Systems and methods for implementing tailored metallic glass-based strain wave gears and strain wave gear components
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsDouglas C. Hofmann, Brian H. Wilcox
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Abstract
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement tailored metallic glass-based strain wave gears and strain wave gear components. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a flexspline of a strain wave gear includes: forming a MG-based composition into a flexspline using one of a thermoplastic forming technique and a casting technique; where the forming of the MG-based composition results in a formed MG-based material; where the formed flexspline is characterized by: a minimum thickness of greater than approximately 1 mm and a major diameter of less than approximately 4 inches.
Claims28
A method of fabricating a flexspline of a strain wave gear comprising:
- providing a mold of the flexspline;
- forming a MG-based composition into a flexspline using a forming technique comprising:
- depositing an MG-based composition into the mold;
- heating the MG-based composition to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of the MG-based composition,
- forming and compressing the MG-based composition within the mold while the temperature of the MG-based composition within a first region is greater than its respective glass transition temperature of the MG-based composition such that the MG-based composition conforms to the shape of the mold,
- quenching the MG-based composition sufficiently rapidly to maintain at least some amorphous structure in the MG-composition,
- removing the MG-based composition from the mold, and
- wherein the forming of the MG-based composition results in a formed flexspline comprising a MG-based material;
- and
- wherein the formed flexspline is characterized by:
- at least a portion having a thickness of greater than approximately 1 mm and a major diameter of less than approximately 4 inches.
A method of fabricating a flexspline of a strain wave gear comprising:
- providing a mold of the flexspline;
- forming a MG-based composition using a forming technique comprising:
- heating the MG-based composition to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of the MG-based composition to form a molten MG-based composition,
- depositing the molten MG-based composition into the mold;
- quenching the MG-based composition sufficiently rapidly to maintain at least some amorphous structure in the MG-composition,
- removing the MG-based composition from the mold as a molded MG-based part,
- reheating at least a first region of the MG-based part to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of the MG-based composition,
- wherein at least some portion of the MG-based part, that is continuous through the thickness of the MG-based part, is not heated above its respective glass transition temperature when the first region is heated to a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature,
- forming the MG-based part within the first region while the temperature of the MG-based part within the first region is greater than its respective glass transition temperature, and
- wherein the forming of the MG-based composition results in a formed flexspline comprising a MG-based material;
- and
- wherein the formed flexspline is characterized by:
- at least a portion having a thickness of greater than approximately 1 mm and a major diameter of less than approximately 4 inches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.