Modular Gear Assembly for Robot Shaft Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing articulated shaft structures in robots face challenges in adapting to varying weight capacities without significant changes in motor size or outer shape, limiting their versatility in different applications.
Innovation Solution
The articulated shaft structure includes a gear assembly with a housing member and input/output hypoid gears, where the gear assembly can be easily replaced to change the reduction ratio, allowing the robot to adapt to different weight capacities by modifying the first and second joining surfaces and recesses on the forearm, enabling the sharing of components across different applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the gear assembly is designed with fixed reduction ratio, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the robot cannot adapt to different weight capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The gear assembly is divided into separable components (housing member, input hypoid gear, output hypoid gear, and gears) that can be independently replaced. This segmentation allows different reduction ratio configurations to be swapped without redesigning the entire drive system, enabling adaptability to different weight capacities while maintaining a relatively simple base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing member is designed with universal mounting features (first joining surface, second joining surface, bolt holes) that can accommodate multiple types of gear configurations with different reduction ratios. This universal design allows a single housing structure to serve multiple functions by simply changing the internal gear assembly, thereby adapting to different weight capacities without increasing overall structural complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different gear assemblies are used for different weight capacities, then the robot can adapt to various applications, but the number of parts increases and component sharing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing member serves as a universal component that can accommodate multiple types of gear assemblies with different reduction ratios. By designing the housing with standardized joining surfaces and mounting features, the same housing can be used across different applications by simply changing the internal gear configuration, thereby reducing the total number of unique parts needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple gear configurations with different reduction ratios are merged into a single housing member structure. This combining approach allows different gear assemblies to share common components (housing, joining surfaces, mounting features), reducing the overall quantity of unique parts while maintaining versatility for different weight capacities.
3Power
If the motor size is changed to adapt to different weight capacities, then the power capacity increases, but the outer shape of the robot changes significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The power adaptation function is segmented from the motor and placed in the gear assembly. By varying the reduction ratio in the gear assembly rather than changing the motor size, the required power capacity for different weight capacities is achieved while keeping the motor and overall robot outer shape consistent. This segmentation allows power scaling through mechanical advantage rather than physical scaling.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the reduction ratio is fixed in the gear assembly, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the robot cannot be easily adapted to different weight capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The gear assembly is segmented into modular components that can be manufactured using standard processes and then configured in different reduction ratio arrangements. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for each component while enabling versatility through reconfiguration, as each segment can be produced independently using straightforward manufacturing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear assembly is designed with dynamic configurability, allowing the reduction ratio to be changed by replacing specific gear components rather than being fixed during manufacturing. This dynamic approach maintains ease of manufacture for each individual component while enabling adaptability to different weight capacities through simple reconfiguration of the assembled unit.
Data Source
AI summary
The articulated shaft structure includes: a first joint member; a second joint member supported rotatable about a first axis; a ring-like output hypoid gear fixed to the second joint member coaxially with the first axis; a gear assembly attached to the first joint member; and a motor, wherein the gear assembly includes a housing member, an input hypoid gear, and gears, the housing member including a second joining surface fixed to a first joining surface, the input hypoid gear being supported by the housing member rotatable about a second axis, the gears decelerating rotation of the motor and transmitting the rotation to the input hypoid gear, the first joining surface is parallel to the first axis, the second joining surface is perpendicular to the second axis, and the bolt is fastened radially outside of the gears of all kinds assumed to be used, the kinds being defined by reduction ratios.