Harmonic Drive Technologies

Teijin Seiki Boston, Inc.

Teppin Seiki Boston, Inc.

Joseph J Aubin

Robert P Lascelles

Carmine Gabriel Tortora

Etsuro Komori

Yoshichika Yamada

Kenji Tejima

The present invention comprises a novel harmonic drive transmission arrangement having an input member and an output member, and its method of manufcature. The transmission comprises a generally cylindrically-shaped housing including a circular spline gear arranged therein, and a cup-shaped flexspline with an array of radially outwardly directed gear teeth on a first end thereof, engaged with the circular spline teeth. A wave generator is rotatably supported on the input member radially inwardly of the gear on the flexspline. An annular diaphragm is arranged at a second end of the cup-shaped flexspline, and a flange is attached or integral to the diaphragm to permit the cup-shaped flexspline to be securely attached to the output member, the flange having a annular outmost surface thereon. An outer bearing race is attached to a second end of the housing, and an arrangement of bearing members are arranged between the outer bearing race and the radially outermost surface of the flange, the bearing members between rotatable radially about said radially outer surface of the flange, in a structurally supportive manner therewith.

Harmonic drive bearing arrangement

The present invention relates to an extended tooth contact harmonic drive gearing apparatus for transmitting rotary motion from an input drive to an output drive through mating contact between the gear teeth of a flexspline and a rigid circular spline, the flexspline being rotated into non-circular shape by a wave generator. The profile of the flexspline teeth are generated to cause the teeth of the flexspline to contact more than one tooth of the circular spline by forming a face profile on the flexspline teeth in accordance with a predetermined equation while the flank tooth profile of the circular spline is formed of a known arc segment, such as, a circle, ellipse or parabola.

Extended contact harmonic drive devices

The present invention comprises an extended tooth contact harmonic drive gearing apparatus for transmitting rotary motion from an input drive to an output drive through mating contact between a flexspline and a rigid circular spline, the flexspline being swept into a non-circular shape by a wave generator. The wave generator causes the teeth of the flexspline to precess from a normal to an inclined orientation and back to a normal orientation again. The teeth on both the flexspline and the circular spline have a profile which accomodates that tooth inclination, and thus avoids interference therebetween.

Tooth profile arrangement to eliminate tooth intererence in extended

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Georgetown, MA, United States of America

Joseph J Aubin