Wave Gear Tooth Convex Pattern for Grease Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wave gearing systems in robots face challenges in extending their lifespan due to difficulties in maintaining grease in frictional contact portions, leading to reduced torque transmission efficiency and shorter operational life.
Innovation Solution
The proposed gearing system incorporates a flexible external gear with a convex pattern on its tooth surface, optimized to retain lubricant between the internal and external teeth, and a wave generator that moves the mesh position in a circumferential direction, ensuring effective lubrication and torque transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If grease is filled in frictional contact portions between gear teeth, then torque transmission efficiency is improved, but grease retention becomes difficult depending on surface condition leading to shorter lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating convex portions at specific locations on the tooth surfaces (frictional contact portions) to enhance grease retention locally where it is most needed, rather than uniformly modifying the entire tooth surface. This localized modification ensures grease remains in the frictional contact portions during gear operation, maintaining torque transmission efficiency while extending gearing lifespan through improved lubrication retention.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If tooth surface condition is improved for grease retention, then gearing lifespan is extended, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies parameter changes by modifying the tooth surface geometry through the addition of convex portions with specific dimensional parameters (height, width, spacing). These controlled geometric modifications create effective grease retention structures while maintaining compatibility with standard manufacturing processes, thus extending gearing lifespan without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
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 configuration significantly extends the lifespan of the gearing system, maintaining high torque transmission efficiency and reducing maintenance needs, allowing for continuous operation of the robot for an extended period.
Implementation Method 1
the external tooth surface has a convex pattern including a plurality of convex portions extending in directions crossing a tooth trace of the external tooth
Data Source
AI summary
A gearing includes an internal gear, a flexible external gear partially meshing with the internal gear and relatively rotating about a rotation axis to the internal gear, and a wave generator provided inside of the external gear and moving a mesh position between the internal gear and the external gear in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein the external gear includes an external tooth having an external tooth surface, the external tooth surface has an external tooth convex pattern including a first convex portion and a second convex portion extending in directions crossing directions of a tooth trace of the external tooth and arranged adjacent to each other in the directions of the tooth trace, and a distance between the first convex portion and the second convex portion is from 80 μm to 520 μm.