# US 9,435,418 B2 · Wave generator of strain wave gearing

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- Number: US 9,435,418 B2
- Document ID: US9435418B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/396,504
- Filed: 2013-05-08
- Published: 2016-01-28
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-05-08
- Assignees: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
- Applicants: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
- Inventors: Tatsuro Hoshina; Yoshihide Kiyosawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435418B2

## CPC

- F16H 49/001: {Wave gearings, e.g. harmonic drive transmissions}
- F16C 19/44: Needle bearings
- F16C 19/54: Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction (spindle bearings F16C35/08)
- F16C 19/55: with intermediate floating {or independently-driven} rings rotating at reduced speed {or with other differential ball or roller bearings}
- F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls
- F16C 19/46: with one row or needles
- F16C 41/001: {Integrated brakes or clutches for stopping or coupling the relatively movable parts}
- F16H 2049/003: {Features of the flexsplines therefor}
- F16H: GEARING
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

A wave generator of a hollow strain wave gearing has a rigid plug and a needle roller bearing. The needle roller bearing has an inner ring trajectory surface formed in the plug external peripheral surface, a flexible outer ring, an outer ring trajectory surface formed in an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring, and needle rollers. An inner ring trajectory groove is formed in the plug external peripheral surface, and the inner ring trajectory surface is formed in a groove bottom surface of the inner ring trajectory groove. Inner-ring-side restricting surfaces for restricting the needle rollers from moving in the center axis direction are formed in groove side surfaces on both sides of the inner ring trajectory groove. A wave generator can be obtained, which is suitable for increasing the hollow diameter of a strain wave gearing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wave generator of a strain wave gearing for flexing a flexible externally toothed gear into an ellipsoidal shape to partially mesh with a rigid internally toothed gear, and for moving meshing positions of the two gears in a circumferential direction; the wave generator comprising:
a rigid plug having an ellipsoidal shape and a needle roller bearing mounted on an ellipsoidal plug external peripheral surface of the rigid plug, wherein
the needle roller bearing has an ellipsoidal inner ring trajectory surface formed in the plug external peripheral surface, an outer ring capable of flexing in a radial direction, an outer ring trajectory surface formed in an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring, and a plurality of needle rollers mounted in a rollable state between the inner ring trajectory surface and the outer ring trajectory surface;
an inner ring trajectory groove is formed in the plug external peripheral surface and extends in a circumferential direction of the plug external peripheral surface;
the inner ring trajectory surface is formed in a groove bottom surface of the inner ring trajectory groove; and
an inner-ring-side restricting surface for restricting the needle rollers from moving in an axis direction thereof is formed in groove side surfaces on both sides of the inner ring trajectory groove; and
an outer ring trajectory groove is formed in an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring and extends in a circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface;
the outer ring trajectory surface is formed in a groove bottom surface of the outer ring trajectory groove; and,
outer-ring-side restricting surfaces for restricting the needle rollers from moving in the axis direction thereof are formed on groove side surfaces on both sides of the outer ring trajectory groove.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of the strain wave gearing according to claim 1, wherein
the groove side surfaces are:
orthogonal side surfaces that are orthogonal to the groove bottom surface, or
inclined side surfaces that are inclined at an angle less than 90 degrees in relation to surfaces orthogonal to the groove bottom surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A hollow strain wave gearing characterized in comprising:
a rigid internally toothed gear;
a flexible externally toothed gear disposed on an inner side of the rigid internally toothed gear and capable of meshing with the rigid internally toothed gear;
a wave generator for causing the flexible externally toothed gear to flex into an ellipsoidal shape and partially mesh with the rigid internally toothed gear and for causing meshing positions of the two gears to move in a circumferential direction, the wave generator being disposed on an inner side of the flexible externally toothed gear; and
a rotating input shaft composed of a hollow shaft, wherein
the wave generator is that according to claim 1, and
the rigid plug of the wave generator is formed integrally in an external peripheral surface of the rotating input shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The hollow strain wave gearing according to claim 3, wherein
a first internally toothed gear and a second internally toothed gear disposed along a device axis direction and having different numbers of teeth are provided as the rigid internally toothed gear, and
the flexible externally toothed gear has a cylinder body capable of flexing in a radial direction and external teeth formed in an external peripheral surface of the cylinder body.