Shaftless Gear Support Structure for Weight Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need to reduce the weight of gear devices while maintaining their structural integrity and functionality, particularly in applications where they are coupled to motors and other actuators.

Innovation Solution

The gear device incorporates a housing and a cover with a projection and recess structure that supports the gear, allowing the omission of a shaft, thereby reducing weight without compromising support or functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If a shaft is used to support the gear, then the gear has stable support and reliable operation, but the weight of the gear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of the gearVSAvoidsupport stability of the gear

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the shaft component from the gear assembly. Instead of using a traditional shaft to support the gear, the gear is directly supported by the housing through integrated support structures, eliminating the shaft and thereby reducing the weight of the moving gear component while maintaining support functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the support function previously performed by a separate shaft into the housing structure itself. The housing now directly supports the gear through integrated support features, combining the housing and support functions into a single structural element, which eliminates the need for a separate shaft component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If a shaft is used to support the gear, then the gear structure is complete and stable, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of components in the gear deviceVSAvoidstructural integrity of the gear

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the support function previously performed by a separate shaft into the housing structure itself. The housing now directly supports the gear through integrated support features, combining the housing and support functions into a single structural element, which eliminates the need for a separate shaft component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides the enclosure for the gear mechanism and simultaneously serves as the support structure for the gear. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for dedicated support components like shafts, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11754167B2Gear device

Publication Date: 2023.09.12 TOYOTA BOSHOKU KK

AI summary

A gear device includes a housing, a cover, and a gear. The cover covers an opening of the housing. The gear is accommodated in the housing. One of the housing and the cover includes a projection projected toward the gear and having a center axis that extends along a rotation axis of the gear. The gear includes a recess that receives the projection.