Threaded Sprocket Assembly for Axial Adjustment on Drive Shafts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing chain gear designs for drive shafts do not allow for easy assembly, disassembly, or axial adjustment without disassembling the drive shaft, making repairs and replacements cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A chain gear design featuring a gear rim and sleeve body with interlocking threads, allowing the gear rim to be rotated and aligned axially relative to the sleeve body, which is then secured, enabling easy assembly, disassembly, and fine adjustment without disassembling the drive shaft.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the gear ring is directly fixed to the drive shaft, then the connection is secure and rotation-proof, but assembly and disassembly require disassembling the drive shaft, making repairs cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of assembly and disassemblyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sprocket is divided into two separate components: the gear ring and the sleeve body. The sleeve body remains fixed to the drive shaft, while the gear ring can be independently assembled and disassembled from the sleeve body without removing the sleeve body from the drive shaft. This segmentation enables easy maintenance while maintaining a secure connection during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the gear ring is directly fixed to the drive shaft, then the connection is secure, but axial alignment adjustment is difficult without disassembling the drive shaft

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxial alignment adjustmentVSAvoidease of assembly and disassembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between the gear ring and sleeve body is designed to be dynamically adjustable during assembly. The gear ring can be positioned axially relative to the sleeve body and then fixed in the desired position. This allows for flexible axial alignment adjustment while maintaining a secure fixed connection during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If the gear ring and sleeve body are rigidly connected, then the connection is secure, but fine adjustment of the gear ring's axial position is not possible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxial positioning precisionVSAvoidease of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The assembly process is designed to allow preliminary positioning of the gear ring on the sleeve body before final fixation. During assembly, the gear ring can be slid axially along the sleeve body to achieve the desired precise position, and then secured in place. This preliminary adjustment capability enables fine axial positioning while maintaining simple assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This design facilitates simple assembly and disassembly of the chain gear on the drive shaft, allows for precise axial alignment, and ensures a secure, rotation-proof connection, enabling efficient power transmission and easy replacement without altering the drive shaft's position.

Implementation Method 1

the gear rim, guided by the thread, to rotate relative to the sleeve body and, depending on the direction of rotation, to move axially along the drive shaft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThread mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3611404B1Sprocket
Publication Date: 2021.12.22 ROCHLING IND XANTEN GMBH
  • EP3611404B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3611404B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3611404B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a chain sprocket for arrangement on a drive shaft, comprising a gear ring (2) having an externally toothed gear ring (3) and a ring carrier (4), and a sleeve body (5), wherein the ring carrier (4) has a recess (6) for receiving the sleeve body (5) and the sleeve body (5) has a recess (7) for receiving the drive shaft, so that the gear ring (2) can be arranged on the drive shaft with the sleeve body (5) interposed, wherein the sleeve body (5) is provided with a thread (9) on its outer cylindrical surface (8), and wherein the recess (6) of the ring carrier (4) provided for receiving the sleeve body (5) has a thread (11) on its inner side (10) facing the sleeve body (5) corresponding to the thread (9) of the sleeve body (5).