# US 12,215,767 B2 · Rotary bearing and gearbox > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,767 B2 - Document ID: US12215767B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/907,719 - Filed: 2021-03-31 - Published: 2023-04-27 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-07 - Assignees: Harmonic Drive, Inc. - Applicants: Harmonic Drive SE - Inventors: Matthias Mendel; Alexander Schäfer; Michael Schaffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215767B2 ## CPC - F16C 33/7876: {with sealing lips} - F16H 49/001: {Wave gearings, e.g. harmonic drive transmissions} - F16C 19/16: with a single row of balls - F16C 33/58: Raceways; Race rings - F16C 33/581: {integral with other parts, e.g. with housings or machine elements such as shafts or gear wheels} - F16C 33/7879: {with a further sealing ring} - F16C 43/045: {Mounting or replacing seals} - F16C 43/06: Placing rolling bodies in cages or bearings - F16C 2361/61: Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts - F16C 2361/65: Gear shifting, change speed gear, gear box - F16H 2049/003: {Features of the flexsplines therefor} - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A rotary bearing (50), especially for harmonic gearing, comprising an outer bearing ring (1b) and an inner bearing ring (1a) arranged therein; whereby the inner bearing ring (1a) and the outer bearing ring (1b) are each provided with at least one receptacle (10, 11) through which, when the two receptacles (10, 11) are in a corresponding position with respect to one another, rolling elements (8) can be inserted through a receptacle opening (22) formed by the two receptacles (10, 11) into an anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface (7) of the inner bearing ring (1a) and the bearing surface (9) of the outer bearing ring (1b), wherein a guide ring (20) for the rolling elements (8) is arranged in at least one of the two receptacles (10, 11) between the receptacle opening (22) and the rolling elements (8). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary bearing (50) for harmonic gearing, comprising: rolling elements (8); an outer bearing ring (1b) defining a bearing surface (9) and an inner bearing ring (1a) defining a bearing surface (7), with the inner bearing ring (1a) arranged in the outer bearing ring (1b), wherein the inner bearing ring (1a) and the outer bearing ring (1b) are each provided with at least one receptacle (10, 11) through which, when the two receptacles (10, 11) are in a corresponding position with respect to each other, the rolling elements (8) are insertable through a receptacle opening (22) formed by the two receptacles (10, 11) into an anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface (7) of the inner bearing ring (1a) and the bearing surface (9) of the outer bearing ring (1b); and a guide ring (20) arranged in at least one of the two receptacles (10, 11) between the receptacle opening and the rolling elements (8), said guide ring (20) having an annular projection (41) that runs axially and is configured for contacting the rolling elements (8). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing ring arranged in at least one of the two receptacles (10, 11), said sealing ring blocking axial movement of the guide ring (20) in the direction of the receptacle opening (22). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, further comprising a retaining ring (25) arranged in at least one of the two receptacles (10, 11) and configured to block axial movement of the guide ring (20) in the direction of the receptacle opening (22). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, wherein the guide ring (20) is configured in the form of a screw having an external thread (27) that engages with an internal thread (28) formed in the outer bearing ring (1b). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, wherein the guide ring (20) is axially secured to the outer diameter in the outer bearing ring (1b) by a press fit or interference fit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, wherein the guide ring (20) is made of plastic or steel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, wherein the guide ring (20) is integrated into a flat seal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1, wherein only the guide ring (20) is arranged in the at least one receptacle (10, 11) without incorporating any separate seal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A gearbox (70), comprising: a rotary bearing (50) according to claim 1; and a strain wave gear (40) mounted in the rotary bearing (50), said strain wave gear (40) having an input component (2), an elastic transmission component (4) provided with external teeth (3), and a wheel (6) provided with internal teeth (5), wherein the elastic transmission component (4) when placed onto the input component (2) is elliptically deformed by the input component (2) in such a way that the external teeth (3) of the transmission component (4) engage in the opposing areas of the major axis of the ellipse with the internal teeth (5) of the wheel (6). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gearbox (70) according to claim 9, wherein the wheel (6) forms the outer bearing ring (1b). ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The gearbox (70) according to claim 9, wherein the inner bearing ring (1a) is configured as a clutching wheel (13) with clutching wheel internal teeth having a same number of teeth as the external teeth (3) of the transmission component (4), and wherein the internal teeth of the clutching wheel (13) are engaged with the external teeth (3) of the transmission component (4). ### Claim 12 A gearbox, comprising: a rotary bearing, said rotary bearing comprising rolling elements; an outer bearing ring defining a bearing surface and an inner bearing ring defining a second bearing surface, with the inner bearing ring arranged in the outer bearing ring, wherein the inner bearing ring and the outer bearing ring are each provided with at least one receptacle through which, when the two receptacles are in a corresponding position with respect to each other, the rolling elements are insertable through a receptacle opening formed by the two receptacles into an anti-friction bearing between the second bearing surface of the inner bearing ring and the bearing surface of the outer bearing ring; and a guide ring arranged in at least one of the two receptacles between the receptacle opening and the rolling elements, said guide ring having an annular projection that runs axially and is configured for contacting the rolling elements; and a strain wave gear mounted in the rotary bearing, said strain wave gear having an input component, an elastic transmission component provided with external teeth, and a wheel provided with internal teeth, wherein the elastic transmission component when placed onto the input component is elliptically deformed by the input component in such a way that the external teeth of the transmission component engage with the internal teeth of the wheel in the opposing areas of a major axis of an ellipse formed by the elliptically deformed elastic transmission component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gearbox according to claim 12, wherein the wheel forms the outer bearing ring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The gearbox according to claim 12, wherein the inner bearing ring is configured as a clutching wheel with clutching wheel internal teeth having a same number of teeth as a number of the external teeth of the transmission component, and wherein the internal teeth of the clutching wheel are engaged with the external teeth of the transmission component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The gearbox according to claim 13, wherein the inner bearing ring is configured as a clutching wheel with clutching wheel internal teeth having a same number of teeth as a number of the external teeth of the transmission component, and wherein the internal teeth of the clutching wheel are engaged with the external teeth of the transmission component.