US 12,723,641 B1Granted

Worm gear linear drive structure

AssigneeFositek Corporation

InventorsAn-Szu Hsu, Yung-Chih Tseng, Po-Yun Chen, Zoen Ryon Ryan Wong

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Abstract

A worm gear linear drive structure includes an internal helical gear member having an inner bore with a helical gear structure and a rod extending through the bore along an axial direction. A plurality of worm gear assemblies are disposed within the bore between the internal helical gear member and the rod. Each worm gear assembly includes at least one worm gear with a gear structure on its outer circumferential surface, the gear structure being in cross-axis meshing engagement with the helical gear structure, and the worm gear being in frictional contact with the outer circumferential surface of the rod. A preload assembly is disposed radially outward of the worm gear assemblies and applies a preload force to the worm gear assemblies, generating static frictional force between the worm gears and the rod to enable axial linear movement of the rod when the internal helical gear member is rotated.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A worm gear linear drive structure comprising:

an internal helical gear member having an inner bore extending along an axial direction thereof, an inner circumferential surface of the internal helical gear member having a helical gear structure;
a rod disposed through the inner bore and extending along the axial direction;
a plurality of worm gear assemblies disposed within the inner bore and positioned between the internal helical gear member and the rod, each worm gear assembly including at least one worm gear, the worm gear having a gear structure and a non-geared section on an outer circumferential surface thereof, the gear structure being in cross-axis meshing engagement with the helical gear structure, and the non-geared section of the outer circumferential surface of each worm gear being in frictional contact with an outer circumferential surface of the rod;
and
a preload assembly disposed radially outward of the plurality of worm gear assemblies and configured to apply a preload force to each of the worm gear assemblies.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.