Patents Assigned to Harmonic Drive System Inc.
  • Patent number: 10132398
    Abstract: A wave plug of a wave generator of a wave gear device includes: a metallic outer hollow body with an elliptical wave plug outer circumferential surface formed thereon; a metallic inner hollow body with a wave plug inner circumferential surface formed thereon; and an intermediate hollow body sandwiched between the outer hollow body and the inner hollow body. The intermediate hollow body includes CFRP layers. It is possible to implement a light wave plug in which a big hollow portion can be formed while assuring a required rigidity. Using the wave plug makes it possible to implement a light wave gear device which allows jumping to occur at a high load torque and which includes a big hollow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Yoshihide Kiyosawa
  • Patent number: 10122239
    Abstract: The rotary actuator has an outer rotor type motor assembled coaxially in a device hollow part of a strain wave gearing. One end of the device hollow part is closed by an end cover fixed to an output shaft of the strain wave gearing. A detection part is arranged between the motor and the end cover inside the device hollow part. A rotational position of a rotation detection plate mounted on an inside end surface of the end cover is detected by the detection part, to detect the rotational position of the output shaft. A rotary actuator that is small and compact can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Syuhei Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10066724
    Abstract: In a strain wave gearing, external teeth of a flexible externally toothed gear are elastically deformable in a direction in which the tooth thickness of the external teeth decreases. Engagement between internal teeth of a first and a second rigid internally toothed gears and the external teeth is set in an overlapping state in which the external teeth elastically deform and engage in a state in which no gap is present. The tooth profile of the internal teeth is a corrected tooth profile so that no interference occurs between a tooth top portion of the internal teeth and a dedendum portion of the external teeth when the teeth are engaged in the overlapping state. A strain wave gearing capable of minimizing or eliminating tooth engagement backlash is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20180245678
    Abstract: A wave generator for a strain wave gearing makes a flexible externally toothed gear to flex into an elliptical shape and mesh with rigid internally toothed gears, and makes meshing positions of the flexible externally toothed gear with the both gears to move in a circumferential direction. On the inner side of a rigid plug of the wave generator, a plug support ring is secured and integrated. The rigid plug is formed from an iron-based material, and the plug support ring is formed from a high-rigidity material that is more rigid than the iron-based material. Since deformation of the rigid plug is suppressed, the wave generator provided with a large hollow part can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun HANDA, Sotaro MIYAKE, Hiroaki KIMURA, Hideo YASUE
  • Publication number: 20180187764
    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: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun HANDA, Hiroaki KIMURA, Sotaro MIYAKE
  • Publication number: 20180180146
    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: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun HANDA, Hiroaki KIMURA, Sotaro MIYAKE
  • Publication number: 20180156313
    Abstract: In a planetary gear device series composed of eight kinds of planetary gear devices with gear reduction ratios of 3 to 10, the planetary gear device of each gear reduction ratio uses an internal gear with 108 teeth or a slightly different number of teeth, and the module is common among the planetary gear devices of all gear reduction ratios. The combinations of the sun gear teeth number Za and the internal gear teeth number Zc in the planetary gear device of each reduction ratio are given in Table 1 of this application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Norio SHIROKOSHI, Yasushi ONO
  • Publication number: 20180149255
    Abstract: The dedendum tooth profiles of the internal teeth and external teeth of a strain wave gearing are prescribed by a first homothetic curve BC and a second homothetic curve AC obtained from a curve segment from a point A, at which the angle formed by the tangent to a movement locus Mc when meshing is approximated by rack meshing and the major axis is ?A, to a low point B. The dedendum tooth profile of the internal teeth is prescribed by a curve formed on the internal teeth in the course of the addendum tooth profile of the external teeth moving from an apex of the movement locus to point A. The dedendum tooth profile of the external teeth is prescribed by a curve formed on the external teeth when the addendum tooth profile of the internal teeth moves from the apex to arrive at point A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180112709
    Abstract: A static pressure seal-equipped motor (1) in which front and rear gaps are sealed by first and second static pressure seal portions (30, 40) disposed at first and second axial end portions (12a, 12c) of a motor rotating shaft (12) protruding toward front and rear. Sealing gas supplied to sealing gaps (32, 42) of the first and second static pressure seal portions (30, 40) is caused to diverge and flow to chemical liquid atmospheres (5a, 5b) and a motor chamber (18) or an encoder chamber (21) into the chemical liquid atmospheres (5a, 5b), and also prevent entry of chemical liquid-containing gas from the chemical liquid atmospheres (5a, 5b) into the motor chamber (18) or encoder chamber (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Toshiki MARUYAMA, Kazumasa FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20180023678
    Abstract: A strain wave gearing has a wave generator provided with a plug and a roller bearing. The roller bearing is provided with flange plates fixed to both sides of the plug, and outer circumferential edge portions of the flange plates protrude outwardly from a plug outer circumferential surface so as to locate on both sides, in an axial line direction, of the raceway of rollers. The movements of the rollers in the axial line direction are constrained by the outer circumferential edge portions. The movement of retainer in the axial line direction is constrained by engaging with the rollers. The movement of each component part of the roller bearing in the axial line direction can be constrained without using additional components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Masaru KOBAYASHI, Tatsuro HOSHINA
  • Publication number: 20170335941
    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: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuro HOSHINA, Masaru KOBAYASHI, Akira NAGAI
  • Publication number: 20170338718
    Abstract: A strain wave gearing with a built-in motor is provided with a motor, a wave gear mechanism enclosing the motor coaxially, and a heat-insulation spacing formed therebetween. The wave gear mechanism has a wave generator attached to the motor rotor so as to rotate integrally with the motor rotor. A wave generator plug of the wave generator is fixed to a rotor magnet back yoke of the motor rotor so as to enclose the rotor magnet back yoke. The spacing is formed in a contact surface portion between the rotor magnet back yoke and the wave generator back yoke, whereby heat transfer from the motor to the wave gear mechanism is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoki TERASHIMA, Kiyoto KOBAYASHI, Sachio OSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20170314671
    Abstract: A planetary gear drive has needle roller bearings of full roller type as planetary gear bearings for planetary gears. The needle roller bearings have lubrication mechanisms, respectively. Each lubrication mechanism has an annular grease retaining groove. The grease retaining groove is formed on an inner peripheral surface (an outer-race-side raceway surface) of the shaft hole of each planetary gear. Poor lubrication can be prevented from occurring when needle roller bearings of full roller type are employed as the planetary gear bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Norio SHIROKOSHI
  • Publication number: 20170227106
    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: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Noboru TAKIZAWA, Go KUROIWA
  • Publication number: 20170219050
    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: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jun HANDA, Yoshihide KIYOSAWA, Noboru TAKIZAWA, Xin Yue ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20170211678
    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: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide KIYOSAWA, Jun HANDA, XinYue ZHANG, Noboru TAKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20170194832
    Abstract: A rotation actuator is equipped with a motor and a reduction gear disposed adjacent to each other. Both shaft end portions of a rotating shaft, which passes through the center of the motor and reducer, are rotatably supported through first and second rolling bearings by first and second fixed discs that are mutually fastened and fixed. A rotation output plate is supported through a third rolling bearing in the outer peripheral surface of the second fixed disc. A sliding ring is mounted between the rotation output plate and the first fixed disc. The sliding ring functions as a thrust bearing for the rotation output plate and also functions as a sealing mechanism for preventing grease from flowing from the reducer gear to the outside. A flat rotation actuator can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke YAGUCHI, Kiyoto KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20170175869
    Abstract: An externally toothed gear of a dual-type strain wave gearing is provided with first and second external teeth having different teeth numbers, and is flexed into an ellipsoidal shape by a wave generator. When t(1) represents the tooth bottom rim wall thickness of the first external teeth, and t(2) represents the tooth bottom rim wall thickness of the second external teeth, the ratio of t(1)/t(2) is set to a value satisfying 0.5>t(1)/t(2)<1.5. Accordingly, 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: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide KIYOSAWA, Jun HANDA, Noboru TAKIZAWA, Xin Yue ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20170159789
    Abstract: A strain wave gearing includes a rigid internally toothed gear, a flexible externally toothed gear disposed coaxially within the internally toothed gear, and a wave generator fitted within the externally toothed gear. The internally toothed gear and the externally toothed gear are spur gears having module m; and the number of teeth of the externally toothed gear is 2n less than the number of teeth of the internally toothed gear, where n is a positive integer. Taking a transverse cross-section at a prescribed position along a tooth trace direction of the external teeth as a main cross-section, a degree of flexing, with respect to a rim-neutral circle of the externally toothed gear prior to ellipsoidal flexing, of a rim-neutral line of the ellipsoidally flexed externally toothed gear is set, at a position on the major axis in the main cross-section, to 2mn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20170009868
    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: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Tatsuro Hoshina