side end surface located on the opposite side of the thrust bearing side end surface, An annular groove adjacent to the thrust bearing side end surface is formed on the support surface, and the radial bearing is formed from the annular groove to the anti-slur. A fluid coupling, characterized in that it comprises an oil passage which extends until note bearing end face.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the radial bearing further includes a seal surface positioned between the annular groove and the end surface on the thrust bearing side.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the oil passages are provided.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the radial bearing is composed of a cylindrical sleeve.

According to the present invention, the lubricating oil supplied to the radial bearing flows into the annular groove through a minute gap between the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft and the support surface of the radial bearing, and further passes through the oil passage to the radial bearing. Discharged from. Since the annular groove is adjacent to the end surface on the thrust bearing side, the lubricating oil can flow on almost the entire support surface of the radial bearing. Therefore, the lubricating oil can sufficiently lubricate the radial bearing, and can further prevent the temperature of the radial bearing from rising.

The sealing surface can prevent the lubricating oil supplied to the thrust bearing from flowing into the radial bearing. Therefore, the lubricating oil supplied to the radial bearing can form a flow that moves in this order on the support surface, the annular groove, and the oil passage without being obstructed by the lubricating oil from the thrust bearing.

It is a top view which shows typically one Embodiment of the fluid coupling of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the radial bearing and thrust bearing which support a drive shaft. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a radial bearing. It is an expanded sectional view of a radial bearing.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing one embodiment of the fluid coupling of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid coupling includes an impeller 1 and a runner 2 arranged to face each other, a drive shaft 11 to which the impeller 1 is fixed, and an output shaft 12 to which the runner 2 is fixed. The impeller 1 is also called an input side impeller, and the runner 2 is also called an output side impeller. The impeller 1 and the runner 2 each have a hemispherical shape having a plurality of radial blades inside, and a fluid chamber 5 is formed between the impeller 1 and the runner 2.

The input shaft 15 is arranged in parallel with the drive shaft 11. The input shaft 15 is supported by

radial bearings

16 and 17. A large gear 21 is fixed to the input shaft 15, and a small gear 22 that meshes with the large gear 21 is fixed to the drive shaft 11. The end of the input shaft 15 is connected to a prime mover (not shown) such as an electric motor or a gas turbine. The rotation of the prime mover is transmitted from the input shaft 15 to the drive shaft 11 via the large gear 21 and the small gear 22.

The fluid coupling includes a working fluid circulation system 25 that supplies a working fluid to a fluid chamber 5 formed between the impeller 1 and the runner 2, and a scoop tube for increasing or decreasing the amount of the working fluid in the fluid chamber 5 ( Rake pipe) 30. The tip 30 a of the scoop tube 30 is located in the impeller casing 7. The impeller casing 7 is fixed to the impeller 1 and has a shape surrounding the runner 2. The impeller casing 7 rotates together with the impeller 1.

An actuator 31 such as a hydraulic servo is connected to the scoop tube 30, and the scoop tube 30 can be moved in the radial direction of the impeller 1 and the runner 2 by the actuator 31. When the impeller 1 and the impeller casing 7 are rotating, the working fluid (for example, hydraulic oil) is held in the rotating impeller casing 7. The working fluid in the impeller casing 7 flows by the rotating impeller 1, and the flowing working fluid rotates the runner 2.

When the impeller 1 is rotating, centrifugal force is generated in the working fluid, and the pressure of the working fluid increases. The tip 30 a of the scoop tube 30 scoops the working fluid in the impeller casing 7, and the working fluid passes through the scoop tube 30 and is discharged from the impeller casing 7. The working fluid circulation system 25 includes a fluid cooling device 26 for cooling the working fluid, and a working fluid circulation line 27 extending through the fluid cooling device 26. The inlet of the working fluid circulation line 27 is connected to the scoop tube 30, and the outlet of the working fluid circulation line 27 communicates with the fluid chamber 5 between the impeller 1 and the runner 2.

The working fluid discharged from the impeller casing 7 through the scoop tube 30 flows through the working fluid circulation line 27 and is sent to the fluid cooling device 26. The working fluid is cooled by heat exchange with the cooling water, and then returned to the fluid chamber 5 through the working fluid circulation line 27. In this way, the working fluid circulates between the fluid chamber 5 and the fluid cooling device 26 by its own pressure raised by the rotating impeller 1.

The impeller 1 is fixed to the drive shaft 11 and the runner 2 is fixed to the output shaft 12. The rotation of the drive shaft 11 is transmitted from the impeller 1 to the runner 2 via the working fluid, and the output shaft 12 rotates. The rotational speed of the runner 2 varies depending on the amount of working fluid in the fluid chamber 5 formed between the impeller 1 and the runner 2. Specifically, the rotation speed of the runner 2 increases as the amount of working fluid increases.

The amount of working fluid in the fluid chamber 5 varies depending on the position of the scoop tube 30. That is, when the tip 30a of the scoop tube 30 moves radially outward, the amount of working fluid decreases, and when the tip 30a of the scoop tube 30 moves radially inward, the amount of working fluid increases. Thus, by operating the scoop tube 30 with the actuator 31, the amount of working fluid in the fluid chamber 5, that is, the rotational speed of the output shaft 12 can be changed.

When the centrifugal force is applied to the working fluid by the rotation of the impeller 1, the pressure of the working fluid rises, and a thrust force acts on the impeller 1 and the runner 2. Therefore, the drive shaft 11 is rotatably supported by the two

radial bearings

40 and 41 and the one thrust bearing 42. Similarly, the output shaft 12 is also rotatably supported by two

radial bearings

45 and 46 and one thrust bearing 47.

The fluid coupling includes a lubricating oil supply system 50 that supplies lubricating oil to the

radial bearings

40, 41, 45, 46 and the

thrust bearings

42, 47. The lubricating oil supply system 50 includes an oil cooling device 54 for cooling the lubricating oil, a lubricating oil supply line 51 extending through the oil cooling device 54, and an oil pump 53 connected to the lubricating oil supply line 51. I have. In the present embodiment, the oil pump 53 is a gear pump that is connected to the input shaft 15 and is operated as the input shaft 15 rotates. The lubricating oil is transferred by the oil pump 53 through the lubricating oil supply line 51 to the oil cooling device 54 where it is cooled by the cooling water. The cooled lubricating oil is further supplied to the

radial bearings

40, 41, 45, 46 and the

thrust bearings

42, 47 through the lubricating oil supply line 51. The cooled lubricating oil is also supplied to

radial bearings

16 and 17 that support the input shaft 15.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a radial bearing 40 and a thrust bearing 42 that support the drive shaft 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the radial bearing 40 and the thrust bearing 42 are adjacent to each other. The lubricating oil supply line 51 is divided into two

branch passages

51 a and 51 b, the branch passage 51 a is connected to the radial bearing 40, and the other branch passage 51 b is connected to the thrust bearing 42. The lubricating oil supplied to the thrust bearing 42 flows through the sliding surface of the thrust bearing 42, and is collected in an oil tank (not shown) through an oil discharge path 60 provided above the thrust bearing 42. The oil tank is disposed below the drive shaft 11 and the output shaft 12.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the radial bearing 40. The radial bearing 40 is a sliding bearing composed of a cylindrical sleeve. The radial bearing 40 includes a support surface 62 that supports the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 11, a thrust bearing side end surface 63 that faces the thrust bearing 42, and an anti-thrust bearing side end surface 64 that is located on the opposite side of the thrust bearing side end surface 63. And have. The radial bearing 40 has a lubricating oil supply port 65 extending from the outer surface to the support surface 62, and this lubricating oil supply port 65 passes through the semicircular groove 61 in the branch passage 51 a of the lubricating oil supply line 51 described above. Communicate. The lubricating oil supply port 65 is located at the center of the support surface 62 in the axial direction of the radial bearing 40. The lubricating oil is supplied to the support surface 62 through the lubricating oil supply port 65.

An annular groove 68 adjacent to the thrust bearing side end surface 63 is formed on the support surface 62 of the radial bearing 40. The radial bearing 40 has an oil passage 69 extending from the annular groove 68 to the end surface 64 on the side opposite to the thrust bearing. The annular groove 68 is a groove extending in the circumferential direction of the support surface 62, and the oil passage 69 is a hole extending in the axial direction of the drive shaft 11. One end of the oil passage 69 is connected to the annular groove 68, and the other end is opened at the anti-thrust bearing side end face 64.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the radial bearing 40. The lubricating oil introduced into the radial bearing 40 flows through a minute gap between the support surface 62 and the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 11 toward the thrust bearing side end surface 63 and the anti-thrust bearing side end surface 64. Lubricating oil toward the thrust bearing side end face 63 reaches the annular groove 68 and is further discharged from the radial bearing 40 through the oil passage 69. The discharged lubricating oil is collected in an oil tank.

According to this embodiment described above, the annular groove 68 is adjacent to the thrust bearing side end face 63, so that the lubricating oil can flow on the entire support surface 62 of the radial bearing 40. Therefore, the lubricating oil can sufficiently lubricate the radial bearing 40 and can further prevent the temperature of the radial bearing 40 from rising.

The position of the oil passage 69 is not particularly limited, but the oil passage 69 is preferably connected to the top of the annular groove 68 as shown in FIG. This is because a certain amount of lubricating oil is preferably present on the support surface 62 of the radial bearing 40 when the fluid coupling is started. A plurality of oil passages 69 may be provided so that the lubricating oil is discharged from the radial bearing 40 without stagnation when the flow rate of the lubricating oil is large.

The radial bearing 40 further includes a seal surface 70 located between the annular groove 68 and the thrust bearing side end surface 63. The seal surface 70 is a circumferential surface extending along the annular groove 68 and is close to the outer circumferential surface of the drive shaft 11. The seal surface 70 is located between the thrust bearing 42 and the annular groove 68. Therefore, the seal surface 70 can prevent the lubricating oil supplied to the thrust bearing 42 from flowing into the radial bearing 40. The lubricating oil supplied to the radial bearing 40 can form a flow that moves in this order on the support surface 62, the annular groove 68, and the oil passage 69 without being obstructed by the lubricating oil from the thrust bearing 42. . Furthermore, the seal surface 70 can prevent the cooled lubricating oil before contacting the thrust bearing 42 from being discharged through the annular groove 68 and the oil passage 69.

The above-described embodiments are described for the purpose of enabling the person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs to implement the present invention. Various modifications of the above embodiment can be naturally made by those skilled in the art, and the technical idea of the present invention can be applied to other embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but is to be construed in the widest scope according to the technical idea defined by the claims.

The present invention can be used for a fluid coupling bearing structure.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Impeller 2 Runner 5 Fluid chamber 7 Impeller casing 11 Drive shaft 12 Output shaft 15

Input shaft

16, 17 Radial bearing 21 Large gear 22 Small gear 25 Working fluid circulation system 26 Fluid cooling device 27 Working fluid circulation line 30 Scoop tube (rake pipe) )
31

Actuator

40, 41, 45, 46 Radial bearing 42, 47 Thrust bearing 50 Lubricating oil supply system 51 Lubricating oil supply line 53 Oil pump 54 Oil cooling device 61 Semi-annular groove 62 Support surface 63 Thrust bearing side end surface 64 Anti-thrust bearing Side end surface 65 Lubricating oil supply port 68 Annular groove 69 Oil passage 70 Seal surface

Claims

An impeller and a runner arranged facing each other;
A drive shaft to which the impeller is fixed;
An output shaft to which the runner is fixed;
A radial bearing and a thrust bearing that rotatably support the drive shaft;
A lubricating oil supply system for supplying lubricating oil to the radial bearing and the thrust bearing,
The radial bearing and the thrust bearing are adjacent to each other;
The radial bearing has a support surface that supports an outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft, a thrust bearing side end surface that faces the thrust bearing, and an anti-thrust bearing side end surface that is located on the opposite side of the thrust bearing side end surface. And
An annular groove adjacent to the thrust bearing side end surface is formed on the support surface,
The radial bearing has an oil passage extending from the annular groove to the end surface on the side opposite to the thrust bearing.
The fluid coupling according to claim 1, wherein the radial bearing further has a seal surface positioned between the annular groove and the end surface on the thrust bearing side.
The fluid coupling according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the oil passages are provided.
The fluid coupling according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the radial bearing is formed of a cylindrical sleeve.