Compact flex gear for strain wave gearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364878-B2
Application number	US-201615332914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A flex gear includes a hub with an axis, a rim, and an interface feature, a tooth ring with gear teeth, and flex elements between the rim and the tooth ring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flex gear comprising:
a hub having an axis, a rim portion, a first interface feature, and a first contact race;
a tooth ring including a first plurality of gear teeth and a second contact race; and
a plurality of flex elements located between and connected to the rim portion and the tooth ring.

2. The flex gear of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of flex elements together form a continuous ring.

3. The flex gear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first plurality of support elements each connected to the hub and at least one of the plurality of flex elements; and
a second plurality of support elements each connected to the tooth ring and the at least one of the plurality of flex elements;
wherein each of the plurality of flex elements extends circumferentially.

4. The flex gear of claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second pluralities of support elements extend radially.

5. The flex gear of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of support elements are each connected to the at least one of the plurality of flex elements at a first flex element edge, and wherein the second plurality of support elements are each connected to the at least one of the plurality of flex elements at a second, opposite flex element edge that is axially spaced apart from the first flex element edge.

6. The flex gear of claim 3 , wherein:
each of the plurality of flex elements includes a first end, a second end, and a center portion between the first and second ends;
the first end is connected to a first one of the first plurality of support elements;
the second end is connected to a second one of the first plurality of support elements; and
the center portion is connected to one of the second plurality of support elements.

7. The flex gear of claim 1 , wherein:
a first set of the plurality of flex elements together form a first ring; and
a second set of the plurality of flex elements together form a second ring; and
the flex gear further comprises:
a first plurality of support elements each connected to the hub and at least one of the first set of the plurality of flex elements;
a second plurality of support elements each connected to at least one of the first set of the plurality of flex elements and at least one of the second set of the plurality of flex elements; and
a third plurality of support elements each connected to at least one of the second set of the plurality of flex elements and the tooth ring;
wherein each of the second plurality of support elements is circumferentially offset from each of the first and third pluralities of support elements.

8. The flex gear of claim 7 , wherein the first set of the plurality of flex elements extend axially in a first direction from the first plurality of support elements and the second set of the plurality of flex elements extend axially in a second, opposite direction from the second plurality of support elements.

9. The flex gear of claim 7 , wherein the third plurality of support elements each extend axially and radially.

10. A flex gearbox comprising:
the flex gear of claim 1 and further comprising a first contact race on a radially inner face;
a ring gear surrounding the flex gear, the ring gear including a second plurality of gear teeth for contacting the first plurality of gear teeth, wherein the second plurality of gear teeth includes more gear teeth than the first plurality of gear teeth;
a wave generator positioned in the flex gear and including a second contact race on a non-circular radially outer face and a second interface feature;
a first bearing positioned between the flex gear and the wave generator that is in contact with the first contact race and the second contact race.

11. A flex gearbox comprising:
a flex gear including a first plurality of gear teeth, a first contact race on a radially inner face, a second contact race on a first side face, and a hub with a first interface feature;
a ring gear surrounding the flex gear, the ring gear including a second plurality of gear teeth for contacting the first plurality of gear teeth, wherein the second plurality of gear teeth includes more gear teeth than the first plurality of gear teeth;
a wave generator positioned in the flex gear and including a third contact race on a non-circular radially outer face, a fourth contact race on a second side face, and a second interface feature;
a first bearing positioned between the flex gear and the wave generator that is in contact with the first contact race and the third contact race; and
a second bearing positioned between the flex gear and the wave generator that is in contact with the second contact race and the fourth contact race.

12. The flex gearbox of claim 11 , wherein the flex gear comprises:
a hub having an axis, a rim portion, and an interface feature;
a plurality of flex elements extending from the rim portion;
a tooth ring connected to the plurality of flex elements, the tooth ring including a plurality of gear teeth.

13. The flex gearbox of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of flex elements together form a continuous ring.

14. The flex gearbox of claim 11 , wherein the flex gear comprises:
a hub portion including an interface feature and a first plurality of support elements that extend from the hub portion;
a tooth ring including a plurality of gear teeth and a second plurality of support elements that extend from the tooth ring; and
a flex ring connected to the first and second pluralities of support elements;
wherein the each of the first plurality of supports is circumferentially offset from each of the second plurality of support elements.

15. The flex gearbox of claim 12 , wherein:
a first set of the plurality of flex elements together form a first ring; and
a second set of the plurality of flex elements together form a second ring; and
the flex gear further comprises:
a first plurality of support elements each connected to the hub and at least one of the first set of the plurality of flex elements;
a second plurality of support elements each connected to the at least one of the first set of the plurality of flex elements and at least one of the second set of the plurality of flex elements; and
a third plurality of support elements each connected to the at least one of the second set of the plurality of flex elements and the tooth ring.

16. The flex gearbox of claim 15 , wherein the first set of the plurality of flex elements extend axially away from the wave generator from the first plurality of support elements and the second set of the plurality of flex elements extend axially toward the wave generator from the second plurality of support elements.

17. A flex gear comprising:
a hub portion including an axis, an interface feature, and a first plurality of support elements that extend from the hub portion;
a tooth ring including a plurality of gear teeth and a second plurality of support elements that extend from the tooth ring; and
a flex ring connected to the first and second pluralities of support elements;
wherein the each of the first plurality of supports is circumferentially offset from each of the second plurality of support elements.

18. The flex gear of claim 17 , further comprising:
a second flex ring wherein the second plurality of support elements is connected to the second flex ring instead to the first flex ring; and
a third plurality of support elements that extend between the first and second flex rings.

19. A flex gearbox comprising:
the flex

Assignees

• Simmonds Precision Products
• Simmons Prec Products Inc

Inventors

• Buttolph Martin Edwy

Classifications

• F16H2049/003

  Features of the flexsplines therefor · CPC title

• F16H49/001 Primary

  Wave gearings, e.g. harmonic drive transmissions · CPC title