A powder supply mechanism, which is provided with a press-molded article obtained by consolidating a solid lubricant powder in advance, is incorporated into an inner-side space of an externally toothed gear of a strain wave gearing. While the strain wave gearing is operating, the press-molded article is worn down by the friction plate, whereby the powder supply mechanism can incrementally supply very small amounts of a solid lubricant abrasion powder from the press-molded article over an extended period. It is possible to suppress any reduction in efficiency caused by loss torque produced due to a large amount of the solid lubricant powder infiltrating gaps in, inter alia, a contact section of a wave generator rotating at high speed. Thus, it is possible to extend the service life of the powder-lubricated strain wave gearing while keeping the efficiency consistently high.

A wave bearing of a space strain wave gearing device comprises an inner ring formed from a bearing steel, an outer ring formed from a martensitic stainless steel, and balls formed from ceramics. On the inner ring formed from a bearing steel, a ceramic coating formed by an AD method is formed as a rust-preventive coating. In the space strain wave gearing device that adopts solid lubrication (powder lubrication), it is possible to reliably prevent rust from developing on the inner ring formed from a bearing steel of the wave bearing. In a space environment where the temperature greatly changes, appropriate setting of the linear expansion coefficients of the inner ring, the outer ring, and the balls enables a change in the radial gap of the wave bearing to be suppressed to a range that does not interfere with practical use.

A lubrication mechanism of a strain wave gearing is disposed in an interior space of an externally toothed gear and comprises a powder-accommodating bag that stores solid lubricant powder. A diaphragm of the externally toothed gear is repeatedly deflected during the driving of the strain wave gearing. Vibration or deflection is repeatedly imparted to the powder-accommodating bag and the solid lubricant powder is discharged from a powder discharge hole formed in the powder-accommodating bag into the interior space. A site to be lubricated is lubricated with the solid lubricant powder discharged into the interior space. Harmful effects due to a large amount of the solid lubricant powder being supplied to the site to be lubricated at one time can be resolved, and a necessary amount of the solid lubricant powder can be continuously supplied to the site to be lubricated.

Provided herein a vehicle including an engine, a first motor/generator, a second motor/generator, a ball-type planetary variator (CVP) and a controller configured to detect an over-temperature mode of operation, wherein the controller commands a change in a lube flow to the CVP based on the over-temperature mode.

In a lubricating structure for a transmission, a case rib for stopping oil that is scooped up by a final driven gear is disposed on an inner surface of a first transmission case. The case rib is disposed above a location of a lower side portion of the final driven gear, which is immersed in the oil accumulated below the first transmission case, and at a position above a differential device and a drive shaft.

A strain wave gearing is lubricated by a non-hydrophobized powder enclosed in an internal space until the strain wave gearing is fully broken in, and the non-hydrophobized powder is transferred to contact surfaces of contact parts to form a lubricating film. During operation under load, the strain wave gearing is lubricated by a hydrophobized powder enclosed in the internal space instead of the non-hydrophobized powder. Each of the powders used is a powder of an ionic crystalline compound (MoS2, WS2, etc.) having a layered crystal structure. By lubricating the strain wave gearing with the hydrophobized powder during operation under load, any temporary decrease in efficiency at the start of operation is minimized and stable operation of the strain wave gearing can be maintained.

A strain wave gearing is provided with a lubricant sealing structure that prevents a lubricant from leaking to the outside through a gap between a hollow input shaft and an end plate. The lubricant sealing structure is provided with a labyrinth seal that seals the gap. The labyrinth seal is configured by a plurality of gap portions defined by an oil-repellent surface in which fine grooves are formed in a prescribed groove array pattern. The oil-repellent surface is also formed at an outer peripheral surface portion on an upstream side of the labyrinth seal. Leakage of a lubricant oil to outside of the device can be reliably prevented through the oil-repellent effect of the oil-repellent surface at the upstream side, the sealing effect of the labyrinth seal, and the oil-repellent effect from the oil-repellent surface of the labyrinth seal.

A powder supply mechanism, which is provided with a press-molded article obtained by consolidating a solid lubricant powder in advance, is incorporated into an inner-side space of an externally toothed gear of a strain wave gearing. While the strain wave gearing is operating, the press-molded article is worn down by the friction plate, whereby the powder supply mechanism can incrementally supply very small amounts of a solid lubricant abrasion powder from the press-molded article over an extended period. It is possible to suppress any reduction in efficiency caused by loss torque produced due to a large amount of the solid lubricant powder infiltrating gaps in, inter alia, a contact section of a wave generator rotating at high speed. Thus, it is possible to extend the service life of the powder-lubricated strain wave gearing while keeping the efficiency consistently high.

A lubricating structure for a speed reducer includes: a case; a first reduction gear pair provided inside the case; a second reduction gear pair provided inside the case; a first catch tank arranged inside the case; a second catch tank arranged inside the case; a partition member that includes a partition wall that partitions an inside of the case into a first accommodation space in which the first reduction gear pair is accommodated and a second accommodation space in which the second reduction gear pair is accommodated; a first oil passage communicating with the first accommodation space and configured to guide lubricating oil to the first catch tank; a second oil passage communicating with the second accommodation space and configured to guide lubricating oil to the second catch tank; and a communication port provided in the partition member and communicating the first oil passage with the second oil passage.

A robot includes a first member, a second member provided to be capable of turning with respect to the first member, and a gear device configured to transmit a driving force from one side to the other side of the first member and the second member. The gear device includes an internal gear, an external gear having flexibility and configured to partially mesh with the internal gear, a wave generator configured to be in contact with the external gear and move a meshing position of the internal gear and the external gear in a circumferential direction, and lubricant disposed in at least one of a meshing section of the internal gear and the external gear and a portion where the external gear and the wave generator are in contact with each other. A last non-seizure load of the lubricant is 300 N or more.