Concentric Wobble Gear Front-Face Tooth Engagement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wobble gears have a complex structure with multiple components and tooth engagements offset by 180°, leading to increased production complexity and potential loading issues, making them costly and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A simplified wobble gear design where the support sprocket and output sprocket are concentric and face the front, eliminating the need for a rear tooth ring, with dual-function wobble ring gear, and incorporating a ball joint bearing and axial passage for compactness and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an additional gear ring is placed on the rear side of the wobble body to mesh with the support gear ring, then the wobble body gains stable support and the transmission function is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewobble body support stabilityVSAvoidnumber of gear rings
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the support function and transmission function into a single support gear ring by positioning it on the front side of the wobble body to mesh with the wobble gear ring. This eliminates the need for a separate rear gear ring while maintaining both support stability and transmission functionality, thereby reducing structural complexity and production costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The support gear ring is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides stable support for the wobble body through its rigid connection to the housing, and it enables power transmission through tooth engagement with the wobble gear ring. This multi-functional design reduces the total number of components required in the mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the front and rear tooth engagements are offset by 180°, then the wobble body can maintain balanced loading, but the structure requires more space and becomes less compact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading balanceVSAvoidmechanism compactness
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a spatial distribution of tooth engagements (front and rear offset by 180°) to a temporal distribution (circumferential alternation during wobble movement). By arranging both tooth engagements on the front side with circumferential alternation, the mechanism achieves compactness while maintaining balanced loading through sequential engagement patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of manufacture

If the support gear ring and output gear ring are arranged concentrically on the front side, then the overall size of the mechanism is reduced and production is simplified, but the tooth engagement pattern becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction simplicityVSAvoidtooth engagement pattern
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic tooth engagement through the wobble movement of the wobble body. As the wobble body oscillates, the wobble gear ring alternates its engagement with different sections of the support gear ring and output gear ring in a circumferential pattern. This dynamic engagement simplifies the static structural arrangement while maintaining proper load distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 design reduces production complexity, minimizes friction losses, and enhances efficiency by eliminating unnecessary components and offset tooth engagements, resulting in a more cost-effective and compact wobble gear with improved mechanical support.

Implementation Method 1

a ball joint bearing (24, 44) is provided for the movable mounting of the wobble body (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBall joint bearing: Ball Bearing

Implementation Method 2

at least one rolling element (52) is mounted for rotation about a rolling axis (53) relative to the drive body (5), wherein the rolling element (52) rolls on a rear side (45) of the wobble body (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling friction: Roller

Data Source

PatentEP4459154A1Wobble gear
Publication Date: 2024.11.06 LAUDENBACH HLDG GMBH
  • EP4459154A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4459154A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4459154A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Wobble gear comprising a driven body (2, 2a) rotatably mounted about a driven axis and comprising a driven gear ring (21, 21a), a support body (3, 3a) non-rotatable and comprising a support gear ring (31, 31a), a wobble body (4, 4a) rotatably mounted relative to the driven axis and comprising a wobble gear ring (41, 41a) arranged on a front face of the wobble body and the number of teeth of which differs by a few, preferably one, two or three, teeth from the number of teeth of the driven gear ring, wherein, during a wobble movement of the wobble body, the wobble gear ring is in tooth engagement with the driven gear ring over a portion of its circumferential length in a rotating, alternating fashion, characterized in that the support gear ring and the driven gear ring are arranged concentrically and each face the front face of the wobble body.wherein, during the wobbling motion of the wobble body, the wobble tooth ring is additionally in tooth engagement with the support tooth ring in a continuous alternating motion over the aforementioned part of its circumferential length.