Gear mechanism with energy storage source

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gear mechanism (1) for generating rotational motion at a high rotational speed from rotational motion at a low rotational speed, comprising: a drive shaft (20) that rotates at a low rotational speed; a drive wheel located on the drive shaft; an output shaft (40) that rotates at a high rotational speed; an output element that engages with the drive wheel, the engagement comprising a first stage in which the drive wheel drives the output element and a second stage in which the drive wheel and the output element are disengaged from each other; and a storage energy source (70) that absorbs energy by the movement of the output element in the first stage of engagement and releases the absorbed energy through the output element to rotate the output shaft in the second stage of engagement.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gear mechanism for generating rotational motion at a high rotational speed from rotational motion at a low rotational speed. [Background Art]

[0002] Such a gear mechanism is well known from the prior art. The gear mechanism comprises a drive shaft and a drive wheel disposed on the drive shaft. The drive shaft rotates at a relatively low rotational speed, for example, as in the case of a wind turbine having a rotor that rotates at low speed.

[0003] It is further known that the drive wheel in the form of an input gear meshes with an output element in the form of an output gear disposed on an output shaft. By selecting the diameters or the number of teeth of the two gear wheels, the gear ratio i of the gear mechanism can be set. The gear ratio i corresponds to the ratio of the diameter of the output gear to the diameter of the input gear (i=d output / d input ). By selecting a large diameter of the input gear paired with a small diameter of the output gear, an extremely high rotational speed of the output shaft can be achieved even when the rotation of the drive shaft is slow. However, only a small amount of torque is available at the output shaft rotating at high speed. Furthermore, when an extremely low gear ratio (i<<1 or rotational speed n input <<rotational speed n output ) is required, transmission loss may become large. [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] Accordingly, the present invention is based on the problem of providing an efficient gear mechanism that enables a high rotational speed of the output shaft even with a drive shaft rotating at low speed, and at the same time also enables a large torque at the output shaft. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0005] The problems addressed by the present invention are achieved by a combination of the features described in claim 1. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be found in the dependent claims to claim 1.

[0006] According to the present invention, engagement comprises a first stage and a second stage, in which the drive wheel drives the output element, and in the second stage, the drive wheel and the output element are disengaged from each other. The gear mechanism includes an energy storage source that absorbs energy through the movement of the output element in the first stage of engagement and releases the absorbed energy through the output element to rotate the output shaft in the second stage of engagement.

[0007] The energy absorbed by the energy storage source can be rapidly released, resulting in high torque and high rotational speed on the output shaft for a short period of time. This allows, for example, a flywheel that is already rotating rapidly to be further accelerated using the output shaft.

[0008] In the second stage, the drive wheels and the output elements are disconnected from each other. This disconnection means that the output shaft is not hindered by the input gear, and the output elements can move freely and at any speed to drive the output shaft.

[0009] The first and second stages form a cycle that is continuously repeated during the operation of the gear mechanism. Preferably, the duration of the second stage is significantly shorter than that of the first stage. In one exemplary embodiment, the gear mechanism is designed such that the ratio of the duration of the first stage to the duration of the second stage is at least 3, 4, or 6. The cycle may include further stages other than the first and second stages, as will be described later.

[0010] The energy storage source may have a coil spring that is pulled in the first stage of engagement. In the second stage, the coil spring unwinds in a relatively short time, releasing energy which is used to drive the output shaft. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the energy storage source may have a cylinder with a piston and a cylinder chamber containing a gaseous fluid. In the first stage, the piston moves within the cylinder, compressing the cylinder chamber and thus compressing the gaseous fluid. In the second stage, the pressure in the cylinder chamber is used to move the piston at a relatively high speed and with a large force to drive the output shaft.

[0011] A first freewheel can be provided between the output element and the output shaft such that the output element can only drive the output shaft and cannot brake or block it. The first freewheel can be designed so that no torque or force is transmitted from the output element to the output shaft in a first stage in which energy is re-stored in the energy storage source. In a second stage, the first freewheel ensures the transmission of torque and / or power from the output element to the output shaft.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, a second freewheel is provided so that the drive shaft does not decelerate the output element in the second stage. The second freewheel ensures that the transmission of torque or force between the output element and the drive wheel occurs only in the first stage.

[0013] The drive wheel can be designed as an input gear. The input gear may have a first angular region with teeth and a second angular region without teeth. In one exemplary embodiment, the first angular region is less than 180°, and the second angular region extends to the remaining portion of the input gear's total 360°.

[0014] The output element can be designed as an output gear. The output gear meshes with the input gear for at least a first stage of engagement. For example, if the first angular region of the input gear extends over 90° and the output gear is a spur gear with teeth all around, the first stage of engagement extends over only a quarter of a full rotation of the input gear. For three-quarters of a full rotation of the input gear, no torque is transmitted from the input gear to the output gear because the input gear lacks the teeth necessary for torque transmission in this angular region. A second stage of engagement, in which the stored energy source releases energy, preferably falls within this period when there is no meshing between the input gear and the output gear. The second stage may be shorter than the time when there is no meshing between the input gear and the output gear.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the output element is designed as an output rack. In the first stage of engagement between the input gear and the output rack, the rotation of the input gear preferably results in linear motion of the output rack. The linear motion of the output rack can, for example, pull a coil spring of an energy storage source.

[0016] At least one tooth on the edge of the first angular region of the input gear may be replaceable. The edge tooth is a tooth in the tooth portion of the first angular region that is directly adjacent to a second angular region that has no teeth. Because of its position on the edge, this edge tooth cannot distribute the force across multiple teeth as is possible in the central region of the first angular region, and therefore must absorb particularly large forces in the first stage of engagement. The edge tooth is preferably made of a hardened material. Furthermore, teeth on further edges of the first angular region that are located at the end of the first angular region may also be replaceable.

[0017] The teeth on the edge or outer teeth of the output rack may also be replaceable and / or made of hardened material. Again, the underlying idea is to make one or more teeth of the gear section that are subjected to special stresses during the operation of the gear mechanism replaceable or particularly resistant.

[0018] Furthermore, the engagement may include a holding phase between the first and second phases, during which the release of energy absorbed by the energy storage source is prevented. This means that, after the completion of the first phase, the energy from the energy storage source is not immediately used to drive the output shaft, but rather remains in the energy storage source for the duration of the holding phase and is released only after a time delay following the completion of the first phase.

[0019] A gear mechanism may include a blocking device that prevents the release of energy absorbed by the energy storage source in a blocked position. Thus, the blocking device represents a way in which the energy storage source stores energy but does not yet release it, thus achieving a holding phase.

[0020] The blocking position can be released by a trigger device. The trigger device may include a magnet or a controllable actuator that switches after a predetermined time and thus releases the blocking position. Once the blocking position is released, the stored energy source can release energy to drive the output shaft.

[0021] The blocking device may have two rods connected to each other by a joint, and the two rods may preferably be positioned substantially in a straight line in the blocking position. In the blocking position, the two rods form a bent bar that prevents the output element from moving only when the two rods are in a straight line. The trigger device may be designed to apply a small lateral force to the joint when triggered, causing the joint to flex. This causes the two rods to bend laterally and no longer provide resistance to the movement of the output element.

[0022] At least one additional drive wheel that engages with a further output element can be mounted on the drive shaft. Preferably, three, four, five, or six or more drive wheels are used to achieve uniform driving of the output shaft. Preferably, the first stage of engagement between an input gear and an output element and the first stage of engagement between a further input gear and a further output element are phase-shifted. For example, in the case of a total of four input gear wheels, the phase shift is preferably 90°.

[0023] An adjustment mechanism can be assigned to the stored energy source that allows setting a resistance force to be overcome when recharging energy into the stored energy source. Furthermore, a linear generator that converts linear motion generated by the movement of the output element into electrical energy can be provided. The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] [Figure 1] shows a gear mechanism according to the present invention having a stored energy source. [Figure 2] shows a gear mechanism according to the present invention having a plurality of drive wheels. [Figure 3] shows a gear mechanism according to the present invention having a linear generator. [Figure 4] shows a gear mechanism according to the present invention having a blocking device. [Figure 5] shows the gear mechanism of Fig. 4 from above. [Figure 6] shows a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] shows various paths of force acting on the stored energy source. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Figure 1 shows a gear mechanism, which is indicated by 1 as a whole. The gear mechanism 1 includes a drive wheel in the form of an input gear 10 located on a drive shaft 20. The input gear 10 has teeth 11 extending over a first angular region of the circumference of the input gear 10. The first angular region covers about 1 / 4 or 90° of the circumference. A second angular region without teeth extends over about 3 / 4 of the circumference of the input gear 10.

[0026] The gear mechanism 1 further comprises an output element in the form of an output gear 30, the output gear 30 having teeth 31 extending around its entire circumference. The output gear 30 is located on the output shaft 40. Between the output shaft 40 and the output gear 30 is a freewheel 50, also referred to here as the first freewheel. Its function will be further described below.

[0027] Furthermore, the gear mechanism 1 includes a linkage mechanism 60 and an energy storage source 70. The linkage mechanism 60 has a lever 61, a joint 62, and a piston rod 63. The lever 61 and the piston rod 63 are connected to each other by the joint 62. The lever 61 is connected to the output gear 30 in a fixed manner with respect to rotation. When the input gear rotates clockwise (see arrow 32), the lever 61, and therefore the piston rod 63 via the joint 62, moves upward in the diagram of Figure 1 (see arrow 64).

[0028] The energy storage source 70 comprises a cylinder 71 and a piston 72 slidably mounted along the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 71. The cylinder 71 is rotatably fixed to a shaft 73, and therefore the cylinder can pivot around the shaft 73 so as not to interfere with the movement of the link mechanism 60 when the output gear 30 rotates. The piston 72 is connected to a piston rod 63 and, in cooperation with the cylinder 71, defines a cylinder chamber 74 in which compressed air 75 is located. Air can be supplied to or drawn from the cylinder chamber 74 via a conduit 76 connected to the cylinder chamber 74 via a valve 77. Thus, the valve 77 allows for adjustment of the force that must be overcome when storing energy in the energy storage source, or the force acting on the piston rod 63 when releasing energy from the energy storage source. The space 78 below the cylinder chamber 74 is connected to an environment in which a corresponding ambient pressure exists.

[0029] The input gear 10 engages with the output gear 30. The engagement has a first stage in which the input gear 10 drives the output gear 30. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, the first stage is characterized by meshing between the teeth 11 of the input gear 10 and the teeth 31 of the output gear 30. In this meshing, the counterclockwise rotation of the input gear 10 (see arrow 12) results in the clockwise rotation of the output gear 30 (see arrow 32). Figure 1 shows the gears 10, 30 in angular positions at the end of the first stage. As the input gear 10 rotates further, there is no longer any meshing between the input gear 10 and the output gear 30. Thus, the first stage of engagement is followed by a second stage of engagement in which the output gear 30 is no longer driven by the input gear 10. In the second stage of engagement, the input gear 30 can no longer be supported by the input gear 10, and therefore the pressure in the cylinder chamber 74 acting on the piston 72 causes the piston 72, and thus the piston rod 63, to move downward, i.e., in the opposite direction to arrow 64. The output gear 30 rotates counterclockwise as the lever 61 pivots downward counterclockwise. The freewheel 50 is designed so that the torque acting on the input gear 30 in this direction of rotation is transmitted to the output shaft 40. As the pressure in the cylinder chamber 74 is rapidly released, the output shaft 40 experiences a strong rotational acceleration with a relatively large torque. Thus, the second stage of engagement represents the period during which the output shaft is driven by the release of energy from the stored energy source.

[0030] For example, if the drive shaft 10 rotates at a rotational speed of 15 rpm, a complete rotation of the drive shaft 20 takes 4 seconds. Since the first angular region having the teeth 11 extends over a quarter of the circumference, the length of the first stage in which the input gear 10 drives the output gear 30 is 1 second. This means that 1 second is available for a complete stroke of the piston 72. The second stage of engagement in which the energy storage source 70 releases energy is significantly shorter. In one exemplary embodiment, the second stage is at least three times shorter than the first stage (e.g., 250 ms).

[0031] Assuming the drive shaft 20 rotates at a substantially constant speed (e.g., 15 rpm as described above), the second stage of engagement includes a waiting phase during which there is no meshing between the gear wheels 10 and 30. During this waiting phase, the input gear 30 remains stationary until the teeth 11 of the input gear 10 make contact again with the teeth 31 of the output gear 30. Assuming a rotational speed of 15 rpm, the waiting time in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1 is slightly less than 3 seconds. This approximately 3-second time is obtained by subtracting the time of the first stage and then the time of the second stage from the time of one complete rotation of the input gear 10 (4 s - 1 s - 250 ms). The first stage, the second stage, and the waiting phase form one cycle, and in the case of a continuously rotating drive shaft, further cycles follow.

[0032] The freewheel 50 allows the output shaft 40 to continue rotating counterclockwise during the standby phase when the output gear 30 is stationary. During the standby phase, no torque is transmitted between the output gear 30 and the output shaft 40. In the second phase of the next cycle, the freewheel 50 provides the torque transmission necessary to drive the output shaft 30 only when the angular velocity of the output gear 30 is greater than the angular velocity of the output shaft 40. Since the output gear 30 rotates faster than the output shaft 30 in the second phase, it is possible to further accelerate the output shaft 30.

[0033] Figure 1 shows two black-painted teeth 13, 33 that are subjected to particularly large loads due to their position on tooth portion 11 or 13. These teeth 13, 33 may be replaceable and / or specially hardened.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment, where the drive shaft 20 and output shaft 40 are shown in a top view. In addition to the input gear 10 already described above, an additional input toothed wheel 10a is positioned on the drive shaft 20. On the output shaft 40, in addition to the output gear 30, an additional output toothed wheel 30a is positioned. The interaction between the input gear 10a and the output gear 30a corresponds to the interaction between the input gear 10 and the output gear 30 described above. Thus, a link mechanism 60a and a freewheel 50a can be assigned to each pair of input gear 10a and output gear 30a. The first stage of engagement between the input gear 10 and the output gear 30 is phase-shifted relative to the first stage of engagement between the output gear 10a and the output gear 30a. In the case of the five input toothed wheels 30, 30a shown here, the phase shift between the individual first stages is preferably 72° (360° / 5). This phase shift ensures more consistent rotation of the drive shaft 20 and the output shaft 40. The phase shift ensures that the drive shaft 20 never rotates without load, because there is always a gear pair (input gear / output gear) in the first stage.

[0035] As described above, in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2, the output gear wheels 30, 30a are located on the output shaft 40, and in the second stage, the corresponding output gear 30 rotates at the same rotational speed as the output shaft 40. However, it is also possible to provide gear mechanism stages between the output gears 30, 30a that are designed to differ for each output gear, such that the ratio of the rotational speed of the output gear to the rotational speed of the output shaft in each second stage differs for each individual output gear wheel.

[0036] Figure 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the gear mechanism according to the present invention. Components and details that are the same as or identical to those in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. This is also true for all other figures. The following description of the figure will focus particularly on the differences compared to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0037] The connection between the output gear 30 and the energy storage source 70 is made here via a crank mechanism 90 having a crank 91, a first connecting rod 92, and a second connecting rod 93. The crank 91 and the first connecting rod 92 are connected to each other via a joint 94. Another joint 95 provides a flexible connection between the first connecting rod 91 and the second connecting rod 93. The energy storage source 70 has a coil spring 79 connected to one end of the second connecting rod 93. The rotation of the output gear 30 initiates the crank operation 90, causing the second connecting rod 93 to move upward or downward parallel to the longitudinal axis of the coil spring 79 (see arrow 80). In the first stage of engagement between the input gear 10 and the output gear 30, the coil spring 79 is pulled and the energy storage source 70 absorbs energy. In the second stage of engagement, this energy is released again, driving the output shaft 40 via the output gear 30. The preload of the spring 79 can be adjusted via the adjustment mechanism 81. The actuation mechanism 81 has the same function as the valve 77 in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1. The adjustment mechanism 81 allows adjustment of the force that must be overcome when storing energy in the energy storage source 70, or the force that can be used when releasing energy from the energy storage source 70.

[0038] The output shaft 40 can be connected to a generator for power generation. In addition to this, or instead, a linear generator 100 is provided, which can generate electricity when a second connecting rod 93 moves inside the linear generator 100 along the arrow 80.

[0039] In place of, or in addition to, the linear generator 100, a piston / cylinder unit having a cylinder chamber whose volume rapidly increases in the second stage can be provided. The cylinder chamber can be connected to a conduit through which a gaseous fluid whose temperature decreases due to the rapid increase in volume flows. If the fluid is liquid, it will vaporize due to the rapid increase in volume, and thus heat can be extracted from the surroundings of the piston / cylinder unit. Thus, the piston / cylinder unit can be operated as a refrigerator.

[0040] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate further exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Figure 4 shows the gear mechanism 1 from the side, and Figure 5 shows the gear mechanism from above. The output element is designed here as the output rack 110. Figures 4A and 4B show the output rack 110 in different axial positions.

[0041] The output rack 110 is coupled to the energy storage source 70 and the linear generator 100 in a manner similar to the second connecting rod 93 in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 3. Thus, the axial displacement of the output rack 110 causes energy to be supplied to or extracted from the energy storage source 70. Furthermore, it is also possible to generate current by the axial displacement of the linear generator 100.

[0042] Figure 4A shows the engagement between the input gear 10 and the output rack 110 at the start of the first stage. The input gear 10 rotates counterclockwise (see arrow 12) and is already meshed with a tooth of the output rack 110 by one tooth of its teeth 11. The rotational motion of the input gear 10 moves the output rack 110 to the right in the diagram of Figure 4, storing energy in the energy storage source 70 (for example, by pulling a coil spring). At the end 111 opposite to the energy storage source 70, the output rack 110 is connected to a stopper 120.

[0043] The blocking device 120 has a first rod 121 and a second rod 122 connected to each other via a joint 123. The end of the first rod 121 furthest from the joint 123 is supported by a fixed pivot bearing 124. The end of the second rod 122 furthest from the joint 123 is connected to the output rack 110 via a further joint 124. Displacement of the output rack 110 to the right (see arrow 126) increases the angle formed between the first rod 121 and the second rod 122, eventually reaching 180° (see Figure 5B). The position shown in Figure 5B can also be called the end position, as further displacement of the output rack 110 in the direction of 126 is impossible. At the illustrated end position, the rods 121 and 122 are in a straight line. The rods 121 and 122 prevent the output rack 110 from bouncing back, and thus prevent the release of energy from the energy storage source 70, as long as they are not deflected from this end position. Therefore, the end positions shown here can also be described as blocking positions.

[0044] To stabilize the blocked position, the blocking device 120 has a magnet 127 that interacts with the magnet 131 of the trigger device 130. The magnets 127 and 131 ensure that the blocked position is not unintentionally lost and that the stored energy source 70 does not unintentionally release energy. The trigger device 130 has a trigger rod 132 that interacts with a rotatable cam 133. By rotating the cam 133, the trigger rod 132 can be displaced axially. In doing so, the joint 123 is pushed and the blocked position is released. To ensure that the release of the blocked position is not hindered by magnetic force, the magnetic force between the magnets 127 and 130 is small, or preferably can be set to zero by controlling the switchable magnets 127 and 130.

[0045] An advantage of the blocking device 120 is that the timing at which energy release from the stored energy source 70 begins can be determined individually. The period between the end of the first stage (energy storage of the stored energy source) and the beginning of the second stage (energy release from the stored energy source) can be called the holding stage or blocking stage.

[0046] In the second stage, the output rack 110 moves abruptly to the left, i.e., in the opposite direction to arrow 126. The output rack 110 meshes with an intermediate output gear 140 located on the output shaft 40. A freewheel 150 is provided between the intermediate output gear 140 and the output shaft 40 and has substantially the same function as the first freewheel 50 in the exemplary embodiment described above. The freewheel 150 ensures that the rotation of the output shaft 40 is not hindered by the output rack 110 in the first stage (when the output rack 110 moves to the right) and the holding stage (when the output rack 110 is stationary), while the output intermediate gear 140 can transmit torque to the output shaft 40 when the output rack 110 moves abruptly to the left.

[0047] Figure 6 shows various exemplary embodiments of the present invention in combination. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 6A, the energy storage source 70 is designed as a weight that can be raised or lowered by a lever 61 that is non-rotatably connected to an output gear 30. The potential energy of the weight corresponds here to the energy stored in the energy storage source.

[0048] Figure 6B substantially illustrates an exemplary embodiment of Figure 3 having a crank mechanism 90. The gear mechanism can be adjusted so that the output gear 30 moves in the same rotational direction in the first and second stages by adjusting the size of the first angular region having teeth 11 of the input gear 10 and / or adjusting the diameter dimensions of the gear wheels 10, 30. In one exemplary embodiment, the output gear 30 must rotate at least 180° in the first stage.

[0049] Figure 6C is intended to show that the input gear 10 may also have teeth 11 extending around its entire circumference. Here, the teeth 11 and the teeth 31 of the output gear 30 are always meshing. Therefore, a second freewheel (not shown) is needed to ensure that the drive shaft 20 does not decelerate the output gear 30 during the second stage, i.e., the stage in which the stored energy source releases energy. Figure 7D shows that the output element can be designed as an output rack.

[0050] Figure 7 schematically shows the force curves of a gear mechanism having four input gears and four output gears. The first stage of engagement between the input gear and the output gear is 90° (see Figure 7A) or 80° (see Figure 7B). The rotation angle of the input gears is plotted on the horizontal axis. The individual force curves show the progression of forces acting on, for example, a piston 72 (see Figure 1) or a coil spring 79 (see Figure 3).

[0051] Figure 7A shows that a 90° rotation angle of the associated input gear is required to store energy in the energy storage source. Therefore, the rising portion of each force curve corresponds to the first stage in which energy is stored in the respective energy storage source. Here, the force steadily increases, for example, to further pull on the coil spring 79 (see Figure 3). In the second stage, which begins immediately after the first stage, the spring 79 is released very quickly, resulting in a sudden release of energy from the energy storage source to the output shaft. The phase difference between the drive wheels is 90°, resulting in the overlap of the force curves.

[0052] If different gear ratios exist between individual drive elements or between the input gear wheel 30 and the output shaft 40, the output shaft 40 can be accelerated sequentially. The highest gear ratio is assigned to the first force curve (0-90°), and the lowest gear ratio is assigned to the last force curve (270-360°).

[0053] Figure 7B shows that the coil spring 79, after being stretched, is held in this stretched state for a specific period of time. This holding is made possible by the aforementioned blocking devices 120 (see Figures 4 and 5), with each blocking device assigned to a storage energy source. The release of each blocking position of the individual blocking devices occurs simultaneously here (at 330°, referring to Figure 7B). For the first storage energy source that has stored energy, the holding stage is 250° (330°-80°).

[0054] The exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 7B generates a particularly strong shock for driving the output shaft by allowing all stored energy sources to release energy simultaneously. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1. Gear mechanism 10 Input Gears 11 Teeth 12 Rotation direction / arrow 13 teeth 20 drive shafts 30 Output Gear 31 Teeth 32 Rotation direction / arrow 40 Output shaft 50 First Freewheel 60 Link Mechanism 61 Lever 62 joints 63 Piston Rod 64 Directions / Arrows 70 Energy storage sources 71 Cylinder 72 pistons 73 axes 74 Cylinder Chamber 75 Compressed air 76 Conduit 77 valves 78 Space 79 Coil spring 80 Directions / Arrows 81 Adjustment mechanism 90 Crankshaft 91 Crank 92 First connecting rod 93 Second connecting rod 94 joints 95 joints 100 Linear Generators 110 Output Rack 111 End 120 Blocker 121 First Rod 122 Second Rod 123 Joint 124 Pivot bearing 125 joints 126 Directions / Arrows 127 Magnets 130 Trigger device 131 Magnets 132 Trigger Rod 133 Cam 140 Intermediate output gear

Claims

1. A gear mechanism (1) for generating rotational motion at a high rotational speed from rotational motion at a low rotational speed, A drive shaft (20) that rotates at a low rotational speed, A drive wheel located on the aforementioned drive shaft, An output shaft (40) that rotates at a high rotational speed, An output element that engages with the drive wheel, wherein the engagement includes a first stage in which the drive wheel drives the output element, and a second stage in which the drive wheel and the output element are disengaged from each other. In the first stage of engagement, a storage energy source (70) absorbs energy through the movement of the output element, and in the second stage of engagement, releases the absorbed energy through the output element to rotate the output shaft. A gear mechanism (1) comprising:

2. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a first freewheel (50) is provided between the output element and the output shaft (40) such that the output element is only capable of driving the output shaft (40) and not of braking the output shaft (40).

3. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a second freewheel is provided so that the drive shaft (20) does not brake the output element in the second stage.

4. The gear mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drive wheel is designed as an input gear (10).

5. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the input gear (10) has a first angular region having teeth and a second angular region not having teeth.

6. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one tooth (13) on the edge of the first angular region is replaceable.

7. The gear mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the output element is designed as an output gear (30) or an output rack (110).

8. The gear mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the engagement further comprises a holding stage provided between the first stage and the second stage, and in the holding stage, the release of the energy absorbed by the energy storage source (70) is prevented.

9. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that a blocking device (120) is provided to block the release of energy absorbed by the stored energy source (70) at the blocking position.

10. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the aforementioned blocking position can be released by a trigger device (130).

11. The gear mechanism (1) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the blocking device (120) has two rods (121, 122) connected to each other by a joint (123), and the two rods (121, 122) are substantially in a straight line at the blocking position.

12. The gear mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one further drive wheel is mounted on the drive shaft (20) and engages with a further output element.

13. The gear mechanism (1) according to 12, characterized in that the first stage of engagement between the drive wheel and the output element and the first stage of engagement between the further drive wheel and the further output element are phase-shifted.

14. The gear mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the storage energy source (70) is assigned an operating mechanism (81) that can adjust the resistance force that must be overcome when storing energy in the storage energy source (70).

15. The gear mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it is provided with a linear generator (100) that converts the linear motion generated by the output element into electrical energy.

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