Bevel Gear Joint Unit With Elastic Biasing for Backlash Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing joint units with large gear backlash between opposite and intermediate gears experience noise and vibrations due to tooth collisions, and current solutions complicate the gear structure.
Innovation Solution
A joint unit design featuring two opposite bevel gears and an intermediate gear with a simple structure, utilizing a shaft, bearings, and an elastic member to bias the intermediate gear along an axis, reducing backlash and suppressing noise and vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elastic member is disposed between members forming the opposite gear to bias the inner circumferential portion, then backlash between opposite gear and intermediate gear is inhibited from becoming large, but the structure of the opposite gear becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
A thrust bearing is introduced as an intermediary component between the intermediate gear and the first shaft. The thrust bearing mediates the biasing force transmission from the elastic member to the intermediate gear, enabling backlash control without modifying the opposite gear structure. This intermediary approach allows the elastic member to effectively reduce backlash while keeping the opposite gear as a simple integrated component.
2Device complexity
If the gap (backlash) between the teeth is large between the opposite gear and the intermediate gear, then the gear structure can be simple, but collision between the teeth occurs when the opposite gears start rotation causing noise and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic member is disposed between the intermediate gear and the first shaft to provide beforehand cushioning. This elastic member acts as a cushion that prevents tooth collision by allowing controlled compression during gear engagement, thereby suppressing noise and vibrations generated when the opposite gears start rotation. The cushioning effect is built into the system in advance through the pre-installed elastic member.
Solution Approach 2:
The thrust bearing serves as an intermediary that transmits the biasing force from the elastic member to the intermediate gear. This intermediary mechanism ensures that the intermediate gear is properly positioned and biased against the opposite gears, preventing excessive backlash and tooth collision while maintaining a simple overall gear structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively inhibits backlash between gears, reducing noise and vibrations while maintaining a straightforward gear configuration.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member... The elastic member may bias the opposite surface through the bearing in the direction along the first axis line
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a joint unit including two opposite gears that are two bevel gears opposite to each other, an intermediate gear that is a bevel gear that meshes with both of the two opposite gears, a first shaft that rotatably supports a first gear that is any gear of the two opposite gears and the intermediate gear, a bearing disposed between the first gear and the first shaft, and, an elastic member, in which the first gear has an opposite surface opposite to the bearing in a direction along a first axis line defined in the first shaft, and the elastic member biases the opposite surface through the bearing in the direction along the first axis line.