Right Angle Drive Center Support for Shaft Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Right angle drives experience undesirable friction and deformation due to unsupported inboard ends of shafts, leading to wobbling and reduced accuracy, as they are typically only supported on the outboard side of beveled gears within a tight housing envelope.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of interlocking bushings that provide support on both sides of the input and output shafts, preventing rotation and axial movement, thereby distributing the load and reducing friction and deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the shafts are only supported on the outboard side of the gears, then the device complexity is reduced, but the shaft flexure increases and the bearing friction worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple bearing locations: outboard bearings supporting the shafts on the outboard side of the gears, and inboard bearings supporting the shafts on the inboard side of the gears. This segmentation allows each bearing to handle specific portions of the load, reducing overall shaft flexure and improving stability without requiring a completely redesigned complex support structure
Solution Approach 2:
The inboard and outboard bearing supports are merged into a unified dual-sided support system. The inboard bearings and outboard bearings work together to provide comprehensive support for the input and output shafts, distributing the load across multiple support points and eliminating the cantilevered condition that causes excessive flexure
2Stability of the object's composition
If the inboard ends of the shafts are supported, then the shaft flexure is reduced, but the housing deformation increases due to heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
Inboard bearings are added as a preventive measure to support the inboard ends of the shafts before excessive flexure and heat generation can occur. This proactive support prevents the shafts from bending under load, thereby preventing the friction and heat generation that would otherwise lead to housing deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The tight housing envelope that initially prevented adequate inboard support is converted into a benefit by using compact inboard bearings that fit within the constrained space. These space-efficient bearings provide necessary support while maintaining the compact design, preventing heat generation and housing deformation
3Volume of moving object
If the inboard support is made small to fit the tight envelope, then the device compactness is improved, but the support reliability deteriorates due to rotation and warping
Solution Approach 1:
The inboard bearings are designed with specific local features: locking projections that engage with corresponding features in the housing to prevent rotation, and flattened regions that provide stable mounting surfaces. These localized quality enhancements ensure the compact inboard support remains stable and reliable despite the small size required by the tight housing envelope
Solution Approach 2:
Locking projections and flattened regions act as intermediary features between the inboard bearings and the housing. These intermediary elements prevent relative motion and rotation between the compact inboard support components, ensuring stability without requiring a larger support structure
Data Source
AI summary
A right angle drive is provided. The right angle drive includes an input shaft, an output shaft, a housing a pair of input shaft bearings and a pair of output shaft bearings. The input shaft carries an input gear for rotation about an input axis. The output shaft carries an output gear for rotation about an output axis. The input and output gears are coupled to transfer rotational motion therebetween. The input and output axis being non-parallel to one another. The pair of input shaft bearings carry the input shaft within the housing for rotation about the input axis. One bearing is on either side of the input gear. The pair of output shaft bearings carry the output shaft within the housing for rotation about the output axis. One bearing is on either side of the input gear. The bearings may interlock with one another.