Gear Unit Washer Axial Bearing Regulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gear units face challenges in regulating the movement of roller bearings in the axial direction without extending the crank shaft, leading to potential breakage and difficulty in downsizing the gear unit.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a washer with a housing recess on adjacent oscillating gears to contact and regulate the movement of roller bearings in both axial and radial directions, allowing for compact design and reduced production costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a disk-shaped flange is provided between the retainers to regulate axial movement, then the roller bearing movement is controlled, but the crank shaft must be extended in the axial direction, making it difficult to downsize the gear unit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxial movement regulationVSAvoidcrank shaft length
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The washer is nested within the existing gear unit structure, positioned between the retainers of adjacent needle bearings on the crank shaft. This nested arrangement allows the washer to perform the axial movement regulation function without requiring external additions like a flange, thereby maintaining a compact crank shaft length and enabling downsizing of the gear unit while ensuring reliable operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the crank shaft is extended to accommodate a flange for regulating roller bearing movement, then axial movement is controlled, but the gear unit cannot be downsized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller bearing movement controlVSAvoidgear unit size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The washer combines multiple functions into a single compact component: it regulates axial movement of the roller bearings, distributes load to prevent retainer breakage, and maintains a compact overall size. By merging these functions into one element that fits within the existing gear unit structure, the invention achieves reliable movement control without increasing the gear unit volume, thus enabling downsizing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Effectively regulates the movement of roller bearings in the axial direction, preventing breakage and enabling a compact gear unit design without extending the crank shaft, while improving lubrication and reducing production costs.

Implementation Method 1

a roller bearing which supports the oscillating gear so as to be relatively rotatable in relation to the eccentric parts of the crank shaft, and comprises rolling elements and a retainer which rollably supports the rolling element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling contact: Roller

Data Source

PatentEP2759738B1Gear unit
Publication Date: 2017.07.19 NABTESCO CORP
  • EP2759738B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2759738B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2759738B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A gear unit 1 has a washer 21 which is provided at a position where the washer is able to come into contact with a retainer 18b of roller bearings 18 provided to each of adjacent eccentric parts 8a in a crank shaft 8, and which regulates a movement of the roller bearing 18 in an axial direction. A housing recess 22 which houses the washer 21 is formed on at least one face of the faces of adjacent oscillating gears 10 facing each other. The housing recess 22 includes an axial direction regulating surface 22a which regulates movement of the washer 21 in the axial direction, and a radial direction regulating surface 22b which regulates movement of the washer 21 in the radial direction.