Standard Gear Unit Intermediate Flange Adaptability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing standard gear units are complex and costly to produce, particularly when designed for industrial robots, and lack compactness and cost-effectiveness compared to planetary gear units.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an intermediate flange between the outgoing shaft and housing part, with a shaft seal ring and bearing, allows for a compact, cost-effective design that supports higher load ratings and adaptable power flow, enabling the production of two variants with enhanced mechanical characteristics without increasing inventory or storage costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If planetary gear units are designed for industrial robots with standardized mechanical interfaces, then adaptability and reliability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical interface compatibilityVSAvoidgear unit structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gear unit is divided into modular components: a standardized housing part with bearing seats and seal ring seats, an interchangeable outgoing shaft assembly, and optional intermediate flanges. This segmentation allows different shaft configurations to be assembled on the same housing base, achieving interface adaptability without redesigning the entire gear unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing part is designed with universal features including bearing seats, seal ring seats, and mounting interfaces that can accommodate multiple shaft types and configurations. The standardized mechanical interface allows the same housing to work with different outgoing shafts, achieving multi-functionality and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If standard gear units are designed without planetary gear stages, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but compactness and load rating are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction costVSAvoiddrive unit compactness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the radial dimension by positioning the bearing and seal ring in a radial arrangement around the shaft axis, with the intermediate flange extending radially outward. This radial configuration allows compact packaging of components without increasing axial length, achieving space efficiency comparable to planetary gears while maintaining simpler manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If an intermediate flange is added to the housing part, then load rating and bearing capacity are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebearing load ratingVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The intermediate flange is merged with the outgoing shaft assembly, forming an integrated component that combines the shaft, flange, and mounting features. This merging reduces the number of separate parts while maintaining the load-bearing functionality, as the flange becomes an integral part of the rotating assembly rather than a separate stationary component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8733196B2Standard gear unit, assembly kit and drive

Publication Date: 2014.05.27 SEW EURODRIVE GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

In a standard gear unit, which, in a first variant, is implemented with an output-side bearing and an outgoing shaft, and which, in a second variant, is able to be implemented with an intermediate flange inserted at the bearing position of the output-side bearing, the intermediate flange is formed such that, with an associated, differently formed outgoing shaft, a robot interface or flange block interface is able to be formed on the output side.