Cycloid Gear Assembly With Alternating Pin Contact for Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cycloid and strain-wave gear assemblies face challenges in miniaturization and shock resistance, with cycloid gear assemblies being difficult to miniaturize beyond a certain level and strain-wave gear assemblies exhibiting low shock resistance due to the need for a flexible flexspline, which makes them unsuitable for applications requiring size constraints and high shock forces.
Innovation Solution
A gear assembly design featuring pins that engage unequally with transfer members, utilizing drawn-cup needle roller bearings and alternating contact between pins and supports, allowing for miniaturization and improved shock resistance by reducing friction and load sharing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional cycloid gear assembly design is used, then torque transmission is achieved, but miniaturization is difficult beyond a certain level
Solution Approach 1:
The gear assembly is segmented into multiple pins distributed around the cycloid path, with each pin independently engaging the transfer member. This segmentation allows the assembly to be miniaturized while maintaining shock resistance through distributed load bearing across multiple contact points
Solution Approach 2:
The pin engagement is designed to be dynamic and alternating, where pins sequentially engage and disengage with the transfer member during rotation. This dynamic engagement pattern allows the gear assembly to accommodate shock loads while maintaining a compact miniaturized structure
2Volume of moving object
If strain-wave gear assembly with flexible flexspline is used, then miniaturization is achieved, but shock resistance is low
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a uniformly flexible flexspline, the invention employs rigid pins at specific locations around the cycloid path. These localized rigid contact points provide high shock resistance while the overall assembly remains compact, achieving local quality optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The gear assembly combines rigid pin elements with the cycloid transfer member in a composite structural arrangement. This composite design integrates the advantages of rigid components (shock resistance) with the compact geometry of the cycloid mechanism, overcoming the limitations of purely flexible flexspline designs
3Power
If conventional cycloid gear design is used, then torque transmission is achieved, but friction and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for complex flexible flexspline manufacturing processes by using simple rigid pins. This takes out the manufacturing complexity while maintaining torque transmission capability through the pin-and-transfer-member engagement mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A gear assembly in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes first and second supports extending circumferentially around an axis in first and second planes, respectively. The gear assembly further includes a first transfer member including first lobes and first troughs circumferentially alternating around the axis in a third plane. The gear assembly also includes a second transfer member including second lobes and second troughs circumferentially alternating around the axis in a fourth plane. The planes intersect the axis with the third and fourth planes between the first and second planes. The gear assembly further includes first and second pins circumferentially interspersed around the axis and extending between the first and second supports. The gear assembly transfers torque at least primarily via contact between the first pins and the first lobes and via contact between the second pins and the second lobes.