Harmonic Drive Transmission with Integrated Anti-Friction Bearing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gear component sets with strain wave gears are too large in axial dimensions and laborious to mount, making them unsuitable for applications with limited installation space, such as miniaturized robotics and prosthetics.
Innovation Solution
A compact gear component set design featuring a bearing ring and strain wave gear with integrated anti-friction bearings, utilizing small rolling elements and races to reduce axial length and facilitate easy mounting, where the gear wheel and bearing ring have indentations for rolling elements to support each other with low friction, and optional pre-tensioning for improved performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bearing rings with separate mounting are used for strain wave gears, then the gear component set achieves reliable rotation support, but the axial dimensions become too large and mounting becomes laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing ring is integrated directly into the gear wheel structure, merging the bearing support function with the gear wheel itself. This eliminates the need for separate bearing ring mounting and reduces axial dimensions while maintaining reliable rotation support through the embedded bearing races and rolling elements
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing races and rolling elements are nested within the gear wheel structure, with bearing races formed as cavities in the gear wheel and rolling elements positioned within these cavities. This nesting approach allows the bearing function to be contained within the gear wheel volume, reducing overall axial length
2Reliability
If separate bearing rings are used for mounting strain wave gears, then adequate bearing support is provided, but the mounting process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing support structure is merged with the gear wheel as a single integrated component. The bearing races are formed directly in the gear wheel body, and rolling elements are positioned within these races during manufacturing, eliminating separate mounting steps and simplifying the overall manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing races are pre-formed in the gear wheel structure during gear wheel manufacturing, and rolling elements are pre-positioned within these races before final assembly. This preliminary preparation of bearing components during main manufacturing eliminates complex post-assembly mounting operations
3Force
If standard-sized bearings are used in strain wave gear assemblies, then adequate load capacity is achieved, but the overall component size becomes too large for miniaturized applications
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing structure is locally optimized within the gear wheel, with bearing races and rolling elements sized and positioned specifically for the local load requirements at each position. This localized bearing design provides adequate load capacity while minimizing the overall volume required compared to standard bearings
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing parameters (rolling element size, race geometry, number of rolling elements) are changed and optimized specifically for this integrated gear wheel application. Smaller rolling elements and compact race designs are used to reduce bearing size while maintaining sufficient load capacity for the application requirements
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 design achieves a significantly reduced axial length and simplified mounting process, enabling the gear component set to be used in extremely small spaces with high precision and reliability, suitable for applications in robotics and prosthetics.
Implementation Method 1
rolling elements can be inserted into an anti-friction bearing between a bearing surface of the gear wheel and a bearing surface of the bearing ring
Implementation Method 2
support each other with low friction
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission component set has a bearing ring (1) and a strain wave gear mounted thereon. Said strain wave gear comprises an input or drive component (2), a flexible or resilient transmission component (4) having external teeth (3), and a gear (6) having an internal teeth (5). The transmission component (4) is fitted onto the drive component (2) and thereby is elliptically deformable such that the external teeth (3) of the transmission component (4) engage with the internal teeth (5) of the gear (6) in opposing areas of a major axis of the ellipse, wherein the gear (6) or the transmission component (4), via its bearing surface (7), can be mounted on a bearing surface (9) of the bearing ring (1) by means of rolling elements (8). The gear (6) or the transmission component (4) and the bearing ring (1) are each provided with at least one indentation or receptacle (10, 11). When the two indentations or receptacles (10, 11) are lined up in a corresponding position relative to each other, the rolling elements (8) are inserted into an anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface (7) of the gear (6) or transmission component (4) and the bearing surface (9) of the bearing ring (1).