Bevel Gear Joint Unit With Resilient Backlash Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing joint units for robots experience significant backlash between facing gears and intermediate gears, leading to gear noise and vibrations due to large clearance between mating teeth, which worsens as the teeth wear out.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a resilient member attached to the facing gears and intermediate gear to urge the gear members in a direction along the rotation, creating a mechanism that sandwiches the teeth of the intermediate gear between the inner and outer circumferential gear portions, thereby reducing backlash.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a resilient member is added to reduce backlash, then gear noise and vibrations are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member changes the physical state of the gear assembly by introducing elastic deformation capability. This allows the system to dynamically adjust tooth clearance parameters during operation, reducing backlash without requiring complex active control mechanisms. The resilient member transforms the rigid gear system into a semi-flexible system that can adapt to wear and manufacturing tolerances.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the clearance between mating teeth is reduced, then gear noise and vibrations are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member introduces dynamic compliance to the gear system, allowing the tooth clearance to vary during operation rather than being fixed. This dynamic adjustment capability compensates for manufacturing tolerances and wear, maintaining optimal meshing conditions without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances. The system adapts its clearance dynamically based on operating conditions and wear state.
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
This solution effectively reduces backlash between the facing gears and intermediate gear, minimizing noise and vibrations, and maintains positional control of the intermediate gear, enhancing the joint unit's operational stability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member attached to one of the first member and the second member for normally urging the other of the first member and the second member to move in a direction along the directions of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a joint unit including two facing gears that include respective two bevel gear members that face each other, and an intermediate gear that has a bevel gear member meshing with both the two bevel gear members. One of the two facing gears and the intermediate gear includes a first member including an inner circumferential portion of the bevel gear member of the one of the two facing gears and the intermediate gear; a second member including an outer circumferential portion of the bevel gear member of the one of the two facing gears and the intermediate gear; and a resilient member attached to one of the first member and the second member for normally urging the other of the first member and the second member to move in a direction along the directions of rotation of the one of the two facing gears and the intermediate gear.