Abstract: First gear for use in a gear set including a second gear has a hub to which are attached a plurality of arms made of an elastic material. Each pair of adjacent arms defines a slot between them into which the arms may bend. The arms can deflect elastically in the plane as a cantilevered beam. Each arm has on the end thereof, a tooth for meshing with a tooth on the second gear to allow transfer of force between the first gear's tooth and the meshing second gear's tooth. A load distributor in contact with at least first and second arms distributes to the second arm at least a portion of force received by the first arm's tooth while the first arm's tooth meshes with a tooth on the second gear. In one embodiment, the load distributor comprises an insert within the slot between the first and second arms.

Abstract: First gear for use in a gear set including a second gear has a hub to which are attached a plurality of arms made of an elastic material. Each pair of adjacent arms defines a slot between them into which the arms may bend. The arms can deflect elastically in the plane as a cantilevered beam. Each arm has on the end thereof, a tooth for meshing with a tooth on the second gear to allow transfer of force between the first gear's tooth and the meshing second gear's tooth. A load distributor in contact with at least first and second arms distributes to the second arm at least a portion of force received by the first arm's tooth while the first arm's tooth meshes with a tooth on the second gear. In one embodiment, the load distributor comprises an insert within the slot between the first and second arms.