Gearing Patents (Class 74/640)
  • Patent number: 11085509
    Abstract: A bending meshing type gear device includes a wave generator, an external gear which is bent and deformed by the wave generator, and an internal gear which meshes with the external gear, in which one gear of the external gear and the internal gear is formed of a resin, the other gear of the external gear and the internal gear is formed of a high thermal conductivity material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the resin and wear resistance higher than that of the resin, and a tooth thickness of the one gear is larger than a tooth thickness of the other gear in a meshing range between the external gear and the internal gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Shirouzu
  • Patent number: 11060596
    Abstract: A transmission component is described in which a cylindrical section has outer teeth, and a flange extends radially outward relative to the cylindrical section. The flange has a plurality of raised connecting sections that are axially offset from a remainder of the flange. Each connecting section has a hole configured to receive a fastener such as a screw. In certain embodiments, a plurality of recesses are provided radially between the connecting sections and the cylindrical section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Bastian Hain, Peter Zierer
  • Patent number: 11035452
    Abstract: A wave bearing of a wave generator of a strain wave gearing is provided with steel or stainless steel cylindrical hollow rollers between an inner-race-side raceway surface and an outer-race-side raceway surface, the hollow rollers serving as rolling elements. The ratio Di/Do of the inner diameter Di to the outer diameter Do of the hollow rollers is set to 0.95 or more. The relative radius of curvature of hollow rollers that have been flexed into an ellipsoidal shape increases with respect to the inner-race raceway surface and the outer-race raceway surface with which the hollow rollers are in contact, and the Hertz maximum contact stress is reduced. The hardness of the hollow rollers, the inner-race raceway surface, and the outer-race raceway surface can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11028915
    Abstract: A restraint mechanism for limiting the movement of the flexible external gear of a flat strain wave gearing in the axial direction has a first restraining member installed in a floating state in a first recess and a second restraining member installed in a floating state in a second recess. The restraining member is able to limit the movement of the flexible external gear in the axial direction to a range in which there are no difficulties during actual use. Moreover, compared with when movement of the flexible external gear is limited using members that are disposed at fixed positions, it is possible to reduce the sliding abrasion that occurs between the flexible external gear and the first and second restraining members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Handa, Hiroaki Kimura, Sotaro Miyake
  • Patent number: 11015692
    Abstract: A gearing (1), in particular a strain wave gearing, including an elastic gear (2) having a flange (16), which flange is fastened to a housing component (7) of the gearing (1). A connecting assembly (8) for retaining the flange (16) on the housing component (7) includes a plurality of fastening points (14), wherein, outside of the fastening points (14), the connecting assembly (8) has axial play between the flange (16) and the housing component (7), with respect to the center axis (M) of the gear (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bastian Hain, Peter Zierer
  • Patent number: 11002349
    Abstract: In a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force of a motor to a load-side member via a speed reducer, a strain wave gearing is used as the speed reducer, and the allowable load torque of members in the powertrain other than the strain wave gearing is greater than a predetermined upper-limit load torque. The allowable load torque of the strain wave gearing is dictated by the ratcheting torque, which is set so as not to exceed the upper-limit load torque. In an overload state, ratcheting is generated in the strain wave gearing, so that the strain wave gearing functions as a mechanical fuse. Other power transmission members can be protected from an overload state without adding a separate member such as a torque limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Handa, Hiroaki Kimura, Sotaro Miyake
  • Patent number: 10989292
    Abstract: A wave generator of a wave gear device flexes an externally toothed gear into a shape along an elliptical closed curve to form engaging portions of the externally toothed gear with an internally toothed gear at two places, namely at both ends of the major axis, and to move the engaging portions in the circumferential direction. The elliptical closed curve has a non-point symmetric shape. For example, the elliptical closed curve is a line symmetric closed curve that is not symmetric about the minor axis, and is symmetric about only the major axis. In the non-point symmetric state, the engaging portions are formed at both ends in the major axis direction. By selecting different shapes for the engaging portions at the two locations of the major axis, vibration attributed to a secondary angular transmission error component generated along with the rotation of the wave generator can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Naoki Kanayama
  • Patent number: 10989276
    Abstract: A gear motor includes a speed reducer and a motor. The speed reducer includes an internal gear, an external gear, an input shaft having an oscillating portion oscillating the external gear, an oscillating bearing which is disposed between the external gear and the oscillating portion, and an input bearing which supports the input shaft, the input shaft includes a protrusion portion which protrudes from the motor side such that a rotor of the motor is provided in the protrusion portion, and includes a bearing disposition section in which the input bearing is disposed and a rotor disposition section in which the rotor is disposed in this order from the speed reducer side toward the motor side, an outer diameter of the rotor disposition section is equal to or less than an outer diameter of the bearing disposition section, and a rotor magnet is directly fixed to the rotor disposition section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Moritani, Mitsuhiro Tamura
  • Patent number: 10981271
    Abstract: A gear device includes an internal gear, an external gear partially meshing with the internal gear, relatively rotating around a rotation axis to the internal gear, and having flexibility, and a wave generator being in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the external gear and moving a meshing position of the internal gear and the external gear in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein a virtual straight line as an extension of a tooth trace of the internal gear intersects with the rotation axis in a sectional view cut along a plane containing the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Inventor: Yuya Kataoka
  • Patent number: 10982746
    Abstract: A harmonic drive mechanism of a wave generator, including a first bearing set, an input shaft, a left end cover, a second bearing set, an output shaft, a key, a bolt assembly, a vibratory hydraulic wave generator assembly, a rigid internal gear sleeve and a flexible external gear. The input shaft which is rotatable is provided on the left end cover through the first bearing set. A part of the input shaft and the flexible external gear are located in the rigid internal gear sleeve. The output shaft which is rotatable is provided on the rigid internal gear sleeve through the second bearing set. An end of the output shaft is connected to the flexible external gear via a key. The vibratory hydraulic wave generator assembly includes a casing, a vibrating plate, a backing plate and a check valve which are located in the flexible external gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Shunde Polytechnic
    Inventors: Xuefeng Chen, Mingxia Tu
  • Patent number: 10962098
    Abstract: A wave generator for a strain wave gearing is provided with a rigid plug having an ellipsoidal plug-outer-circumferential surface, and a ring-shaped displacement body that is flexed to an ellipsoidal shape by the plug. The ring-shaped displacement body is provided with a plurality of radially arranged displacing sections. The plug-contacting surfaces of the displacing sections are in sliding contact with the plug-outer-circumferential surface and when the plug rotates, the displacing sections are repeatedly displaced in the radial direction. By the displacement of the displacing sections, wave motion is generated in an external gear. It is possible to achieve a wave generator capable of generating wave motion in the external gear with a small rotational torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10955039
    Abstract: A transmission includes a first shaft that is rotatable in a circumferential direction about a central axis extending in one direction, a second shaft that is rotatable in the circumferential direction and in series with the first shaft in an axial direction in which the central axis extends, a tubular housing, an internal gear including an internal tooth portion, and held by an inner surface of the housing, an annular external gear connected to the second shaft, and including an external tooth portion that partially meshes with the internal tooth portion, and a wave generator connected to the first shaft to deform the external gear such that meshing positions between the internal tooth portion and the external tooth portion shift in the circumferential direction. The internal gear and the housing are defined by separate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takunori Shinao, Wataru Yamauchi, Akihiro Toda
  • Patent number: 10927938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a strain wave gear, having an outer ring with an inner toothing, with which a flexible inner ring with an outer toothing engages at two opposing points. The strain wave gear is characterized in that the ratio of the pitch diameter of the outer ring to the rim thickness of the outer ring lies in the region of 13 to 21, especially in the region of 17 to 19, especially at 17.587, wherein the teeth of the toothing of the inner ring have a profile angle in the region of 8 degrees to 15 degrees or in the region of 11 degrees to 12 degrees or one of 11.615 degrees, and/or wherein the teeth of the toothing of the outer ring have a profile angle in the region of 8 degrees to 15 degrees or in the region of 11 degrees to 13 degrees or one of 12.474 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: OVALO GmbH
    Inventors: Siegmar Gilges, Matthias Glad
  • Patent number: 10913993
    Abstract: A steel for a high-strength bolt that includes from 0.50 mass % to 0.65 mass % carbon, from 1.5 mass % to 2.5 mass % silicon, 1.0 mass % or more chromium, 0.4 mass % or less manganese, greater than 1.5 mass % molybdenum, 0.03 mass % or less phosphorus and sulfur combined, and balance iron and inevitable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Hamada, Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Kosuke Kimura
  • Patent number: 10900453
    Abstract: A method is provided for starting an internal combustion engine with a driveshaft for a motor vehicle. A starting process is carried out, by which the internal combustion engine is started and thereby transferred from a deactivated state into a powered operation, wherein the starting process is carried out by a pinion starter and by a belt starter, by which the driveshaft is driven during the starting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roland Koeppl, Sherif Mahmoud
  • Patent number: 10890239
    Abstract: In a silk hat-shaped external gear for a strain wave gearing, t(A)>t(C)>t(D)>t(B) is satisfied, where the thicknesses of the inner circumferential end (A), the middle part (B) and the outer circumferential end (C) of the diaphragm body portion of a diaphragm are t(A), t(B) and t(C), and where the thickness of the barrel-side end part (D) of the curved portion of the diaphragm is t(D). With reference to the thickness of the middle part (B), the thickness of the inner circumferential end (A) of the diaphragm is set so as to be thicker than conventional silk hat-shaped external gears. It is possible to realize an externally toothed gear capable of preventing diaphragm rupture due to thrust force at high load torque and having high fatigue strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Noboru Takizawa, Xin Yue Zhang
  • Patent number: 10883590
    Abstract: A compound harmonic actuator is provided and includes a motor, a flex spline disposed about the motor and a wave generator radially interposable between the motor and the flex spline. The wave generator being rotatably drivable by the motor and shaped to form the flex spline into an elliptical shape with an axis such that wave generator rotations drive rotations of the axis of the ellipse of the flex spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire, Zaffir A. Chaudhry, Huan Zhang
  • Patent number: 10883592
    Abstract: A strain wave gearing has a rigid internally toothed gear, a flexible externally toothed gear, and a wave generator. Before being flexed by the wave generator, the externally toothed gear has a cylindrical body part, an inside diameter of which is such that the inside diameter D is smallest at a rear end thereof and increases gradually from the rear end to an opening end thereof. After being flexed by the wave generator, D1?D is satisfied where D1 is the minor diameter of an elliptical inner circumferential surface of the opening end of the cylindrical body part. The externally toothed gear, which is provided with such a tapered cylindrical body part, is suitable for manufacturing by die molding such as casting, and can also alleviate excessive uneven contact thereof with a wave bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Norio Shirokoshi
  • Patent number: 10873248
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary electrical machine (100) with an integral magnetic sensor (101) of the angular position of the rotor (150). The sensor includes a rotary part (108) with magnet (102) fixed to the end (160b) of the rotation shaft (160) at the rear of the machine, facing a fixed part (103) including Hall effect sensors and mounted on a fixed support (106) connected to the frame of the machine. The machine includes a bearing (104) centered on the axis (X), separating the rotary and fixed parts of the sensor. This bearing, fixed to the shaft and to the metal support of the fixed part of the sensor, and preferably in contact with the rotary part, constitutes a new mechanical reference close to the sensor. The invention provides accurate and robust position information independently of mechanical and magnetic disturbances to which the shaft may be subjected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignees: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES, MAVEL S.R.L.
    Inventors: Wissam Dib, Luca Favre, Davide Bettoni
  • Patent number: 10865866
    Abstract: A strain wave gearing has a wave generator for generating a wave motion that repeatedly flexes each part in the circumferential direction of an externally toothed gear in the radial direction. The wave generator is provided with a plurality of wave-generating members arranged at positions at a prescribed angular interval along the circumferential direction of the externally toothed gear. Each of the wave-generating members is provided with an outer circumferential cam surface, rotates centered on a rotation center line that is parallel to the device center axis line, and repeatedly flexes each part of the externally toothed gear in the radial direction with a prescribed amplitude. A strain wave gearing, which is suitable for forming a large device hollow part, can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Naoki Kanayama
  • Patent number: 10830318
    Abstract: The improved gearbox mechanism of the present invention includes a plurality of cam-actuated simplified gear block assemblies, which transfer power from a power shaft to a secondary or output gear element. Each gear block assembly includes a gear block having a surface that periodically interfaces with a secondary or output gear element. In a preferred embodiment the interface surface comprises a plurality of projections or teeth which correspond to complementary projections or gear teeth on the output gear element. Each gear block assembly further includes a gear block, a torque lever arm, cam followers and/or a socket, which connect or link the gear block to a cam assembly, which in turn is connected to a power source. The cam assembly includes about its circumference a unique pathway or groove for each linkage assembly of a particular gear block assembly so that the movement of the gear block may be controlled in two dimensions in accordance with a certain design parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: MOTUS LABS, LLC
    Inventor: Carlos A. Hoefken
  • Patent number: 10823268
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive including: a first internal ring gear; a second internal ring gear, the second internal ring gear being coaxial to the first internal ring gear; a first external gear located within the first internal ring gear and coaxial to the first internal ring gear, the first external gear meshes with the first internal ring gear; and a second external gear located within the second internal ring gear and coaxial to the second internal ring gear, the second external gear meshes with the second internal ring gear. The first internal ring gear and the second internal ring gear are composed of a flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 10823278
    Abstract: A silk hat-type strain wave gear device has a crossed roller bearing for supporting an internal gear and an external gear so as to allow relative rotation. A first gap part between the inner and outer rings of said bearing is sealed by an oil seal and a second gap part thereof is in communication with a gear-side gap part on the outside of the external gear. A bearing seal separates the second gap part from the gear-side gap part. The bearing seal prevents excessive inflow of lubricant from the gear-side gap part into the second gap part. Excess lubricant that has flowed into the bearing can flow back from the second gap part to the gear-side gap part. Excess lubricant in the bearing is prevented from leaking through the oil seal to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Shunichi Tezuka, Yoshihide Kiyosawa, Toshimi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 10816073
    Abstract: In a strain wave gearing, a flexible externally toothed gear flexed by a wave generator meshes with a flexible internally toothed gear while in an overlapping meshing state. A floating ring, which supports the internally toothed gear from the outer circumferential side, maintains the overlapping state of the meshing and supports the internally toothed gear in a floating state that allows displacement following a state of radial flexion in the tooth trace direction of the internal teeth of the internally toothed gear. Differences between the meshing states of both gears can be alleviated at each position in the tooth trace direction. Degradation in the transmission characteristics and the strength characteristics of the strain wave gearing caused by manufacturing dimensional accuracy of each component and assembly accuracy can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Akira Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10801599
    Abstract: A strain wave gear has a wave generator rotatably mounted in a radially flexible sleeve having external toothing, a first rigid hollow wheel with internal toothing meshing with the external toothing of the radially flexible sleeve, and a second rigid hollow wheel with internal toothing meshing with the external toothing of the radially flexible sleeve. The wave generator is mounted by exactly one radially flexible roller bearing so as to be rotatable relative to the radially flexible sleeve. The roller bearing has a first rolling-element row, having first rolling elements, and at least one second rolling-element row, having second rolling elements, that is axially offset from the first rolling-element row. The roller bearing has an external ring with which the first and second rolling elements are in direct contact, and/or an internal ring with which the first and second rolling elements are in direct contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: OVALO GmbH
    Inventor: Siegmar Gilges
  • Patent number: 10800047
    Abstract: An up/down section 4 of a robot arm mechanism includes: a pair of side frames disposed on a rotating section of a turning rotary joint; a cylindrical body supported in an axially rotatable manner by the side frames; a motor unit including a motor and a gearbox for rotationally driving the cylindrical body; connecting sections for connecting with an arm support body that movably supports an arm section; and a guide structure for guiding second pieces that were separated from first pieces into a columnar support section. The motor unit, connecting sections and guide structure are integrated with the cylindrical body. The motor unit is housed inside the cylindrical body, and an output shaft of the motor unit is connected to one of the side frames. The connecting sections are fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body. The guide structure is an annular body provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: LIFE ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventor: Woo-Keun Yoon
  • Patent number: 10788115
    Abstract: In a strain wave gearing, the addendum tooth profile of an internal gear is defined by the formula a and that of an external gear is by the formula b at a principal cross-section located at a tooth-trace-direction center of the external gear, on the basis of a movement locus (Mc) of ?=1 of the teeth of the external gear with respect to those of the internal gear in the principle cross-section taken at the center of the tooth trace of the external gear obtained when the tooth meshing is approximated by rack meshing. It is possible to avoid superimposition of flexion-induced bending stresses and tensile stresses caused by load torque at the major-axis locations of the external gear, and the transmission torque capacity of a strain wave gearing can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10788114
    Abstract: In a strain wave gearing, the addendum tooth profile of an internal gear is defined by the formula a and that of an external gear is by the formula b at a principal cross-section located at a tooth-trace-direction center of the external gear, on the basis of a movement locus (Mc) of ?=1 by the teeth of the external gear with respect to those of the internal gear. It is possible to avoid superimposition of flexion-induced bending stresses and tensile stresses caused by load torque at the major-axis locations of the external gear, and the transmission torque capacity of a strain wave gearing can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10718413
    Abstract: An assembly of a robot includes a first member, a second member rotatably connected to the first member to construct a robot joint structure, a driving assembly arranged within the first member, a speed reducer assembly to rotatably connect the first member to the second member, and a belt drive assembly connected to the driving assembly and the speed reducer assembly. The belt drive assembly is used to transmit rotary motion from the driving assembly to the speed reducer assembly, thereby rotating the first member with respect to the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP
    Inventors: Youjun Xiong, Youpeng Li, Hongyu Ding
  • Patent number: 10704665
    Abstract: A fluid rotary joint has a stator with a generally curved stator body and a flex spline with a flexible annular band disposed about and secured to the stator body. The stator also has at least three radially extendable members disposed between the stator body and the annular band to deform the annular band away from the stator body to contact the inner surface of a rotor. The inner circumference of the rotor is greater than the outer circumference of the annular band. A driver selectively expands the extendable members and brings the annular band of the stator into frictional driving engagement with the rotor for rotating the rotor. The extendable members may also be selectively extended to allow the stator and rotor to freely move with respect to one another or to have limited contact with one another to act as a torque limiting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: RE2, Inc.
    Inventors: Nabil Michael Rizk, Gregory D. Danyo, Andrew B. Mor
  • Patent number: 10648550
    Abstract: A harmonic driving device comprises a wave generator, a rigid wheel having an internal gear furnished therein, and a flexible wheel having an external gear furnished therein further comprising a cup-shaped which is composed of a main body and a bottom, a plurality of holes are disposed on the cup-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Kun-Ju Xie, Jui-Tang Tseng, Ching-Huei Wu
  • Patent number: 10634230
    Abstract: A wave generator of a flat-type strain wave gearing has an insertion member disposed between two wave bearings. The insertion member is pressed into an elliptical outer peripheral surface of a plug and is fixed thereto by an adhesive. An inner ring contact part of the insertion member is in contact with inner rings of the wave bearings from the direction of a center axis. When the flat-type strain wave gearing is in an operating state, the wave bearings can be prevented from moving relative to the plug in the direction of the center axis by means of thrust force acting on the wave bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Handa, Hiroaki Kimura, Sotaro Miyake
  • Patent number: 10626964
    Abstract: The gearbox mechanism of the invention includes a plurality of cam-actuated gear block assemblies, which transfer power from a power shaft to a secondary or output gear element. Each gear block assembly includes a gear block having a surface that periodically interfaces with a secondary or output gear element. In a preferred embodiment the interface surface comprises a plurality of projections or teeth which correspond to complementary projections or gear teeth on the output gear element. Each gear block assembly further includes a gear block, a rocker arm, cam followers and/or gear block tracking post, which connect or link the gear block to a cam assembly, which in turn is connected to a power source. The cam assembly includes about its circumference a unique pathway or groove for each cam followers and/or gear block tracking post of a particular gear block assembly so that the movement of the gear block may be controlled in two or three dimensions in accordance with a certain design parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Motus Labs, LLC
    Inventor: Carlos A. Hoefken
  • Patent number: 10591031
    Abstract: There is provided an electric actuator including: a motor that has a motor shaft, a speed reduction mechanism, an output portion that has an output shaft portion, a rotation detection device, and a first bearing. The output shaft portion extends in an axial direction and is disposed on one side in the axial direction of the motor shaft. The output portion has a first recessed portion recessed from the other side to the one side in the axial direction. An end portion of the motor shaft on the one side in the axial direction is accommodated in the first recessed portion. The first bearing is fixed to an inside surface of the first recessed portion in a radial direction. At least a portion of the rotation detection device is disposed at a position overlapping the first recessed portion in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC TOSOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaka Uematsu, Shuichi Kinjo
  • Patent number: 10584782
    Abstract: A compound harmonic drive including: a flexible ring having an inner surface and an outer surface; a first flexible gear disposed around the outer surface of the flexible ring and coaxial to the flexible ring; a second flexible gear disposed around the outer surface of the flexible ring and coaxial to the flexible ring; a first ring gear that meshes with the first flexible gear and is coaxial to the first flexible gear; and a second ring gear that meshes with the second flexible gear and is coaxial to the second flexible gear. The first flexible gear and second flexible gear are fixedly attached to the outer surface of the flexible ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Nicholas R. Van De Veire
  • Patent number: 10556352
    Abstract: A waist rotation structure includes a mounting disc defining a through hole, a rotatable disc located at a first side of the mounting disc, a driving device fixed to a second side of the mounting disc that is opposite the first side, and a transmission assembly. The rotatable disc defines a first cable insertion hole. The driving device includes an output shaft. The transmission assembly includes a drive gear connected to the output shaft, and a transmission cylinder extending through the through hole. The transmission cylinder includes a body that extends through the through hole, and is rotatably connected to the mounting disc and fixedly connected to the rotatable disc, and a driven gear arranged on a lateral surface of the body and engaged with the drive gear. The body defines a wiring hole extending opposite ends thereof and aligning with the first cable insertion hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP.
    Inventors: Youjun Xiong, Wenquan Shu, Wenhua Yu, Qi Zhao, Libing Zhou, Youpeng Li
  • Patent number: 10557539
    Abstract: A wave generator of a strain wave gearing has a rigid plug provided with an elliptical outer peripheral surface, and a roller bearing. The outer peripheral surface of the plug is provided with a major-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion formed at a major axis position L1, and a minor-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion formed at a minor axis position L2. The major-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion is a tapered surface that is tapered along a center axis line, and the minor-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion is an inverted tapered surface that is tapered in the opposite direction. An externally toothed gear can be supported and flexed into an elliptical shape without partial contact by using the wave generator in which the roller bearing is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10508726
    Abstract: A boss-side fastening surface formed in a boss of a flexible externally toothed gear of a strain wave gearing and a shaft-side fastening surface of an output shaft are coaxially fastened with bolts. The boss-side fastening surface is a convex-side fastening surface defined by two symmetrical inclined surfaces that are intersected at a prescribed angle to form a ridge line on a diameter line of the surface. The shaft-side fastening surface is a concave-side fastening surface defined by two symmetrical inclined surfaces that are intersected at a prescribed angle to form a trough line on a diameter line of the surface. The inclination angle of the inclined surfaces is set in the range of 2° to 16°. Transmission torques equal to or larger than those for combined bolt and pin fastening can be secured with bolt-only fastening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Hoshina, Masaru Kobayashi, Akira Nagai
  • Patent number: 10483823
    Abstract: An electric actuator includes a motor, a speed reduction mechanism, a case, an output portion, a first board, a rotation detection device that detects rotation of the output portion, a connector portion, a first wiring member electrically connected to electrical wiring via the connector portion, and a second wiring member electrically connected to the rotation detection device. The case includes a first case and a second case. The first board is accommodated in the first case. The rotation detection device is accommodated in the second case. The first wiring member includes a first connecting portion held in the first case. The second wiring member includes a second connecting portion held in the second case. The first connecting portion is exposed on one side in the axial direction of the first case. The second connecting portion is exposed on the other side in the axial direction of the second case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC TOSOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaka Uematsu, Kazumi Shinkai, Shuichi Kinjo
  • Patent number: 10439473
    Abstract: An electric motor-attached speed reducer includes a first member, an electric motor, a speed reduction mechanism, and a second member. The electric motor is arranged to produce rotational motion with respect to the first member. The speed reduction mechanism is arranged to transfer the rotational motion obtained from the electric motor while reducing the speed thereof. The second member is arranged to rotate relative to the first member at a rotation rate resulting from the speed reduction. A first bearing is arranged between the first and second members. A second bearing is arranged between the first member and a rotor of the electric motor. The speed reduction mechanism includes a flexible third bearing arranged between a non-perfect circular cam and a flexible external gear. The second bearing is arranged to radially overlap with a rotor holder at a first axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hirokawa, Kosuke Mizuike
  • Patent number: 10393227
    Abstract: A relieving portion is formed between a first external tooth portion and a second external tooth portion in the external teeth of a flexible externally toothed gear of a flat strain wave gearing. The length L1 of the relieving portion in the tooth trace direction is within the range of 0.1 to 0.5 of the tooth width L of the external teeth. The maximum relieving amount t from the tooth top land of an external tooth in the relieving portion is 3.3×10?4<t/PCD<6.3×10?4 where the PCT is defined as the pitch circle diameter of the external teeth. The tooth face load distribution of the external tooth in the tooth trace direction can be equalized, and a flat strain wave gearing having a high transmitted-load capacity can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Handa, Yoshihide Kiyosawa, Noboru Takizawa, Xin Yue Zhang
  • Patent number: 10371240
    Abstract: A harmonic pin ring gear system comprises an input shaft, an output shaft, two outer gears each with internal toothing and a single inner gear with external toothing. The inner gear is arranged concentrically to a first outer gear and in axial direction inside the first outer gear. A drive means extends between the two outer gears and the inner gear and comprises a pin-retaining ring formed as one part in circumferential direction and a multiplicity of pins that protrude laterally in axial direction from the pin-retaining ring. A rotary transmitter lifts the drive means off the external toothing of the inner gear and presses the drive means into the internal toothing of the outer gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: TQ-Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Antonius Georg Rossberger
  • Patent number: 10371241
    Abstract: A stress-wave actuator is disclosed in which a stressed, elastic member is in frictional contact with a rigid element. A stress altering actuation travels along the elastic element, temporarily and sequentially altering the stress in a portion of it, thereby moving the stressed element relative to the rigid element. When the rigid element is an enclosure, and the elastic member is shaped and sized to be slightly larger in circumference than the enclosure, the elastic member is compressed and stressed. Altering the stress temporally and sequentially in portions of the elastic member causes it to be displaced relative to the rigid member. Stress alteration may be effected by magnetic, electric or physical means depending of the physical nature of the elastic element. The stress wave actuator may be configured to act as a high torque motor, a high gear ratio motion transfer device, and as a clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Inventor: Baoxiang Shan
  • Patent number: 10352426
    Abstract: A flat strain wave gearing (1) has a mechanism for preventing a flexible externally toothed gear (4) from moving in the direction of the device center axis (1a) with respect to a rigid internally toothed gears (2, 3). The mechanism has an inner-peripheral groove (11) formed on inner teeth (3a) of the internally toothed gear (3), an outer-peripheral groove (12) formed on outer teeth (4a) of the externally toothed gear (4), and a flexible ring (13) mounted between the inner-peripheral groove (11) and the outer-peripheral groove (12). The ring (13) is engageable with groove inner-peripheral surfaces (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b), from the direction of the device center axis (1a), at meshing positions of the both gears (2, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Tatsuro Hoshina
  • Patent number: 10352427
    Abstract: In the cup-shaped externally toothed gear, the outside end face profile of the diaphragm is defined by a first concave circular arc having a first radius, a second concave circular arc that has a second radius and is smoothly connected to the first concave circular arc, an inclined straight line that is smoothly connected to the second concave circular arc and is inclined toward an inside straight line with respect to the center axis line, the inside straight line defining the outside profile of the diaphragm. The second radius is larger than the first radius, and the thickness of the diaphragm is gradually decreased from the side of the boss to the side of the cylindrical body. The stress concentration in the boss-side joint portion of the diaphragm can be relieved, whereby enhancing fatigue strength of the flexible externally toothed gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Noboru Takizawa, Go Kuroiwa
  • Patent number: 10295037
    Abstract: An externally toothed gear of a dual-type strain wave gearing is provided with first and second external teeth having different tooth numbers, and is flexed into an ellipsoidal shape by a wave generator. When the theoretical values of the radial flexing amounts at major-axis positions of the first and second external teeth flexed into the ellipsoidal shape are expressed by d1=m1n1 and d2=m2n2 (m1 and m2 represent the modules of the first and second external teeth, and n1 and n2 represent positive integers), the radial flexing amount of the first and second external teeth flexed by the wave generator satisfies d=(d1+d2)/?(1.4???2.6). Accordingly, a dual-type strain wave gearing can be achieved with which the first and second external teeth having different numbers can be suitably flexed to form excellent mating states with respective internally toothed gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kiyosawa, Jun Handa, Noboru Takizawa, XinYue Zhang
  • Patent number: 10267404
    Abstract: Gearing (1), in particular coaxial gearing or linear gearing, having a toothing (5), a tooth carrier (11) in which there is received a multiplicity of teeth (7) for engagement with the toothing, wherein the teeth (7) are mounted so as to be radially displaceable relative to the tooth carrier (11), a cam disk (20) for the radial drive of the radially displaceably mounted teeth (7), wherein the cam disk (20) has two encircling rims, between which there is arranged a raceway, rolling bodies (23) which are arranged on the running surface between the rims, and a multiplicity of pivot segments (24) which are arranged in encircling fashion on the rolling bearing bodies and which lie in each case by way of a rolling bearing surface against the rolling bodies (23), wherein, on both sides of the rolling bearing surface, there is arranged in each case one rim bearing surface, wherein the two rim bearing surfaces lie at least partially against the rims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Wittenstein SE
    Inventors: Heiko Schreiber, Michael Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10253863
    Abstract: An externally toothed gear of a dual-type strain wave gearing is provided with first and second external teeth having different teeth numbers. The first and second external teeth are flexed by a wave generator by the same flexing amount, into an ellipsoidal shape. The tooth depth of tooth profiles of the first external teeth having a low teeth number is smaller than the tooth depth of tooth profiles of the second external teeth having a high teeth number. A dual-type strain wave gearing can be achieved with which the first and second external teeth having different teeth numbers can be suitably flexed to form excellent meshing states with respective internally toothed gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kiyosawa, Jun Handa, XinYue Zhang, Noboru Takizawa
  • Patent number: 10197096
    Abstract: A ball bearing cage includes a plurality of ball pockets, wherein each ball pocket serves for receiving a ball, wherein each ball pocket (12, 22) has a width (B) in axial direction of the ball bearing cage (10, 20) and a length in circumferential direction of the ball bearing cage (10, 20), with the width (B) being slightly greater than a diameter of the ball (30), wherein the length is greater than the width (B) of the ball pocket (12,22) at least at an outer circumference (UA) of the ball bearing cage (10), and the length (LA) of the ball pocket (12,22) at the outer circumference (UA) of the ball bearing cage (10) is greater than the length (LI) of the ball pocket (12,22) at the inner circumference (UI) of the ball bearing cage (10,20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Gebrüder Reinfurt GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Herbert Niedermeier
  • Patent number: 10183405
    Abstract: A robot includes a first member, a second member that is provided so as to be movable around the first member, and a gear device that transmits driving force from one of the first member and the second member to the other. The gear device includes an internal gear, a flexible external gear that has an external tooth portion, which partially meshes with the internal gear, and a body portion, which is linked to the external tooth portion in a direction of a rotation axis, and a wave generator that comes into contact with the external gear and moves a position where the internal gear and the external gear are meshed with each other in a circumferential direction. An exterior surface of the body portion has an oil-repellent portion of which oil repellency is higher than oil repellency of an exterior surface of the external tooth portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuya Kataoka