Harmonic drive
OwnerDetlev Hofmanninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a harmonic drive arrangement for the displacement of one component relative to another, a ball cage with cavities and balls movably disposed in the cavities is associated with one of the components and a transfer structure with conical recesses is associated with the other of the components adjacent the ball cage. The cavities are arranged in spaced rows and the conical recesses are arranged in rows spaced differently than the cavity rows. A pressure element with ascending and descending cam structures is movably disposed adjacent the ball cage to engage and move the balls into, and permit them to move out of, the recesses as the pressure element is moved along the ball cage to thereby provide for relative movement of the two components.
Claims9
A harmonic drive arrangement for the displacement of one component relative to another component, comprising a ball cage connected to one of said components, said ball cage having cavities arranged in a predetermined pattern of rows disposed at a given distance from one another, balls movably disposed in said cavities, a transfer element connected to the other of said components and being arranged adjacent said ball cage, said transfer element having conical recesses also arranged in a predetermined pattern of rows corresponding to that of said ball cage, with said rows of recesses being disposed at a distance from one another different from the distance between the rows of said cavities in said ball cage, and a pressure element movably supported on said ball cage opposite said transfer element and having inclined rolling surfaces engaging said balls in said ball cage so as to hold said balls in engagement with said transfer element and inclined walls defined by said conical recesses and, depending on the position of said transfer element relative to said ball cage, force said balls more or less deeply into said recesses for moving said transfer element relative to said cage when said pressure element is moved along said ball cage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.