Gearbox Spacer for Weight Reduction and Pressure Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gearboxes face challenges in reducing weight and internal pressure while minimizing the amount of grease, as excessive grease can lead to increased internal pressure and potential leakage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a spacer with a lower density than grease, made of a porous elastic material, which is elastically deformable to change volume with internal pressure, occupying part of the gearbox's interior space to reduce grease volume and prevent pressure rise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If a spacer is disposed in the interior space to reduce grease volume and weight, then weight and grease amount are reduced, but internal pressure may excessively rise
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with elastically deformable properties, allowing its volume to change in response to internal pressure variations. This parameter change capability enables the spacer to accommodate pressure increases without causing excessive internal pressure buildup, while still achieving weight reduction through partial space occupation
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer transitions from a static filling component to a dynamic one that actively responds to internal pressure changes. The elastic deformability allows the spacer to dynamically adjust its volume based on operating conditions, maintaining pressure balance while reducing overall gearbox weight
2Weight of stationary object
If the amount of grease is reduced to lower weight, then weight is reduced, but lubrication effectiveness may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is strategically positioned in specific regions of the interior space where it optimizes grease distribution without requiring increased grease volume. By occupying non-critical spaces and guiding grease flow to essential lubrication zones, the spacer maintains effective lubrication with reduced overall grease amount, thereby reducing weight
3Quantity of substance
If the spacer volume is increased to further reduce grease amount, then grease amount and weight are reduced, but internal pressure may excessively rise
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic deformability of the spacer allows it to increase its volume when internal pressure rises, accommodating the pressure increase without causing excessive internal pressure buildup. This enables the use of larger spacer volumes to displace more grease while maintaining pressure balance through the spacer's pressure-responsive volume changes
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 allows for significant weight reduction, effective lubrication of gears with reduced grease, and suppression of excessive internal pressure, preventing grease leakage and seal member breakage, thus simplifying assembly and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the spacer is elastically deformable so as to change the volume thereof according to an internal pressure of the interior space
Data Source
AI summary
A reduction in the amount of filled grease and a reduction in weight are achieved, and an excessive rise in the internal pressure is suppressed. Provided is a gearbox including: a plurality of gears that are rotated by a motor; a housing that has a sealed interior space for rotatably accommodating the respective gears; and a spacer that is disposed in the interior space of the housing and that partially occupies the interior space, wherein the spacer has a lower density than grease and is elastically deformable so as to change the volume thereof according to the internal pressure of the interior space.