Dual-Type Wave Gear Flexing for Stable Multi-Tooth Meshing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dual-type strain wave gearing faces challenges in flexing first and second external teeth with different numbers on a shared cylindrical body, leading to inappropriate meshing states and uneven bearing-ball load distribution, affecting wear resistance, tooth rim fatigue, and wave bearing service life.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves setting the radial flexing amounts of first and second external teeth to be larger than their theoretical values, with a coefficient ω between 1.25 and 3, allowing them to mesh suitably with internal teeth and average the bearing-ball load distribution, enhancing wear resistance and tooth bottom fatigue strength, and elongating wave bearing life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If first and second external teeth with different numbers are formed on a shared cylindrical body, then a strain wave gearing with speed ratio less than 50 can be realized, but inappropriate meshing states and uneven bearing-ball load distribution occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed ratioVSAvoidmeshing state
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the cylindrical body have different radial flexing amounts at different locations. Specifically, the first external teeth are radially flexed by a first amount while the second external teeth are radially flexed by a second amount, allowing each tooth set to achieve appropriate meshing states with their respective internally toothed gears despite being on the same shared body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If first and second external teeth with different numbers are formed on a shared cylindrical body, then a strain wave gearing with speed ratio less than 50 can be realized, but uneven bearing-ball load distribution occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed ratioVSAvoidtooth rim fatigue strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the cylindrical body have different radial flexing amounts at different locations. Specifically, the first external teeth are radially flexed by a first amount while the second external teeth are radially flexed by a second amount, allowing each tooth set to achieve appropriate meshing states with their respective internally toothed gears despite being on the same shared body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If the cylindrical body is flexed uniformly, then manufacturing is simplified, but meshing states of external teeth with different numbers become inappropriate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexing controlVSAvoidmeshing state
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the cylindrical body have different radial flexing amounts at different locations. Specifically, the first external teeth are radially flexed by a first amount while the second external teeth are radially flexed by a second amount, allowing each tooth set to achieve appropriate meshing states with their respective internally toothed gears despite being on the same shared body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 approach enables suitable meshing states for both external teeth, improving wear resistance and tooth bottom fatigue strength, and averaging the bearing-ball load distribution, resulting in a strain wave gearing with a low speed ratio and extended wave bearing service life.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible externally toothed gear in which first external teeth capable of meshing with the first internal teeth and second external teeth capable of meshing with the second internal teeth are formed in the outer-peripheral surface of a radially flexible cylindrical body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a first wave bearing fitted to the outer-peripheral surface, the first wave bearing comprising bearings for supporting the first external teeth; and a second wave bearing fitted to the outer-peripheral surface, the second wave bearing comprising bearings for supporting the second external teeth

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBall bearing support: Ball Bearing

Data Source

PatentEP3173659B1Dual-type wave gear device
Publication Date: 2021.01.27 HARMONIC DRIVE SYST IND CO LTD
  • EP3173659B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP3173659B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3173659B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An externally toothed gear (4) of a dual-type strain wave gearing (1) is provided with first and second external teeth (7, 8) having different teeth numbers, and is flexed into an ellipsoidal shape by a wave generator. When the theoretical values (d1, d2) of the radial flexing amounts at major-axis positions of the first and second external teeth (7, 8) flexed into the ellipsoidal shape are expressed by d1=m1n1 and d2=m2n2 (m1 and m2 represent the modules of the first and second external teeth, and n1 and n2 represent positive integers), the radial flexing amounts (d1a, d2a) of the first and second external teeth (7, 8) flexed by the wave generator (5) satisfy d1a=ωd1 and d2a= ωd2, where 1.25 ≦ω≦ 3. Accordingly, a dual-type strain wave gearing can be achieved with which the first and second external teeth having different numbers can be suitably flexed to form excellent mating states with respective internally toothed gears.