Soil Compacting Device with Compensating Coupling

Abstract

A soil compacting device has an upper mass having a drive and a lower mass having an imbalance exciter. On the lower mass, there is provided a bearer device connected fixedly thereto, which bearer device bears a transmission device having an input shaft and an output shaft. The drive has a drive shaft that is coupled to the input shaft. The imbalance exciter has an exciter shaft that is coupled to the output shaft. A compensating coupling is provided between the drive shaft of the drive and the input shaft of the transmission device. The compensating coupling is designed to compensate for an axial offset, a radial offset, and an angular offset between the drive shaft and the input shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A soil compacting device comprising:
 an upper mass having a drive;   a lower mass connected to the upper mass so as to be movable relative thereto, and having a soil contact plate for soil compaction;   an imbalance exciter provided on the lower mass and capable of being driven by the drive;   a bearer device situated on one of the upper mass and the lower mass and connected fixedly thereto;   the bearer device bearing a transmission device having an input shaft and an output shaft that are coupled together by a torque-transmitting device for transmitting a torque from the input shaft to the output shaft;   the bearer device bearing the input shaft and the output shaft so that they are capable of rotation,   the drive having a drive shaft that is coupled to the input shaft;   the imbalance exciter having an exciter shaft that is coupled to the output shaft;   a compensating coupling being provided between the drive shaft of the drive and the input shaft of the transmission device or between the output shaft of the transmission device and the exciter shaft of the imbalance exciter; and   the compensating coupling being configured to compensate an axial offset, a radial offset, and an angular offset between one of 1) the drive shaft and the input shaft and 2) between the output shaft and the exciter shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bearer device is fixedly connected to the upper mass;   the compensating coupling is provided between the output shaft of the transmission device and the exciter shaft of the imbalance exciter; and   the compensating coupling is configured to compensate an axial offset, a radial offset, and an angular offset between the output shaft and the exciter shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bearer device is fixedly connected to the lower mass;   the compensating coupling is provided between the drive shaft of the drive and the input shaft of the transmission device; and   the compensating coupling is configured to compensate an axial offset, a radial offset, and an angular offset between the drive shaft and the input shaft.   
     
     
         4 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the bearer device is rigidly connected to at least one of the soil contact plate and an exciter housing appertaining to the imbalance exciter. 
     
     
         5 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bearer device and the transmission device are at least partly enclosed by a transmission housing. 
     
     
         6 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the input shaft is aligned with the drive shaft of the drive in an idle state of the soil compacting device. 
     
     
         7 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transmission device is a belt drive having a first pulley and a second pulley capable of being driven by the first pulley via a belt;   the first pulley is borne by the input shaft;   the second pulley is borne by the output shaft; and   the exciter shaft of the imbalance exciter is coupled to the output shaft and thus to the second pulley in such a way that is capable of being rotationally driven via the second pulley.   
     
     
         8 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the compensating coupling is a link coupling that has:
 a first crank that is coupled to the drive shaft; 
 a second crank that is coupled to the input shaft; and 
 a connecting rod that couples the first crank and the second crank; or 
   the compensating coupling is a link coupling that has:
 a first crank that is coupled to the output shaft; 
 a second crank that is coupled to the exciter shaft; and 
 a connecting rod that couples the first crank and the second crank. 
   
     
     
         9 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first crank and the second crank are rotated by an angle relative to one another that is bridged by the connecting rod. 
     
     
         10 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the connecting rod is pivotable relative to at least one of the first crank and the second crank by at least a small angle. 
     
     
         11 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the connecting rod is coupled to at least one of the first crank and to the second crank via an elastic bearing. 
     
     
         12 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the elastic bearing is an elastomer spherical bearing. 
     
     
         13 . The soil compacting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first crank and the second crank has a compensating mass situated opposite, relative to their axis of rotation, a coupling point at which the connecting rod is coupled. 
     
     
         14 . The soil compacting device as recited in one  claim 1 , wherein:
 a centrifugal clutch is provided as part of the drive; and   the drive shaft is part of the centrifugal clutch.   
     
     
         15 . A soil compacting device comprising:
 an upper mass having a drive;   a lower mass that is connected to the upper mass so as to be movable relative thereto and that has a soil contact plate for soil compaction;   an imbalance exciter that is provided on the lower mass and that is capable of being driven by the drive;   a bearer device that is situated on one of the upper mass and the lower mass and that is connected fixedly thereto; wherein
 the bearer device bears a transmission device having an input shaft and an output shaft that are coupled together by a torque-transmitting device for transmitting a torque from the input shaft to the output shaft; 
 the bearer device bears the input shaft and the output shaft so that they are capable of rotation, 
 the drive has a drive shaft that is coupled to the input shaft; 
 the imbalance exciter has an exciter shaft that is coupled to the output shaft; and further comprising 
   a compensating coupling that is provided between one of 1) the drive shaft of the drive and the input shaft of the transmission device and 2) between the output shaft of the transmission device and the exciter shaft of the imbalance exciter, the compensating coupling being configured to compensate an axial offset, a radial offset, and an angular offset between one of 1) the drive shaft and the input shaft and 2) between the output shaft and the exciter shaft