An articulation with rotating hydraulic connection, in particular for mobile work machines

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an articulation with rotating hydraulic connection, in particular for mobile work machines.

[0002] This kind of articulation performs the task of reciprocally connecting two parts of the machine permitting the unlimited two-way rotation of the one with regard to the other. This is the case with some types of mobile work machine such as for example articulated-arm diggers and cranes, on which a hydraulically-activated articulated arm is placed on a rotatable platform which is pivoted normally about a vertical axis. In the prior art, the articulation between the two parts is normally effected by means of a bearing of considerable diameter on one part of which a crown wheel is arranged which meshes with a sprocket on the other part which is commanded to rotate by a fixed motor reducer, evidently eccentrically disposed with respect to the rotation axis. The rotating joint, completely separated from the bearing, but coaxially situated with respect to it, ensures the hydraulic connection between the components of the hydraulic circuit situated on the two parts of the machine.

[0003] In the prior art the above-described structure is the cause of many drawbacks, among which is the difficulty of correctly assembling and correctly reciprocally adjusting the various parts: bearing, motor reducer with sprocket, rotating connection. Assembly time and costs are notable.

[0004] The other negative characteristic relates to the mass and weight of the solutions embraced in the prior art.

[0005] The document FR-A- 1 553 597 shows an articulation with rotating hydraulic connection, in particular for mobile work machines which comprises :

• an external body having an internal cylindrical surface
• a hollow internal body coaxially and rotatingly supported and coupled to said external body and having an external cylindrical surface at which surface open ends of various hydraulic conduits are located, said hollow internal body having a hydraulic motor fixed to it for the generation of rotation movement with respect to said external body.

[0006] The present invention, as described in claim 1 which follow, seeks to obviate the drawbacks and shortcomings in the prior art, with an articulation with rotating hydraulic connection which groups together in a single compact device the principal articulation components.

[0007] Further characteristics and advantages will better emerge in the detailed description that follows, of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the invention, here illustrated purely in the form of a non-limiting example in the attached diagrams, wherein:

• Figure 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section along an axial plane;
• Figure 2 shows, schematically, the embodiment in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows, schematically, a second embodiment.

[0008] With reference to the illustrations, fig 1 shows the external body of an articulation with rotating hydraulic connection able to be solidly mounted on one of the two parts reciprocally connected by the articulation; for example, in the case of a mobile work machine, to the wheel-mounted frame. For this purpose the external body 1 is equipped on its upper part with a flange 23 having through bores 24 for connection by means of bolts. The external body 1 has beneath the flange 23 an internal cylindrical surface 3 having annular channels 2 in communication with an external conduit 30. A hollow internal body 4 is coaxially and rotatingly coupled to the external body 1 and has an internal cylindrical surface 5 shaped and arranged to be in face-on contact with the internal cylindrical surface 3. The open ends 6 of hydraulic conduits 7 envisaged solidly in the hollow internal body 4 are arranged in correspondence with the external cylindrical surface 5. Each hydraulic conduit 7 has an open end 6 located in such a way that it faces one of the annular channels 2 bored into the external body 1. The rotating seal between the annular channels 2 and the open ends 6 is circumferentially guaranteed by seals 25. The hollow internal body 4 is supported to the external body 1 by means of bearings 26 and 27. A hydraulic motor 8 is fixed to the hollow internal body 4, which is axialsymmetric in form and has in its upper part a flange 28 for its connection with the upper part of the machine. The hydraulic motor 8, housed in the internal cavity of the hollow internal body 4, activates a shaft 9 which is arranged coaxially with the cylindrical surfaces 3 and 5 and is engaged to the hollow internal body 4 by means of a hydraulically activated clutch 10. The clutch 10 is of the disk-type and is kept in the engaged position by a system of coaxial springs 11 which act upon a disk collar 12 with antagonistic action with respect to that of the pressurised fluid introduced into the annular channel 13 of a jack, whose annular piston 14 is coaxially slidable and sealed inside a cylindrical chamber 15 bored coaxially in the hollow internal body 4. The shaft 9 is the drive-shaft of an epicyclic reduction gear, indicated by 16, which reciprocally connects the hollow internal body 4 with the external body 1. In particular, the epicyclic reduction gear 16 comprises a satellite carrier 17 which is solid to the hollow internal body 4 and an internally cogged crown wheel 18, to which the satellites 19 mesh, solid to the external body 1 and arranged coaxially to the rotation axis of the shaft 9. The clutch 10 is kept in the engaged position by the action of the springs 11. Disengagement is performed by sending pressurised fluid into the chamber 13 whenever the rotation command is activated to produce rotation in either direction of the hollow internal body 4 with respect to the external body 1. In this situation the shaft 9 is free to rotate with respect to the hollow internal body 4 and thus to produce the rotation of the latter with respect to the external body 1 according to the reduction rapport of the epicyclic reduction gear 16.

[0009] The group is extremely compact, without substantial limits to transmission power and to the number of rotating hydraulic connections between the two mobile parts of the articulation.

[0010] In the second embodiment illustrated in fig 3, instead of the epicyclic reduction gear 16, which can be in one of more stages, a more normal reduction gear 20 is arranged, in which the chassis 21 is solid to the hollow internal body 4 while the conduit shaft 22 is mounted to the external body 1 and coaligned with the drive shaft 9. Both illustrated embodiments are characterised by extreme compactness and permit of great ease and rationality of assembly and dissembly.

Claims

1. An articulation with rotating hydraulic connection, in particular for mobile work machines, comprising:

- an external body (1) having in correspondence with its own internal cylindrical surface (3), annular channels (2) of said connection;

- a hollow internal body (4) coaxially and rotatingly supported and coupled to said external body (1) and having an external cylindrical surface (5) at which surface (5) open ends (6) of various hydraulic conduits (7) are located, which open ends (6) face on to said annular channels (2); said hollow internal body (4) having a hydraulic motor (8) fixed to it for the generation of rotation movement with respect to said external body 1;

- motor transmission, comprising; a drive shaft (9), activated directly by said hydraulic motor (8), arranged coaxially to the cylindrical surfaces (3) and (5); a coaxial reduction gear (16) which reciprocally connects the external body (1) with the hollow internal body (4) and has said shaft (9) as drive shaft;
characterised in that said hydraulic motor (8) is housed in the internal cavity of said hollow internal body (4), and in that said drive shaft (9) is engageable to said hollow internal body (4) by means of a clutch (10) which is hydraulically disengageable and which
is of the disk-type and is kept in the engaged position by a system of coaxial springs (11) which act upon a disk collar (12) with antagonistic action with respect to that of pressurised fluid introduced into the annular channel (13) of a hydraulic jack, whose annular piston (14), coaxially slidable and sealed inside a cylindrical chamber (15) bored coaxially in the hollow internal body (4), is solid to the disk collar (12).

2. Articulation as in claim 1, wherein said reduction gear is an epicyclic reduction gear (16) in which the drive shaft (9) is solid to the motor shaft, the satellite carrier (17) is solid to the hollow internal body (4) and the internally cogged crown wheel (18), with which the satellites (19) mesh, is solid to the external body (1).

3. Articulation as in claim 1, wherein said reduction gear is a reduction gear (20) with at least two stages in which the chassis (21) is solid to the hollow internal body (4) and the conduit shaft (22) is fixed to the external body (1) coaxially to the drive shaft (9).

Ansprüche

1. Gelenk mit hydraulischer Drehkupplungsvorrichtung, insbesonders für mobile Arbeitsmaschinen, bestehend aus:

- einem äußeren Körper (1), der mit seinen eigenen inneren zylindrischen Oberflächen (3), ringförmigen Kanälen (2) und den genannten Verbindungen übereinstimmit;

- einem hohlen inneren Körper (4), koaxial und drehbar gehalten und verbunden mit dem genannten äußeren Körper (1), und mit einer äußeren zylindrischen Oberfläche (5), an deren offenen Enden (6) verschiedene hydraulische Leitungen (7) angebracht sind, und die offenen Enden (6) liegen dem genannten ringförmigen Kanal (2) gegenüber; der genannte hohle innere Körper (4) mit einem hydraulischen Motor (8), an ihm befestigt zur Erzeugung der Drehbewegung in Bezug auf den genannten äußeren Körper (1);

- Motor-Übersetzung, bestückt mit einer Antriebswelle (9), direkt in Bewegung gesetzt durch den genannten hydraulischen Motor (8), der koaxial zu den zylindrischen Oberflächen (3) und (5) angebracht ist; ein Reduktionsgetriebe (16), das den äußeren Körper (1) mit dem hohlen, inneren Körper (4) und der genannten Antriebswelle (9) verbindet;
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der genannte hydraulische Motor (8) in einer inneren Aushebung des hohlen inneren Körpers (4) untergebracht ist, daß die genannte Antriebswelle (9) den genannten hohlen inneren Körper (4) beeinflußt, und die durch ein Gelege (10), das hydraulisch lösbar und plattenförmig ist und in der vorbestimmten Position gehalten wird und dies durch ein System von koaxialen Abzweigungen (11) in der betreffenden Position, die mit anthagonistischer Wirkung auf einen Plattenring (12) einwirken, und dies in Bezug auf die, im ringförmigen Kanal (13) einer hydraulischen Hebevorrichtung eingepresste Flüssigkeit; die ringförmigen Kolben (14) der Hebevorrichtung sind koaxial gleitbar und in einer zylindrischen Kammer (15) befestigt, die koaxial im hohlen inneren Körper (4) gebohrt und fest zum Plattenband (12) ist.

2. Gelenk gemäß Patentanspruch 1), dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das genannte Reduktionsgetriebe (16) ein epizyklisches Reduktionsgetriebe ist, in dem die Antriebswelle (9) fest mit der Motorwelle ist; der Satellitenträger (17) ist fest mit dem hohlen inneren Körper (4) und dem innenbefestigten Kronenrad (18), mit dem die Satelliten (18) übereinstimmen, und das mit dem äußeren Körper (1) fest verbunden ist.

3. Gelenk gemäß Patentanspruch 1), dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das genannte Reduktionsgetriebe ein Reduktionsgetriebe (20) mit mindesten zwei Stadien ist, und in dem das Chassis (21) fest mit dem inneren hohlen Körper (4) verbunden ist und die Leitungswelle (22) ist am äußeren Körper (1) koaxial zur Antriebswelle (9) befestigt.

Revendications

1. Une articulation avec joint hydraulique tournant, en particulier pour machines mobiles de travaux publics qui comprend:

- un corps extérieur (1) qui a, en correspondance avec sa propre surface cylindrique interne (3), les rainures annulaires (2) dudit joint;

- un corps intérieur creux (4) qui est supporté et accouplé d'une manière coaxiale et tournante audit corps extérieur (1) et qui a une surface cylindrique externe (5); sur cette surface (5) sont situées les extrémités ouvertes (6) de différents conduits hydrauliques (7), ces extrémités ouvertes (6) se présentant sur lesdites rainures annulaires (2); ledit corps intérieur creux (4) ayant un moteur hydraulique (8) fixé sur lui pour produire le mouvement de rotation par rapport audit corps extérieur (1);

- un moteur de transmission, qui comprend: un arbre de commande (9) mis en action directement par ledit moteur hydraulique (8), disposé coaxialement aux surfaces cylindriques (3) et (5); un engrenage démultiplicateur (16) coaxial qui relie réciproquement le corps extérieur (1) avec le corps intérieur creux (4) et qui a, comme arbre de commande, ledit arbre (9);
caractérisé en ce fait que ledit moteur hydraulique (8) est placé dans la cavité interne dudit corps intérieur creux (4) et que ledit arbre de commande (9) peut être embrayé audit corps intérieur creux (4) au moyen d'un embrayage (10) qui peut être désembrayé hydrauliquement et qui est du type à disque et qui est tenu dans la position engrenée par un système de ressorts coaxiaux (11) qui agissent sur un collier du disque (12) avec une action antagoniste par rapport à celle du fluide pressurisé qui est introduit dans le canal annulaire (13) d'un vérin hydraulique, dont le piston annulaire (14), qui peut glisser d'une façon coaxiale et qui est scellé à l'intérieur de la chambre cylindrique (15) trouée coaxialement dans le corps intérieur creux (4), est d'un seul tenant avec le collier du disque (12).

2. Une articulation comme celle de la revendication 1, dans laquelle ledit engrenage démultiplicateur est un engrenage démultiplicateur épicycloïdal (16) dans lequel l'arbre de commande (9) est d'un seul tenant avec l'arbre du moteur, le porteur de satellite (17) est d'un seul tenant avec le corps intérieur creux (4) et la roue de la couronne endentée à l'intérieur (18), avec laquelle les satellites (19) s'engrènent, est d'un seul tenant avec le corps extérieur (1).

3. Une articulation comme celle de la revendication 1, dans laquelle ledit engrenage démultiplicateur est un engrenage démultiplicateur (20) avec au moins deux phases dans lesquelles le châssis (21) est d'un seul tenant avec le corps intérieur creux (4) et l'arbre de conduite (22) est fixé au corps extérieur (1) coaxialement à l'arbre de commande (9).

Drawing