Planocentric gear drive

A planocentric gear drive, comprising:

• a stator gear fixed against rotation about a central axis and having an annular set of teeth;
• an output gear mounted coaxially with said stator gear for rotation about said axis and having an annular set of teeth provided in a number different from the number of teeth on said stator gear;
• a driving gear formed at least in part from a magnetically permeable material and disposed for eccentric floating about said axis and having an annular set of teeth for meshing engagement on a common axial line of contact with the teeth on said stator and output gears;
• and
• electromagnetic means for orbiting said driving gear in steps about said central axis in meshing engagement with said stator and output gears, whereby the teeth on said driving gear wedge against the teeth on said output gear to rotate said output gear in relatively small incremental steps.

A planocentric gear drive, comprising:

• a stator gear fixed against rotation about a central axis and including an annular set of generally axially extending teeth presented in a first radial direction;
• an output gear mounted coaxially with said stator gear for rotation with respect to said central axis and including an annular set of generally axially extending teeth presented in said first radial direction, the number of teeth on said output gear being provided in a number differing by at least one from the number of teeth on said stator gear;
• a driving gear formed at least in part from a magnetically permeable material and sized for eccentric floating about said central axis, said driving gear having an annular set of generally axially extending teeth for meshing engagement on a common and generally axially extending line of contact with the teeth on said stator and output gears;
• a plurality of electromagnets arranged circumferentially with respect to said gears for magnetically displacing said driving gear into meshing engagement with said stator and output gears;
• and
• control means for energizing said electromagnets in circumferential sequence for eccentrically displacing said driving gear with respect to said central axis into meshing engagement with said stator and output gears whereby the teeth on said driving gear wedge against the teeth on said output gear upon energization of each electromagnet in succession to rotate said output gear in relatively small incremental steps.

A planocentric gear drive, comprising:

• a housing;
• a stator gear fixed to said housing and having an annular set of generally radially outwardly presented and generally axially elongated teeth formed about a central axis;
• an output gear having an annular set of generally radially outwardly presented and generally axially elongated teeth mounted for rotation about said central axis, the number of teeth on said output gear differing by at least one from the number of teeth on said stator gear;
• a driving gear formed at least in part from a magnetically permeable material and having an annular set of generally radially inwardly presented and axially elongated teeth formed on a pitch diameter slightly larger than the pitch diameter of the teeth on said stator and output gears, whereby said driving gear is movable eccentrically with respect to said stator and output gears;
• means for supporting said driving gear for meshing engagement of its teeth with the teeth on said stator and output gears on a common, generally axially extending line of contact;
• and
• means for orbiting said driving gear in steps about said central axis in meshing engagement with said stator and output gears, whereby the teeth on said driving gear wedge against the teeth on said output gear to rotate said output gear in relatively small incremental steps.

In a sprinkler device having a sprinkler housing for receiving a supply of water under pressure, and a sprinkler nozzle for passage of the water in the form of a water stream in a generally laterally outward direction from the housing, a gear drive for controlled rotation of the nozzle in relatively small incremental steps with respect to the housing, comprising:

• a stator gear mounted against rotation on said housing and having an annular set of teeth arranged about a central axis;
• an output gear having an annular set of teeth provided in a number differing from the number of teeth on said stator gear and being mounted with respect to said housing for rotation of its teeth about said central axis, said output gear being coupled to the sprinkler nozzle for rotating the nozzle upon rotation of said output gear;
• a driving gear having an annular set of teeth formed on a pitch diameter to permit eccentric floating of said driving gear with respect to said stator and output gears, the teeth on said driving gear being engageable in mesh simultaneously with the teeth on said stator and output gears on a common axial line of contact;
• and
• means carried by said housing for moving said driving gear eccentrically in steps with respect to said stator and output gears to orbit said driving gear in steps about said central axis in meshing engagement with said stator and output gears, whereby the teeth on said driving gear wedge against the teeth on said output gear to rotate said output gear and the nozzle in relatively small incremental steps.

In a sprinkler device having a sprinkler housing for receiving a supply of water under pressure, and a sprinkler nozzle for passage of the water in the form of a water stream in a generally laterally outward direction from the housing, a gear drive for controlled rotation of the nozzle in relatively small incremental steps with respect to the housing, comprising:

• an annular stator gear mounted against rotation on said housing and having an annular set of generally radially outwardly presented and axially elongated teeth arranged about a central axis;
• an annular output gear carrying the sprinkler nozzle and having an annular set of generally radially outwardly presented and axially elongated teeth provided in a number different from the number of teeth on said stator gear, said output gear being mounted with respect to said housing for rotation of its teeth about said central axis, said output gear cooperating with said stator gear to define an open flow path for flow of water from the housing into the nozzle;
• an annular driving gear formed at least in part from a magnetically permeable material and sized for eccentric floating about said central axis, said driving gear including an annular set of generally radially inwardly presented and axially elongated teeth on said stator and output gears generally on a common axial line of contact;
• a plurality of at least three electromagnets arranged circumferentially about said gears, each of said electromagnets being energizable for magnetically displacing said driving gear into meshing engagement with said stator and output gears;
• and
• control means for energizing said electromagnets in circumferential succession for eccentrically displacing said driving gear in steps with respect to said central axis into meshing engagement with said stator and output gears, whereby the teeth on said driving gear wedge against the teeth on said output gear upon energization of each electromagnet in succession to rotate said output gear in relatively small incremental steps.

A sprinkler device, comprising:

• a sprinkler housing having a flow path formed therein for flow of water under pressure;
• an annular stator gear mounted against rotation on said housing and having an annular set of generally axially extending and radially outwardly presented teeth formed about a central axis;
• an annular output gear having an annular set of generally axially extending and radially outwardly presented teeth provided in a number different from the number of teeth on said stator gear, said output gear being mounted on said housing for rotation of its teeth about said central axis and in a position axially adjacent said stator gear;
• a sprinkler nozzle carried by said output gear for rotation therewith, said nozzle being configured for passage of water in a generally laterally outward direction, said stator and output gears cooperating to define an open passage for flow of water from said housing flow path into and through said nozzle;
• an annular driving gear formed at least in part from a magnetically permeable material and sized for eccentric floating about said central axis, said driving gear including an annular set of generally radially inwardly presented and axially elongated teeth disposed for simultaneous meshing engagement with the teeth on said stator and output gears generally on a common axial line of contact;
• a plurality of at least three electromagnets arranged circumferentially about said gears, each of said electromagnets being energizable for magnetically displacing said driving gear into meshing engagement with said stator and output gears;
• and
• control means for energizing said electromagnets in circumferential succession for eccentrically displacing said driving gear in steps with respect to said central axis into meshing engagement with said stator and output gears, whereby the teeth on said driving gear wedge against the teeth on said output gears upon energization of each electromagnet in succession to rotate said output gear in relatively small incremental steps.