Harmonic drive with balanced epicyclic geartrain having a carrier with an integrated wave generator

A harmonic drive, comprising:

• a housing having an outer shell extending from a forward end to an aft end and defining an inner surface;
• an epicyclic geartrain within the housing,
• wherein the epicyclic geartrain includes a carrier, wherein the carrier defines a center passage and an outer surface, and wherein the center passage of the carrier receives an input shaft, and
• wherein the outer surface of the carrier defines a wave generator portion that defines a wave generator;
• the harmonic drive includes an output shaft that has an output shaft forward portion and an output shaft aft portion,
• wherein the output shaft aft portion is within the housing and surrounds the carrier and the output shaft forward portion extends through the forward end of the housing, and
• a flex spline, wherein:
• the drive includes planet shafts and carrier outer passages;
• an aft segment of the wave generator portion of the carrier defines circumferentially distributed forward pockets that are aligned with ones of the carrier outer passages;
• and the forward pockets receive and support planet shaft forward ends of ones of the planet shafts is defined by the output shaft aft portion, wherein the flex spline is aligned with the wave generator;
• and
• a circular spline is defined along the inner surface of the housing, wherein the circular spline is aligned with the flex spline.