Gear device, preferably motor device

A gear device, preferably used as a motor device for providing rotation about at least one output axis,

• said device comprising:
• a body mounted for a rotation about a first axis and a rotation about a second axis and a rotation about a third axis, the first axis being oriented with respect to the second axis at an inclination angle (θ), the second axis and/or the third axis constituting the at least one output axis of said device, wherein the rotation of the body about the third axis gives rise to a change in the inclination angle (θ),
• a torque applying means for applying a torque to the body about the third axis in the sense of increasing inclination angle (θ) when the first axis is at a selected inclination angle (θ) with respect to the second axis which is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and
• a limiting means for limiting the rotation of the body about the third axis in the sense of decreasing inclination angle (θ) such that the inclination angle (θ) of the first axis with respect to the second axis remains greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees,
• said device being so structured as to enable a source of motive power to be connected to the body to cause the body to rotate about the first axis, and
• wherein the rotation of the body about the first axis is at an angular velocity (ωspin) greater than a critical angular velocity (ωc) so that a constant or a decreasing inclination angle (θ) is reached, thereby to initiate or increase an output angular velocity (ωout) and/or an output torque of the rotation of the body about the second axis and/or about the third axis as said at least one output axis, characterized in
• that the body has a specific critical angular velocity (ωc, spec) of less than 20000 rounds per minute, preferably thereby to increase an output power about the at least one output axis,
• wherein said specific critical angular velocity (ωc, spec) is defined as follows:
• the specific critical angular velocity (ωc, spec) is the critical angular velocity (ωc) of the body
• when the inclination angle (θ) of the first axis with respect to the second axis is 45 degrees,
• when the first axis passes through substantially the centre of mass (CM) of the body,
• when the body is oriented such that the moment of inertia of the body is substantially maximized,
• when, if the body is not symmetrical about a plane which passes through the centre of mass (CM) of the body and which is orthogonal to the first axis, among the possible mounting orientations of mounting the body on the first axis the one is chosen that results in a smaller distance between the centre of mass (CM) of the body and the third axis, and
• when a connection arm length (lc) is
• a) 5 mm if the mass of the body is less than 0.1 kg,
• b) 25 mm if the mass of the body is equal to or greater than 0.1 kg and less than 100 kg,
• c) 50 mm if the mass of the body is equal to or greater than 100 kg and less than 1000 kg, and
• d) 100 mm if the mass of the body is equal to or greater than 1000 kg,
• wherein the connection arm length (lc) is the distance of the intersection point of a connection plane (Pc) and the first axis to the third axis, wherein the connection plane (Pc) is a plane which is orthogonal to the first axis and intersects the body and has the minimum distance to the inclination axis.

A method of providing rotation about at least one output axis the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a body for a rotation about a first axis and a rotation about a second axis and a rotation about a third axis, the first axis being oriented with respect to the second axis at an inclination angle (θ), the second axis and/or the third axis constituting the at least one output axis, wherein the rotation of the body about the third axis gives rise to a change in the inclination angle (θ),
• rotating the body about the first axis at an angular velocity (ωspin) greater than a critical angular velocity (ωc),
• applying a torque to the body about the third axis in the sense of increasing inclination angle (θ) when the first axis is at a selected inclination angle (θ) with respect to the second axis which is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and
• limiting the rotation of the body about the third axis in the sense of decreasing inclination angle (θ) such that the inclination angle (θ) of the first axis with respect to the second axis remains greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees,
• so that a constant or a decreasing inclination angle (θ) is reached, thereby to initiate or increase an output angular velocity (ωout) and/or an output torque of the rotation of the body about the second axis and/or about the third axis as said at least one output axis,
• characterized in
• that the method further comprises:
• using a body (2) with a specific critical angular velocity (ωc, spec) of less than 20000 rounds per minute, preferably thereby to increase an output power about the at least one output axis,
• wherein the specific critical angular velocity (ωc, spec) is as follows:
• the specific critical angular velocity (ωc, spec) is the critical angular velocity (ωc) of the body
• when the inclination angle (θ) of the first axis with respect to the second axis is 45 degrees,
• when the first axis passes through substantially the centre of mass (CM) of the body,
• when the body is oriented such that the moment of inertia of the body is substantially maximized, when, if the body is not symmetrical about a plane which passes through the centre of mass (CM) of the body and which is orthogonal to the first axis, among the possible mounting orientations of mounting the body on the first axis the one is chosen that results in a smaller distance between the centre of mass (CM) of the body and the third axis, and
• when a connection arm length (lc) is
• a.) 5 mm if the mass of the body is less than 0.1 kg,
• b) 25 mm if the mass of the body is equal to or greater than 0.1 kg and less than 100 kg,
• c) 50 mm if the mass of the body is equal to or greater than 100 kg and less than 1000 kg, and
• d) 100 mm if the mass of the body is equal to or greater than 1000 kg,
• wherein the connection arm length (lc) is the distance of the intersection point of a connection plane (Pc) and the first axis to the third axis, wherein said connection plane (Pc) is a plane which is orthogonal to the first axis and intersects the body and has the minimum distance to the inclination axis.

Test device for determination of parameters for design and operation of a gear device, preferably used as a motor device,

• wherein said gear device, preferably used as a motor device, comprises an output shaft being solidly connected with an outer cradle, a spin axis being a rotational axis of a body which is rotatably arranged in an inner cradle and an inclination axis perpendicular to the output shaft, wherein the spin axis is rotatable forming an inclination angle between the spin axis and the output shaft, the spin axis is jointly connected with a body, and a torque is applied about the inclination axis, the test device comprising
• an output axis constituting a longitudinal axis of a vertical output shaft,
• a spin axis constituting a rotational axis of a body which is supported on the spin axis,
• an inclination axis which is perpendicular to the output axis and can pivot about the spin axis forming an inclination angle between the spin axis and the output shaft,
• characterized in
• that the body is eccentrically arrangeable with regard to the inclination axis wherein a lever arm of a length l>0 is formed.

Method for determination of parameters for designing and operation of a gear device, preferably used as a motor device,

• whereby the gear device, preferably used as a motor device, comprises an output shaft being solidly connected with an outer cradle, a spin axis being a rotational axis of a body which is rotatably arranged in an inner cradle and an inclination axis perpendicular to the output shaft, wherein the spin axis is rotatable forming an inclination angle between the spin axis and the output shaft, the spin axis is jointly connected with a body, and a torque is applied about the inclination axis,
• wherein the test device as in claim 67 is used,
• characterized in
• that an angular velocity (ωspin) of the body about the spin axis is adjusted to different values, wherein there is a determination for each of the different values whether the adjusted angular velocity (ωspin) is greater or less than a critical angular velocity (ωc) by means of measuring the sense of rotation of the spin axis about the inclination axis

A gear device, preferably used as a motor device, for providing rotation about at least one output axis,

• said device comprising:
• a body mounted for a rotation about a first axis and a rotation about a second axis and a rotation about a third axis, the first axis being oriented with respect to the second axis at an inclination angle (θ), the second axis constituting the output axis of said device, wherein the rotation of the body about the third axis gives rise to a change in the inclination angle (θ),
• means for applying a torque to the body about the third axis in the sense of increasing inclination angle when the first axis is at a selected inclination angle (θ) with respect to the second axis which is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and
• means for limiting the rotation of the body about the third axis in the sense of decreasing inclination angle (θ) such that the inclination angle (θ) of the first axis with respect to the second axis remains greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees,
• said device being so structured as to enable a source of motive power to be connected to the body to cause the body to rotate about the first axis, and
• wherein the rotation of the body about the first axis is at an angular velocity (ωspin) greater than a critical angular velocity (ωc) so that a constant or a decreasing inclination angle (θ) is reached, thereby to initiate or increase an output angular velocity (ωout) and/or an output torque of the rotation of the body about the second axis,
• characterized in
• that a load applied to the third axis is used as the limiting means when the inclination angle (θ) is decreasing so as to extract power about the third axis.

A method of providing rotation about at least one output axis the method comprising:

• mounting a body for a rotation about a first axis and a rotation about a second axis and a rotation about a third axis, the first axis being oriented with respect to the second axis at an inclination angle (θ), the second axis and/or the third axis constituting the at least one output axis, wherein the rotation of the body about the third axis gives rise to a change in the inclination angle (θ),
• rotating the body about the first axis at an angular velocity greater than a critical angular velocity (ωc),
• applying a torque to the body about the third axis in the sense of increasing inclination angle (θ) when the first axis is at a selected inclination angle (θ) with respect to the second axis which is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and
• limiting the rotation of the body about the third axis in the sense of decreasing inclination angle (θ) such that the inclination angle (θ) of the first axis with respect to the second axis remains greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees,
• thereby to initiate or increase an output angular velocity (ωout) and/or an output torque of the rotation of the body about the second axis,
• characterized in
• that the method further comprises:
• extracting power about the third axis by limiting the rotation of the body about the third axis in the sense of decreasing inclination angle (θ) when the inclination angle (θ) is decreasing.