Non-backdrivable self-locking gear system including one or more helical gears

A self-locking non-backdrivable gear system comprising:

• a gearbox;
• a primary motor input;
• and
• a drive shaft extending along an axis and operatively coupled to the primary motor input, the drive shaft configured to drive a rotation of the gearbox about the axis of said drive shaft;
• the gearbox comprising:
• an input ring gear mounted around said drive shaft and positioned in rotational engagement with the primary motor input;
• a ring plate and seal configuration mounted to the input ring gear and configured for sealing components within the input ring gear;
• at least one helical balance gear rotatably mounted within the input ring gear and configured to rotate about a mounting axis, wherein the at least one helical balance gear is further configured to rotate with the input ring gear and comprises a first gear portion and a second gear portion, wherein the first gear portion comprises a first diameter and the second gear portion comprises a second diameter that is different than the first diameter;
• an output helical gear rotatably mounted within the input ring gear in a radially inward, concentric relation to the input ring gear, wherein the output helical gear comprises a first predetermined number of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the at least one helical balance gear;
• an output shaft connected to the drive shaft;
• a fixed helical gear fixedly mounted around the output shaft and positioned adjacent to the output helical gear, wherein the fixed helical gear comprises a second predetermined number of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the at least one helical balance gear, wherein the first predetermined number and the second predetermined number are different;
• and
• wherein the teeth of the fixed helical gear and the output helical gear engage oppositely oriented teeth of the at least one helical balance gear,
• wherein rotation of the primary motor input causes rotation of the input ring gear, which causes rotation of the at least one helical balance gear which causes rotation of the output helical gear which causes rotation of the drive shaft, and
• wherein in the absence of rotation of the input ring gear, a rotational force applied to the output helical gear forces the teeth of the fixed and output helical to lock the at least one helical balance gear in place.

A self-locking non-backdrivable gear system comprising:

• a gearbox;
• a primary motor input;
• and
• a drive shaft extending along an axis and operatively coupled to the primary motor input, the drive shaft configured to drive a rotation of the gearbox about the axis of said drive shaft;
• the gearbox comprising:
• an input ring gear mounted around said drive shaft and positioned in rotational engagement with the primary motor input;
• a ring plate and seal configuration mounted to the input ring gear and configured for sealing components within the input ring gear;
• at least one helical balance gear rotatably mounted within the input ring gear and configured to rotate about a mounting axis, wherein the at least one helical balance gear is further configured to rotate with the input ring gear;
• an output helical gear rotatably mounted within the input ring gear in a radially inward, concentric relation to the input ring gear, wherein the output helical gear comprises a first predetermined number of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the at least one helical balance gear;
• an output shaft connected to the drive shaft;
• a fixed helical gear fixedly mounted around the output shaft and positioned adjacent to the output helical gear, wherein the fixed helical gear comprises a second predetermined number of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the at least one helical balance gear, wherein the first predetermined number and the second predetermined number are different;
• and
• wherein the teeth of the fixed helical gear and the output helical gear engage oppositely oriented teeth of the at least one helical balance gear,
• wherein rotation of the primary motor input causes rotation of the input ring gear, which causes rotation of the at least one helical balance gear which causes rotation of the output helical gear which causes rotation of the drive shaft, and
• wherein in the absence of rotation of the input ring gear, a rotational force applied to the output helical gear forces the teeth of the fixed and output helical to lock the at least one helical balance gear in place,
• wherein the fixed helical gear comprises a fixed gear diameter and the output helical gear comprises an output gear diameter that is different from the fixed gear diameter.

A self-locking non-backdrivable gear system comprising:

• a gearbox;
• a primary motor input;
• a drive shaft extending along an axis and operatively coupled to the primary motor input, the drive shaft configured to drive a rotation of the gearbox about the axis of said drive shaft;
• and
• a modifying device;
• the gearbox comprising:
• an input ring gear mounted around said drive shaft and positioned in rotational engagement with the primary motor input;
• a ring plate and seal configuration mounted to the input ring gear and configured for sealing components within the input ring gear;
• at least one helical balance gear rotatably mounted within the input ring gear and configured to rotate about a mounting axis, wherein the at least one helical balance gear is further configured to rotate with the input ring gear and comprises a first gear portion and a second gear portion;
• an output helical gear rotatably mounted within the input ring gear in a radially inward, concentric relation to the input ring gear, wherein the output helical gear comprises a first predetermined number of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the at least one helical balance gear;
• an output shaft connected to the drive shaft;
• a fixed helical gear fixedly mounted around the output shaft and positioned adjacent to the output helical gear, wherein the fixed helical gear comprises a second predetermined number of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the at least one helical balance gear, wherein the first predetermined number and the second predetermined number are different;
• and
• wherein the teeth of the fixed helical gear and the output helical gear engage oppositely oriented teeth of the at least one helical balance gear,
• wherein rotation of the primary motor input causes rotation of the input ring gear, which causes rotation of the at least one helical balance gear which causes rotation of the output helical gear which causes rotation of the drive shaft, and
• wherein in the absence of rotation of the input ring gear, a rotational force applied to the output helical gear forces the teeth of the fixed and output helical to lock the at least one helical balance gear in place,
• wherein the modifying device is positioned between the first gear portion and the second gear portion and comprises a buffering clutch configured to smooth gear engagement.