Flexible External Gear Thickness Layout for Better Tooth Meshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional strain wave gear devices face difficulties in effectively bending the cylindrical portion of the flexible external gear, which affects the engagement of external teeth with internal teeth, leading to inefficient rotational motion transmission.
Innovation Solution
A flexible external gear design featuring a tubular portion with varying thickness and a diaphragm portion, allowing for radial flexibility and efficient meshing with internal teeth, while maintaining structural rigidity through a connection portion and specific tooth geometry, enabling effective rotational speed reduction in a wave reducer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cylindrical portion of the strain gear is made with uniform thickness, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the bending capability is insufficient for effective engagement with internal teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the thickness of the cylindrical portion along its axial length. The first cylindrical portion has a different thickness than the second cylindrical portion, allowing each section to have optimized properties for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity and bending capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the cylindrical portion to optimize performance. By making the thickness of the first cylindrical portion different from the second cylindrical portion, the structure achieves improved bending capability and engagement characteristics without requiring complete redesign of the entire component.
2Strength
If the thickness of the diaphragm portion is increased, then the structural rigidity is improved, but the bending flexibility of the tubular portion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the maximum thickness of the diaphragm portion at a specific location rather than uniformly distributing thickness. This localized thickening provides rigidity where needed while preserving bending flexibility in other critical areas for engagement with internal teeth.
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
The flexible external gear design enhances the bending capability of the tubular portion and improves the meshing efficiency between external and internal teeth, resulting in accurate torque transmission and reduced rotational speed, suitable for applications in robots and industrial machinery.
Implementation Method 1
The first portion has flexibility and bends radially inward, enabling engagement of the external teeth with the internal teeth
Data Source
AI summary
A gear includes a tubular portion and a diaphragm portion. The diaphragm portion extends in a direction including a radial component from one axial end portion of the tubular portion. The portion includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is on one axial side of the portion. The second portion is on another axial side relative to the first portion. The second portion includes teeth protruding radially outward. A maximum value of a thickness of the diaphragm portion is equal to or less than twice a distance from radially outer ends of the teeth to a radially inner surface of the second portion, and a minimum value of a thickness of the first portion is equal to or less than half the maximum value of the thickness of the diaphragm portion.