Unitary Ring Gear-Flange Assembly Without Intermediary Shafts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear systems require intermediary shafts for torque transmission, leading to increased manufacturing time, cost, and weight due to separate components and assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A unitary ring gear-flange body (URGFB) is formed by spin-forming a flange and welding a ring gear, eliminating the need for intermediary shafts and allowing a single unitary body to be manufactured, reducing assembly time and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If separate components (ring gear and flange) are used with intermediary shafts for torque transmission, then the system provides functional torque transmission, but the manufacturing time, cost, and weight increase due to multiple separate components and assembly processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ring gear and flange into a single unitary body formed by spin-forming a blank into an integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate ring gear and flange components, removing intermediary shafts and reducing the number of parts. The unitary construction directly addresses the technical contradiction by merging multiple components into one, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and assembly time while maintaining functional torque transmission capability.
2Device complexity
If separate components (ring gear and flange) are used for torque transmission, then the system provides functional torque transmission, but the weight increases due to multiple separate components and assembly hardware
Solution Approach 1:
The ring gear and flange are merged into a single unitary body, eliminating the weight of intermediary shafts, mounting hardware, and fasteners that would be required to assemble separate components. The integrated spin-formed structure reduces overall system weight while maintaining the torque transmission function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the intermediary shafts and separate mounting hardware from the torque transmission system. By removing these unnecessary intermediate components and directly integrating the flange with the ring gear in a unitary structure, the system achieves weight reduction while preserving essential functionality.
3Device complexity
If separate components (ring gear and flange) are used for torque transmission, then the system provides functional torque transmission, but the manufacturing cost increases due to multiple separate components and assembly processes
Solution Approach 1:
The ring gear and flange are merged into a single unitary body formed by spin-forming a blank into an integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate ring gear and flange components, removing intermediary shafts and reducing the number of parts. The unitary construction directly addresses the technical contradiction by merging multiple components into one, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and assembly time while maintaining functional torque transmission capability.
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
The URGFB provides cost-effective, weight-efficient, and time-efficient torque transmission without intermediary shafts, reducing manufacturing and assembly time, and minimizing crevice corrosion opportunities.
Implementation Method 1
the flange may be spin-formed and may, for example, include a riser body extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 2
To the riser body may, for example, be welded a ring gear to form a unitary assembly
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a unitary ring gear-flange body (URGFB). In an illustrative example, the flange body may be spin-formed and may, for example, include a riser body extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis and a flange extending substantially radially outward from the riser body. To the riser body may, for example, be welded a ring gear to form a unitary assembly, the ring gear having an axis of revolution aligned with the longitudinal axis. A continuous coating may, for example, be applied to at least a selected portion of a surface of the unitary assembly. Various embodiments may advantageously provide a cost-efficient, weight-efficient, and/or time-efficient unitary body which may, for example, be coupled to machinery to provide a shaftless torque-transmitter.