Pericyclic Gear Reducer With Prismatic Joints for High Reduction Ratios
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gear reducers, such as planetary gear transmissions, cycloidal speed reducers, and harmonic drives, face limitations in achieving high reduction ratios while maintaining compactness and efficiency, with issues like complexity, high precision requirements, limited range of reduction ratios, and susceptibility to internal vibrations and fatigue.
Innovation Solution
The pericyclic gear reducer design incorporates a driver ring gear, a middle planet ring gear, and an output sun gear, utilizing prismatic joints to achieve high reduction ratios through a spinning and revolving motion, allowing for a wide range of reduction ratios and improved torque capacity with reduced complexity and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional multistage gear boxes are used to achieve high reduction ratios, then the reduction ratio is improved, but the size and weight of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pericyclic gear reducer employs a nested configuration where the sun gear is positioned at the center, planet gears orbit around it, and a ring gear encloses the entire planetary assembly. This nested arrangement allows all gear elements to occupy concentric spaces, achieving high reduction ratios within a compact volume without increasing overall system weight proportionally to the reduction ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear reducer is segmented into distinct functional components: sun gear, planet gears, ring gear, and carrier. Each segment performs a specific function in the power transmission chain, allowing the system to achieve high reduction ratios through the coordinated action of multiple segments rather than requiring a single large gear pair, thus maintaining compact dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If planetary gear transmissions are used to achieve compact high-ratio reduction, then compactness is improved, but device complexity increases due to large number of elements
Solution Approach 1:
The pericyclic gear reducer merges the functions of multiple gear stages into a single integrated planetary mechanism. The sun gear, planet gears, and ring gear work together in one synchronized motion system, eliminating the need for multiple separate gear stages that would increase component count and assembly complexity while achieving equivalent or higher reduction ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The planet gears serve multiple functions simultaneously: they transmit power from the sun gear, provide structural support, define the reduction ratio through their orbital motion, and engage with both the sun gear and ring gear. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, simplifying the overall device structure.
3Power
If planetary gear transmissions are used to provide high power density, then power capacity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The pericyclic gear reducer achieves high power density by optimizing geometric parameters such as the number of planet gears, their distribution angles, and the ratio between sun gear and ring gear teeth. These parameter adjustments allow the system to distribute loads more effectively across multiple contact points, reducing the precision requirements for individual gear tooth engagements while maintaining high power transmission capacity.
4Volume of moving object
If cycloidal speed reducers are used to achieve high reduction ratios in compact design, then compactness is improved, but internal vibrations and fatigue increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pericyclic gear reducer utilizes periodic engagement of multiple planet gears with the sun gear and ring gear. As the planet gears orbit, they sequentially engage and disengage in a controlled periodic manner, which distributes dynamic loads over time and reduces vibration amplitudes compared to continuous single-point contact in cycloidal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The planet gears are symmetrically arranged around the sun gear with equal mass distribution. This balanced configuration creates counterbalancing forces that offset centrifugal forces and vibration-generating imbalances, reducing internal vibrations and fatigue stresses while maintaining the compact planetary structure.
5Volume of moving object
If harmonic drives are used to achieve high reduction ratios with compact design, then compactness is improved, but adaptability decreases due to restricted reduction range
Solution Approach 1:
The pericyclic gear reducer employs a dynamic planetary mechanism where the planet gears simultaneously rotate on their own axes and orbit around the sun gear. This dual motion provides continuous variable transmission ratios within a compact structure, allowing the system to adapt to different reduction ratio requirements by adjusting the orbital parameters, unlike the fixed-ratio harmonic drive.
Data Source
AI summary
A pericyclic gear reducer may include a middle planet ring gear coupled between a driver ring gear and a driven wheel utilizing a first prismatic joint on a first side of the middle planet ring gear and a second prismatic joint on a second side of the middle planet ring gear. The pericyclic gear reducer may further include an input shaft rotatably coupled to the driver ring gear and the driver ring gear configured to transfer the rotational movement of the input shaft to the middle planet ring gear. The pericyclic gear reducer may further include an output sun gear coupled to the middle planet ring gear. The output sun gear further rotatably coupled to a central output shaft.