Concave Drive Element Geometry for High-Torque Coaxial Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive systems for screws and turning tools often suffer from unintentional detachment and edge damage due to high torque requirements, and struggle with coaxial alignment, especially in automatic manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
The drive elements feature complementary driving profiles with inclined drive surfaces and transition surfaces, where the normal forces during torque transmission are directed towards the core of the profile, minimizing bending and shear forces, and the outer diameter, inner diameter, and center distance are optimized to ensure tangential contact and reduce wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high torque is transmitted through conventional drive profiles, then the torque transmission capability is improved, but edge damage occurs on the drive surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The drive surfaces are designed as concave circular arc segments instead of flat surfaces. This curvature allows the normal force to be directed toward the profile core, distributing stress away from the edges and preventing edge damage while maintaining high torque transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes geometric parameters including the radius of curvature of the concave drive surfaces, the angle of inclination, and the relative positioning between inner and outer drive profiles. These parameter changes ensure that normal forces are directed appropriately to prevent edge damage while transmitting high torque.
2Device complexity
If conventional drive profiles are used, then the structure is simple, but unintentional detachment and misalignment occur
Solution Approach 1:
The concave circular arc segments create a self-aligning clamping connection when the inner and outer drive profiles engage. The curved surfaces naturally guide the components into coaxial alignment and prevent unintentional detachment, improving reliability without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave drive surfaces act as an intermediary mechanism that mediates the connection between the inner and outer drive profiles. This intermediate curved surface design enables automatic coaxial alignment and secure engagement, preventing misalignment and detachment.
3Force
If magnetic turning tools are used to hold screws, then the holding capability is improved, but additional effort and complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The drive profile design enables self-holding through the geometric clamping connection between the concave drive surfaces. The normal forces generated during torque transmission create a self-locking effect that holds the screw securely without requiring external magnetic fields or additional holding devices.
4Measurement precision
If coaxial alignment is achieved through precise positioning, then the alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The concave circular arc segments provide self-aligning geometry that automatically guides the inner and outer drive profiles into coaxial alignment during engagement. This geometric self-alignment achieves high precision without requiring complex external alignment mechanisms or precise positioning systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a drive element (8) which has an internal driving profile (9) that defines a profile axis (PI) and has, on its inner side, a plurality of concave drive faces (6) arranged in a manner distributed regularly around the profile axis (PI), between which planar or convexly curved transitional faces (7a) are provided, or which has an external driving profile (9) that defines a profile axis (PA) and has, on its outer side, a plurality of concave drive faces (10) arranged in a manner distributed regularly around the profile axis (PA), between which planar or convexly curved transitional faces (7a) are provided.