Web Gear Rim Geometry for Higher Load Capacity at Low Weight

The patent applies local quality by implementing geometry variations specifically at the inner side of the rim adjacent to the web, while maintaining a thin-web design overall. The rim thickness is varied locally to provide reinforcement exactly where the teeth are rooted, creating a stiffening effect that increases load capacity without adding material throughout the entire gear structure. This localized reinforcement resolves the contradiction by providing strength precisely where needed while maintaining overall light weight.

The patent introduces geometry variations in the axial direction at the inner rim surface, creating a three-dimensional stiffening structure. By varying the rim thickness in the axial dimension rather than uniformly throughout, the design achieves enhanced stiffness and load capacity through dimensional complexity without proportionally increasing mass. This dimensional approach allows the thin-web gear to achieve solid-gear-like strength characteristics.

Rather than uniformly increasing rim thickness throughout the gear, the patent applies thickness variations locally at the inner rim surface adjacent to the web. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary stiffness support for the tooth roots while leaving the rest of the rim thin, thereby achieving improved load capacity without proportionally increasing the overall weight of the gear.

The rim is effectively segmented into regions of different thicknesses - a thicker reinforced region at the inner surface adjacent to the web where teeth are rooted, and a thinner region elsewhere. This segmentation allows the gear to concentrate material only where structurally necessary, optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio by distributing thickness non-uniformly across the rim circumference.

The patent compensates for the reduced stiffness caused by a thin web by introducing geometry variations in the axial dimension at the inner rim surface. These variations create a three-dimensional stiffening effect that reinforces the tooth root regions without requiring a thicker web. By operating in the axial dimension rather than radially thickening the web, the design maintains low weight while achieving necessary stiffness.

The geometry variations are built into the rim structure during manufacturing, providing pre-reinforcement at the tooth root regions before the gear is assembled and loaded. This preliminary stiffening structure is integrated into the design from the outset, ensuring that the thin-web gear has adequate stiffness support built-in rather than requiring additional reinforcement components or thicker material.